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Laodicea: a Revelation

 Sorry for that title. Of the seven "cities" we visited that are mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3, I think Laodicea impressed me the most. One because you can see the cold water (Colosse) and hot water (Hierapolis), which explains the "vomit you from my mouth."  Hot and cold does not mean "hot for the Lord" or "cold to the Spirit;" it meant "good for nothing."

From Got Question.org:  "In their relationship to God, the Laodiceans were neither cold nor hot, just lukewarm. Hot water can cleanse and purify; cold water can refresh and enliven. But tepid water carries no corresponding value. The Laodiceans readily understood the Lord’s analogy because their drinking water came over an aqueduct from a spring six miles to the south; when it arrived at their city, the water was disgustingly lukewarm. Laodicean water was not hot like the nearby hot springs that people bathed in, nor was it refreshingly cold for drinking. It was lukewarm, good for nothing. In fact, it was nauseating, and that was the Lord’s response to the Laodiceans—they sickened Him, and He said in disgust, “I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (verse 16)."

We also saw that Laodicea was rich: a banking center, a wool center, and a center for production of an eye salve based on the sulfur from Hierapolis hot springs. This was abundantly clear from the two massive amphitheaters and beautiful buildings; plus, it was spread out over a large space.  

To the north one can see Hierapolis and Colosse. Today Hierapolis still has a spring people can enjoy. After ten miles of hiking, it felt good. Colosse, although important in the New Testament, does not "exist" now. 



One thing to keep in mind. We see ruins; what we are looking at is looting sites. Although earthquakes and time do wreak damage on these buildings, most of the time the materials are just stolen or repurposed by the members of the next civilization. They had no reason to "respect" the ones they were building on. 




Clay pipes to bring the water to town; by the time it got there (from the aqueducts) is was lukewarm, neither cold nor hot.





Photos from a later church. First century Christians met in houses. 



















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