The Message to Laodicea/ Be Zealous and Repent

Christ gives an antidote to the deadly Laodicean attitude.

Jesus' seventh and last message to the congregations of Revelation 2 and 3 was in stark contrast to His previous one to Philadelphia. Whereas Philadelphia is unique in that it did not receive any condemnation, Laodicea is unique in that it does not receive any commendation.

There were apparently several cities named Laodicea in Syria and Asia Minor. The one Jesus was referring to lay in the fertile Lycus Valley in Phrygia on the river Lycus. It was about 45 miles southeast of Philadelphia, 100 miles east of Ephesus and 10 miles west of Colossae. “The great Roman road stretching to the inland of Asia from the coast at Ephesus ran straight through its center, making Laodicea an important center of trade and communication” ( Expositor's Bible Commentary ).

“After having been successively called Diosopolis and Rhoas, it was named Laodicea in honor of Laodice, the wife of Antiochus II (261-246 B.C.), who rebuilt it. It was destroyed by an earthquake (A.D. 66 or earlier) and rebuilt by Marcus Aurelius…The town was located on a flat-topped hill. A wall (about a kilometer long on each of its four sides) surrounded the crown of the hill. Gates pierced this wall on the N, E, and NW. At the SW edge of the plateau stood a stadium, built and dedicated to Vespasian in A.D. 79” ( New Unger's Bible Dictionary,  1988, article “Laodicea”).

“Though Laodicea stood on the great highway at the junction of several important routes, it was a place of little consequence until the Roman province of Asia was formed in 190 BC. It then suddenly became a great and wealthy center of industry, famous specially for the fine black wool of its sheep and for the Phrygian powder for the eyes, which was manufactured there (compare Revelation 3:18). In the vicinity was the temple of Men Karou and a renowned school of medicine…” ( International Standard Bible Encylopaedia,  Electronic Database, 1996 by Biblesoft, article “Laodicea”). Although the city also produced ear ointments, it was widely renowned for its Phrygian powder, a medicine famous for curing eye defects.

So situated and blessed with economic prosperity, this city “became extremely wealthy during the Roman period. For example, in 62 B.C. Flaccus seized the annual contribution of the Jews of Laodicea for Jerusalem amounting to 20 pounds of gold. Moreover, when the city was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 60 (along with Colossae and Hierapolis), it alone refused aid from Rome for rebuilding” ( Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary,  1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers, article “Laodicea”). History also records Cicero cashing large bank drafts here without problem.

For all of its prosperity, Laodicea had one significant physical flaw—its water supply. “A six-mile-long aqueduct brought Laodicea its supply of water from the south. 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” ( Expositor's Bible Commentary ).

“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. Among them nothing from before the Roman period has appeared. 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” ( International Standard Bible Encylopaedia,  Electronic Database, 1996 by Biblesoft, article “Laodicea”).

To be contd.


God bless you all.

Message To Philadelphia (4)

Reward for Holding Fast

Jesus concludes His instruction to Philadelphia with the warning that He is coming “quickly” and that the saints should “hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Next comes the reward for doing so: “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name” (verse 12).

In offering this reward, Jesus drew some interesting parallels to the events and customs in first century Philadelphia. This city was prone to earthquakes. Huge stone temple columns were often the only parts of the city left standing after a devastating quake. Instead of fleeing the city whenever there was the slightest indication of a tremor, Jesus explained that the reward of the faithful would be a secure, stable place within His spiritual temple—a place where they would never fall or topple. Similarly, faithful city leaders were sometimes honored by having their names inscribed on a special pillar. Christ's terminology reflected knowledge of these practices ( Expositor's Bible Commentary ).

Finally, Jesus promised His followers a “new name.” While the city of Philadelphia has had many names over the years and apparently several at once during the first century, Jesus offered the saints here a new name that would apparently never change—“the name of My God” and “My new name.”

Though customs have obviously changed over the centuries since Christ delivered this message, the rewards Jesus offers to those who have the patience of the saints (faith and obedience) remain the same. Jesus implores those who have spiritual discernment—“an ear to hear”—to pay attention to this message (verse 13). Don't forget His message to Philadelphia: keep His word, faithfully go through the doors He opens. UN


God bless you all.

Message To Philadelphia (3)

Modern Doors

Today many opportunities or “doors” exist for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. These include printed materials, radio, television and the Internet. These are the modern avenues Christians can use to fulfill the commission to the Church to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus expects modern followers to preach the same gospel that He taught, the gospel of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15). Unfortunately, many today have mistakenly accepted an incomplete gospel—one that focuses upon the person of Christ but omits His teaching about the Kingdom.

Jesus' praise of the Philadelphians, “you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Revelation 3:8), indicates that they took advantage of the opportunities He made available for preaching the gospel. God's people today must do the same.

 Protection

After explaining that religious pretenders, ones who often persecuted and tried to deceive Jesus' true followers (Acts 15:1; 20:30; Jude 4), would eventually be forced to recognize the believers who obeyed Him, Jesus continued: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10).

When we understand that Revelation is a prophetic book with its setting being the second coming of Jesus Christ, we see the important magnitude of this wonderful promise for us today. Within it are two concepts worthy of special note. First, the promised protection comes because Jesus' followers have kept His “command to persevere.” This phrase literally means “the word of my patience” and is so translated by the King James and American Standard versions. Revelation 14:12 explains what this entails: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” The recipients of Christ's protective grace will be believers who are obeying God's law.

A second concept deserving our attention is the fact that this “hour of trial,” meaning a short period of time, will “come upon the whole world.” No one escapes being tested. While Jesus' followers are tested through trials during their lifetimes (2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 1:7; 4:12), those who have not known Him or obeyed Him will also face judgment at His return.

In encouraging another first century congregation that had experienced many trials, Paul expressed similar principles:

“We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:4-8).

Questions arise over how Christ will protect His believers during this time. We do know there is a clear reference to the gathering of many saints in one location (“her place,” Revelation 12:14) and there is another possible reference to individuals being protected in their location (Psalms 91:7). Both are within His power to accomplish.

To be contd.

God bless you all.

The Message to Philadelphia (2)

Christ's Message

Jesus' message to Philadelphia begins in Revelation 3:7 and continues through verse 13. In the same style as the previous messages, Jesus began by identifying Himself as the author of the message. This time He refers to Himself as “He who is holy, He who is true, 'He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens'” (verse 7).

Just as we use keys and locks today to control access to secured places, keys were used in ancient times to control gates to cities and represented governmental control. The “key of David” is used in this sense in Isaiah 22:20-23 where Eliakim replaces the unfaithful Shebna as secretary of state in Judah. Speaking of this change to Shebna, God said, “I will commit your responsibility into his hand… The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open” (verses 21-22).

When Jesus described Himself as having this “key of David,” He was saying that He was of David's lineage and that He controls access to the Kingdom of God. Other passages explain that God the Father has given Jesus all power in heaven and earth, including the judgment of mankind (Matthew 28:18; John 5:22, 27; 17:2).

Works and an “Open Door”

In Revelation 3:8, Jesus then explained to Philadelphia that He knew this congregation's works and that He had set before them “an open door.” Jesus Christ, at the end of the first century A.D., almost 70 years after His death and inauguration of the New Covenant, still expected His followers to be doing works (Revelation 2:5, 9, 13, 19, 23, 26; 3:1-2).

Many today, in opposition to Jesus' clear statements, mistakenly believe works are no longer important. While our works cannot save us, Jesus expects us to be doing works in conjunction with the grace He extends to us that makes salvation possible. Grace and works are not opposites; they are compatible concepts that God expects His followers to jointly embrace. In other words, it is grace and works, not grace or  works.

The apostle Paul beautifully combined both concepts in Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV): “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God's grace inspires His followers to actively practice His commands.

The “door” Jesus said He had opened for Philadelphia was an opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Linkage of the term “door” with preaching the gospel occurs in several other New Testament passages. In Colossians 4:3, Paul asked the brethren to pray “for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains.” In 1 Corinthians 16:8-9, he explained that he would remain in Ephesus until Pentecost because “a great and effective door has opened to me.” In Ephesus, Paul was able to spend three years preaching the gospel—one of the longest time periods he spent in any location (Acts 20:17-31). Similar usage of “door” is found in 2 Corinthians 2:12 and Acts 14:27.

The Expositor's Bible Commentary explains that in the first century, Philadelphia was designated “a mission city for disseminating Greco-Asiatic culture and language in the eastern part of Lydia and in Phrygia. Its success is attested by the fact that the Lydian language ceased to be spoken in Lydia by A.D. 19 and Greek took over (Ramsay, Seven Churches, p. 391).” Just as Philadelphia had successfully accomplished this secular mission, Jesus told the congregation that they now had an opportunity to disseminate the gospel.

To be contd.

God  bless you all.

The Message to Philadelphia/ Remain Faithful

Jesus Christ promises great rewards to those who faithfully persevere.

Jesus Christ's words to the congregation at Philadelphia are an inspiring message of hope and encouragement. It is distinct from the other messages of Revelation 2 and 3 in that to them, Jesus offered no correction, only an admonition to continue what they were already doing. He was intimately aware of their circumstances and promised them great rewards for their faithful perseverance.

Jesus offers the same promises to us today if we also remain faithful until our deaths or His return. To more deeply appreciate this timeless instruction, let's once again begin with some historical background about this city.

Historical Background

Philadelphia sat in an important location. Expositor's Bible Commentary says, “About twenty-five miles southeast of Sardis, along the Hermus River valley, lay the important high plateau city of Philadelphia, modern Alasehir. A main highway that ran through the city connected Smyrna (about a hundred miles due west) to northwest Asia, Phrygia, and the east. Furthermore, the imperial post road of the first century A.D., which came from Rome via Troas, Adramyttium, Pergamum, and Sardis, passed through this valley and Philadelphia on the way to the east. So situated, Philadelphia became a strong fortress city. To the northeast was a great vine-growing district, which, along with textile and leather industries, contributed greatly to the city's prosperity.”

The name Philadelphia came from the founder of the city, “Attalus II (159-138 B.C.), who had been given the epithet 'Philadelphus' (brother lover)” because of his love for his brother ( Expositor's Bible Commentary). But this was not the city's only name.

“Still another name of the city was Decapolis, because it was considered as one of the ten cities of the plain. A third name which it bore during the 1st cent. AD was Neo-kaisaria; it appears upon the coins struck during that period. During the reign of Vespasian, it was called Flavia. Its modern name, Ala-shehir, is considered by some to be a corruption of the Turkish words Allah-shehir, 'the city of God,' but more likely it is a name given it from the reddish color of the soil.

“In addition to all of these names it sometimes bore the title of 'Little Athens' because of the magnificence of the temples and other public buildings which adorned it. Philadelphia quickly became an important and wealthy trade center, for as the coast cities declined, it grew in power, and retained its importance even until late Byzantine times” ( International Standard Bible Encylopaedia, Electronic Database, 1996, article “Philadelphia”).

“According to Strabo, the whole region was earthquake prone (Geography 12.579; 13.628). In A.D. 17 an earthquake that destroyed Sardis and ten other cities also destroyed Philadelphia. Consequently, many people preferred to live in the rural area surrounding the city. The fear of earthquakes caused those who continued to live in the city to leave it at the slightest sign of a tremor.

“After the devastating earthquake, Tiberius came to the peoples' aid and had the city rebuilt. In gratitude the citizens renamed it Neocaesarea ('New Caesar'). Later the name was changed to Flavia (A.D. 70-79), and this, along with Philadelphia, continued to be its name through the second and third centuries A.D…” ( Expositor's Bible Commentary ).

To be contd.

God bless you all.

The Message to Sardis (3)

The Reward for Watching

After giving the instruction to be spiritually alert, Jesus said, “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Revelation 3:4-5).

This passage also appears to reflect Christ's intimate knowledge of this first century congregation. Expositor's explains, “While the majority had departed from faithful obedience to Christ, a few at Sardis remained true. Here an allusion to the wool industry at Sardis intensifies the image of soiled and defiled garments. Those with soiled garments were removed from the public lists of citizens in Sardis. In the pagan religions it was forbidden to approach the gods in garments that were soiled or stained (Barclay, Seven Churches , p. 77). Soiling seems to be a symbol for mingling with pagan life and thus defiling the purity of one's relation to Christ.”

Just as clean garments were required for those in Sardis to be included in their local census, clean garments (representing righteous actions, Revelation 19:8) are required of all who will be included in “the Book of Life.”

Paul also likened Christianity to clothing that must be put on when we commit ourselves to God's way of life. We must set our minds “on things above” and “put on the new man” with its accompanying actions (Colossians 3:2, 10). Continuing, he wrote, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (verse 12).

Jesus Christ's instructions to Sardis are universal instructions for God's people throughout the ages. As the message concludes, “'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches'” (Revelation 3:6).

On the eve of Armageddon, “the battle of that great day of God Almighty,” Jesus again cautions all, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments…” (Revelation 16:14-16). UN


God bless you all.

The Message to Sardis (2)

Christ's Warning

The history of Sardis was a perfect illustration of the timeless message Jesus delivered to His people: “Don't go to sleep. Remain spiritually alert!” Even though the Sardians had enjoyed great success, their failure to remain alert had twice led to military defeat—they were overtaken by surprise attacks. Noting the similarities between this city's history and the congregation's spiritual condition, Jesus said, “You are alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1).

Jesus then warned them and us today to “hold fast and repent” (verse 3) of spiritual drowsiness. And how did Jesus say this should be done? He twice referred to watching—“be watchful” (verse 2) and “if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief” (verse 3).

The Meaning of “Watch”

The Greek word gregoreo, translated “watchful” and “watch” in these two verses, “is used (a) of 'keeping awake,'… (b) of 'spiritual alertness'” ( Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 1985, article “Watch (noun and verb), Watchers, Watchful, Watchings”). This word thus combines the sense of being physically awake with spiritual discernment. It is a spiritual condition of readiness and being alert. Those who do not maintain this approach will be surprised by Christ's return. Just as a thief is able to steal from unsuspecting victims, Christ's second coming will surprise those who are not spiritually alert (verse 3).

Earlier in His earthly ministry, Jesus addressed this concept via several parables. After listing some of the signs of His return (Matthew 24:3-31), He likened these to the signs of a fig tree identifying the season of the year. When leaves began to appear, everyone knew summer was near. His point in relation to His return was: “So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” (verse 33).

Jesus then explained that His return would surprise many people just as the Flood had done in Noah's day (verses 36-41). His advice? “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (verses 42-44).

The parable about 10 virgins also illustrates this important principle (Matthew 25:1-13). Five were wise and five were foolish. All went out to meet Christ, the bridegroom, but only five had the foresight to take sufficient oil for their lamps. Because Jesus was delayed, “they all slumbered and slept” (verse 5). When the announcement came of His coming, the foolish had to go buy oil for their lamps and only the wise who had made ample preparations were admitted to the wedding supper.

Jesus' moral to the story? “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (verse 13).

Like the parable of the 10 virgins, the message to Sardis shows the importance of spiritual preparedness. If we go to sleep spiritually, become lackadaisical or lose our zeal for God's way of life, we must repent and become spiritually alert once again.

Christ's instructions to Sardis emphasize this lesson. Some of the members in Sardis had become lethargic—lacking a spiritual focus—and Jesus warned them to “be watchful” so they would be prepared for His return (verse 2).

To be contd.


God bless you all.