The Lord feels very strongly about this. In the original language, this is a very emphatic statement that is being made. In a very real sense, what the Lord is saying here we might say this way: “You make me sick!” Now, that’s a very strong statement that we would say to someone else. This is a very cutting statement. But that’s exactly what the Lord is saying here. “Your condition makes Me Sick” and “I will vomit you out of My mouth” because “you make Me sick.”

There is an interesting point here and perhaps it is the reason why the Lord uses this particular thought or very strong image of “vomiting them out.” This is from Brother W.B. West, Jr.’s book on Revelation. He says this: “At Heropolis, a few miles north of Laodicea, a stream makes its way rapidly down the side of the road. The stream gushes out at Heropolis and makes its way to Laodicea and beyond as it has for centuries.” Now listen to this: “If anyone drinks this water, he becomes deathly sick at his stomach. The lukewarm water would cause 99 out of a 100 to vomit. The church in Laodicea was a lukewarm church that made the Lord sick.” The Lord’s illustrative language here may very well have been made because of the Lord’s familiarity and their familiarity with this stream of lukewarm water. The knowledge of this stream of lukewarm water would certainly emphasize the point the Lord was making.

Verses 17 and 18 explain the complacency, the lethargy, of this church. They boastingly speak of and feel that they are “wealthy”—that they are not in need or want in any area. Yet we see that the Lord will categorize them, in His view, as a church that is “wretched.” It is “miserable,” it is “poor;” they are “blind” and they are “naked.”

Here again, think about what the Lord is saying. In this city, which is a wealthy city and where they make fine black-woolen garments, and where this eye salve is made, He will cite these major things that the city is known for as being the downfall of the church. They think they are “wealthy,” but He says they are “poor.” They think they are well clothed, but He says they are “naked.” They think that they see quite well, perhaps because of this salve, but He says they are “blind.” He advises them to quit trusting in their riches—to quit trusting in this material wealth that they have access to.

Rather, “buy gold from Me,” the Lord says. He’s not talking about literal gold. He’s talking about something that is far more valuable. He’s talking about real spiritual wealth. He’s saying, “You need true covering for your nakedness and you need true medicine.” He says that true wealth, those true riches, is a “gold” that is “tested in fire.” This, of course, has to do with true spiritual wealth.

Notice that He says that they need to have “white garments.” What color was the wool that they produced here in this region? It was black! He is saying, “You need white garments.” The implication is that they need to become cleansed and perfect in character because they are washed in the blood of the lamb. And He would say, “Open your eyes. Look at your true condition and see clearly God’s Way for you to see clearly, not by this salve that you manufacture and that you use, but by true medicine, medicine that is prescribed by the Great Physician.”

This has been a very harsh rebuke, perhaps the most severe rebuke of any of the seven churches that we have studied. But notice in verse 19 that, in spite of this harsh rebuke and the reproofs and the chastenings, the Lord expresses His love to them. He has pointed out their faults and their failures. He’s given them, as we might say, “a reality check,” but He still loves them. He still cares for them. He’s not going to overlook their shortcomings. No, He will direct them: “Here is what you can do to correct your problem. First, you need to get out of the lukewarm, and you need to get to the hot! You need zeal; you need to be on fire for Me! You need to rekindle that spirit that you once had for Me! And, you need to repent! Repent of your wrong doing.”

In verse 20, He presents that beautiful imagery that we have seen so often and that we even sing about in some of our hymns, where He says, “I stand at the door and knock.” We might imagine that. For the church in Laodicea, He would stand at the door and knock, seeking entrance to be with them, and to partake of a meal with them. By the way, in the culture of that day, there was nothing that was more special or created more of a bond between and among individuals than to share a meal together—to go into someone’s house and share a meal with them. The Lord is telling them, “That’s what I want to do with you! I’m outside your door knocking, but you must open the door and let Me in!”

Promise and Exhortation (verses 21-22)

He finally tells them that they have the possibility in sharing “His throne,” sharing the throne of God, if they are faithful and if they will be victorious in this life. That is the qualification to attain that goal—they must overcome just as He overcame and sat down with His Father on His throne.

Well, that is what the Lord had to say to the church in Laodicea. This concludes our look at the seven churches of Asia. As stated at the beginning, while these things are directly written to these seven churches, there is still application for us today, for us as a congregation, and for us as individuals. We should look at it in that fashion.