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aodicea is located in southern Turkey.
This ancient city is named after Antiochus II Theos’ first
wife (261-246 B.C.) who killed him and his second wife. The
city was known as a center for banking and for its medical
institute. As a result it was very wealthy. The city is located
between the two cities of Hieropolis and Colossae in the Lycus
Valley. It was known as the Gate of Phrygia since it sat in
a corridor through which camel caravans traveled. Laodicea
received its water from both Hieropolis and Colossae. The northern
city of Hieropolis provided hot water from its hot springs
through a clay aqueduct. Colossae was south of Laodicea and
provided cold mountain water from the Phrygian mountain range
through an aqueduct system too! Historians tell us that by
the time the hot and cold water reached Laodicea, the water
was lukewarm and dirty from traveling through the clay pipes.
As a result the water tasted so bad that visitors would frequently
spit it out. The Jewish Talmud rebuked the Laodiceans for living
a life of ease and pleasure.
Spiritual Blessings.
Laodicea must have been the dream city of the region due to
its luxury and the promise of a healthy life. It boasted
of indoor hot and cold running water, although the water
was lukewarm. This city, just as the previous ones, had some
citizens who were Christians. We do not know if they were
persecuted as the Christians in Philadelphia or Smyrna. In
fact, the only thing that we really know about them is that
they disappointed our Lord Jesus Christ. Here are His opening
words to these Christians.
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And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The
Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning
of the creation of God, says this: I know your deeds,
that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you
were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and
neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
(NASB) Rev. 3:14-16
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