Today we will be finishing chapter 2 of Revelation as we look at the church at Thyatira. Even though the churches are mentioned in a clear geographical order, it does seem with just one exception (Philadelphia) that the churches get worse as we go on. As you move farther inland, the more the Roman Empire had great influence and it seems to really show in the churches and the temptations they faced, and eventually succumbed to. The church at Thyatira shoes this, warranting the longest letter from Jesus amongst all 7 churches.
Thyatira was the ‘craftsman’ hub of the Roman Empire and it was believed to be the birthplace of the worker’s union. It housed a huge population of potters, tanners, weavers, robe makers, and dyers. It was the dyeing capital of the Roman Empire and the home of “Turkey red”, a color that was known throughout the kingdom and originated here due to a little plant that supplied its color. In fact, if you recall Paul’s first convert in Phillipi, Lydia the seller of purple, she was from Thyatira. (Acts 16:14) In fact her purple would have been closer to red, “Turkey red.” Due to this huge Roman influence, the city was overrun with the debauchery that flowed within the empire and seemed to thus infect its citizens.
Let’s take a look at Jesus’ message to the church at Thyatira:
“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule[a] them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Jesus’ Description of Himself. “The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” This is the only time in the entire book of Revelation that Jesus refers to himself as the Son of God. He is very clear here to the church at Thyatira in proclaiming exactly who He is. “who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” This is from v. 1:14-15 where John is describing what the figure of Jesus looked like. The image of eyes like flames of fire represents the penetrating gaze of Jesus that sees deep within our hearts and soul, searching our true motives. The feet like burnished bronze represent the judgment of a king. Kings in the ancient world sat on elevated thrones. As people were brought before the king for judgement, they would kneel at their feet and basically be staring at the king’s feet. (Hopefully they didn’t stink!) A king’s feet in turn became a great symbol of his authority. This is of course a picture of the judgement of the Son of God. Jesus can see all and discern our true intentions and He will judge us all. He is the king of kings and holds divine and just judgement. We will see that the church at Thyatira had a huge condemnation from Jesus, hence the image here that He uses to represent the judgement that is coming.
Commendation. “I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.” Jesus has a one sentence commendation for the church at Thyatira. 21 words compared to 56 for Ephesus. Either Jesus was in a hurry or He just couldn’t find that much good to say about Thyatira’s body of believers. It makes me wonder about how Jesus would be able to commend us today as individual church members. How many words would Jesus need to commend you? Tough question to think about. But in spite of the condemnation that is coming, the church here had good things in it and it had good people in it. This is so true of our churches today also. Even in bad churches, there are good people. Unfortunately, what happens is as the churches get really bad, the good people leave. Jesus says He knows their works. They are doing good for others. He next mentions their love. This is the first time Jesus mentions love in a message to the 7 churches. He then mentions, faith, service and patient endurance. The church at Thyatira had many of the beautiful traits of Christ. He also says that the "last exceed the first”, meaning that they are increasing in these areas instead of diminishing. A very good commendation here from Jesus.
Concern or condemnation. “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.”
We see here a very long and very specific condemnation from the Lord. To fully understand the woman mentioned here you have to understand the Biblical character Jezebel. The woman mentioned here is not Jezebel herself, but a follower of Jezebel’s ways. Jezebel is known as the “bad girl” of the Bible. She married King Ahab (for a strategic alliance that benefitted her) who was King of Israel from 874BC-853BC. She was known for encouraging and promoting the worship of many other God’s besides the one true God. She was known for prostitution and using sex to get what she desired from others. She directly defied the great prophets Elijah and Elisha, even trying to have them killed by stoning. She readily had the prophets and priests of God killed. You could sum up Jezebel by saying that she was a prideful, self seeking, murdering prostitute that hated God and warred against Him with all of her energy. She was the quintessential wicked woman. So, when Jesus calls this woman in Thyatira a “Jezebel” you get the picture that he is painting, and it is not good in any way.
So this Jezebel figure has made her way into the church and is not only being tolerated but she has apparently been given a forum to teach of her beliefs! It says she calls herself a prophetess and the word prophet is defined as “a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.” Wow, she was within the church and she was teaching about her God...just not THE true God, Yahweh. It goes on to say that she is not only teaching but seducing God’s servants, the body of Christ, to practice sexual immorality and eat unclean food. To seduce means to “entice or attract someone.” She was not giving out the Word of God but working a very personal agenda that only benefitted herself. This was one wicked woman.
But even with this woman God shows His grace and mercy and He gives her a chance to repent of her sexual immorality within His church. But she doesn’t. She denies God in favor of her own will. In judgment Jesus says He will throw her onto a sickbed and those who sleep with her will be thrown into great tribulation (big trouble). In saying that He will “strike her children dead”, He doesn't mean her real kids, He means those who follow her evil teachings. And they will not be physically dead but be dead to God, that is, not having eternal life in Jesus. Jesus goes on to say that He will “give to each of you according to your works.” They will receive the punishment they deserve according to what they do with (or to) Jesus. We will all indeed reap what we sow.
So some might be saying, well what’s the big deal, there was tons of prostitution and false worship going on all over Rome right? And you would be right in that understatement. So, what’s the point here? The point is she had set up shop to practice this right under God’s nose. Right in His church. She wasn’t looking to promote her agenda somewhere else, she was brazenly and openly preaching her sinful ways in the house of God. She was a false teacher, an anti-christ. But beyond her, the real problem here is the tolerance of her within the church. Why was this allowed to go on? Were church members afraid of her? (apparently they were more afraid of her than God!) God sees her great sin against Him, but He also sees a body of believers that is so wishy washy for Him that they allow it to go on. In spite of their great commendation, this is a huge black eye on the church at Thyatira. Simple, quick and absolute church discipline could have solved this. But it didn't.
Command. “Only hold fast what you have until I come.” A simple command here from Jesus. Hold fast until I come for you. Stick close to me and my commandments and I will come to snatch you out of this evil, sinful world one day. You see, following and serving Jesus is not complicated. Just do what He says. We have His Word as a lamp unto our feet to guide us in the paths we should walk and to illuminate the paths we should not be walking in. But in order to do this we must forget ourselves and merely look to Him. When our agenda gets in front of His, the path can get very dark and we can easily lose our way. Hold fast to Jesus today as you walk in this world.
Promise. “who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.28 And I will give him the morning star.”
We have a very long promise here to the church at Thyatira. I wonder if because they had such a hard journey ahead of them that He had a greater reward? When He speaks of giving authority over the nations it references 1 Cor 6:2, “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” The next part of the promise is, “And He will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.” This is a reference to the millennial reign of Christ mentioned in Psalm 2:7-9, “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” Christ next promises “and I will give him the morning star.” This represent Christ Himself. He is the morning star as stated in Rev 22:16, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Well, we’ve now completed 4 of the 7 churches in our study. Today we see what happens when rampant sin and false teaching permeates the inner sanctum of God’s Church. It did happen at Thyatira and still does today. I pray that you are a member of a body of believers that passionately teaches and adheres to the Word of God. As mere men and women we are fickle and are prone to stray from God and His ways. But the Word of God is static. It never alters and it never changes to meet the current taste of our day. Our lives must be based on a constant and pure truth and that can only be found in God’s Word. If you can’t say that your church firmly rests upon God’s Word and it’s principles, then you have one simple job. Go find one. Don’t be a part of a Thyatira church for even one more minute. Not only did Jezebel face harsh judgement but so did the people that sat under her teaching. Be wary, be cautious, and protect yourself from the Jezebels of this world.
“More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.” Psalms 4:23
photo ~ "landing on Maui", Maui, Hawaii, USA
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