Revelation 3:14-22: The Letter to Laodicea

Introduction

Scripture

Revelation 3:14–22 ESV

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 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 eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction

Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction

Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus

Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna

Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum

Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira

Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis

Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia

Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea

Revelation 3:14 - Address

Revelation 3:15-21 - Message to the Church

Revelation 3:22 - Command to Hear

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

The Laodicean church no longer has Jesus as the center of their congregation. Jesus commands them to repent and let Him into the congregation.

Revelation 3:14 - Address

Revelation 3:14 ESV

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

To the angel of the church

Celestial being responsible for oversight

There is help for them in the heavenly realm

Laodicea

Lexham Geographic Commentary on Acts through Revelation Chapter 53: The Social and Geographical World of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14–22) (Cyndi Parker)

Key Points

• The letter to Laodicea uses rich images to communicate not only to the church in Laodicea but also to other residents in the Lycus Valley.

• Laodicea was the prominent city in the Lycus Valley due to its location on the trade routes, its fertile agriculture, and its rich textile industry.

• The Laodicean church is called “lukewarm,” which is a rebuke on the ineffectiveness of the church.

• The church of Laodicea viewed themselves as rich, prosperous, and in need nothing, but God saw the opposite in them and invites them to experience fulfillment in him.

Earthquake in 60 AD, but refused imperial help because of how wealthy the city was

Write

Command given to John

The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

The Amen, the faithful and true witness

Revelation 1:5 ESV

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

The Amen

Isaiah 65:15–16 LES2

15 For you will leave your name behind as satisfaction for my chosen people, but the Lord will destroy you. And a new name will be proclaimed over those who serve me, 16 which will be praised upon the earth, for they will bless the true God; and those who swear an oath upon the earth will swear by the true God, for they will forget their former affliction, and it will not arise in their heart.

Yahweh describes the joy of his people spending eternity in their eternal home

Christ is the great Amen, who is the faithful and true witness

The beginning of God’s creation

Revelation 1:5 ESV

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Beginning could also be translated as ruler (and is probably a better word) as they share the same root

Christ and the Father share in sovereign rule over creation which will be clearly seen in Revelation 4-5

Revelation 3:15-21 - Message to the Church

Revelation 3:15–21 ESV

15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 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 eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

***No Commendation to Laodicea***

I know your works:

Jesus is intimately aware of His church and describes the Laodiceans spiritual condition

You are neither cold nor hot.

Lycus river - dirty and unfit for drinking

Cold water imported from Colossae, but it was lukewarm when it arrived

Hot water imported from Hierapolis’ hot springs 5 miles away, but it was lukewarm when it arrived

Hot and cold water bring refreshment and benefit, but lukewarm water is repulsive

Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Would that you were either cold or hot

Not describing good or bad, but symbolizing a life that is productive

Jesus wants them to live a life in light of Him and the gospel

Because you are lukewarm

Useless and ineffective

I will spit you out of my mouth

Christ is repulsed by the church because they lack spiritual fervency

Christ will treat them how you treat lukewarm water - spit it out

If they continued on this path their salvation was not true and Christ would have nothing to do with them

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing

The Laodiceans lacked the ability to see where they truly were spiritually

The did not believe themselves to be lukewarm, but walking in Christ

Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked

Christ gives them a true assessment of who they were

Laodicea had medical facilities even concerning eye diseases, but they could not see they themselves were spiritually blind

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich

Isaiah 55:1 ESV

1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

And white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen

Cleansing and purity that can only be obtained in Christ’s death

And salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see

The Laodiceans were spiritually blind and can only have enlightenment as a result of Christ’s death and instructions

The point of these three illustrations is Jesus is all the Laodiceans need

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline

Jesus gives a severe rebuke, but assures them he truly loves the congregation

Proverbs 3:11–12 ESV

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

Be zealous and repent

Two commands revealing that immediate action is needed from the congregation

Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Behold

I stand at the door and knock

Christ is outside of the church!

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me

Luke 12:35–40 ESV

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Christ can dwell with them now and in the new creation at the messianic banquet

The call is for the church to renew herself to Christ!

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father and his throne.

The one who conquers

Perseverance until the end

I will grant him to sit with me on my throne

Daniel 7:9–14 ESV

9 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:22 ESV

22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

Daniel 7:27 ESV

27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

Futuristic in nature after the second coming of Christ

As I also conquered and sat down with my Father and his throne

Psalm 110 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2 The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! 3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. 4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. 7 He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

Revelation 3:22 - Command to Hear

Revelation 3:22 ESV

22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Let him hear

Command

Meant to provoke to get the church to hear and obey

Mark 4:9 ESV

9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Isaiah 6:9–10 LES2

9 And he said, “Go and say to this people, ‘You will hear by hearing and not understand; and although looking, you will look and not see.’ 10 For the heart of this people has been thickened; and they have heard heavily with their ears, and they closed their eyes in case they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I will heal them.”

Reality that there are believers and non-believers who hear this message in the churches

Some will be enlightened, some blinded

Spirit

The Spirit is active and at work through Jesus’ letters to the seven churches

To the churches

Both to the church in Laodicea, but also to the churches of all ages

Application

If Christ is not the priority/center of a church, repentance is required… immediately

Those who persevere will reign with Christ as He currently reigns with the Father

Main Point

The Laodicean church no longer has Jesus as the center of their congregation. Jesus commands them to repent and let Him into the congregation.