Laodicea, a lukewarm church, was wealthy yet spiritually poor. As revealed in Revelation 3:15-17: "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
The call to this church is a call to us: to be 'hot' or 'cold', to live out our faith with passion and commitment. Jesus offers a solution in Revelation 3:18-19: "I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent."
It's about the 'offer' of a life of purpose, passion, and power that comes from a vibrant relationship with God. This promise is beautifully captured in Revelation 3:20-21: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne."
graph TD
A[Vine, tribes of Israel] -->|Rev 3:14 - Laodicea | Laodicea
A --> Laodicea
Scientific name: Vitis vinifera
The Vine and the Tribes of Israel
The Tribes of Israel and the Eleemosynary
Laodicea is the seventh city with the seven-fold City of faith where the guardian angel Hilasmon demonstrates through zeal with knowledge the essence of true manhood through self-sacrifice and a laying down of oneself for the sake of the brethren. As Jesus said in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."Here is the most valuable player whose often enigmatic actions cannot be fully understood until the matter comes to light in terms of altruistic and self-less generosity for the common good. This reflects Paul's teaching in Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."Here is the eleemosynary genius who feels the pain and responds accordingly to stanch the bleeding and calm all fears, embodying the spirit of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."Like Christ who "did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28), the Laodicean calling exemplifies servant leadership and sacrificial love, showing us that true wealth lies not in material possessions but in spiritual riches gained through faithful service to God and others.
In the context of the church at Laodicea, the imagery of grapes and the vine serves as a profound symbol of their spiritual calling and mission. Just as the vine represents life and growth, the church is called to embody the eleemosynary mantle—bestowing mercy and compassion upon those in need.
This mantle is a testament to their intercessory role, much like how the blood of grapes signifies empathy and the covenant of mercy in the Torah.
Laodicea, despite its noted spiritual lukewarmness, is reminded of its potential for renewal and its duty to act as a conduit for divine mercy, reflecting God's enduring faithfulness and compassion through acts of charity and justice.