Revelation 2:18-29
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Appetiser
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Let’s also read 2 Peter 3:13
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
That is a glorious promise—everything this current world is suffering from under the effects of human sinfulness will be wiped away. The Kingdom of God fully come, “where righteousness dwells.” Yet this is not simply a promise. Let’s keep reading on from v14 to the end.
If you are looking forward to this by faith, then you are to show that faith by the way you live (v14). Do not be led astray by those who say you can look forward to that and disregard purity in devotion and in life. That’s not the Bible’s teaching—it’s Jezebel’s teaching. And against that there is a stern warning in this letter to the church in Thyatira.
Main Course
Main Course
The Utterly Pure Divine Ruler, v18 cf. 1:13-15
The Utterly Pure Divine Ruler, v18 cf. 1:13-15
“the son of God”: the Divine Ruler.
Eyes like blazing fire: Pure to the uttermost and intolerant of sin, jealous for the exclusive love of His people.
For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Feet like burnished bronze: Ruler with great power.
Christ demands purity in His church, v19-20
Christ demands purity in His church, v19-20
Purity in worship, v19-20a
I don’t think v19 is a compliment; it’s a note. Did the Lord accept this as their “true and proper worship”? Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
v20a tells me no. They allowed a false teacher, a self-proclaimed prophetess, to do what Jezebel did to Israel through Ahab, the king. 1 Kings 16:31-33, 18:17-19
He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.
When he saw Elijah, he said to him, ‘Is that you, you troubler of Israel?’
‘I have not made trouble for Israel,’ Elijah replied. ‘But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’
They should have looked at their righteous acts as their repentant forefathers did in Judah: “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) This kind of tolerance is not virtue. Mixing it with worship is not acceptable, because Christ desires pure worship.
Purity in life, v20b cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
Purity in devotion to God, v20c
Christ purifies His church, v21-23
Christ purifies His church, v21-23
Theological background: Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
The Lord had been patient with unrepentant Jezebel, v21
The Lord will punish her and her followers, v22-23a
Purpose: that “all the churches” will know Him as the One True God, v23b cf. Jeremiah 17:10
‘I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.’
Out of love for His church He purifies her
The witness of the compromised church masks God’s pure light
Christ assures that His witness is purified
Christ assures that His people are purified
Implication. What will we do if/when Jezebel turns up in our church? Tolerate her? Give her a voice? Not after reading this letter. But, you see, she’s cunning. That’s why the Scriptures warn us to be on our guard.
The Gentle Shepherd-Ruler, v24-28
The Gentle Shepherd-Ruler, v24-28
Grace for the faithful in the now: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.” (Isaiah 42:1-4), v24-25
Notice the tenderness, gentleness of Christ to His burdened by all of this. I think the implication is that they are really battered by this experience. The only charge to them is to keep staying faithful—they don’t need to single-handedly sort the church out. To the faithful ones, there is always grace in the heart of the Shepherd.
Notice that this does not absolve “the angel of the church in Thyatira” or the church itself from discharging their duty. It rather encourages them to do so, assuring them that they are Christ’s co-workers in that: “until I come.” (cf. 2:16? 1:7?)
Grace for the faithful in the future: He establishes His Kingdom for His people, v26-29
Psalm 2:7-9 applied to Christ and His people, “the one who is victorious and does my will [lit. 'my works’] to the end”
v28 cf. Numbers 24:17 cf. Revelation 22:16
‘I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.’
