Letter to the Seven Churches–Laodicea

Outline: Seven Churches – Laodicea
Passage: Revelation 3:14-22
Discussion audio (1 hour 36 minutes)

This seventh letter concludes the series of letters found at the beginning of Revelation. Towards the beginning it was noted that Revelation may be seen as a work of dramatic theater. With the seven letters the main characters of this drama are introduced, the broad outlines of the major conflict are defined, and the earth-side setting is laid out. We know that truth will overcome, but the question remains, how? The remainder of Revelation dramatizes how the conflict between good and evil, truth and lies, and the church and the world will play out.

This seventh letter to Laodicea contains more echoes of earlier letters than any other letter. As such, it seems to be a fitting conclusion and summary of the series of seven letters. The letters began (in the prelude to the letters) with a throne room scene in the heavenly temple. The letters end back with an image of the temple (Philadelphia, #6) and the throne (Laodicea, #7).

For those belonging to certain Christian traditions, this letter to Laodicea is one in which long-standing traditions and interpretations must be set aside, at least for a little while, in order to hear what the letter is and isn’t saying. It must be read and interpreted foremost in the context of this first Act and Scene of the Revelation drama.