SARDIS
(Sart - Revelation 3:1-6)
Sardis was the capital of famous
kingdom of Lydia.
Lydians were known to be very
successful and creative in the fields of commerce and economics.
The Sardis was ruled by Alexander the
Great in the 4th century B.C. then by the Roman Empire in the 2nd century
B.C.
The temple of Artemis next to the
Pactolus river (Sart cayi) dates from the 4th century B.C. There was a
temple dedicated to goddess Kybele before that during the time of King
Croesus. This one was destroyed by Athenians during the revolt of Ionians
against the Persian rule. Then Alexander the Great ordered a new one, the
temple of Artemis, on the same site. In fact, only the temple of Kybele was
destroyed not the spirit of this important Anatolian goddess. She continued
to live in the form of Artemis!
The king Croesus was the wealthiest
man of his time and Sardis became the richest city of antiquity. The famous
wise man of Athens, also the reformer, Solon, came to see this great city
and its famous king.
It is thought that the famous story
teller Aesop was a Phrygian who lived in Sardis during the reign of king
Croesus.
The empire fell to the hands of
Persians in 546 B.C. Besides the temple a small Byzantine church and
recently a synagogue was unearthed.
On his letter of revelation to the
Christians of Sardis, St.John wrote :
"(3:1) To the angel of the
church in Sardis write :
This is the message from the one who has the seven spirits of God and the
seven stars. I know what you are doing; I know that you have the reputation
of being alive, even though you are dead! (3:2) So wake up, and strengthen
what you still have before it dies completely. For I find that what you have
done is not yet perfect in the sight of my God. (3:3) Remember, then, what
you were taught and what you heard; obey it and turn from your sins. If you
do not wake up, I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not even
know the time when I will come. (3:4) But a few of you there in Sardis have
kept your cloths clean. You will walk with me, clothed in white, because you
are worthy to do so. (3:5) Those who win the victory will be clothed like
this in white, and I will not remove their names from the book of the
living. In the presence of my Father and of his angels I will declare openly
that they belong to me. (3:6) If you have ears, then, listen to what the
Spirit says to the churches!"
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