Beware
Notes
Transcript
Revelation 2:18-29
Revelation 2:18-29
Unlike Pergamum or Smyrna, Thyatira was not an important religious center. The primary god worshiped by the Thyatirans was the Greek sun god, Apollo. Nor does there appear to have been a sizable Jewish population. The pressure faced by the Christians in Thyatira came from the guilds. To hold a job or run a business, it was necessary to be a member of a guild. Each guild had its patron deity, in whose honor feasts were held—complete with meat sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality. Christians faced the dilemma of attending those feasts or risking the loss of their livelihood. How some in the Thyatira church were handling the situation caused the Lord Jesus Christ great concern.
We are told all the time to beware of certain things. Beware of strangers. Beware of high voltage. At work, we have "Beware" signs posted to help identify dangerous places or things. In the church, we have signs posted for high voltage and chemicals. Businesses have signs posted for people who are thinking of committing a criminal act; they prosecute. What does "Beware" mean? Be cautious and alert to the dangers of…. The Biblical definition is “to restrain or guard oneself from anything that may be dangerous.” If we think about each of these letters to this point, they have been "Beware" letters. But the church of Thyatira is a "Beware" letter about what some had allowed into the church.
When we were growing up, our parents would tell us to be careful around certain folks. I can still hear my mother telling us to beware of that old man down the road. My dad would tell me to beware of certain boys I hung out with. How many of us have stories like that? I would tell my daughters to beware of certain things or people. It was not because we did not want them to have fun, but because we could read people and knew what was best for them. God knows what is best for us. He has given us the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE), full of warnings or “Beware” statements.
In this letter, Jesus instructs the believers to beware of three actions. The first instruction is to beware of tolerating a Jezebel spirit. The second instruction is to beware of false teachers. The last instruction is to beware of being led astray.
Jezebel Spirit:
Jezebel Spirit:
Who is this woman Jezebel? Jezebel was Ahab's wife, a Sidonian. They served Baal and worshipped him. Jezebel corrupted Ahab and led him astray. Because he was the king of Israel, he led them away. The problem was not vicious wolves from the outside the flock, but perverse people from within. Israel was led away from within; the Church will be led away from within. The Lord’s admonition was to the leader of the congregation and the majority of the members.
The issue is not that this woman taught, since we know Timothy was taught by his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5). Nor that she called herself a prophetess, since we know there were prophetesses in both the Old and New Testaments. It was what she was teaching, since she was teaching them to eat food sacrificed to idols and led them into sexual immorality. Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 8 is that since idols are not actually gods, eating meat purchased at the shrine of the idol was not inherently evil (1 Cor 8:4). But participation is circumscribed by other Christian obligations (8:9; 8:13; 6:12; 9:22; 10:23). Jezebel constitutes a case in point by illustrating harm to the body of Christ in Thyatira by clouding the line between idolatry and the Christian faith.
For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.
Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.
Possibly Jezebel even went a step beyond them in claiming to be a prophetess, which would suggest that her teachings were not merely based on deductions from the material received from the apostles and prophets, but that she considered her own utterances on a par with, or superior to, the writings of the apostles and prophets. In other words, she added to false teaching the authority, as it were, of God himself.
The moment anyone takes the place of God is the exact moment that we allow a Jezebel spirit into the house. At that point we allow false teachers into the body.
False Teachers:
False Teachers:
False teachers have been around since the beginning. The snake in the garden (Satan) is the father of false teachers. They twist scripture to fit their lifestyles. They add or subtract from the Word of God to make a religion they institute and control. Jesus told us to “Beware” of false teachers (Matthew 24:24). Paul gave the “beware” warning to the Corinthians (11:13). Today, we are not immune to false teachers. We see them pop up everywhere. Anyone who is getting rich off the Word of God is someone I am going to be leary about. Does a laborer deserve his pay? Yes! But how much is enough? We have allowed the pulpit to become a career instead of a calling. We trust man more than we trust God. That is the problem.
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
Anyone who teaches prosperity in this life is someone I would beware of. Are some prosper because of the Lord? Yes! But they do not count money as their god but worship and serve Yahweh. There are poor false teachers too. Anyone who teaches a doctrine outside the Word of God is a false teacher. Anyone who tells you it is okay to stay in any sin is a liar. Jezebel taught believers to compromise with Roman religion and guild practices, so that Christians would not lose their jobs. Sound familiar?
It is interesting to contrast the churches at Ephesus and Thyatira. The Ephesian church was weakening in its love, yet faithful to judge false teachers; while the people in the assembly at Thyatira were growing in their love, but too tolerant of false doctrine. Both extremes must be avoided in the church. “Speaking the truth in love” is the biblical balance (Eph. 4:15). This helps us from being led astray.
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
Led Astray:
Led Astray:
When we allow a Jezebel spirit, which is a false teacher, into our midst, it becomes easy to be led astray. If sound doctrine without love is worthless, then love without right teaching is at best flaccid and at worst misleading. The moment we allow the outside to influence the inside of the body is the moment we allow false teaching into the Bride. Satan’s work is not in the world; it is to trick the saints into believing his lie (Revelation 20:10).
And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Listen to Paul’s exhortation (1 Corinthians 12:2). His warning to them again in 2 Corinthians 11:3. Paul explained to Titus that they were once like those who were led astray because of their lustful desires (Titus 3:3).
You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
Beware of false teachers who teach anything but the Lord sacrificed, buried, and rose. That we belong to Him and are being created into a new person. The old has passed away 2 Corinthians 5:17. We are to be sanctified away from worldly desires and to hold fast to Christ and His Word.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
How can we do this? Jesus commanded them and us to “Hold Fast” until He comes.
Hold Fast:
Hold Fast:
Hold fast, what does that even mean? The Greek word is “krateo,” and it means to hold onto, to retain, to control, to arrest, to keep. This is not a sprint but a marathon to the finish line. Paul referenced a runner (1 Corinthians 9:24). The Hebrew author said to run with endurance (Hebrews 12:1). Or to hold to the end (Hebrews 6:11). If we are going to endure, it is with one another, holding on to the hope of Christ.
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,
We can do this in Christ (Philippians 4:13). Outside of Christ, we have no hope, not now, and not in the future. Jesus is our encouragement to hold fast.
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
