In biblical times, springs of water were vital sources of life and sustenance, often serving as crucial landmarks in the arid landscapes of the ancient Near East. Among these, hot springs held particular significance due to their unique properties and the roles they played in the daily lives and spiritual symbolism of the people.

Geographical and Historical Context

Hot springs are naturally occurring springs that produce water heated by geothermal forces. In the biblical lands, these springs were rare but notable. The most famous hot springs in the biblical narrative are those near the ancient city of Laodicea, located in the region of Phrygia in Asia Minor, known today as modern Turkey. The hot springs of Hierapolis, located nearby, were well-known in the ancient world for their therapeutic properties.

Biblical References and Symbolism

While the Bible does not explicitly mention hot springs, the concept of water temperature is symbolically significant in the Scriptures. In Revelation 3:15-16, the risen Christ addresses the church in Laodicea, saying, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth" . This passage uses the metaphor of water temperature to critique the spiritual state of the Laodicean church, which was neither fervent (hot) nor refreshing (cold), but rather complacent and ineffective.

The hot springs of Hierapolis, known for their healing properties, provide a backdrop to this metaphor. The Laodiceans would have been familiar with the contrast between the hot, healing waters of Hierapolis and the cold, refreshing waters of nearby Colossae. Thus, the imagery of being "hot" in this context suggests a state of spiritual fervor and usefulness, akin to the therapeutic benefits of hot springs.

Cultural and Practical Uses

In the ancient world, hot springs were valued not only for their warmth but also for their perceived healing properties. People would travel to these springs for physical healing and relaxation, believing that the mineral-rich waters could cure various ailments. This cultural practice underscores the metaphorical use of "hot" in the biblical text, as something beneficial and restorative.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, the metaphor of hot springs in Revelation serves as a call to spiritual vitality and commitment. Just as hot springs provide healing and comfort, believers are encouraged to be fervent in their faith, actively engaging in works that reflect the transformative power of the Gospel. The imagery challenges Christians to avoid spiritual complacency and to pursue a life marked by zeal and purpose.

In summary, while the Bible does not directly reference hot springs, the metaphorical use of water temperature in Revelation provides a profound insight into the spiritual expectations for believers. The hot springs of the ancient world, with their healing and restorative qualities, serve as a powerful symbol of the fervent and effective faith to which Christians are called.Genesis 36:24
And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.
Nave's Topical Index

Hot Hearts.
... with a quick movement and gathers up some water in his ... brook there are just three
hundred of the hot-hearted, intense ... These fellows had spring and snap to them. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on service/hot hearts.htm

The Story of Hagar and Ishmael
... was used up; and her poor boy in the hot sun and ... at my poor boy suffering and dying
for want of water.". ... looked, and there, close at hand, was a spring of water ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of hagar and.htm

Some Words and Works of Jesus
... It is so hot near the Sea of Galilee that the people who live there often get fever. ...
In or near Jerusalem there was a spring of water which was as good as ...
/.../anonymous/the good shepherd/chapter vi some words and.htm

The Forgotten Preacher.
... It's a hot day. The road's dusty. He gets a bit weary and thirsty. He comes across
a bit of a spring by the side of the road. Clear cool water it is. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on johns gospel/the forgotten preacher.htm

The Water of Life;
... how hot will that make wrath? ... thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou
shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the water of life.htm

Sanctification
... We call water hot, when it is so in the third or ... by their length, but by the love
from which they spring. ... If the water be foul in the bucket, it cannot be ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/5 sanctification.htm

The Disciple, -- Sometimes this Question is Asked, "Since God is ...
... water of the sea is drawn upwards by the hot rays of ... we need to make use of and drink
water, we ought ... a plot of unclean and filthy ground flowers spring up and ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/singh/at the masters feet/section i the disciple 3.htm

Answers to Prayer.
... God must have sent the rain to quiet the water, for I ... In the spring that Bessie was
fourteen years old, her ... There was so little rain during the hot months that ...
/.../byrum/the value of a praying mother/chapter xviii answers to prayer.htm

Divine Grace.
... There is a spring that yields water good and clear, but the channels through which
this water comes to us ... of God in us; hut as hot water running through ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/vi divine grace.htm

The God of the Rain
... to the people to begin their spring-harvest"so ... rain of heaven; a land of fountains
of water, which required ... In that hot climate it depended entirely on God's ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon xvii the god of.htm

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