“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, “These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God'” (Revelation 3:14).
The final stop on our journey though Revelation chapters two and three brings us to the last first-century church to receive a personal message from Jesus. That letter was written to the church that met in a city known as Laodicea.
Laodicea was located approximately forty miles (65 km) southeast of the ancient city of Philadelphia, the recipients of Jesus’ previous letter. At the time of this writing, Laodicea held a reputation as a city of affluence and prosperity. Three key elements played a significant role in defining the character of the city during that period. First, Laodicea reportedly held a position of prominence as a financial center in the latter portion of the first century. Next, Laodicea served as a leading economic force in the textile sector. It was especially renowned for the black wool it produced from specially bred sheep. Finally, Laodicea was known for a specialized ointment that was used in the treatment of certain eye conditions, along with some other medicinal remedies.
But despite these positive attributes, Laodicea also suffered from several critical vulnerabilities. One of those vulnerabilities related to the city’s geographic location. While other cities of that era were more readily defensible (like Sardis, for instance), Laodicea’s physical location offered far less security.
Another problem involved the fact that the city of Laodicea had no independent water supply of its own. All the water for the city’s daily needs had to be brought in on a six mile (10 km) long structure called an aqueduct from the neighboring town of Hierapolis.
This posed a significant problem for the inhabitants of Laodicea. As the water flowed through the aqueduct on its journey to the city, it collected various contaminants and harmful impurities along the way. By the time the water finally arrived in Laodicea, it was no longer safe to consume it directly from the source. While modern day technologies enable us to make water to suitable for drinking, no such option existed for the citizens of ancient Laodicea. This meant that the residents of the city had no choice but to boil their water before they could drink it in order to avoid becoming ill.
These details help provide the background information that will enhance our understanding of Jesus’ message to this church.
Image attribution: Pearson Scott Foresman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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