“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!” Revelation 3:15
After focusing the Laodicean church on the attributes of God they were ignoring, the Lord launches right into His condemnation, the sin that is holding this church back from being God’s true representatives on this earth. The problem in the church is the same problem that is in the city of Laodicea yet the Lord’s words will stun the church.
The problem in Laodicea For all its advantages that propelled
the city into a leading position, Laodicea had a major problem. One
writer states their problem this way, “The Laodiceans couldn’t use the Lycus or the Maeander Rivers for drinking because they were too dirty. Besides, the Lycus River often dried up during the dry season. Most of the springs in the area were hot springs full of gasses and other chemicals.” The Laodiceans had to address their water issue so they built long aqueducts to bring water to the city. Originally they built an aqueduct from a spring five miles to the south. They piped in water through twin lines of stone pipe. Each stone was about three feet across and hollowed through the middle. The problem was the water carried by those pipes was filled with impurities so that the pipes became clogged and the water tasted terrible. One writer
commented, “Calcium carbonate gradually clogged the pipes. The water was collected in a central water tower, then distributed through the streets by pipes radiating from it. The water tower and sections of the terra cotta pipes are still visible even today. When they were laid the pipes started out 12 inches around for water to flow through but by the time the city of Laodicea dies, there was just two or three inches of space for the water to pass through. The high mineral content calcified the pipes and made the water taste funny. Whatever water finally got to the city was dirty and impure.” The water the city desperately needed was unhealthy.
When this plan did not work Laodicea knew the city would die without water. Therefore they turned to a different alternative. Six miles to the north there were hot springs in the city of Hierapolis that were believed to have the ability to heal. Many would go there and sit in the hot springs for the therapeutic benefit. The water
was hot (95 degree) but it also had a high mineral content. Ten miles to the south and east of Laodicea was a refreshing icy cold mountain stream near Colossae. With all its wealth, the Laodiceans decided to tap into both those resources. They would bring hot and cold water to the city. They built long aqueducts to both water sources. The problem was that the water from both sources had to travel long distances from their source and the water lost its characteristics. Instead of hot and cold water flowing into Laodicea the city had two streams of lukewarm water. Both streams of water
carried the calcified taste of the pipe. One historian says, “The water supply of Laodicea was derived from an artificial pipeline, bringing water which was literally lukewarm and so impure as to have a nauseous effect on the consumer.” Visitors to the city who were not used to the imported tepid water would put it in their mouths and immediately spit it out. The water which promised refreshment and was necessary for life was was tepid, nauseating and disgusting.
What can we learn? The problem in Laodicea was not that the water was unusable. It was not refreshing. The water’s lukewarmness was tepid and the mineral content gave the water an unnatural taste. This prosperous city’s life-giving water was a great disappointment – just like Christ’s church.