Sardis: Warning to watch
The wealth of Sardis, which had been the capital of the Lydian Empire under the opulent King Croesus, was legendary. Christ exhorts this church: “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God” (Revelation 3:2).
The Sardian brethren could readily identify with a warning to be watchful. The only two times Sardis had been conquered were when its citizens had become overconfident and failed to watch. (See link to full article for details.) Christ uses this lesson to drive home a powerful spiritual point to His Church: “Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3:3).
Faithfulness in Philadelphia
About 25 miles southeast of Sardis lay the city of Philadelphia, which became known as “the gateway to the East” because an imperial road passed through the city from Rome to the east.
Philadelphia means “brotherly love.” The city was named after the love the king who founded the city held for his brother. The city was established by Attalus II (159-138 B.C.), who was called Philadelphus (“brother lover”) in honor of his loyal affection toward his brother, King Eumenes II of Pergamos.
Christ tells this church: “These things says He who is holy, He who is true… Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more” (Revelation 3:7, 11-12). The New Bible Dictionary comments: “As Philadelphus was renowned for his loyalty to his brother, so the church, the true Philadelphia, inherits and fulfills his character by its steadfast loyalty to Christ” (1982, “Philadelphia,” p. 926).
Laodicea: Warning to repent
The last city on the trade route was Laodicea, a rich commercial and banking center, famous for producing shiny, black wool clothing and its outstanding medical center specializing in eye ointments.
Christ tells this church: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot….because you are lukewarm… I will vomit you out of My mouth…. you say, ‘I am rich… and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see” (Revelation 3:15-18).
“For all its wealth, the city had poor water,” says The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. “The water either came from the nearby hot springs and was cooled to lukewarm or came from a cooler source and warmed up in the aqueduct on the way” (notes on Revelation 3, Zondervan software). Christ uses the Laodiceans lukewarm and distasteful water to point out their poor spiritual state is equally offensive to Him. He detests the Laodicean attitude of compromising with God’s laws.
Even if their clothing were world renowned, Christ tells them their “spiritual garments” were in pitiful condition, and recommends they focus on acquiring the spiritual clothing of true righteousness, which He later describes as “fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:8).
Jesus also tells the Christians in Laodicea that the “Phrygian powder” concocted in their medical center as an eye ointment was useless. Instead, He advised them to use His true spiritual eye salve so they can clearly see and repent of their compromising attitudes. Finally, Christ warns them not to put their trust in their physical wealth but in Him, who can develop the true gold that comes building righteous spiritual character. This solid advice is of lasting value to all Christians at any time in its history.
