The Tolerant Church
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Outline
Outline
Big Idea: In the face of unrepentant heresy and apostasy, LOOK UP and PRESS ON.
Each of the seven letters has the same elements. (Borrowed from John MacArthur)
The Correspondent
The Church
The City
The Commendation
The Concern
The Command
The Counsel
Introduction
Introduction
Revelation 2:18-29.
18 “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 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.’
Being preoccupied with worldliness is bad enough…
Thyatira went further and tolerated evil in it’s midst.
They are the Tolerant Church.
Jesus’ address to Thyatira is the longest of the seven letters.
In it, there is the promise of imminent judgment.
In it, there is one singular command to the faithful.
Big Idea….
Body
Body
Big Idea: In the face of unrepentant heresy and apostasy, LOOK UP and PRESS ON.
The Correspondent
The Correspondent
Revelation 2:18.
18 “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.
The words of the Son of God…
NOW NOTE….
Each of these introductions draws from the vision John was given in Revelation 1.
Let’s refer back for a moment…
Revelation 1:12-16.
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,
15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
What do you notice about this text in chapter and verse 18 in chapter two?
The way Jesus is introduced is changed…Son of Man to Son of God?
Now, maybe you might be inclined to think nothing of this change…but I believe it should warrant our attention.
Son of Man, as we saw from our study in the book of John, was a strongly Messianic title first introduced to us by Daniel.
Jesus claimed it for himself, making very clear his claim to be the long awaited for Messiah.
Some have thought that this title associated him with his humanity.
And, for sure, it did.
But make no mistake, this title was very clearly a claim to His divinity and his authority as well. It was a lofty title emphasizing his place as God, even while it asserted his humanity.
Son of Man, therefore, was always taken as a title to emphasize his deity.
Son of God, likewise emphasizes his deity and authority as the son of God.
Interestingly, the title “Son of God” is given to those who manifest obedience to God.
Sonship is defined predominately, not in biological terms, but in terms of faith, submission, and obedience.
Jesus’ being called the Son of God certainly was a clear reference to his deity and oneness with God.
However, it also has the understanding of his complete submission to and obedience to His father. His complete and utter alignment with His Father’s will.
THUS, not only does it depict His right to rule and judge, but his utter perfection in his own obedience to the will of His father.
The fact that He showed John a vision as of the SON OF MAN in chapter one, but NOW in his letter to Thyatira, when he brings back elements of the vision, and changes it to the SON OF GOD…to me is significant.
BOTH titles refer to his deity and holiness.
Son of Man CERTAINLY has reference to his humanity, to his humility, etc.
BUT BOTH still STRONGLY refer to his deity.
Son of God, however, elevates that status clearly and unmistakably to his role AS GOD, as the authority, the rightful ruler, and the perfectly obedient second member of the Trinity WITH EVERY RIGHT to rule, judge, rebuke, condemn.
The change from Son of Man to Son of God should NOT be missed.
His eyes were like the flame of fire
Remember…
We said that the eyes of flame of fire represented a gaze that was piercing, revealing, all seeing.
The eyes of the flame of fire were intense and overwhelming.
They depict a gaze that is all knowing, all seeing, even the soul, to the innermost man, to the heart, motive, and desires of a person.
We may think we have fooled God, deceived God. We may think we are good with God…we may think all is well….but God knows. He sees things, EVERYTHING as it is. Nothing hidden, nothing left out.
Hebrews 4:13.
13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Church, God sees all.
Right Here.
Right Now.
All the Time.
He understands and Knows us BETTER than we even know or understand ourselves.
He see things as they truly are in our own hearts and in our church.
What implications does this make for our day to day lives?
Furthermore, we see the picture of his feet as burnished bronze.
Again, as we saw in chapter one, bronze is a symbol of judgement.
The burnished aspect of it suggests a red-hot glow of hear, fire.
It is a picture of judgment, discipline, chastening of God.
The sacrifices in the OT were made on a brazen (bronze) altar.
This description reveals Jesus as coming in judgement over this church for their toleration of sin within their midst.
More specifically though, we see God coming in judgment against those in the church who are living in unrepentant heresy and apostasy.
If they do not repent, they will face the full wrath of God.
Again from Revelation 19:15 “15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.”
We see that along with the sword of judgment that comes out of his mouth, he TREADS upon the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God.
Thus, this is a judgment picture.
The burnished bronze, the fiery implications of it, suggest his purity as he unleashed his wrath is holiness and righteousness.
The Church
The Church
Revelation 2:18.
18 “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.
Again, we have no record of this churches founding.
Home of Lydia, who Paul, Silas, and Timothy encounter in Philippi (Acts 16:14-15.)
Lydia and members of her household were converted under their ministry in Philippi.
It is possible that she/they had a part in the churches founding at Thyatira.
However, most likely, it was founded as an outreach of Paul’s ministry at Ephesus, as we saw with Pergamum (Acts 19:10).
The church was a hospitable one, active in serving others.
The City
The City
Revelation 2:18.
18 “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.
Well known for wool and dye industry
Located southwest from Pergamum on the Lycus River about 40 miles away.
Small but wealthy city.
Built on flat country.
Contained no acropolis (the upper fortified part of an Ancient Greek city. - It was the “highest point” and was designed as a defensive measure against attacks)
Lacked natural fortifications which would play a key role in its history
Founded by one of Alexander’s successors, Seleucus, as a military outpost guarding the north-south road.
Thyatira was the gateway to Pergamum. They served as a last defense for the city of Pergamum, giving the city of Pergamum time before attackers would arrive.
Due to it’s lack of defenses, the city never lasted long against attack and was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.
The few references to it in ancient literature are usually describing its defeat.
About 190 BC, it was finally conquered by Rome and began to enjoy a period of peace, ensured by the Roman empire.
It was then that it became a flourishing commercial center.
It’s location, once a liability, under Rome became an asset. The road became a main thoroughfare for Rome to reach the interior regions of Asia.
At the time of Revelation’s writing, the city was just entering the greatest period of prosperity.
Every artisan was required to be part of a guild. They were a well organized city.
The city possess many guilts. The main one was, of course, that of wool and dyed goods.
Others included…
Line workers
Outer garments
Dyers
Leather workers
Tanners
Potters
Bakers
Slave dealers
Bronze smiths
Lydia likely represented her guild in Philippi showing that Thyatira’s market extended to mainland Greece.
The city was NOT an important religious center. The main God worshipped was Apollo.
There was no sizeable Jewish population
The pressure upon the Christians came from the guilds, not the religious sector.
Each guild, which every artisan was required to be a part of, had it’s own patron deity, in whose honor feasts were made…which often involved food offered to idols and sexual immorality. Christians faced the decision to attend and participate in these feasts or risk the potential of losing their businesses and income.
The Commendation
The Commendation
Revelation 2:19.
19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.
We first saw this phrase, “I know your works…” with Ephesus.
We see it again here.
Reminder…
Oida refers to complete and full knowledge - as opposed to knowledge obtained through progressive revelation.
God KNOWS IN FULL their works. He KNOWS without error their works. He KNOWS their intentions, motives, and reasons for why they are doing what they are doing.
Specifically, he KNOWS their love, faith, service, and patient endurance
AND THAT the latter works EXCEED the first.
Love
I know your love
Agape - unconditional love
Their love for God was apparently still very present.
Though, you could argue, as some do, that their love was weak and fragile.
Given the rebuke he is about to give to the church, their love was not perfect. It was present, and it was growing, but it was not perfect.
Interestingly, the church seems to be stronger where Ephesus was weaker.
Ephesus was strong on truth, weak on love
Thyatria was stronger on love but had apparently begun to abandon the truth through their toleration of sin….which is what is making their love fragile and brittle, even though it does remain.
Their passion for Christ was strong, even if their commitment to truth was distorting.
Having reached the fourth church…it is notable that this is the first of the seven to be commended for it’s love. It does not mean it was absent from the rest of the churches. Smyrna clearly had to have a great love for God to endure persecution for His name…but it is notable that this is the first church that Christ points it out.
Faith
This word is perhaps better translated as “fidelity” or “faithfulness.” The true Christians were faithful, dependable, reliable when it came to their love and words for God and for others. They were standing the test.
Service
Out of their love and faith, they were faithfully serving.
They were a hospitable church.
Their love for God and for others revealed itself in their works of service one to another, which were increasing, not decreasing
Patient Endurance
Or their perseverance.
They were steadfastly and faithfully serving, living out their love and faith.
DESPITE the gross, unrepentant heresy and immorality of those in the church, there was a faithful remnant that was patiently enduring and growing in their love and service to Christ.
Thyatira, despite their faults, which Jesus will rebuke momentarily, was consistently growing and maturing in their love for God, for each other, and their faithful expression of that love through their faithful obedience to Christ.
The Concern
The Concern
Revelation 2:20-23.
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.
You tolerate…
This word tolerate means to put up with, endure, to bear with.
What is fascinating about that word is that it also bears the idea of “releasing from legal or moral obligation, consequence.”
When it says that they tolerate this woman....
They are releasing her from moral and legal responsibility…BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE. This is a time they should be holding her accountable for what she is doing, but are not.
Her name? Jezezbel…the prophetess ( or so she claimed)
It is unlikely that this was actually name.
Either she claimed it for herself, or it was simply one that Christ ascribed to her to make it clear what he thought of her and to label her actions.
The only other time this name appears in scripture…
Anyone know where it is?
It is referring to King Ahab’s wife in 1 and 2 Kings. And Jezebel was NOT a good lady. She was not your Proverbs 31 woman.
1 Kings 16:29-33
She was the wife of King Ahab
King Ahab did evil in the sight of the Lord.
More evil, in fact, than all who had come before him.
Jezabel was the daughter of the King of the Sidonians, Ethbaal.
Ahab began to worship Baal and follow him after marrying her.
He erected a temple and an altar in his worship to Baal.
1 Kings 18:4, 13, 19
Vs. 4 - Jezebel was responsible for cutting off the prophets of God for their part in prophesying against the wickedness of her and her husband.
Vs. 13 - She KILLED the prophets of God (or had them put to death. I doubt she did the killing herself). Obadiah hid 100 of them to save them.
Vs. 19 - She communed with, ate with, and supported 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. They ate together.
1 Kings 19:1-3
After God used Elijah to kill all the prophets of Baal and Asherah, she threatened to kill Elijah.
1 Kings 21:23-26
God judged Jezebel to be eaten by dogs within the walls of Jezreel
She incited Ahab to the wicked deeds that he did, whose wickedness has surpassed all other kings before him.
2 Kings 9:22, 30-37
She practiced sorceries and whorings that were very numerous. Her evil and wickedness was great and many
She died just as God said she would. She was cast out of a window. Her body was consumed by dogs.
This woman is the namesake to which Christ assigns this woman in the church at Thyatira. Needless to say, not a flattering ascription.
Christ says, she is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols (which was not forbidden anymore UNLESS it was an offense to others) 1 Corinthians 8:1-13.
Like the REAL Jezebel of the OT, this woman deeply engrossed in immorality of all kinds.
OT Jezebel was an idolater - she whored after many. Her fornications were many.
NT Jezebel led others to commit sexual immorality.
OT Jezebel incited her husband to evil
NT Jezebel did the same with those who followed her
OT Jezebel seems to have viewed herself as a prophetess os sorts. Her close association with the many prophets at least implies this.
NT Jezebel declared herself a prophetess
This woman was leading people to commit these sins…IN UTTER REBELLION AGAINST GOD. This is what was making her sin so henious!
There were definitely some whose love for God was tangible!
But it was fragile….for they tolerating this woman’s teaching without rebuking it
The church body was tolerating and permitting it. It was being permitted to remain and continue when it should have been rebuked and stopped.
Jezebel led others to commit sin. According to Matthew 18:6-10, this is very serious sin in God’s eyes. In merits the most serious punishment.
6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!
8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
The “little ones” of Matthew 18:6-10 are not physical children but spiritual ones. Believers. Jesus was using real children to deliver a spiritual application. We must be come LIKE THESE CHILDREN, humble, teachable, submissive.
One who takes advantage of that humility and trust…(Both of physical children and spiritual)… well…
It is so serious to lead another believer into sin that the Lord said death by drowning oneself was a better option.
The image of maiming oneself is language depicting the need for drastic action in dealing with sin.
Matthew 18:15-20 and Galatians 6 goes on to tell us what must be done with such a one…
Confront in love for the point of repentance and restoration
If they don’t respond, you take a witness.
If they still don’t respond, it comes before the church and the church body gets involved
If they still do not respond, we deem them as an unbeliever due to their lack of repentance, and they are put out of the fellowship (not ostracization). We treat them as an unsaved person who needs the gospel.
This mandate of “Church Discipline” is a mandate of LOVE and GRACE to pursue people in sin and unrepentance
It is a mandate of care to ensure the church stays pure and holy.
It is a mandate of protection
It is one that we as local churches are NOT doing well at….And I will admit myself to struggling with this process…but if we do not exercise it, we will end up like Pergamum or Thyatira OR worse….
When we fail to lovingly discipline, we give license to sin…and we are as equally accountable for our sin and failure.
Concerning Jezebel….
Christ declares that he has given her time to repent
This is grace, by the way.
God does not sadistically delight in judgment and destruction. HE DESIRES men to repent (2 Pt 3:9)
He has permitted her to continue for as long as he has, OUT OF GRACE…providing her opportunity to repent.
This also explains why God allows OTHER wicked and sinful people to endure long…in His grace He is providing an opportunity for them to turn and find forgiveness and salvation.
Jezebel, however, as refused to repent.
Because of her gross sin, because of the churches tolerance of it, and because she refuses to repent, God says…
I will throw her onto a bed…(period)
Some translations add “of sickness”
Some say “bed of suffering”
Some like the ESV here say, “sickbed”
HOWEVER, the Greek simply said “bed”
Sickness, suffering…it was all conjecture on part of the translators
Because Christ says He will strike her children dead as well, this is likely NOT sickness but death that is being referred to here.
Unless she repents, she AND THOSE WHO COMMIT ADULTERY WITH HER, those who follow her, WILL BE THROWN INTO A PERIOD OF GREAT TRIBULATION (not the end times type, just great trouble), and they will be struck dead.
Notice, there is no command here TO REPENT.
With BOTH Ephesus and Pergamum, commands to repent were part of the letters. No such command exists here.
Judgment is coming.
There is still that window of grace…UNLESS SHE REPENTS…but no command is shown here where he is still calling her to repent. She (and her children) have already been given that opportunity to repent BUT HAVE NOT TAKEN IT.
There comes a point when God’s patience will run out and judgment will come.
That point appears to have arrived for Thyatira and Jezebel.
Refusal to repent is the only unpardonable sin.
She and her Children (spiritual children that is), will be put to death unless they respond to his rebuke with humility and repentance.
NOT the faithful, no…just those who sins were clearly departed from the truth.
What is the difference between Pergamum with it’s teaching of Balaam and the Nicolatians and Thyatira with it’s toleration of Jezebel?
Maybe….
Those who held to the teaching of Balaam were twisting scripture, justifying license for sin… Doing so THINKING that it was still acceptable and/or pleasing to God.
WHILE
Jezebel was openly living in sin and rebellion…no longer even pretending it was about or for God
Maybe intent…
Both were wrong, obviously, but maybe with Pergamum, it was more of a need to correct doctrinal error where Thyatira was outright rebellion and the church kept ignoring it.
When I bring this judgment….
ALL of the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart and gives to each of you according to your works.
IN other words….
Through his STRONG rebuke of Jezebel and her children/followers…The church will see and know that God is serious about holiness and will strive to honor Him.
Through this judgment, the churches will know that I SEE and KNOW all things and will respond justly, righteously, and in holiness.
Strikes very similar to that of Ananias and Sapphira…who lied to God and He struck them dead for it, doesn’t it? (Acts 5)
Strikes very similar to Uzzah and the ark doesn’t it? (1 Chronicles 13)
God is serious about His holiness and about our respect of it and walking in it. God does not toy with sin, neither should we.
Sad thing is…it does not appear that the church at large heeded this warning. I am sure some did…there were faithful ones in that church…at least I pray that the faithful stayed true…
BUT
By the end of the second century, the church ceased to exist having fallen to heresy.
The Command
The Command
Revelation 2:24-25.
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.
This is the only imperative in the text. And it is the faithful.
To the faithful…To those who have NOT learned the DEEP THINGS of SATAN…
This is a pretty heavy statement…
Those in Thyatira that were indulging in the teaching and lifestyle of Jezebel were said to be following the DEEP THINGS of Satan.
It was not God they served or followed, but the Adversary.
Listen….You cannot serve God and the Devil.
You cannot serve this world and God
You cannot serve money and God.
You cannot be affixed to the passions and delights of this world and follow God. They are traversing in OPPOSITE directions.
You want to follow God, you have to reject the world.
James 4:4.
4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
SO….to the Faithful….To those who have NOT followed the teaching of Jezebel…
I lay no further burden on you.
Having to see, endure, live with, and deal with the ridicule for not also going along with the false teaching of Jezebel and her children….was burden enough.
ONLY THIS…
HOLD FAST
Endure… Persevere….
LOOK UP (Psalm 121:1)
Press On (Philippians 3:14)
We do not know fully how the faithful responded to her gross sin and immorality. We know the church, as a whole, tolerated it. HAD THEY CALLED IT OUT and rebuked it when it was small, when it was in it’s infancy, maybe it would not have reached these extreme ends…maybe.
Man, when they are intent on their sin can be hard to steer towards repentance…
BUT, at some point, the church failed to or ceased to confront the sin.
Jezebel and her followers grew to the point of overtaking things within the church and their gross sinful behavior took over.
Now, it dominated.
But some remained faithful who rejected her sinful ways and remained true to Christ.
This letter is a message to them of encouragement to HOLD FAST.
And it is a statement of coming judgment upon them for their sinful rebellion.
However, there is no command to repent and turn given to Jezebel and her followers. That time has past. That has been done. Now, it is only coming judgement.
BUT, to the faithful, endure. Hold fast. Stay true to me, Jesus says. LOOK UP and PRESS ON.
The Counsel
The Counsel
Revelation 2:26-29.
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 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.’
Read, consider, and mediate on this until we return to it….
Conclusion
Conclusion
Big Idea: In the face of unrepentant heresy and apostasy, LOOK UP and PRESS ON.
Application
Application
How can the description of Jesus as having 'eyes like a flame of fire' encourage us to be transparent in our lives before God?
What practical steps can we take to avoid tolerating sin in our personal lives and within our church?
What does it mean to 'hold fast' to our faith in the context of societal and church pressures to conform?
If you were to encounter a 'Jezebel' in your school or social circle, what would be your approach to addressing her influence?
How can we cultivate a community that values accountability and honesty in our walk with Christ?
What role does social media play in how we either uphold or compromise our values?
How can you discern between healthy tolerance and harmful compromise in your friendships?
What actions can we take as a church to ensure we hold each other accountable without being judgmental?
