Church At Thyatria

Revelation 2:18-29

Let’s set-up this city......Thyatria was in between Pergamos and Sardis as you are travelling to Laodecia. This was a good position for trading and the city appears to have been quite a commercial centre. There appear to have been a large number of trade guilds in Thyatira. In fact Sir William Ramsay says ‘more trade-guilds are known in Thyatira than in any other Asian city. Over in Philippi we read of Lydia that she came from this city and was a ‘dealer in purple cloth’ (Acts 16:14). The town was famous for its wool dyeing, which may well explain this lady’s occupation.

Unfortunately not very much is known about Thyatira, not nearly as much, for example, as is known about the other cities. This makes it difficult to be certain on some points and we must interpret this letter with due caution. The Christian church may have been small. At any rate no great record of achievement appears to be attributed to it.

Jesus to John, to write this letter because He is:

The Son of God and because:

He has eyes like a flame of fire.....

Penetrating through hearts and minds

His feet are like fine brass.....

A reference to divine judgement.

Jesus, Who sees everything an knows everything, is dictating a letter to a church that He is fully aware of all they are doing.

As He is in the midst of the 7 churches.....

What about the works of this church:

Charity: Love!

1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

The greatest work!

Service:

Matthew 20:26-28 “But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Following Jesus’ example!

Faith: for continuing trustful reliance on Christ.

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”

Patience: Perseverance!

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Works:

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

This church is now doing more than you did at first. There is progress in the life of this church, which forms a contrast to Ephesus where the church has just been blamed for having slipped back (v. 4). (losing their first love) There is much to commend at Thyatira.

Some of these churches Jesus gives good reports about but always comes with “I have somewhat or a few things against you.” These letters should serve as fair warning to us, that even though good is being that doesn’t mean things are done right, according to Jesus! Jesus desires that we serve one another, love one another, but it must be done right, according to Jesus, according to the Word of God!

Many folks have come and deceived people with being good loving servants to them, but in so doing fed them doctrines of devils.

I have heard discussions of many folks going on mission trips, mostly in Africa, and taking advantage of these poor folks by preaching to them to give and God will give back abundantly!

Using God’s Word for gain, all the while using Jesus’ name like it is some kind of trinket!

So, this church was doing good and maintaining this good, more than the first, but there is something wrong!

Jesus said that they suffer or allow this prophetess Jezebel to teach!

Jezebel is a pseudonym for queen Jezebel, who was influencing OT Jews into idolatry and immorality!

1 Kings 21:25-26 “But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. 26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.”

Jezebel’ had become proverbial for wickedness. Some translations has Jesus saying ‘your’ woman, which gives the meaning ‘your wife’. This leads to the suggestion that Jezebel was the wife of the bishop of the church. If the reading is correct, the translation is in order.

Another suggestion is the oracle Sambethe, a female fortune-teller located at Thyatira.

A strong objection to any such view that Jezebel clearly professes the Christian faith.

So, what is she teaching?

Committing fornication: sexual immorality, this can cover a wide range of immoralities, that I would rather not discuss, just to mention some: adultery, homosexuality, relations outside the marriage covenant, sodomy, with animals, etc, etc!

This could be orgies associated with pagan god worship.

Eating things sacrificed to idols: Acts 15:19-29 explains this better....The Jerusalem Decree.....

Back to Rev. 2............This person was teaching indulgences, “if it feels good, do it!”

We have a lot of that being taught in the world.......pastors teaching about sex and other indulgences, instead of Christ and Him crucified!

The reference to Jezebel was absolutely spot on by Jesus (of course) 1 Kings 16:30-31 “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him. 31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.”

Ahab and Jezebel done terrible things, killing the prophets, teaching indulgences, just all sorts of debauchery and continued happily in it!

Whoever this prophetess was, she was compared rightly to this evil woman of the OT!

Indulgences is the teaching of this era! If you happen to look at some churches, transgenders are leading churches, homosexuals and many other worldly things being participated in!

If the Jerusalem decree was good for folks back then, then it is good for us now!

Acts 15:28-29 “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.”

Let us stay away from the worldly teaching, if it is not about Jesus Christ and His person and work, then let’s tune it out!

The punishment that Jesus lays out for her and her children and those that joined in is gruesome....It is not exactly like what happened to the actual queen Jezebel, but it has the same idea: 2 Kings 9:1-10...

Jehu anointed king of God’s people and God gives Jehu the responsibility of making things right and it was a harsh punishment!

Skip to verses 30-37....No more Jezebel!!!

This is sad, but Jesus said He gave this prophetess space to repent as I am sure was give to queen Jezebel, but both did not!

This punishment is given out by Jesus, so that all will know that He knows the intents and thoughts of your heart!

Now there was some there that didn’t follow that doctrine, it seems they remained true! Jesus is telling them to continue to hold fast till He comes!

It seems sometimes that churches or people that follow the true Christ and are not caught up in all the pomp and circumstance, they just love hearing about Jesus and love living for Him, these seem to be left behind! Exciting things seem to be happening around them, that everybody is caught up in, but it doesn’t seem right to them.

Jesus is teaching: “Hold fast”...........continue to overcome and keep His Words and works until your time is done!

It seems this woman and those that would listen, were getting deep into the things of satan!!

1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

Power over nations: This speaks of ruling in the millennial reign of Christ, with Him!

Many references in Scripture about breaking the enemies of God into shivers, this is just a reference to divine judgement!

Morning Star: Revelation 22:16 “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”