Thyatira
– The Corrupt Church
Revelation
2:18-29
THYATIRA – A.D. 606 – Tribulation.
“And to the angel of the church in
Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame
of fire, and His feet like fine brass (2:18).
THE SALUTATION
This was
John’s sixth command to write.
Son of God – Emphasizes Christ’s deity, that He
is of one essence with the Father (John 5:18). This is the only time this
phrase “Son of God” appears in the book of Revelation, speaking of Jesus
approach to the church of Thyatira as divine judge.
Eyes like a flame of fire – His piercing, laser-like vision sees
all, and nothing can be disguised, covered, or hidden from Him (Revelation
19:12; Daniel 10:6).
Feet like fine brass – Christ’s feet glows brilliantly as
depicting His purity and holiness as He tramples out impurity (Revelation
19:15). This came as a sobering realization to the church in Thyatira that
Christ will judge continual, unrepented sin (1 Peter 4:17).
THE COMMENDATION
“I
know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first (2:19).
Works – He assured the church at Thyatira
that He had not forgotten their righteous deeds (Hebrews 6:10).
Love – Thyatira was showing love for God
and for one another, and it is the first of the 7 churches to be commended for
its love.
Faith – (πίστις pístis, Gk.) translates fidelity or
faithfulness. In context here it means “Good faith, faithfulness, sincerity,
being faithful, and in all good fidelity.” Of Christian life and
morals, practical faith (1 Timothy 4:12; 5:8, 12; 6:10; Titus 2:2); of
constancy in the faith (Colossians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 3:2, 5–7, 10;
Hebrews 13:7; James 1:3).
The true Christians in Thyatira were dependable, reliable, and consistent.
Service and patience – Those who love will express that
love through meeting the needs of others. Those who are faithful will
steadfastly persevere in the faith (Matthew 16:24-26; 24:13).
The last are more than the first – Their loving service was becoming
more consistent, and their faithful perseverance growing stronger. They were
growing in grace, maturing in their Christian lives, and advancing the cause of
Christ (2 Peter 1:8).
THE COMPLAINT
Nevertheless
I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who
calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual
immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols (2:20).
Jezebel – This woman was Satan’s agent to
corrupt God’s people, therefore, the Lord branded her with the symbolic name
Jezebel; who was an unspeakably vile woman, and through her evil influence Baal
worship became widespread in Israel (1 Kings 16:30-31).
Prophetess – She was a false pretender and a
woman of commanding influence.
Teach and seduce – The problem was not external
persecution, but internal compromise; not vicious wolves from outside the
flock, but perverse people from within (Acts 20:29-30). They permitted her to
teach error
Commit Sexual immorality and eat
things sacrificed to idols – She may have brought into the church the dual philosophy
that the spirit is good and the flesh is evil. Since God is only interested in
the spirit, her followers argued that it did not matter what one does with
one’s body.
To lead
other Christians into false doctrine or immoral living is a very serious sin,
meriting the most severe punishment (Matthew 18:6-10). These “little ones” who
believe in Christ are spiritual children, or believers. This is such a serious
sin that the Lord said that death by drowning would be a better option. The
imagery of maiming oneself is language depicting the need for drastic action in
dealing with sin (2 Kings 9:30-37).
And
I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent (2:21).
Repent – The Lord graciously gave this false
prophetess at Thyatira time to repent, but she loved darkness rather than light
(John 3:19). She knew she was wrong, but deliberately rejected God’s Word, and
refused to change her mind. Her blunt and final refusal to repent would lead to
a terrible judgment.
Indeed
I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into
great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds (2:22).
Sickbed (κλίνη klínē, Gk) – This word refers to the false teacher of being spiritually sick;
stretched out on a bed of death, and eventually being cast into hell, the
ultimate resting place for those who refuse to repent.
Great tribulation – Since these were the sinning
Christians who had believed her lies, the Lord does not threaten to send them
to hell as he did the false prophetess. He promises to bring them severe
chastening, and possibly even physical death (1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 John
5:16).
I will kill her children with
death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and
hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works (2:23)
Kill her children – The Lord threatens to literally kill
Jezebel’s spiritual children with death. Christ will do whatever is necessary
to purge His church of sin. This sobering reality should cause all who claim to
be teachers and preachers in the church to be certain that they are speaking
the truth (James 3:1). It should also warn Christians who are following false
teachers to repent of their sins, lest they face divine chastening.
Searches the minds and hearts – This phrase is used in the Old Testament
in reference to God, and here it affirms Christ’s deity (1 Chronicles 28:9;
Psalm 7:9; Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 11:20, 17:10, 20:12). Nothing can be hidden
from the penetrating gaze of the Lord of the churches.
According to your works – Christ’s unerring judgment would be
based on each person’s deeds, and those who were innocent would not be punished
along with the guilty (Matthew 7:16, 16:27; Revelation 22:12; Romans 2:6; 2
timothy 4:14). People’s deeds reveal their spiritual condition (James 2:18).
Saving faith will inevitably express itself in good works (James 2:17, 26).
Works cannot save, but they do damn. Christ’s judgment will reflect each
person’s deeds.
“God’s faithful
followers should be careful to measure everything according to the stated Word
of God and, if need be, to stand alone” – Tim LaHaye
THE PROMISE
“Now
to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this
doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on
you no other burden (2:24).
Depths of Satan – Jezebel and her followers claimed to
be plumbing the very depths of Satan’s domain and remaining spiritually
unscathed. They believed that they were free to engage the sphere of Satan and
participate in sins of the body without harming the spirit. They imagined
themselves to be free to explore the satanic sphere and then brazenly come to
worship God.
No other burden – Bearing the burden of seeing blatant
false teaching and immoral living rampant in their church, and having to resist
the incessant solicitation and ridicule from the Jezebel party, was burden
enough for them to bear.
But
hold fast what you have till I come (2:25).
Hold fast - (κρατέω kratéō, Gk.) indicates that it would not be
easy (1 Corinthians 10:12). The word
kratéō means “To take hold of, grasp, hold fast, in mind, observe
(2 Thessalonians 2:15; Rev. 2:13–15; 3:11). They were to
hold on to their faith in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:19). All believers are to cling to what
is good until Christ’s return (Romans 12:9).
Till I come – This the first reference in the 7
epistles to the return of Christ, meaning that there will be Thyatira-like
churches in the world when He does return.
And
he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power
over the nations (2:26).
He who overcomes – We overcome by refusing to tolerate
evil teaching in the church of God. The overcomer is the Christian who
overcomes the specific threat to him and his church by his faithful conduct, or
obedience.
Until the end – Steadfast obedience marks a genuine
Christian.
Power over the nations – This promise is taken from Psalm
2:7-9, and is one of participation in the Millennial Kingdom. Those who
remained faithful to Christ despite being beaten and despised in this life will
rule with Him in His earthly kingdom (Revelation 12:5; 19:15).
‘He shall
rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be
dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
As I also have
received from My Father (2:27).
Rule them – To tend or feed like a Shepherd or
Pastor.
Rod of iron – Rod is the same as the word for
scepter (Hebrews 1:8).
The people
who rule with Christ will help protect His people and promote holiness and
righteousness. Christ will delegate authority to them just as He also has
received authority from His Father (Daniel 7:18, 27; John5:22, 27; 1
Corinthians 6:2).
And I will give
him the morning star (2:28).
Morning Star – While Christians will reflect
Christ’s glory, the Morning Star is Christ himself (Revelation 22:16; 2 Peter
1:19). Christ promised believers Himself in all of His fullness (1 Corinthians
13:12).
He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” ’ (2:29).
What the Spirit says to the churches
– We are to heed the
message.
3 Important truths stand out:
1. This letter reveals the seriousness of practicing and
tolerating sin, and that God will judge continued, unrepentant sin in the
church.
2. A pattern of obedience marks true Christians.
3. God’s gracious promise to His own is that, in spite
of struggles with sin and error in churches, they will experience all the
fullness of Christ as they reign with Him in His kingdom.
The character of the church at
Thyatira is a fair outline of the church period from A.D. 606 - Tribulation. This outline of the church is known
as the Middle (Dark) Ages. Jezebel
represents a false religious system, and that system typified the Papal church.
When the Papal church introduced images and pictures into its churches for the
people to bow down to it became idolatrous. When it set up its claim that the
teaching of the church is superior to the Word of God, it assumed the role of
“Prophetess.” It was in the sway of Jezebelism and was a mixture of heathenism,
Christianity, and Judaism. God detests this vile combination. They added to their
blasphemies and errors the absolute sinlessness of the virgin Mary, lifting her
to the position of a female God, and declared that she was caught up to heaven
without dying and crowned queen of heaven. The church was taught that
intercession to God should be made through Mary, apart from whose favor there
could be no salvation.
The
following changes and doctrines that have their source in paganism were added
to the Church during this period.
A.D.
607-Boniface III made first Pope
A.D.
709-Kissing the Pope’s foot
A.D.
786-Worshiping of images and relics
A.D.
850-Use of “holy water” begun
A.D.
995-Canonization of dead saints
A.D.
998-Fasting on Fridays and during Lent
A.D.
1079-Celibacy of the priesthood
A.D.
1090-Prayer beads
A.D.
1184-The Inquisition
A.D.
1190-Sale of indulgences
A.D.
1215-Transubstantiation
A.D.
1220-Adoration of the wafer (Host)
A.D.
1229-Bible forbidden to laypeople
A.D.
1414-Cup forbidden to people at Communion
A.D.
1439-Doctrine of purgatory decreed
A.D.
1439-Doctrine of seven sacraments affirmed
A.D.
1508-The Ave Maria approved
A.D.
1534-Jesuit order founded
A.D.
1545-Tradition granted equal authority with Bible
A.D.
1546-Apocryphal books put into Bible
A.D.
1854-Immaculate conception of Mary
A.D.
1864-Syllabus of Errors proclaimed
A.D.
1870-Infallibility of the Pope declared
A.D.
1930-Public schools condemned
A.D.
1950-Assumption of the Virgin Mary
A.D.
1965-Mary proclaimed Mother of the Church
The above changes
and additions have been made, as substantiated by history.
It was also a period of persecution as seen in
the Wars of the Crusades and the Rise of the Inquisition. The Crusades were a
series of religious expeditionary wars blessed by the Pope and the Catholic
Church, with the stated goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places
in and near Jerusalem. The crusaders comprised military units of Roman
Catholics from all over Western Europe, and were not under unified command. The
main series of Crusades, primarily against Muslims in the Levant, occurred
between 1095 and 1291. After some early successes, the later crusades failed
and the crusaders were defeated and forced to return home. Several hundred
thousand soldiers became Crusaders by taking vows; the Pope granted them
plenary indulgence. Their emblem was the cross — the term "crusade"
is derived from the French term for taking up the cross. Many were from France
and called themselves "Franks," which became the common term used by
Muslims. The term "crusade" is also used to describe religiously
motivated campaigns conducted between 1100 and 1600 in territories outside the
Levant usually against pagans, heretics, and peoples under the ban of
excommunication for a mixture of religious, economic, and political reasons.
The
Inquisition was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions
within the justice system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th
century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy.
Inquisition practices were used also on offences against canon law other than
heresy. The Medieval Inquisition is a series of Inquisitions (Catholic Church
bodies charged with suppressing heresy) from around 1184, including the
Episcopal Inquisition (1184-1230s) and later the Papal Inquisition (1230s). The
Medieval Inquisition was in response to large popular movements throughout
Europe considered apostate or heretical to Christianity, in particular
Catharism and the Waldensians in southern France and northern Italy. These were
the first inquisition movements of many that would follow.
Some outstanding products of that period are
John Wycliffe, John Hus, Savonarola, and many others who earned the martyr’s
crown because they refused to give up their adherence to the Word of God and
Christ Jesus the Lord. One of the bleakest marks on the history of the Roman
Catholic Church is that it burned at the stake men like Wycliffe and Hus, whose
only sin was trying to translate the Bible into the mother tongue of the common
people.
PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN (Matthew 13:33)
Leaven is
always a type of evil in Scripture (Exodus 12:15; Matthew 16:6, 12; Mark 8:15;
1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 5:9).The Jezebel of the church of Thyatira is
the woman who inserted the leaven of false doctrine into the meal of the
gospel. This parable shows the inward corruption that took place in the church
of Thyatira; and is a prophetic glimpse of
what would take place within the church in the future impending years to come.
MYSTERY BABYLON (Revelation 17:1-7)
The picture
is of the world being swept up into the intoxication and sin of a false system
of religion. Prostitution (harlotry) symbolizes idolatry or religious apostasy
(Jeremiah 3:6-9; Ezekiel 16:30, 20:30; Hosea 4:15, 5:3, 6:10, 9:1). The harlot
rules over the waters which symbolize the nations of the world. She lures the
nations into her grasp and deceives them into committing spiritual fornication
with her. She is the bride of the Antichrist. All false religion stems from
Babel or Babylon (Genesis 11:1-9).
©2012 Kenute P. Curry.
All rights reserved.
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