Read this letter’s full text in Revelation 3:14-22

Background

Laodicea was situated 60 kilometers southeast of Philadelphia and was a famous health resort. The city was popular for its hot baths and the collyrium eye salve that was produced there.

The hot water for the baths was ingeniously piped to the resorts in insulated pipes, but because of the distances involved, the water was often only lukewarm by the time it arrived at its destination. The symbol of lukewarmness applied to the Laodicean Church is thus very appropriate.

Mineral-rich waters are also extremely unpalatable when taken lukewarm, and this feature makes the words of the Faithful and True Witness regarding those who refuse to accept His counsel all the more appropriate.

The church in Laodicea was likely established by Paul’s companion Epaphras.

Prophetic Application

All the letters were written to the Church to God’s people, His representatives. The letters reflect the spiritual condition of the Church in each time period and some of the letters contain severe reproofs. These reproofs were designed to touch the hearts of God’s people, so that these wrongs might be corrected and the promises validated.

In all the letters, except the letter to Laodicea, there is a commendation, and it is vital for God’s people at the end of time to take heed of the Laodicean counsel because, sadly, we have done nothing to commend.

The message to Laodicea is not a message of hopelessness. It is a message of hope. The message is not designed to discourage but to encourage. If the message is heeded, then the malady of the Church can be corrected. The message stems from One who can read the heart. It stems from the Faithful and True Witness to deny the message is to deny the omnipotence of God.

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14).

The message is from the Amen the One in whom there is no lie, the Creator. The word “beginning” is translated from the Greek arche, which, when taken in the active sense, means the initiator of the action, in this case Creation. In this introduction is concealed all the majesty of Christ, His character, and His law.

The memorial of His Creation is the Sabbath, which is also the seal of God making the law of God valid. The message to Laodicea is to His people, the remnant of those who obey God’s commandments and hold the testimony of Jesus.