The Danger of Spiritual Lukewarmness

1 Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. 2 Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” 3 So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not. – 1 Kings 1:1-4 ESV

It would be easy to assume that the books of 1st and 2nd Kings are nothing more than historical accounts that provide a chronological record of the kings of Israel and Judah. They read like a two-volume ancient history textbook, providing detailed accounts of the reigns of 40 different monarchs who eventually ruled over the people of God. But these two books are far more than just a retelling of past historical events. They were written to tell a story and to provide an explanation for Israel’s sorry state of affairs after their return from exile.

While we don’t know the identity of the author of these two books, we do know to whom they were written. In their original form, they comprised one book that was addressed to the people of Israel who survived captivity in Babylon and were part of the remnant who returned to the land of Judah.

After 70 years of subjugation to the Babylonians, they made their way back to the land that had been their promised inheritance and discovered the city of Jerusalem in an abysmal state of disrepair and the beautiful temple built by King Solomon to be nothing but a pile of rubble. The gates of the city had been destroyed and the once-formidable walls lie in ruins. The former capital of Israel was a virtual ghost town, and while the people would eventually restore the city and rebuild the temple, the nation would never enjoy a return to its glory days.

But how did this happen? What caused the fall of one of the greatest nations on earth? Why did Yahweh seemingly abandon His people and allow them to undergo such devastating destruction at the hands of their enemies?

Those are the kinds of questions that the books of 1st and 2nd Kings attempt to answer. They retell the sad story of Israel’s demise. First Kings begins with the coronation of King Solomon and his dedication of the Temple. Second Kings ends with the capture of King Zedekiah and the destruction of the Temple. And in between, we are given a detailed accounting of Israel’s serial unfaithfulness to God. The author provides his audience with a no-holds-barred retelling of Israel’s fall from the heights of glory to the depths of despair and devastation, and it is not a pretty picture. But it is a memorable one, providing those who read it with a never-to-be-forgotten reminder of what happens to those who forsake the Lord.

But these two books are not all doom and gloom. Yes, they paint a not-so-attractive picture of the people of God, portraying them as unfaithful and fully deserving of God’s judgment. But they also provide undeniable evidence of God’s unwavering faithfulness. After all, those who ended up reading these two books were living on the other side of the exile. They were fortunate to be among those who had been restored to the land of promise because Yahweh had kept His word. He had told them they would go into captivity for 70 years.

“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” – Jeremiah 25:8-11 ESV

But He had also promised that a remnant would be allowed to return.

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:10-11 ESV

And He had been faithful to do exactly what He said He would do.

It was George Santayana who wrote in 1905, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Yahweh wanted His people to know and understand every sordid and sorry detail concerning their past relationship with Him. Their current state of affairs had historical precedence. They needed to be reminded that, as the people of God, their sin would always have consequences. Yahweh cannot allow unfaithfulness to go unpunished. Disobedience will always bring about divine discipline. And these two books were not intended to be a simple retelling of ancient history, but they were designed to prevent its repetition. Even today, there is much we modern westerners can learn from the history of the kings of Israel and Judah. They contain timeless lessons that bear repeating and offer the unflattering portraits of men whose examples we should avoid.

The very first portrait we are given is of the aging king, David. We are told he was “old and advanced in years” (1 Kings 1:1 ESV). The once-powerful king of Israel is shown to be a shadow of his former self. The warrior-king who helped establish Israel as one of the greatest nations on earth has been relegated from the battlefield to the bedroom. Rather than fighting the enemies of Israel, he is waging a hopeless battle with the effects of old-age and senility. The one of whom they used to sing: “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7 ESV), is now portrayed as a feeble old man, covered in blankets and fighting to stay warm.

His body is suffering the ravages of time, and David is unable to produce enough body heat to keep himself warm. In his old age, the slayer of Goliath finds himself so weak that he has to rely on the body heat of a young slave girl to keep him alive. In his prime, David suffered from an inordinate attraction to beautiful women that often got him into trouble. Because David is still the king, his advisors seek out the most beautiful woman they can find. But at this point in his life, the only pleasure David can derive from Abishag the Shunammite is the warmth her body can produce.

The author makes it clear that David received no sexual pleasure from this arrangement. It was totally utilitarian in nature.

The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her. – 1 Kings 1:4 NLT

As the book opens up, we are given a less-than-flattering glimpse of King David, confined to bed and constricted to mere survival. The great king of Israel is portrayed with diminished capacities and at the end of his life. His amazing rise to power and the record of his many accomplishments are found in the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel. But David’s glory days are behind him. His reign is coming to an end, and his fast-approaching death will usher in an important transitional period for the nation of Israel. The stability the nation enjoyed under his leadership was going to be put to the test. The peoples’ dedication and commitment to God will be exposed for what it really is: Lacking.

In some ways, the description of David’s physical condition provides a subtle portrayal of the spiritual condition of the nation. Over time, they have grown spiritually cold and incapable of rekindling the fire they once had for God. It won’t be long until they find themselves sharing their beds with the “young women” of the pagan nations in an attempt to “heat up” their languishing spiritual lives.

David had been a good king. According to Yahweh’s own estimation, he was a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). But even his godly leadership failed to produce faithfulness among the people of Israel. As will become evident, his influence over his own children proved to be lacking. Even before he breathes his final breath, David will find his kingdom under siege by his own family. From the king’s palace to the peasant’s hut, the unfaithfulness of Israel will soon be on full display.

These opening verses of 1st Kings paint David in a less-than-favorable light. He is old and in some ways, helpless. But his physical incapacity and inability to keep himself warm, mirrors the spiritual lukewarmness of the people of Israel. In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John quotes Jesus speaking a word of condemnation against the church of Laodicea.

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” – Revelation 3:15-17 NLT

Israel was guilty of the same thing and Yahweh would deal with them according to the tepidness of their spiritual fervor and unfaithfulness.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Heedless of Our Neediness.

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” – Revelation 3:14-22 ESV

The church in Laodicea was founded some time in the middle of the third-century B.C. by Antiochus II, and named after his wife Laodice. It was a wealthy and prosperous city, known for its production of wool cloth. After it’s destruction in A.D. 60, as a result of a devastating earthquake, the citizens of Laodicea rebuilt at their own expense, with no assistance from Rome. It was an economically independent city filled with self-sufficient people, and this attitude had evidently infiltrated the church there. In His address to this, the final church of the seven, He refers to Himself as “the Amen.” This word can be translated as “so be it” or “may it be fulfilled.” Metaphorically, it could refer to faithfulness. It was common among Jews that when a passage of Scripture had been read or a prayer prayed, the rest of the congregation would react by saying “amen,” and by doing so, expressing their desire that the content of the passage or prayer be fulfilled. By referring to Himself in this manner, Jesus was not simply expressing His desire that the Word of God be fulfilled, He was designating Himself as the very fulfillment itself. He was the first and the last (Revelation 1:17), the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8). Jesus will combine all three of these statements in the latter part of the book of Revelation.

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” – Revelation 22:12-13 ESV

These words from the lips of Jesus close out the book, reminding all believers to trust that He will fulfill all that is written in the book. He is the source of that fulfillment. He was the one who brought about all of creation. The gospel of John tells us, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3 ESV). And the apostle Paul reiterates that same truth:

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. – Colossians 1:16 ESV

And John records the words of Jesus presenting Himself to the church at Laodicea as “the beginning of God's creation” – which also reminds us that, as the Amen, He will be the one responsible for the re-creation of the heavens and the earth. And we can trust that He will fulfill all that has been recorded in the book of Revelation, because He is the faithful and true witness. This self-description by Jesus is particularly significant because He is getting ready to address the flaws in the church in Laodicea. And one of the glaring problems they had was their false perception of their spiritual condition. In fact, it was one of the first things Jesus pointed out.

“For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” – Revelation 3:17 ESV

Their words were a lie. They witnessed to something that was far from the truth. Their spiritual condition was not as they described it or, perhaps, even believed it to be. And Jesus describes their true condition as that of lukewarmness. Their self-deluded sense of spiritual superiority had left them in a state of apathetic mediocrity. They had a false sense of superiority that had blinded them to the true nature of the condition. Jesus declares to them that He would prefer that they be either hot or cold, but not lukewarm. In other words, He expresses His displeasure with their complacency and contentment to live in the no-man’s-land of spiritual mediocrity. They had not reverted to their old pagan ways but, at the same time, they were not on fire for the gospel. They were smuggly self-sufficient and thought themselves in need of nothing. But Jesus, the faithful and true witness, see them quite differently.

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” – Revelation 3:18 ESV

They were satisfied with worldly goods and temporal treasures. Unlike many of the other congregation to whom Jesus has addressed in this book, the Laodicean church was financially stable and its people were well-off. They had no idea what it was like to suffer from poverty or to experience hunger as a result of their faith. In their minds, they had no needs. And when you see yourself as without need, it is quite easy to live your life without God. They had lost their dependency upon God. So, Jesus calls them to return to Him in order to find what it is they really need. He offers them gold refined by fire, of a purity and quality that in unavailable on this earth. Of course, Jesus is not offering them actual gold, but spiritual riches that are of the purist quality. And the richness of which Jesus speaks is that of spiritual wealth, an abundance of good and godly attributes available only through a relationship with Jesus Himself. Jesus spoke of the kind of wealth He had in mind in His sermon on the mount.

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:19-21 ESV

Jesus offers them white garments, a sign of purity and sinlessness, available only through forgiveness of sin. They could purchase the finest garments made from the most expensive cloth, but their spiritual nakedness would remain uncovered. Temporal, earthly items can never remedy our spiritual condition. Clothes can make us look good, but they can’t make us truly good and righteous. And in order for the Laodiceans to see their true spiritual condition, Jesus offers them eye salve, to remove the spiritual blindness from which they suffered. They were oblivious to their condition. But notice that Jesus offers all of these things for purchase. In verse 18, He say, “I counsel you to buy from me…” It He suggesting that they work for these things? Is Jesus indicating that the spiritual goods He offered were up for sale? It would seem that the Laodiceans were used to sacrificing their money in order to purchase those things they thought they needed. They were more than willing to pay a high price for what they thought was of high value. But Jesus is letting them know that what they really needed was not available in the market, but only from Him. And it would cost them. The purity, holiness, and spiritual vision they needed was not going to come without sacrifice. They would have to turn their backs on their material wealth and social standing. They would have to admit their spiritual poverty and confess their self-sufficiency. They would have to give up those things that brought them comfort and contentment, and turn to the one who could give them life more abundantly.

The prophet Isaiah records the words of God, spoken to the people of Israel, calling them back to Him.

1 “Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live… – Isaiah 55:1-3 ESV

Notice that God commands to them to buy, but they have no money. What He offers them could be purchased with cash or credit cards. It was not reserved for the wealthy and well-to-do. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus had made it clear that “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6 ESV). Jesus has already paid the price for our righteousness, and He makes it available to us free of cost. But we must come. We must desire what it is that He offers us.

So, Jesus calls the church in Laodicea to repent. He warns them that His love for them will result in His discipline of them, because He wants what is best for them. Their spiritual mediocrity and complacency has left them in a dangerous condition. They were neither spiritually on fire or refreshing. Jesus’ reference to the two extremes of heat and cold seems to be an attempt to use their local water sources as an analogy. The neighboring town of Hierapolis was known for its hot springs that had medicinal value. But by the time this water was transported to Laodicea, it would lose its heat and, therefore, its healing qualities. It became lukewarm and useless. And the spring that provided the primary source of water for Laodicea was located six miles to the south and had to be transported over a viaduct. Again, by the time it arrived in the city, it would have lost its refreshing coolness, having been warmed but exposure to the sun. Like these two sources of water, the Laodiceans had lost their healing properties as messengers of the gospel. They had also lost the refreshing value of their relationship with Christ, leaving them incapable of ministering to the spiritually all around them.

Jesus calls out to the complacent believers in Laodicea.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” – Revelation 3:20 ESV

He offers Himself to them. This is not a call to salvation, but an invitation to renew their commitment to and sense of community with Jesus. He wants to restore the intimate relationship they once had with Him. The key to our surviving and thriving in this life is our relationship with Jesus. He is the beginning and the end. He is the Alpha and Omega. He has all that we need to enjoy abundant life in this life. But more than that, He offers us eternal life. Which is exactly what Jesus reminds the Laodicean believers about when He says, “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 2:21 ESV). The believers in the city of Laodicea were going to conquer, because Jesus has conquered. They would receive their eternal reward, because Jesus has paid for it with His own blood. But He wanted them to enjoy the full riches of their salvation in this life. He wanted them to experience the abundant life He had come to make possible. And as long as they lived on this earth, He wanted them to be effective witnesses of the healing and refreshing power of the gospel. And that is His desire for every church in every age.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson