Laodicea
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“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
The Amen
The Amen
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Etymology
The common understanding of the Hebrew term “amen” (אָמֵן, amen) is “truly, surely, let it be so.” It carries a basic meaning of “reliable,” “trustworthy,” or “firm” (HALOT, 63–64). Etymologically, “amen” is related to the nouns “steadiness,” “trustworthiness” (אֱמוּנָה, emunah), and “truth” (אֱמֶת, emeth).
Reliable, trustworthy, firm. These are all attributes you love to hear about Jesus. He is the closing argument against sin and death. He brings it all to a close in Revelation. Sin and Death are defeated in the cross and empty tomb in the Gospels and sentenced to eternity to the Lake of Fire by Jesus in Revelation. What a great hope for us and for the early church! The difficulties and sufferings we face in this life are only temporary.
Faithful and True Witness
Faithful and True Witness
Jesus Witness to His Deity
Jesus Witness to His Deity
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. “You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. “But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. “Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. “I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”
So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”
Jesus Witness to the Truth
Jesus Witness to the Truth
The audience of this letter would have been very familiar with the idea of a witness. It was because of false witnesses that the early church was being led before the Caesars for execution. With so many false testimonies and accusations, the people needed to be reminded of a faithful witness. One who spoke the truth.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.
It is impossible for God to lie, so we have this hope. That Christ has promised us forgiveness and new life through His life, death, and resurrection. It is not by works but by grace through faith in Christ alone. Notice, It is not by our faithfulness that we are saved but by our faith. Christ died on our behalf because we have proven ourselves in every way to be unfaithful. Because of this we are left with this truth about us and about Jesus.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
Jesus a Faithful Witness Even Unto Death
Jesus a Faithful Witness Even Unto Death
More than than there in the first century this word for witness-Martyr-began to become what it means today. To be a witness to the confession of Christ as Lord and Savior meant persecution and violent death at the hands of the Romans. It meant becoming a martyr. And so as they listened to the words of this letter they are reminded that as they are led to the slaughter for their witness, Jesus Christ, their witness, also was led to His death on the cross.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
We can trust in Jesus because He is faithful. When our friends abandon us, when our health is bad, when our whole world seems to crumble He alone is faithful. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is by our side in green pastures and He is by our side in valleys of shadow and death. Whatever encumbrance or sin that entangles us we can lay them aside, fix our eyes on Christ, and run our race with endurance.
Jesus Witness to our Redemption
Jesus Witness to our Redemption
Because of our faith in Christ we stand justified in the eyes of God. Jesus serves as our intercessor with the Father. Whatever accusation or condemnation the enemy my throw at us has to go through Jesus first.
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Beginning of the Creation of God
The Beginning of the Creation of God
Don’t get it confused. This does not mean that Jesus was a creation of God. Jesus is God. He existed before all things. Jesus is God. What this means is that all things that exist had their origin in Him. Jesus is the source of all things.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
Jesus introduces Himself as the Amen meaning He is the end, like how you’d close out a prayer. He is also the beginning. There is nothing that was before Him there is nothing that will outlive Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He has all authority in heaven and on earth and rules as creator and sustainer of all things.
‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
“I know your deeds”
It is easy for us to feel like God is far off, but we can be sure that God is near. He sees our deeds both good and bad. He understands us for who we are at our core.
“cold or hot”
When we read this passage we tend to see it as Jesus saying that He wishes we were either on fire for Him or that we would hate Him. Whatever you do just don’t be in the middle. While I might agree that only giving 50% at something might not be as effective as giving 100% Jesus isn’t giving us an ultimatum here. He isn’t saying that we need to maintain a feeling of passion. We go through seasons. We may not always feel passionate about following Jesus and He understands that. He isn’t calling us to fabricate a feeling of being on fire for Him. If we try to be on fire we will more than likely find ourselves burnt out and in a worse place than when we started.
Historical Background:
The church in Laodicea was on of several Greek city states in Asia Minor. It was built by the Seleucid empire after Alexander the Great’s death and rested on a plateau north of Colossae in Phrygia’s Lycus Valley. The seven churches mentioned in Revelation were all along the same mail route with Laodicea being last along the route. Laodicea had an aqueduct system that brought in cold mountain water from Colossae and hot water from hot springs in Hierapolis. With the hot water providing the citizens with the ability to rest and recharge their sore muscles as well as participate in the ever important social aspect of Roman bathhouses as well as cold water providing cool refreshment on hot summer days, this aqueduct was an important aspect of the cities infrastructure. Sometimes, because the aqueduct was long, the water would start off either hot or cold, but by the time it reached its final destination in the city it would be lukewarm. Lukewarm glasses of water on a hot day are gross. We’d rather spit it out than be forced to drink it.
Just like the aqueduct Jesus is calling us to be either hot or cold. To provide others around us with the warm and relaxing rest that Jesus offers us and to be like a refreshing cold drink of living water to people who are dying of thirst. He doesn’t want us to grow stagnant. Imagine a church service where people are coming in looking for a sense of hope and love and are greeted with bickering and indifference. No love for others, no hospitality, just hostility. That wouldn’t be relaxing or refreshing. So how do we respond to what Jesus is calling us to? Find a way to serve others and to share the love of Jesus with them. It doesn’t take passion it just takes a person willing to put others first. Be hot or be cold. Whatever you do just don’t sit there and do nothing.
‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Laodicea was a wealthy community. In 60 AD they suffered from a serious earthquake, and rather than getting assistance from the empire, they paid for the repairs out of pocket. What made them so wealthy? Laodicea was known for having the nicest black wool anyone could get their hands on. They made tunics, coats, carpets, anything that could be made out of wool, and they made a lot of money doing it. They were also known for their medicinal advancements. They had made this ointment that you could put on your eyes that would help you see better.
With all these physical luxuries and wealth how does Jesus describe them spiritually?
Poor, blind, and naked
Despite their wealth the people were poor and so Jesus tells them to come to him for gold refined by fire. The spiritual blessings Jesus offers us in Himself is greater than any kind of wealth we could ever accumulate here on earth. He offers us grace and forgiveness. He gives us purpose and hope. No gold could ever compare to that.
Despite their eye ointment the people were blind. Only Jesus can transform our spiritual blindness. He shows us the world for what it really is. He gives us new eyes to see others how he sees them, as made in the image of God and in need of a savior. We begin to see sin as a cancer and Christ’s death and resurrection as a cure. We begin to see Jesus in His rightful place as king of Kings and Lord of lords.
Despite their wool clothing the people were naked. Just like Adam and Eve, their sin left them naked and ashamed. There was nothing that could hide their sin from a God who sees and knows us all intimately. He offers something greater. Turn from the thing that has made you naked and ashamed and instead clothe yourself with the white garments of righteousness that Jesus offers to us by faith.
‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. ‘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. ‘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.
Despite our sin, Jesus does not want to be separate from us. He offers us new life and forgiveness. For those part of His family He prunes and sanctifies so that by his reproof and discipline and by our repentance we might be made more and more like Jesus every day. Like a gardener He is pulling the weeds of sin from our life so we can grow strong in our faith and obedience to Him. Jesus is standing at the door waiting for our response. Will we let Him in? Will we come to a place where we recognize that we can’t be our own savior. We need Jesus to step into our lives and clean house, to change us from the inside out. When we let Him in we find life with Him forever in heaven.
‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”
Jesus used this phrase throughout his teachings in the Gospels. Here is what it means. If you have heard what God has spoken to you today through His word, do something about it. Don’t let it go in one ear out the other. Hear how God is calling you to respond and say yes.