The Church at Thyatira

Introduction

I want to welcome you again this morning.

First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.

I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.

I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.

That being said, if you’re just joining us, we are just a few weeks into a new series called the “The Seven Letters”. A series that is based on the first three chapters of the book of Revelation.

And we’ve called it the seven letters because the book of Revelation was written to seven specific churches that existed at the end of the first century.

And it’s in the first three chapters of Revelation that Jesus personally addresses each of these churches. And that’s important for us for a few reasons:

First, as we’ve learned, the churches that Jesus addresses are meant to represent the universal church.

Which means, the book of Revelation wasn’t just written for those 7 churches, but for all churches of all time.

Second, while this letter was penned by the Apostle John, the resurrected Jesus is actually the one dictating this letter to John, which means what is written to the universal church and to us, is from Jesus Himself.

Finally, in addressing these churches, Jesus either addresses them as a church He is pleased with, unpleased with, or somewhat pleased with. And then based on the condition of each church, Jesus addresses them accordingly.

Which again is important for us because if we want to be a church that is pleasing to Jesus then we need to know what is and isn’t pleasing to Him.

So, what does Jesus have to say to these churches? Well, that’s what we are discovering each week.

So, if you haven’t been with us, I’d encourage you to download the app so you can listen to the previous messages leading up to today.

Last week we looked at the third church, the church in Pergamum, which is one of three churches that Jesus is somewhat pleased with.

Which means he’s pleased but He’s not pleased.

In other words, they’re hitting the target in some areas but they are totally missing it in others. Which is probably what is true for most churches.

Today we are going to look at another church that Jesus is somewhat pleased with. A church that Jesus refers to as the church in Thyatira.

And so to help us better understand what is going on at the church in Thyatira, I have three goals this morning.

First, we are going to spend a few moments looking at what life was like in the city of Thyatira at the end of the 1st century.

This is important because it gives us the context of what the early Christians were facing in Thyatira.

Second, we are going to look at what Jesus liked and didn’t like about the church at Thyatira.

Finally, after looking at what Jesus has to say to this church, we are going to look at how His words apply to us and how we measure up to what Jesus is pleased with and unpleased with when it comes to this church..

In other words, we are going to ask ourselves, “How do we compare to the church at Thyatira?”

And so to get us started this morning, I want to begin by painting a picture for you of what life was like for early Christians in the city of Thyatira.

To put it simply, unlike the cosmopolitan cities of Ephesus and Smyrna, Thyatira was what you might call a blue collar community.

A factory town so to speak that produced some of the most sought after commodities of the first century.

For example, the major commodity in Thyatira was textiles, which was largely due to the mineral content in the soil surrounding Thyatira. A very unique soil that was capable of producing a red colored textile that was highly sought after and valued throughout the ancient world.

Along with textiles, it was a city known for producing large amounts of bronze, silver, and even valuable fabrics used for clothing.

You may recall from our study of Acts, that a woman named Lydia, who was a seller of purple cloth, was from the city of Thyatira.

All that to say, Thyatira was a productive community full of hard working individuals.

In addition to that, like all Roman cities of the 1st century, it was a city devoted to the worship of the greek and Roman gods. But in Thyatira there was a specific god they worshiped. A god who went by the name of Apollos.

The worship of Apollos dated back to Alexander the great who established the city of Thyatira has a military garrison.

And what made the worship of Apollos so unique was that he wasn’t just any god. He was the son of Zeus, the chief god. As a result, Apollos was often referred to as the “son of god”.

Obviously the worship of Apollos was a problem for Christians, because in order to do business or hold a job in Thyatira, you had to be willing to participate in the temple worship of Apollos.

As a result, just like in Pergamum, in their refusal to worship Apollos, many Christians found themselves jobless, penny less, and persecuted.

Which brings us to what Jesus has to say to this church this morning. Because just like the churches we’ve looked at so far, Jesus has a specific message for this church and the challenges they are facing.

So, what does Jesus have to say? Let’s find out as we pick back up on verse 18. To this church Jesus says:

Revelation 2:18 ESV

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

What I want you to notice first, is that once again Jesus begins by introducing Himself to this church. An introduction that is tied to the description that John gave us back in chapter 1 of the resurrected Christ. A description that represents who Jesus is, and specifically how He is presenting Himself to this church.

And to the church in Thyatira, Jesus highlights some specific aspects of who He is.

First, he introduces Himself as the Son of God, which would have been significant for the church in Thyatira. Because remember, this is a city that worships Apollos, also known as the son of god.

And so in order to set the record straight, Jesus begins by reminding the church in Thyatira who the real Son of God is, and it isn’t Apollos, it’s Him.

And what an encouraging reminder that would have been to the believers in Thyatira. To be reminded by Jesus Himself that He is the true Son of God.

Second, Jesus refers to Himself as the one who has eyes are like a flame of fire. Again, a reference going back to John’s vision of the resurrected Jesus. And if you recall, the eyes of fire represent Jesus’s ability to see through all things. That nothing is hidden from his sight. That He is able to see into the very heart of a man. That He is fully aware of everything that is happening in our lives. That nothing escapes His notice.

In other words, He is the all seeing and all knowing God.

Again, comforting words from Jesus to these believers as He reminds them that He is fully aware of what they are facing. That nothing has escaped His sight.

Finally, Jesus identifies Himself as the one whose feet are like burnished bronze. Again, a reference back to John’s vision of Jesus in chapter 1. And if you recall, Jesus’s feet of bronze represent the purity that He walks in. That He is a Holy and righteous God. That there is no stain of sin in Him.

Again, a comforting reminder, but also a sobering reminder of God’s holy expectations.

And so it’s with these attributes that Jesus presents Himself to this church. As the true Son of God and as the God who sees all and walks in righteousness.

Which brings us to what Jesus now has to say to this church. Because after introducing Himself Jesus goes on to say:

Revelation 2:19 ESV

19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

Like all of his messages to these churches, Jesus begins by commending them for some aspect of their faithfulness. In the case of the church at Thyatira, Jesus notes several positive aspects of this church.

First, He recognizes their works. More than likely Jesus is referring to their Kingdom work and their day by day commitment to proclaim the Gospel to the world.

Second, He recognizes their love. Which means, unlike the church at Ephesus, this is a church that has maintained their love for Jesus and what Jesus loves. A church with pure motives that is committed to reaching the lost.

Third, He recognizes their faith. Which means, this is a church that is completely reliant on Jesus. A church that finds its hope, provision, and strength in its ongoing relationship with Jesus.

Fourth, this is a church that serves. A church that gives itself for the good of others. A church committed to serving its community.

Fifth, this is a church that endures. A church that doesn’t give up. A church that doesn’t let the pressure of persecution and the world beat it down. A church that keeps moving forward.

Finally, this is a church that is growing spiritually. Which is what Jesus means when He says, “…your latter works exceed the first.”

In other words, this is a church on an upward trajectory. This is a church that is making a difference. This is a church that is having in impact in Thyatira. A church that in many ways represents Jesus.

That being the case, you wouldn’t think Jesus would have anything negative to say to this church. I mean look at everything they are doing for Jesus.

But unfortunately there is something Jesus is concerned about. Because while they are hitting it out of the park in so many ways, Jesus has something against this church.

So, what’s the problem? Jesus is about to tell us. Because after commending them for what they are doing well, Jesus goes on to say:

Revelation 2:20 ESV

20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Jesus now moves to His main concern, and it has to do with a woman that Jesus identifies as Jezebel. A woman within the church that is leading people astray. In fact Jesus says she is teaching them to practice sexual immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols.

And apparently what Jesus is upset about, is that nobody is doing anything to stop her. Nobody is pushing back on her teaching. Nobody is challenging what she is saying.

So, maybe a great place to start would be by asking the question, “Who is this woman and what exactly is she teaching?”

Well, let’s start with who she is. And the truth is, we don’t know specifically who she is. But what we do know is that her actual name wasn’t Jezebel, but is the name that Jesus uses to reference the kind of woman she is.

So, why would Jesus do that? He does it because by using the name Jezebel Jesus is pointing us back to a story in the OT. A story found in 1 & 2 Kings concerning a woman who as actually named Jezebel. And while we don’t have time to read the entire story of Jezebel, what we need to understand is to be labeled as a Jezebel is not meant as a compliment. Because if we go back to 1 Kings 21, what we learn is that Jezebel was one of the most evil women to ever live.

We know this because unfortunately the nation of Israel went through a period of time where they had series of wicked kings that rebelled against God and His Word. One of the worst kings was a king named Ahab. So, how bad was he? Here’s how the Bible puts it:

1 Kings 21:25–26 (ESV)

25 (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab… 26 He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.)

Notice what the writer says. He says out of all the kings of Israel, there was none worse than Ahab who led the people of Israel to worship false gods. Not good, right. And what made Ahab so bad is that he had led Israel to worship a specific god. A god named Baal. A god who not only was worshiped through sexual immorality, but through child sacrifice.

A god that required you to sacrifice your new born baby to it. And Ahab bought into it whole heartedly.

So, a great question would be, “Why did Ahab give himself to the worship of Baal?”

That is a great question, and so I want to go back to the scripture we just read, because I left a little detail out that’s going to answer that question. So, here’s the full scripture from 1 Kings 21:25-26

1 Kings 21:25–26 ESV

25 (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 26 He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.)

Notice what the writer says. He says the reason Ahab gave himself to this pagan worship is because his wife Jezebel incited him to do it.

The idea here is that she compelled him to. And what we know from scripture concerning Jezebel, is that she was very good at doing this, primarily through emotional manipulation and sexual seduction. And Ahab was very susceptible to that. As a result, he was like putty in her hands.

And while we don’t have time to read all the references of the wicked acts of Jezebel, what we need to know is because of her influence over Ahab, she was instrumental in leading Israel away from the worship of the true God and into the worship of a child sacrificing god named Baal.

And it was so detestable to God that God finally said enough and through the prophet Elijah pronounced a curse on Jezebel. A curse found in 1 Kings 21 where God says:

1 Kings 21:23 ESV

23 And of Jezebel the Lord also said, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.’

You might be thinking, “Wow pastor, that’s an interesting curse. Not sure what the likelihood of something like that happening would be, but ok.”

Well, believe it or not, when God says this is what’s going to happen, that’s what happens. Because in 2 Kings we read about her death. A death that took place through the leadership of a man named Jehu. A man who God had raised up to cleanse Israel of Baal worship. And her death happened exactly how God said it would. Check this out:

2 Kings 9:30 ESV

30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window.

Notice, Jezebel is up to her old tricks using her sexual seduction to try and incite Jehu. But unlike her Ahab her husband, it doesn’t work on Jehu. Because look what happens next:

2 Kings 9:31–37 ESV

31 And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it peace, you Zimri, murderer of your master?” 32 And he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down. And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her. 34 Then he went in and ate and drank. And he said, “See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.” 35 But when they went to bury her, they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36 When they came back and told him, he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘In the territory of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel, 37 and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the territory of Jezreel, so that no one can say, This is Jezebel.’ ”

Well, I’d say God’s curse against Jezebel came to pass. The dogs at her up, and now there isn’t even a grave maker that records her existence.

So, all that to say, when Jesus makes reference to Jezebel, this is who He is referring to. Which should tell us how serious this matter is. Because according to Jesus, there’s a woman just like Jezebel in the church at Thyatira that is leading people astray.

So, a great question would be, “What is it she is teaching them to do and where is she leading them?”

Well, Jesus says she’s leading believers into sexual immorality and the worship of false gods. Which means, she is basically encouraging them to compromise and mix their faith with the ungodly culture they live in. But to no only mix it, but to also adopt their ways.

And apparently her teaching is so deceptive and evil that in verse 24 Jesus refers to her teaching as the “deep things of Satan”.

In other words, it’s a demonic teaching straight from the pit of hell. A teaching that is leading believers into Satan’s version of the gospel. A gospel that teaches compromise and runs contrary to God’s Word.

And Jesus is so disturbed by it that he issues a stern warning to the church in Thyatira. Look at what He says:

Revelation 2:21–23 ESV

21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. 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.

A few things I want you to notice about wJesus’s warning:

First, while He’s disturbed by this woman’s teaching, He says He’s given her time to repent. In other words, through His mercy and grace, Jesus has given this woman opportunity to repent of her false teaching. But apparently she has refused to repent.

And what a great reminder for us that we serve a God who is merciful, and even in our sin gives us opportunity to repent.

Second, because she refuses to repent, Jesus is about to judge her. He says he’s going to throw her on a sick bed, which means, he’s going to bring an end to her and her demonic teaching. That like the real Jezebel, judgement is coming.

Third, Jesus says anybody associated with her teaching will be judged with her unless they repent. Which means, if you’ve bought into her lies, it’s time to come back to the truth.

Fourth, if those who follow her choose to ignore the warning, they will be struck down with her.

Finally, when Jesus is done dealing with her, all the churches will know that He can see and is aware of false Gospels, and He deals with them accordingly.

So, there you have it. That’s the problem Jesus has with this church. There’s a false gospel being taught by a false teacher, and apparently the church has taken the stance of saying nothing. And when you say nothing you are in essence supporting it.

It’s like when a fellow Christian walks up to you and starts gossiping about so and so. And while you may not join in on the gossip, by not stopping the gossip you in essence encouraged it. In other words, you gave the gossiper no reason to stop gossiping. For whatever reason you refused to address it.

That’s what’s happening in Thyatira. The church is aware of this false teaching but they’re just sitting back and not saying anything. And so Jesus says, “You need to take a stand”. And we know that’s what Jesus wants them to do because He goes on to say:

Revelation 2:24–25 ESV

24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come.

In this passage Jesus tells the church to hold fast until He comes. In other words, they’re to stand their ground. They’re to not give in. They’re to stand up against this false teaching and uphold the true Gospel.

Why? Because everybody needs to know that what this lady is teaching is not the gospel, and they need to know what the true gospel is.

Now, at this point you might be thinking, “Wow pastor, there’s a lot going on in Thyatira. I’m sure glad we don’t have that kind of stuff going on in Marysville or Marshall county.”

You know at first, I thought the same thing.

Because as I studied the passage my first thought was, “I’m not sure how this applies to us. Because number one, we don’t have a woman teaching false doctrine in our church, at least I don’t think we do.

And number two, I’m pretty sure nobody in our church or even in Marshall county is encouraging people to worship a false god and sacrifice their children to it.”

But then the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was wrong. That in many respects, this church and what Jesus has to say to it not only applies to us, but maybe more so than any of the seven churches we’ve looked at so far. And I base three observations from this passage:

Observation #1 - In many respects we are like the church in Thyatira.

And what I mean by that is that we are a church on an upward trajectory. A church that is committed to reaching our community with the Gospel. A church that is committed to loving Jesus and what He loves. A church that seeks to serve our community. A church that continues to endure despite the challenges we face. A church that continues to make ground for the Kingdom of God.

This then led me to a second observation:

Observation #2 - While this letter was written to the church in Thyatira, it wasn’t necessarily written to one specific church in Thyatira. It was written to the believers who resided in the city of Thyatira. Which means, this letter is meant for the entire church community of Thyatira, and not necessarily one particular church.

In other words, Jesus isn’t just talking to the Assembly of God church in Thyatira. He isn’t just talking to the Methodist church in Thyatira. He isn’t just talking to the Presbyterian church in Thyatira. He’s talking to the “Church” big C in Thyatira. He’s talking to everybody in Thyatira that claims to follow Jesus.

Which means, the application shouldn’t just be based on what’s happening at MCF, but what’s happening in the churches of Marysville, and really the county.

And it was this thought that led me to a third observation.

Observation #3 - Not every church in Marysville or Marshall County is preaching a Biblical Gospel.

In fact, there are some that are teaching a false gospel. A Jezebel gospel. A gospel that is leading people astray. A gospel that is actually encouraging the sacrifice of our children.

Now, at this point you might be thinking, “Now hold on pastor, what exactly are you saying? Are you saying there’s a church or churches in our town that are encouraging child sacrifice?”

Yes, that’s what I’m saying. But not in the sense you might be thinking. Because when I say child sacrifice, I’m not talking about laying a child on an altar and taking their life.

What I’m talking about is a teaching that is leading our children to a spiritual death. A teaching that has saturated our culture. A teaching that unfortunately some churches have adopted as their gospel. But it’s not the real gospel. It’s a false gospel. To put it bluntly, it’s Satan’s Gospel. A distorted Gospel.

You might be wondering, “Pastor, what’s this teaching and false gospel you’re referring to?”

Well, the world actually has a name for it. They call it “Transgenderism”. But if I were to name it in the church, I would call it the Trans Gospel.

So, what does the Trans Gospel teach? Well, in many ways it’s similar to what the world teaches but with what appears to be Biblical support.

#1 - Like the world they teach while Gender Assignment is based on body parts, it doesn’t determine what a person believes they are on the inside.

For example, if you were born with boy parts, that doesn’t mean you’re a boy, because within you may be a female or vice versa.

#2 - They teach that Gender identity is how we experience and understand ourselves, regardless of gender assignment.

In other words, regardless of what biology would say, inner identification is the ultimate determining factor.

#3 - They teach that the Bible supports transgenderism.

This comes from a false teaching that God Himself is Transgender since He is neither male or female. And so since God is Transgender, then they are created in His image.

But the Bible would give no such indication. In fact, the only definition that the Bible gives us of God is that He is Holy. He is unique. He is set apart. And that there is no one like Him.

#4 - They teach that God’s love is a love of acceptance regardless of lifestyle.

In other words, because God is a God of love, He loves and accepts you regardless of how, who, or what you identify as.

Now, here’s the problem. While all of that sounds good to the person embracing transgender thinking, it’s not true.

And the proof of that is found at creation.

Because regardless of what God is, and there’s no way for us to know that, He didn’t make us sexless or with the ability to determine our own sex. He made us either male or female and it’s something that is determined at birth. We see this in Genesis 1:27

Genesis 1:27 ESV

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Notice, what the Bible simply states. That God created a person to either be male or female, period. And in the case of Genesis 1, Adam was crated as a male and Eve as a female, thus setting the precedence for all future births.

And it had to be that way or you and I wouldn’t be here today. Because imagine if Eve would have said, “Sorry Adam, I’m not a woman, I’m identifying as a man.” Then reproduction would have never taken place.”

And guess what, Jesus would agree with that, because He says:

Mark 10:6 ESV

6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’

Jesus says from the beginning of creation you’re either born a male or a female, and like it or not, your body parts and DNA determine that regardless of how you feel.

Now some might say, “Yeah, but pastor, there are people who have been born with both parts. And pastor, there are people born who are born male but appear to be more feminine. And there are people born female that appear to be more masculine.”

That’s true. And I would also say this. There are people who are born with deformities. And there are people born with sickness and disease. And there are people born with a propensity to do all kinds of evil and wicked things.

Why are they born that way? It’s called sin. Because that’s what sin does. It has marred and warped what God created.

And to be honest, I don’t have to think to hard to prove that.

For example, if I were to identify as a bird, that doesn’t mean I’m a bird. Because regardless of what I tell myself I think I am on the inside, I can’t do what a bird does. I can’t fly. I can’t lay eggs. Why? Because the reality is, I’m not a bird. I’m a human being.

The same is true for somebody who is a biological male but claims to be female. You may claim to be a female, but your body and its abilities say otherwise. For example, try as you might, you can’t produce another life.

Second, the Bible does not support the idea of choosing your own identity. There’s not one scripture that would even come close to saying that. However, the Bible does talk about you adopting a new identity. But it has nothing to do with your sex and everything to do with your spiritual state. Paul puts it like this in Galatians 2:20

Galatians 2:20 ESV

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul says when a person puts their faith in Jesus, they take on a new identity in Christ as you are spiritually reborn.

Finally, and maybe the most convincing, is that God’s love isn’t one of acceptance, but of deliverance.

Because the truth is, in our sinful state, God couldn’t and won’t accept us. Which is why in His love, He sent His only Son, so that in Him we can be delivered from this body of sin and death.

Paul puts it like this in Romans 7:24

Romans 7:24 ESV

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

And then he goes on to answer that:

Romans 7:25 ESV

25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Paul says Jesus is the one who delivers us from sin and death.

You see what the Trans Gospel teaches is that as a human being you can self identify as whatever you choose. That despite what nature would say, the Bible, or even science, if you feel that you are something other than how God designed you, you can choose to be what you believe identifies who you are. And not only can you self identify, but you can do it and be a Christian at the same time.

And as a result, there are now churches, and some even in our own community that are condoning, encouraging, and celebrating as their children no longer identify as a male, but female. No longer identify as a female but male. Not longer identify as a him or her, but an it. No longer identify as a human being, but maybe even an animal. And in essence what these churches are doing is sacrificing their children on the altar of a false god. A false god that has deceived them into thinking that not only did God get it wrong, but God recognizes His error and now accepts and loves you the way you've chosen to see yourself.

Now, at this point some of you might be thinking, “What church or churches are you talking about? And pastor, aren’t you treading on thin ice. I mean who do you think you are to call people out like that? Who made you the judge?”

Well, first and foremost, I don’t need to name any church, because churches like that have been very vocal about naming themselves.

In fact, I recently recieved a letter in the mail where a pastor in our community boldly proclaimed this false gospel. Here are just a few statements from that letter.

And secondly, I have every right to say something. In fact I have a mandate from Jesus himself to confront any Church, Christian, or teaching that would proclaim the name of Christ while at the same time adopt a teaching that is contrary to God’s Word. A teaching that is leading our kids straight to hell. Jesus says we’re not to tolerate it. That we have to be willing to draw a line in the sand and say, “That’s not the gospel”.

Love as acceptance

Love that brings deliverance.

How do we overcome? By remaining faithful to the end.

To continue to stand against compromise or to stop compromising.

We overcome the enemy by remaining faithful. By not giving in to the world we live in.

We overcome through faithful living, not just by dying for our faith.

We overcome when we refuse to be anything before or above Jesus.

When we overcome we are protected from judgement, we gain an inheritance in God’s Kingdom, we share in Christ’s reign, and we gain eternal life.

Jesus refers to Psalm 2 as the promise he extends to those who remain faithful.

He will give them the bright and morning star. Which means He will give them Himself.