Revelation 2:18-29 - Jezebel’s Shadow: Thyatira’s Tolerance

Introduction

Jesus parable of the talents

Jesus was near Jerusalem and his disciples assumed the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately (Luke 19:11)

Luke 19:12 “He said therefore, “A nobleman (king) went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.”

He called ten servants and gave them coins called a talent and told them to invest the coins in business until the nobleman returned

The citizens hated the nobleman and said “We do not want this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14)

The king returned since he received his kingdom and asked the servants to share how much they gained in their investments (Luke 19:15)

One gained 10 coins, and another five coins

They were told, “you shall have authority over “10 cities” and “5 cities” respectively

One servant did not invest the coin

Luke 19:26–27 “‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’ ””

Patmos and the Seven Churches

Least important of the seven cities

It was not a strong center for Emperor Worship

There were few Jews to trouble the church

It was known for its trade guilds

Trade guilds had meals dedicated to pagan deity, which led to parties full of sexual immorality.

Lydia, who helped plant the church in Philippi, was from Thyatira

Acts 16:14 ESV

One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

This is the central letter to all the churches, and addresses all of the other churches in the middle of the letter (Rev 2:23)

Revelation 2:23 ESV

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.

It is no surprise then, that the central emphasis is on the supremacy of Christ in his rule and reign.

I. Christ is the King Who Rules with Authority (Rev 2:18)

Christ introduces himself as a divine king.

“The Son of God” - Used so often in the New Testament, it is its only use in the book of Revelation. He is God and rules with authority!

“eyes like a flame of fire and feet like burnished bronze” - allusion to Rev 1:14, the king who is prepared to tread his enemies under his feet.

Daniel 10:5–6 ESV

I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.

This is the same Son of Man in Dan 7:13-14.

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

This also anticipates Psalm 2, where the Son of God is ruling and judging.

Psalm 2 ESV

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 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.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Our response is to bow down and kiss the ring! If we take refuge in him we are blessed!

II. Christ Commends their Faith and Love (Rev 2:19)

“love” - love of God and love of others.

“faith” - used in this book of faithful perseverance in the midst of oppression.

“service” - charitable service and ministry to others.

“patient endurance” - active perseverance in the midst of pressure and hard times. Key characteristic of an overcomer.

“latter works exceed the first” - love and faith had steadily increased. The church is increasing in its impact in the community.

III. Christ Condemns their Tolerance of Evil (Rev 2:20-23)

Condemned for their Permissive Spirit. Tolerance gone wrong.

Allowing Jezebel to Remain in the Church (Rev 2:20)

“woman Jezebel” - tolerant of evil teaching. Jezebel was a prototype. She was the most wicked queen in Israel’s history. She was the real power behind the throne of Ahab.

She led Israel to:

idolatrous worship of Baal (1 Kings 16:31).

kill God’s prophets (1 Kings 18:13)

murder Naboth for his vineyard (1 Kings 21)

I heard a pastor say, “We name our sons David and Paul, and our daughters Mary and Rachel, but we name our dogs Goliath and Nero; and we name our cats Jezebel!”

Here the church in Thyatira had an authority problem. They were tolerating a woman in their midst you was leading people astray. How could she do it?

“calls herself a prophetess” - close relationship with apostles (1 Cor 12:28; Eph 4:11)

Prophetesses in the Bible:

Miriam, the sister of Moses (Exod 15:20)

Deborah, the judge of Israel (Judg 4:4)

Huldah (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chr 34:22)

Isaiah’s wife (Isa 8:3)

Anna (Luke 2:36)

The four daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:9)

She attempted to connect her authority as a prophetess to the authority of Christ.

“seducing” - full accommodation to the pagans. This word is used elsewhere in the book of Revelation to only refer to the devil, the false prophet and Babylon (Rev 12:9; 13:14; 18:23; 19:20; 20:3,8,10).

Idolatry and sexual immorality, same problem in Pergamum, are not just characteristics of pagan society in general, they are also dominant characteristics of the beast (Rev 13) and Babylon (Rev 17) as well.

Ignoring the Warning to Repent (Rev 2:21-23)

“I gave her time to repent” - The mercy and patience of Christ. Christ had summoned her to repent some time in the past. This false teaching probably existed longer in Thyatira than in Pergamum.

“I will throw her on a sickbed” - contrast between bed of sickness and bed of adultery in the trade guild feasts.

“into great tribulation” - Hebrew poetic parallelism. Same affliction for those who accepted the woman’s teaching. Several kinds of trials intending to bring them to repentance.

“I will strike her children dead” - Probably not physical children but those who unreservedly committed to her false teaching. They will be killed.

“All the churches shall know” - This false Jezebel was widely known throughout the churches of Asia. And it will be evident to all the churches that Christ is the judge he claims to be, since he is able both to know who is guilty and righteous and repay accordingly.

1 Tim 5:20 - “Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly so that others may take warning.”

“he who searches the minds and the hearts” - his eyes like a flame of fire and he judges righteously.

IV. Christ Wants Us to Hold Fast to Him (Rev 2:24-25)

Exhorted to Overcome in order not to be Judged, but to Inherit End-Time Rule Together with Christ

Admonition not to be Persuaded by False Teaching, But Hold Fast to to Christ

“who do not hold this teaching” - the majority of the church.

“deep things of Satan” - contrast to the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:10; Rom 11:33; Eph 3:18). Ironic, they claimed to be the deep things of God, but really the deep things of Satan.

“any other burden” - possible allusion to Acts 15, prohibiting the very things that some in the church are doing.

“hold fast what you have” - continue in their faithfulness.

V. We Reign in Christ (Rev 2:26-29)

Promise of Ruling Together with Christ (Rev 2:26-27)

“he who overcomes” - those who refuse false teaching keep the commandments of Christ himself.

“power over the nations” - alluded to in Rev 1:6, we share in Christ’s rule over the nations.

This is again taken from Daniel 7

Daniel 7:22 ESV

until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

Daniel 7:27 ESV

And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

Psalm 49:14 ESV

Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

Disciples ruling in the new world (Matt 19:28), Paul says saints shall judge the world (1 Cor 6:2). I take this to be in the future millennial rule of Christ mentioned in Rev 20:4, and into eternity.

Revelation 20:4 ESV

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Revelation 22:5 ESV

And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Jesus is the ultimate king. He will “rule them with a rod of iron” - cf. Psalm 2. Repeated in Rev 19:15.

Revelation 19:15 ESV

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.

“received power” - rule is a gift given by virtue of his sufferings, death, and resurrection. We heard it from Amel last week (cf. Phil 2:9-11).

Philippians 2:9–11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Future Reception of Jesus, the Morning-Star (Rev 2:28)

Remember Jesus is walking among the lampstands, and the scene is at night. The churches are lights in the midst of darkness, but the dawn in coming!

The morning star is the brightest star that drives away the night, and announces the light, that the sun will rise.

“morning star” - (cf. Num 24:17). possible reference to Daniel 12:3, shine like the stars forever and ever.

More likely, it is a way of speaking about representative rule. Jesus is the morning star (Rev 22:16) and we will reign with him.

Revelation 22:16 ESV

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Command to Hear (Rev 2:29)

2 Peter 1:19 ESV

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,

The word of God if more sure than any new or unbiblical teaching of so-called “prophets” and “prophetesses”

Conclusion

All promises of to the overcomers in the letters are described in the final vision of the book and refer to participation in the consummate kingdom of God.

They include:

protection from judgment (Rev 2:10; 3:5)

an inheritance in the city of God (Rev 3:12)

participation in Christ’s reign (Rev 2:26-28; 3:21),

and eternal life (Rev 2:7; 3:5)

Everyday faithfulness has a glory to it that will be rewarded! Hold fast to Christ, grow in faith and love and service and perseverance.

2 Timothy 2:12 “if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;”