The Letter to Thyatira, Part 2
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Introduction
Introduction
Last week, we looked at the same passage, but we payed special attention to how Jesus referred to Himself: He is the Son of God, the one whose eyes burn like flames of fire and whose feet are like brass. We were confronted with the fact that Jesus sees all, hears all, and knows all. He knows our thoughts and even the emotions of our hearts. We also looked at the fact that Jesus judges us and that we do deal with the consequences of sin here on earth as well as eternity. What I mean is that the chastening of the Lord comes on His children on this side of eternity. We must not continue in sin, but we must live holy lives before him.
This morning, we want to look at what Jesus said about the church in Thyatira. Please stand with me as we read .
“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:
“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
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.
And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
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.
“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.
But hold fast what you have till I come.
And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
‘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;
and I will give him the morning star.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
The church in Thyatira did good.
The church in Thyatira did good.
When we look at verse 19, we see the Lord being very encouraging to the church. In fact, I would love for the Lord to address our church in a similar manner.
“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
Please remember that the church at this time was under severe persecution. Many Christians had to choose between Christ and their job. The trade guilds required members to worship the guild idol and participate in the immoral practices associated with their pagan worship. Many Christians lost their livelihood due to their loyalty to Christ. Yet, in the face of persecution, the church of Thyatira continued in their work for the Lord.
Theirs was a church that worked hard, loved God and people, served the community, had great faith, and was patient while suffering persecution. They were pleasing to the Lord in these respects. In fact, any church would be doing well if they followed Thyatira’s example in verse 19. However, the Lord did have something against them.
The church in Thyatira tolerated evil.
The church in Thyatira tolerated evil.
Heresy was being taught in the church and no one stopped it. Not only was the heresy being allowed, but some of the members ascribed to it and followed the self declared prophetess.
Our passage does not address whether or not this woman was teaching men, which is prohibited in . The issue at hand was the fact that she was following after the practices of Queen Jezebel. I do not believe that the woman spoken of in this passage was actually named Jezebel, but Jesus was using this reference to describe what this woman was doing. This morning, we will take a look at Queen Jezebel to get insight on what this woman was doing to the church in Thyatira.
Jezebel increased Israel’s idolatry.
Jezebel increased Israel’s idolatry.
1 Kings 21:
But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.
And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
Queen Jezebel stirred King Ahab up into following idols. There were more Israelites that worshiped Baal than those that were true to God.
In fact, Queen Jezebel supported the false prophets of Baal.
Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
1 Kings 18:1
This woman in Thyatira was leading the people of the church to continue the pagan practices of their trade guilds. It is very possible that she took the view that the death of the flesh meant that anything done in the flesh did not matter in eternity. There was the view that the spirit and flesh were so separated that what was done in the flesh did not affect the spiritual aspect of a person’s life.
This woman in Thyatira was leading the people of the church to continue the pagan practices of their trade guilds. It is very possible that she took the view that the death of the flesh meant that anything done in the flesh did not matter in eternity. There was the view that the spirit and flesh were so separated that what was done in the flesh did not affect the spiritual aspect of a person’s life.
In other words, she was advocating that they had the freedom to continue in the pagan practices. She was encouraging them to continue in their idolatry.
I know that over the past few weeks that the sermons have been very pointed toward the necessity of forsaking worldly pursuits. It is out of a heart of love for you that the Lord is having me remind you of our call to holiness.
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
We must be careful not to allow anything of this world to be more important to us than God. This self declared prophetess was teaching the people to practice idolatry. Perhaps she had the idea that they might be able to witness to others by being with them. We must realize that being like the world in what we do, what we consume, what we entertain ourselves with, not only contradicts the teaching of scripture, but also ruins our witness.
If we are like the world, then what hope are we displaying to them. We are to engage the world without compromising the gospel, and the gospel brings us out of sinfulness into holiness.
Jezebel increased Israel’s immorality.
Jezebel increased Israel’s immorality.
Worshiping Baal and Asherah included immoral actions that are prohibited by God. Additionally, this woman in Thyatira was seducing the Christians in Thyatira to commit sexual immorality. She truly was following the actions of Queen Jezebel.
As Christians, we must keep the marriage bed undefiled. This means that we should not have a physical relationship with someone who is not our spouse within a biblical marriage.
When we do not honor God with our sexuality, we will fail to honor Him in other areas of our lives, including idolatry.
Jezebel was a liar and a murderer.
Jezebel was a liar and a murderer.
And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth.
She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people;
and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, You have blasphemed God and the king. Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.
So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them.
They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people.
And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!” Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died.
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
Queen Jezebel had no problem planning the lie and murder of Naboth. The woman in Thyatira declared herself to be a prophetess and this was a lie.
We need to understand something especially in this day and age. First of all, just because someone says they are a Christian, it does not mean that they are. Secondly, we must realize that simply because someone says they have been called by God, it does not mean they are. We must “test the spirits”.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Jezebel persecuted the true prophets.
Jezebel persecuted the true prophets.
Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid one hundred men of the Lord’s prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword.
Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
Queen Jezebel was ruthless when it came to killing the prophets of God. Jesus using her name to describe this woman in Thyatira would lead me to believe that she was persecuting those that were preaching the Word of God.
Maybe she was telling others that the preacher was wrong. Perhaps, she gossiped about the preacher, or she even tried to run him off. She obviously was in disobedience to
Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”
If a man is truly anointed by God, then we should be careful in how we treat him. If God’s man is not doing what you feel he should do, or if you have something against him, don’t go to another human being with your complaint, but take it straight to his boss. Take your issue to the Lord and leave it to the Lord to deal with him.
The church must deal with doctrinal issues.
The church must deal with doctrinal issues.
When someone is teaching heresy, as this woman was in Thyatira, the church must stop it. No matter how popular the teacher is or how much they have served the church. Wrong teaching must be confronted and stopped.
Also, we must realize the great reward we will be given if we overcome.
And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
‘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;
and I will give him the morning star.
The ruling and having power over the nations pales in comparison with the morning star. Jesus said that He would give the morning star to those that overcome. Let’s look at this morning star real quickly,
Revelation 22
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Jesus Himself is the morning star.
Decision
Decision
Come to Christ this morning and be saved if you have not trusted in Him.
If you are saved, take an inventory of your life and determine if there is any idolatry or immorality in your life that you need to confess to the Lord.