Laodecia - What Can A Walk Through History Teach Us?

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

Rev.3:16

Laodecia. A name today that with many acquainted with the Bible conjures feelings of nausea and displeasure. This is largely in part due to the statement in Revelation, that God was threatening to "spew them out of His mouth.," had they not heeded what He was saying.  Yet, as we were playing a "Bible" game the other night, Laodecia was one of the cities on the game board and it invoked me to write about this city in today's blog. 

Laodecia was a common name back in the days following the Persian Empire. There were

several daughters named this, and with that several cities that had the distinction of having this name - all in different areas. We have the privilege of knowing which city is being referred to in our instance in Revelation, because it states that it was in what was then called Asia (properly Asia Minor). It was located in the Lycos valley of what is now modern day Turkey, in the province of Phrygia  (Rev.1:11).  In the days following Persia, it was distinguished from the other cities by the designation "Ad Lycum." Prior to this the city was known as Diospoilis, or "city of Zeus." It also bore the name Rhodas at one point and finally named Laodecia. It did not gain any prominence until  the early 200's  BC, when Achaeus was its king. Until then, it was a city that just passed from one kingdom and ruler to another in very insignificant ways. Antiochus II (261-246 BC) of Syria came to power during this time, and in the process married a woman bearing the name Laodice, whom he then name this city after. They had  two sons: Seleucus II Callinicus, Antiochus Hierax and three daughters: Apama, Stratonice of Cappadocia and Laodice.  He inherited a state of war with Ptolemaic Egypt, the "Second Syrian War", which was fought along the coasts of Asia Minor. During the war he was given the title Theos (Greek: "God"), being such to the Milesians in slaying Timarchus. The tragedy  of the war reads like a soap opera, where to bring truce and end to the war, he signs a pact with Ptolemy II Philadelphius. Part of this pact was that he had to take Ptolemy's daughter Bernice as wife and to do so he had to depose and exile Laodice to Ephesus. Around 246 BC Antiochus left Berenice and their infant son Antiochus in Antioch to live again with Laodice I in Asia Minor. However,  Laodice I took the occasion to poison Antiochus while her partisans at Antioch murdered Berenice and their infant son. Antiochus. She then proclaims Seleucus II as King.

Amidst all of the human intrigue, the city grew. It became populated with Syrian and Jewish people who were transplanted from Babylonia to the cities of Phrygia and Lydia. In 190 BC.it became center of industry, famous specially for the black wool of its sheep and for the Phrygian cosmetic powder for the eyes manufactured there ( Rev.3:18). In 60 AD, the city was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake, but the citizens were so wealthy that they quickly rebuilt it at their own expense (Rev.3:17).  Little is known of the early history of Christianity there; Timothy, Mark and Epaphras (Col.1:7) seem to have been the first to introduce it and the only other reference to it is in the Revelation. After the first century in 1071 the city was taken by the Seljuks; in 1119 it was recovered by John Comnenus, and in the 13th century it falls into the hands of the Turks. Wars between the Turks and Mongols have left little archaeologically. Nothing from before the Roman period has appeared. One of the two Roman theaters is remarkably well preserved, and there may still be seen the stadium, a colonnade, the aqueduct which brought the water across the valley to the city by an inverted siphon of stone pipes, a large necropolis, and the ruins of three early Christian churches.

So, how does all of this play out for what the Revelation says? It is obvious what happens to the city as it like Sodom and Gomorrah are virtually disappeared from existence. I believe it has a great deal to teach us about the vaunting of human pride and dangers of thinking of yourself above others. It definitely teaches us of the dangers of seeking any of these above the mercy and ways of God. Perhaps along with the warning of the Revelation, the words of Proverbs 3 applies here. "The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace."

Jim