The problem lies in that it seems improbable that Christ would use a human to write a physical letter to an angel, rebuking it for falling short in its duties as a Christ-follower.4 If the angel is an actual angelic representative of the local church, and answerable for its failure, then the seven angels in chapters 1 through 3 failed miserably. (15) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. Unfortunately, Colossae did not have the wealth that Hierapolis or Laodicea possessed, and the city did not completely rebound from the earthquake in 60 A.D. as well as they did. The Laodiceans were rich and self-sufficient, with no need for God to supply their needs. If anyone in the church hears Christ's voice and opens the door, he will come and dine with them. Since Scripture tells us that the Word (Jesus) was in the beginning with God and that all things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made (John 1:1-3), we know that Jesus was not a created Being. The act of hearing implied obedience. Jesus is telling the church that He doesnt simply know their deeds; He knows the motives in their hearts. The discipline of Christ stated in Hebrews 12:5-11, explains that God's discipline proceeds from his love and seeks to develop righteousness in his people. 15byou are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. Ho! Many portions of the city remained unusable afterward. The only way to be in a right relationship with God is through forgiveness. The ruins, now called Eski Hissar, or old castle, lie near the modern Gonjelli on the railroad, and they have long served as a quarry to the builders of the neighboring town of Denizli. The city of Laodicea (Greek Laodikeia) on the Lycus (Laodicea ad Lycum), situated one mile south of the Lycus River in the Lycus Valley west of Colossae and south of Hierapolis, was established and fortified about 261 BC by the Seleucids under Antiochus II Theos. Suffer in the flesh, cease from sin. That the citys banking assets were noteworthy is evidenced by the fact that Cicero cashed huge bank drafts in Laodicea. In the first theory, if the angel is an actual angel, then we can infer that each church has its own guardian angel. Similar to how some people likely spewed the citys unpleasant drinking water out of their mouths, Jesus said He would do the same, yet more violently. Associated with the temple was a medical school. Hot water is only effective while it is hot. Gods problem with this church was not that it was an inactive body of believers. Never miss a post! Jesus leaves no doubt that what is about to follow is true and should be taken very seriously because they are his words. The also liked to add a little hot water to their wine. Therefore God exalted Him and gave Him his own thrown (Philippians 2:5-11). Laodicea lies 40 miles southeast from Philadelphia in the Lycus Valley. For us to purchase something from Christ, something is required. One of the two Roman theaters is remarkably well preserved, and there may still be seen the stadium, a colonnade, the aqueduct which brought the water across the valley to the city by an inverted siphon of stone pipes, a large necropolis, and the ruins of three early Christian churches (ISBE). 16 So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. People came from all over the empire to purchase this medicine. Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Concluding with encouragement, Jesus reminds them that if they overcome, they will rule with Him (verse 21). He has served in the pastoral ministry for over 40 years, pastoring congregations across six states. 2. It is through our relationship and identification with Christ and His work, and our faithfulness in the conflict with sin as we draw upon Christ, that we get to share in His reign as a reward for faithful service. The name is derived from two words: laos, meaning people and dike, meaning decision (Strongs Concordance). The eye salve must be purchased, and it is expensive. Listen that you may live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you. Buying gold tried in the fire from God requires several things from us: It covers a myriad of areas, including pride, impatience, selfishness, unrighteousness, irritation, laziness, vanity, complaining, sexual impurity, unbelief, discouragement, envy, greed, ingratitude, etc. The words of Jesus Christ arise directly from the prosperity and the skill in which Laodicea took so much pride and which had in the minds of its citizens, and even of its Church, eliminated . Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. They think they have need of nothing because they are saved and on their way to heaven. Laodicea also had a medical school for training people to become doctors. That would not be logical since the church at Laodicea has already accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Setting wine flasks in hot water allowed the wine to heat to the desired temperature. You would probably spit it out at the first sip. With so much wealth pouring into Laodicea, one of the most noted banks in the Greek and Roman world was located there. Justification by its very nature does not have a progressive character. Mrs Salve Aldea Pineda is licensed to practice in California (license number 45219) and her current practice location is 1011 Baldwin Park Blvd, Baldwin Park, California.She can be reached at her office (for appointments etc.) In this case, the angel represents the church. The residents would go there daily to fill their jars with the cold refreshing water from Colossae. Phileo is the Greek word for friend or friendship. Hear God. People who are going to be faithful to God must not allow material things to lull them into a false sense of spiritual security. It was a central banking center and traded well in black wool and an innovative eye salve used for medicinal purposes. He encourages them to overcome just as He did. It is to have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. Along with Colosse and Hierapolis, it was one of the cities in the fertile Lyous [sic.] The town was built, perhaps unwisely, on a geological fault from which noxious vapors and hot mineral water escaped. The second thing we need to look at is what it means to be hot. It is an often-used phrase that Jesus utilized when speaking in parables. Call (626) 587-0033! That the Christians will co-reign with Christ (sitting with Him on His throne) is stated in the New Testament on numerous occasions (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; 1 Corinthians 6:1-3, 2 Timothy 2:12). A change in behavior will follow true repentance. The truth is that sometimes the wicked prosper (Jeremiah 12:1). There are two terms that I would like to point out, and those are attrition and contrition. Attrition is regret for sin prompted by fear for oneself: Oh, no. They werent serving God the way he wanted them to be serving. To hear is to obey. The term lukewarm is a key word used to describe Laodicea. The Laodicean church is not hot. Jesus used scripture as a weapon. In this situation, you are not standing for Christ; you are standing for yourself. Before He left the earth, Jesus promised His disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who would guide them to the truth (John 14:16-17, 26; John 15:26). Hierapolis achieved great renown for its hot springs and day spas. The Roman historian Tacitus wrote that the Laodiceans had again refused aid from Rome following an earthquake that badly damaged the city in A.D. 60 (Annals, 14:27). Consider the following: Jesus then tells the Laodiceans that He has given them this strong correction because He loves them and wants them to be zealous and repent (Revelation 3:19). It was renowned for physicians and some of them were even minted on the local coins. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He often started a statement with Amen, amen, I say to you. (Many verses in the Gospels such as John 5:24 translate amen as truly, or verily.) Spiritual discernment is the ability to tell the difference between truth and error. Used by permission. I wish you were either cold or hot! The focus of justification is the removal of the guilt of sin. The culture of the city had infiltrated the church, and the members didnt know how spiritually wretched and weak they were. Christ told the church at Laodicea to buy___from Him so they could see. He was the beginning of all things. You must know the truth so well that, when the lies of the enemy appear, you can recognize them. One of the famous Laodicean remedies was a "Phrygian eye-salve" which was supposed to cure inflammation. Of course, Gods love extends to all humanity. If were doing something hoping that it will bring ourselves glory or accolades or pats on the back, then were not doing for God. They probably think they are just like any other church. The hot Christian should also be like hot wine; the pleasant taste and aroma of a Christ-like life should cause people to want Christs salvation as well. In addition, its wealth came from the production of a fine quality of famous glossy black woolwhether dyed or natural in color is not known. I got caught. The letter starts as if being written to an angel, but there is no doubt that it is the congregation itself who is the focus of the letter. To purchase from God gold tried in the fire is not only inclining your ear to the Lord, hearing him, going to him and making an everlasting covenant with him, but also loving, believing, and rejoicing as per 1 Peter 1:5-9, (quoted earlier). But we have to invite Him inside. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? 3 Ways to Avoid Becoming a Lukewarm Church. Near the temple of the special god associated with healing, Men Karou (who later became identified with Asclepius), there was a market for trading all sorts of goods (Ramsay, Seven Churches, p. 417). 1 Peter 1:7 states that spiritual gold is your faith in Christ, and every true believers faith in Jesus will go through a fiery trial during which all that is dross is to be done away with (burned away) to bring forth a finished product of pure, refined gold. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door. Trusted Eye Doctor in Baldwin Park, CA. Some have wondered if the last name mentionedthe Beginning of the creation of Godindicates that Jesus was a created Being. Transliteration changes the Hebrew letters (Hebrew is read from right to left but my chart below has it from left to right to make it easy to understand.) Get the latest blog posts from Life, Hope & Truth straight to yourinbox. The writer speaks to those who had become dull of hearing, meaning they had little to no spiritual discernment. Following the pattern of the other letters, this one was also to the angel of the church. Be referring to himself as the beginning of the creation of God; he once again ascertains his deity. Hebrews 5:11-14 shows how the eye salve to fix spiritual discernment is utilized. First of all, it begins with recognizing with a heart-rending awareness that we have defied God when we sin. Production of the famous "Phrygian powder" was also performed in Laodicea. The word beginning (arch) could be translated as that by which anything begins to be, the origin, active cause.12 The New Testament scriptures are very clear about Christ's role in creation. The word zealous is the Greek word (zeleue) and means to be eager, earnest.23 The church is commanded to be earnest or zealous, which means a passionate eagerness to do God's will. Jesus starts by calling himself the Amen, a term reserved for God himself in the Old Testament. White clothes. Cc trang web thay th tt nht cho Herbert-armstrong.org - Kim tra danh sch tng t ca chng ti da trn xp hng th gii v s lt truy cp hng thng ch trn Xranks. Uniquely situated on a large flat-topped hill, the town was protected from the flooding in the spring when the snow melted off the nearby mountains. At the foot of Mount Cadmus, it benefited from an endless supply of cold, freshwater coming down from the snow caps. Jesus himself used the word amen in this context many times. The stones were ground up to powder which was mixed with oil producing a well-known eye balm that was distributed throughout the Greek and Roman world. The water came either from hot springs and was cooled to lukewarm or came from a cooler source and warmed up in the aqueduct on the way. Gods word says that this spiritual gold tried in the fire is more precious than natural gold that perishes. Its another way of saying, Listen up! If this is what Christ had in mind, then being a cold Christian would be like giving someone a cool refreshing drink on a hot summer day. Yet this wealth had blinded them from seeing their true spiritual condition. What they were doing wasnt being done for the glory of God. 18cand eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Zeus, the supreme god, was also worshiped in the city (Expositors). The ancient Greeks liked to drink hot water. All of their success and self-righteousness was nakedness in Gods sight. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Laodicea also produced a special eye salve that was made by powdering a special Phrygian stone. It is up to the hearer to decide whether to take the Word seriously and try to understand it, and obey it. What does it mean to buy gold from Jesus? Whenever Christ says, He who has ears to hear, let him hear, He is calling for people to pay careful heed. What did they think it meant to be cold? This messageas well as all of the othersis still important for Christians today. It is a message of hope and victory. If you have, you can probably imagine what Jesus is experiencing. 4. The problem seems to be in their motives. It was a banking center. laodicea means human rightsNitro Acoustic. As a man, Jesus also had this self-will and was tempted, but His firm resolve from the very start was, Not My will, but Yours! For us to overcome as He overcame, we need to make that same decision and faithfully stick to it, no matter what happens or how we feel. Print subscriptions available in U.S., Canada and Europe. 1. "Laodicea had a famous school of medicine; and a special ointment known as "Phrygian powder," famous for its cure of eye defects, was either manufactured or distributed there, as were ear ointments also. In a letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote: Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Laodicea built an aqueduct that ran from the mountains above Colossae to the city center. Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Youre going to have to spend time reading the Word, studying the Word, memorizing the Word, meditating on the Word, and obeying the Word. Why does the church not hear his voice? hippie fest 2022 michigan; family picture poses for 5 adults; unforgettable who killed rachel; pacific northwest college of art notable alumni; adler sense of belonging family constellation; We have been warned and cautioned to be ready for His arrival. Article URL: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/revelation/seven-churches-of-revelation/laodicea/, Although there was much gold in the city, the riches that really matter are spiritual in natureknowing and practicing Gods truth (, Although Laodicea had a reputation for producing excellent-quality garments from the wool produced in the area, the Bride of Christ will be dressed in fine linen, clean and bright representing the righteous acts of the saints (, Although Laodicea produced medicine for healing various eye ailments, the most important things we need to see are spiritual. 4. What happens if the church does not hear his voice and does not open the door? Confession by itself is not repentance. Verse 14 leaves no doubt the Jesus Christ is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. If were doing something for recognition, then were not doing it for God. 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