Neither Hot Nor Cold

Day 346: Revelation 3:7-22

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. 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." - Revelation 3:15-16 ESV

Laodicea is the last church in the lineup to receive a personal note from Jesus, but it probably packs the biggest punch with meaning. When I was taught this passage as a kid, I was taught that we don't want to be cold or lukewarm, but especially not lukewarm (I mean, who wants Jesus to vomit them?).

Yet as we look at the historical context of Laodicea, we see they were situated in a valley and that their run-off water supply was unsafe to drink. The following quote (though a bit long) is really helpful in understanding this history:

"The one thing the city did not have was good water. The river Lycus at that point is not strong, and sometimes it dries up altogether in the summer. There are, however, two other sources of water, one to the north and the other to the southeast. To the north, standing high on a dramatic cliff, is the city of Hierapolis. It boasts to this day a set of hot springs to which tourists come from all over the world; the hot, chemically charged water comes bubbling out of the ground (channeled, today, into the bathing pools of various hotels), and spills over the cliff, leaving a white mineral deposit visible from miles around. In the first century they built aqueducts to bring this water across to Laodicea in the centre of the valley, four or five miles away. They can still be seen today – with their insides covered in hardened mineral deposit. But by the time the water arrived in Laodicea it was no longer hot. It was merely lukewarm. What was worse, the concentrated chemicals made it unsuitable to drink, unless for medicinal reasons you wanted to make yourself physically sick. To the south-east of Laodicea was the town of Colosse. It, too, had suffered badly in the earthquake of ad 61, but had not been rebuilt. Colosse, however, had a splendid supply of water, flowing down from high, snow-capped Mount Cadmus: fast-flowing, chilly streams of almost Alpine quality. But by the time the water reached Laodicea, 11 miles away, the normal Turkish heat meant that it, too, had become lukewarm." - N.T. Wright, Revelation for Everyone (p. 37-38)

Hot water?! Useful!

Cold water?! Refreshing!

Lukewarm water?! Disgusting!

What made them lukewarm, though, was their dependence upon wealth. Verse 17 sums it up well: "I need nothing." Yet they didn't realize they were "wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked."

Jesus encouraged them to buy three things from Him (presumably free of charge):

Gold, refined by fire >> Laodicea's riches were nothing compared to Jesus' wealth (He owns it all).

White garments >> The city was known for their black, glossy wool that they used for clothing.

Eye salve >> They were also renowned for their medical school, which drew crowds of people to get their special ointment for the ears and eyes.

Today, I pray that we will release our deep need for Jesus. We won't be able to save ourselves. 

We need a Lord and Savior. I pray that all our churches open the door and let him in (verse 20).