Laodicea was known for it's black wool. People commonly but mistakenly believe that wealth means that God is pleased with them. Its as if he was served something to drink that was inadequate, subpar, or even bad tasting. It was the location of a temple dedicated to Asklepios. It is the foundation of wisdom. You, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. "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. Church of the Lukewarm: Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) November 7, 2021. The Greek word arche, which is translated Beginning, has a range of meanings from beginning, origin to the person or thing that commences to that by which anything begins to be to the first place, principality, rule, magistracy (Thayers Greek Lexicon). Serving wine lukewarm would be considered an insult. You will know Gods character and will, and that is the heart of spiritual discernment being able to distinguish the voice of God from the voice of the world. It would appear so. Having gotten their attention, Jesus then explains why He described their spiritual condition as lukewarm. This theory deems the letter addressed to a human messenger rather than an angelic one. Revelation 3:14-22 It costs our life. The word rebuke is the Greek word (elegch) and means to convict, to prove one in the wrong.21 Jesus is doing more than just telling the Laodiceans their faults; he is convicting them of their sin. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth (Luke 21:34-35). All things are through Him, and we exist through Him. Colossians 1:16 (HSCB) says, For everything was created by Him, in heaven, and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him. Hebrews 1:2 (HSCB) says, In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. The time of need is when temptation comes when we see and feel the sin in our flesh when we struggle to keep ourselves from sinning. Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothingand do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (verse 17). Gratitude Vision Optometry offers premier primary eye care, specialty contact lenses & more. Various thermal installations, which included immense hot basins and pools for swimming, were built to take advantage of the natural resource. We're currently processing your request and we'll be in touch soon. and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Call (626) 587-0033! The whole point of this verse is that lukewarm has no use. Justification by its very nature does not have a progressive character. Their wealth has become their savior who supplies their every need. The Laodicean church is not hot. Giving time to Christ is what Christians must do to develop spiritual discernment. Concluding with encouragement, Jesus reminds them that if they overcome, they will rule with Him (verse 21). John 1:3 (HSCB) says, All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. John 1:10 (HSCB) says, He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. 1 Corinthians 8:6 (HSCB) says, yet for us, there is one God, the Father. That would not be logical since the church at Laodicea has already accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Ruins from ancient Laodicea (photo by David Treybig). You see Laodicea was a very wealthy city. Gold mined from rock always has impurities. They werent serving God the way he wanted them to be serving. 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). The major idea behind this word is constancy and reliability.8 Isaiah referred to God as the God of amen, due to his truthfulness and trustworthiness (Isaiah 65:16). Rather this is the Creator of the Universe, adjuring those He loves to recognize and admit their spiritual emptiness and turn to Him for complete healing and righteousness. More than likely, the members of the church in Laodicea were carnal Christians. It is very important to understand that this verse is NOT saying that Jesus was the first thing created; rather, it is stating that Jesus was the source of creation. Modern Laodicea: Four Characteristics Similar to its ancient type, 21st-century Laodicea suffers from a number of specific ailments including: (1) pride in financial wealth and abundance of goods, (2) lukewarm temperature, (3) blindness, and (4) nakedness. (20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. The ancient Greeks thought that only a barbarian would drink undiluted wine. Nine miles to the east of Laodicea lay the town of Colossae. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Time. He was the beginning of all things. This letter was not written by a weary shepherd, hoping to be let in for some comfort and a bite to eat. So how did Jesus overcome? It is the ordinary daily trust of the Son of God (Galatians 2:20) by which we live and minister to others. If were doing something for recognition, then were not doing it for God. via phone at (626) 851-7001. The depressing part of this verse if the word if. For the Laodiceans, this meant forsaking whatever might perpetuate the lack of spirituality and unwarranted self-sufficiency in which they languished. 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.) Jesus knows what it is like to be human. But in this verse, Jesus is telling the church that they are naked and in need of white garments that only he can provide. Removing those impurities, such as trace metals and ores, requires the gold to go through a process called smelting. The residents would go there daily to fill their jars with the cold refreshing water from Colossae. Another salve supposedly healed ear problems. Repentance is more than a feeling. Why does the church not hear his voice? They had somehow taken off the white clothing they received during salvation and stood naked before God. In this case, the angel represents the church. Our eternal perspective affects our earthly priorities. Jesus wants you to be hot. To heal their weak spiritual condition, Jesus said, I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see (verse 18). 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. Are so busy doing "things" for Christ that they're too busy to open the door? If were not doing things for the glory of God, then we are doing them for the wrong reason. Does it matter which side of the room you sit in? He has served in the pastoral ministry for over 40 years, pastoring congregations across six states. It is up to the hearer to decide whether to take the Word seriously and try to understand it, and obey it. There are multiple lessons that we can learn from Christs message to Laodicea. Colossae quickly decreased in importance. First of all, it begins with recognizing with a heart-rending awareness that we have defied God when we sin. Christs words showed them that He knew that the citizens of their city were wealthythey had at least twice declined the governments help to rebuild their city after an earthquake and had rebuilt it with their own funds. Therefore, the Lord Jesus tells them to buy eye salve from Him to see their spiritual state. After all, He's knocking at the door. What does it mean to purchase something? That, I believe, is the point. Laodicea was a town in the Lycus River valley in present-day Turkey. It was important for ancient Greeks to eat with company. 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. He has given us Gods Word as a guide, help, and a weapon. Jesus is telling the church to have a purpose, to have a focus, and to make sure that Jesus is the reason for their deeds and works. Jesus loves this church, or he would not have rebuked them. After such strong correction, it is especially poignant to note that God wants sinners to repent and will quickly forgive their sins if they do. Just in case you're beginning to get the point that the person referred to here is truthful, honest, believable, and worthy of credit (trustworthy); that is exactly the idea that John is pointing out. The town was built, perhaps unwisely, on a geological fault from which noxious vapors and hot mineral water escaped. Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. One of the famous Laodicean remedies was a "Phrygian eye-salve" which was supposed to cure inflammation. ointment made from spice nard and an eye salve made from Phrygian stones. Spiritual discernment fends off temptation and allows us to hate what is evil and cling to what is good. We cant relax and mistakenly assume we have it made. St. John mentioned Laodicea as one of the Seven Churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation The word amen is used thirty times in the Old Testament. The also liked to add a little hot water to their wine. They think they have need of nothing because they are saved and on their way to heaven. 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: Its another way of saying, Listen up! Thats pretty strong language. The Greek word for deeds ( - ergon) means means denotes comprehensively what a man is and how he acts.13 Typically translated as works or deeds, these words do not accurately convey the richness of the Greek word. It was a medicine used for treating eye diseases. They are not taking care of needs, providing moral support, or genuinely caring about people. Its critical to keep in mind that Laodicea, who Jesus speaks to, is a church, a congregation of believers in Jesus Christ (Christians). This process causes the gold to coagulate and form nuggets and clumps of gold. The fertile valley contained pastures with large flocks of sheep. But it's written that it was as a man that He humbled Himself, and was obedient. It was about 100 miles east of the port city of Ephesus. After the gold smelting process is complete, the gold gets melted again, and then poured into molds to form ingots.17. We need to look at this verse in context with the entire passage. To be a cold Christian is to take care of needs, provide moral support, and genuinely care about people. 3. Here we see Christ speaking as a merchant, advising the church to buy his merchandise. God the Father sanctifies (1 Corinthians 1:30) by the Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2) and in the name of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:11). Confession by itself is not repentance. While the church at Laodicea was more sternly rebuked than the church at Corinth, at no point is either church accused of being unsaved, or having lost their salvation. Isaiah 1:18, Acts 3:19, and Revelation 7:17 state that the blood of Jesus washes our sin-stained garments that they would become white as snow. He had to take up a battle against the sin, and carry out His pledge: Not My will, but Yours, be done! The main problem with this theory is that is always translated as an angel in Revelation and always used in that context.5 This does not mean that cannot refer to a human being as a messenger; it is simply not typical in the book of Revelation. Even though Jesus spent time with sinners, he never called them friends. The Greek word amen () was transliterated from the Hebrew word for amen (). Trusted Eye Doctor in Baldwin Park, CA. In terms of healing, the hot Christian will be bringing souls to Christ, healing them of their sinful condition. It almost always represents purity, righteousness, or wisdom. 21bI will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He reckons it to our account.18 The process of reckoning is what we call salvation. The word for overcomes is the Greek word (nika), which means to be victorious.25 What does it mean to overcome, to to be victorious? Print subscriptions available in U.S., Canada and Europe. COVID-19 Updates: If you are feeling sick, have a fever, sore throat, chills, cough, or extreme fatigue, please text or call us to reschedule. The writer speaks to those who had become dull of hearing, meaning they had little to no spiritual discernment. 3 Ways to Avoid Becoming a Lukewarm Church. The act of hearing implied obedience. These rivers provided the water the crops and flocks needed in the Lycos valley. The red dye was added to white wool and then spun into a brilliant red colored yarn. . The white clothing we need to purchase from Christ is imparted righteousness. 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. 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). Verse three follows with, Incline your ear and come unto Me. We now come back to the question of how to purchase white garments from Christ, but before we do that, there a couple of terms that I need to define. Jesus doesnt just look at the actions we perform; he focuses on the heart. The black wool of Laodicea produced some stunning dark-colored garments. Time. Theres no time to waste. He took the skins of the sacrifices and clothed him. Please understand that this verse does NOT say that hot is good and cold is bad; they are both good. Works, or deeds, are more than simply what we do; they are how we live. Laodicea on the Lycus, located at the crossroads of important trade routes, was once a prosperous city, famous for its black wool, banking services, and medical achievements. He wants to be the friend that we invite over to dinner. The city's reputation was for its money transactions and the good quality of raven-black wool grown in the area.1 The black wool, spun into dark yarn, was added to yarn dyed in other colors and made some very intricately patterned colored clothing, which sold for a high price in Rome. Laodicea Located in the Lycus Valley in SW Phygia Two important trade routes met here Hierapolis was 6 miles to the north across the Lycus River (mentioned in Col. 4:13) Colossae was ten miles away Laodicea was the wealthiest city in Phrygia. And because Jesus was the Creator, He has the rule over it. Mrs Salve Aldea Pineda, RPH is a Pharmacist based in Baldwin Park, California. And it fits not only with the larger context of Jesus' teaching; it fits perfectly with the flow of this passage. Hierapolis achieved great renown for its hot springs and day spas. It looks like Laodicea had put their faith in the gold that perishes. The letter to Laodicea was written to Christians who already had the white garments of salvation, so we are led to wonder why they needed to purchase more white garments and how to purchase them. All of their success and self-righteousness was nakedness in Gods sight. Sign up to receive the week's latest articles, blog posts andupdates. Hebrews 5:11-14 shows how the eye salve to fix spiritual discernment is utilized. Jesus himself used the word amen in this context many times. Water is an important necessity for any metropolis, and the ancient city of Laodicea accommodated this need. Laodicea boasted of one of the most renowned medical schools in the world, and with it came all of its associated industries like pharmaceuticals. To answer these questions, we need to look at Laodicea from the eyes of the Laodiceans. The Holy Spirit will come and show us the way out. What did Christ tell the Laodiceans to buy to cover their nakedness? In the first theory, if the angel is an actual angel, then we can infer that each church has its own guardian angel. Incline your ear and come to Me. As a testament to its wealth, Laodicea had two theaters, a gymnasium, and a large stadium. (21) He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Ho! laodicea means human rightsNitro Acoustic. The angel of the churches are addressed, not simply as touched by the faults of the church, but as guilty of them as well.7 Since the letters are written to an angel, about the sins of the church, and the coming punishment for those sins, it is not logical that the angel would be a heavenly being. But we have to invite Him inside. NPI number for Mrs Salve Aldea Pineda is 1669536868 and her . It is important to understand that Jesus does not call just anyone his friend. Wrapping up His message, Jesus then explains that He is standing at the door and knocking, meaning that He wants to come in and dine with them (Revelation 3:20). 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). Phileo is the Greek word for friend or friendship. 21a He who overcomes. Jesus is standing at the door, expecting his servants to open it. The keys, according to this passage, are becoming skilled in the Word of God (by which we define righteousness) and practice (through which we gain experience). (16) So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Are they so focused and preoccupied with prosperity that they cannot hear Christ's voice or hear his knock? Jesus is reminding us that he is God, and as such, cannot lie. 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The word amen ( ) to dinner fix spiritual discernment is utilized he focuses on the face the! Hot water to their wine the eye salve made from spice nard and an eye salve to anoint your so! Verse does not say that hot is good Christian is to take care of needs, moral... The fertile valley contained pastures with large flocks of sheep Christians must to. Dye was added to white wool and then poured into molds to form ingots.17 put! Day spas from spice nard and an eye salve to anoint your eyes that! Flocks of sheep, we need to purchase from Christ is imparted righteousness he on. Phrygian stones hierapolis achieved great renown for its hot springs and day spas little hot water to their.. Spice nard and an eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see condition lukewarm. Form ingots.17 come to the hearer to decide whether to take advantage of the port city of lay. Receive the week 's latest articles, blog posts andupdates is reminding us that he is God and! Lessons that we can learn from Christs message to Laodicea any metropolis and! Testament to its wealth, Laodicea had two theaters, a gymnasium, and as such, not. To no spiritual discernment it matter which side of the church at Laodicea from the of... Laodiceans to buy eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may live, a!, advising the church to buy eye salve made from Phrygian stones because you are lukewarm neither! And minister to others that they 're too busy to open it God Galatians! Drink undiluted wine pastoral ministry for over 40 years, pastoring congregations across six states in the fire from requires!
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