The Thyatira Church

This was a terrible tragedy. One that apart from sin would have never occurred. However, we do live in a world that in soaked in the devastation of sin. Our politicians have attempted to use many words to describe what happened. But, I have only heard one person use the proper word for what happened in Buffalo. The police chief in Buffalo described what happened as evil. There are no other words that properly express the events that occurred on that fateful day. Unfortunately, because we live in a sin soaked world most have actually decided to use words that are often times inappropriate to describe the actions that took place that day. For instance, this young man was not a terrorist. He had no political end in sight for the murders that he committed. He was a cold blooded killer who was affected by sin to the point that we would call his heart evil. This and this alone is the proper word to use in describing this young mans actions. This is the affect of sin in our society. And Satan is working overtime to use these evil actions to further divide Gods creation against itself. This Satans goal. It is the destruction of the image of God. We, humanity, are the only thing within creation that bears the image of God. When we look upon each other we may see a deeply marred image. But we are looking upon the image of God no matter what. This young man bears that image as well. I do believe that there is more to this story that we will never know. I believe that for someone to get to the point that they believe taking the life of another in the callous, cold, and calculated manner in which this young man did is beyond the human capacity. I believe that this man allowed his sin to run so rampant that it opened him up to attacks by demonic powers that overcame this young man. And we now see the results. The only hope we have. The only hope this world has. Is the swift return of Jesus. Amen.

This is the reason the book of Revelation is so relevant to our lives today.

So let's take a look at the letter that Jesus gave to the Church at Thyatira. We are going to again see a church that is being impacted by the culture around it. But this time it appears that the culture is winning. We need to guard against what we see in Thyatira in our own lives because it is the only way that we can protect the church from these influences in the end. So, let's read through our passage and then take a closer look.

Revelation 2:18–29 ESV

“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. “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 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. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 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, 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. 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. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority 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.’

So, just a little background first to the city of Thyatira. In importance it was probably the least of the seven churches addressed in these letters. It was neither a religious or political center of power. Thyatira was primarily know for its economic impact on the area. It was well noted for some of its finer goods that were established within what we discussed briefly last week as the trade guilds. We are blessed to actually have a number of significant writings from this time period that address these guilds. And one of them in particular was one that dealt specifically in purple cloth. The color purple during the time was very difficult and time consuming to produce. It is believed that Lydia an influential individual that we read about in the book of Acts we know was a trader in purple cloth. So she would have most likely been required to be a member of this specific trade guild. It would have been nearly impossible for someone to trade with the public without being a member of the appropriate guild. This might sound to us a bit crazy. But it really isn’t all that far fetched. Several years ago and still in some areas you will find significant pushes within communities to only by union made products if at all possible. My family saw this while living in Michigan first hand.

The struggle for Christians in the city of Thyatira was that most of the guilds were also associated with some god that they saw as essentially blessing the guild. And so whenever the guild would meet and attendance would have been expected. There were offerings that were made to this god or goddess. The real problem came toward the end of the festivities after everyone had had their fill. Particularly their fill of drink and well inappropriate sexual relations were the norm at the end of these festivities.

We have already seen this problem popping up among this group of churches. We have seen where Ephesus stood strong against these pagan practices.

Well, in Thyatira we see a slightly different response.

Our passage here like the others begins first with a specific picture of Jesus.

So let’s look at the picture that Jesus gives concerning himself. We read in Revelation 2:18

Revelation 2:18 ESV

“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.

This is the only time that we will see Jesus referred to as the Son of God in the book of Revelation. We will find God referenced as the Father of Jesus. But this is the only time Jesus receives the title Son of God. The title is given here I believe in anticipation of the quote from Psalm 2 that is coming in verse 27 and we will get there and understand better this reference that is being made.

Jesus is also described as who who has eyes like fire and feet like brass. This is an allusion to verse fourteen where we read of Jesus eyes as flashing with anger and who is prepared to tread under foot the enemies of the Christian faith.

But he is not addressing unbelievers here. This is a stern picture of Jesus towards his Church.

He is not happy.

The letter continues in verse 19 and we read.

Revelation 2:19 ESV

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

Jesus says that he knows there works. The next part I would probably personally translate as your love and faith and your service and patient endurance. This is why I say this. It is our love for others that produces our service towards one another. Right. And it is our faith in Jesus that produces a patient endurance when face with the struggles of this world. So unlike Ephesus who it was said had lost their first love. This church’s love for Jesus pushes them to do for those around them.

And their works exceed the first he says. This is a testimony to their continuing growth as disciples of Christ. It is a testimony to their maturing faith in Christ Jesus.

This should be the hope for any church. That as we grow in our love for Jesus we see the world around us through eyes tainted by the blood of the cross and we seek to serve this world in Love just as Jesus did when he went to the cross.

However, not everything is going so great. In verse 20 we read.

Revelation 2:20 ESV

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.

First off I do not believe there was any single individual in the church in Thyatira who was named Jezebel. Instead Jesus is referencing King Ahab’s wife Jezebel. Jezebel never acted like a prophetess, but instead she brought several hundred pagan prophets with here into Israel when she married Ahab and became queen. Queen Jezebel brings pagan concepts and practices into the nation of Israel and leads the people astray from the true worship of the one true God. Yahweh.

And so what Jesus is doing is basically saying that there is someone among you that is just like Jezebel.

Now, prophets in the early church were highly regarded and very influential. They are mentioned twice in relation to the apostles. Prophecy is listed among the gifts of the Spirit in Romans 12 verse 6.

But what is a prophet. The office of prophet was not primarily the foretelling of the future. In fact that was actually quite rare. Instead the primary biblical function of a prophet was to encourage the people to right living in their relationship with God.

And so we now have this false prophet who has arisen in the church. And they have taken the title prophet to give weight to their words.

And Jesus is rebuking the church because they tolerate her in the church. There has grown this unhealthy level of “tolerance” for what would have been known as clearly wrong. This is the opposite situation that we found in the church at Ephesus who tested everyone who called themselves apostles let along someone taking the title of prophet.

So we have a church that is increasing and abounding in their service to one another and I suspect the community around them. But they have become tolerant of false prophets in their own midst and this to their own detriment.

The problem with a false prophet is that they have always been sent by Satan in order to lead the flock of Christ astray. The sin that this Jezebel was encouraging was actually no different than what we saw in Pergamum. Membership in the trade guilds often times required participation in sinful immoral sexual acts at the end of these feasts.

Jesus continues in verse 21 and he says.

Revelation 2:21 ESV

I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

So it appears that Jesus has at some point in the past sent a true prophet into the church at Thyatira and this prophet has addressed this individual, this Jezebel. And this individual has been rebuked and most likely publicly but without success.

And so this leads us to verse 22. Where Jesus says,

Revelation 2:22 ESV

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,

Why does Jesus say that he will throw her onto a sickbed. I think that there are a couple of things going on here. First, there is a contrast being made to the judgment being rendered through a coming illness that will cause her to be bedridden, and and adulterous bed that she is encouraging people to participate in. Second, God often times sent plagues as a means of correction towards those who refused to listen to his prophets in the Old Testament. And he has not changed his ways.

And then Jesus says that those who follow her will be thrown into great tribulation. This is actually using greek words hebrew poetry. It is a bit odd at first. But it is simply poetic parallelism. Where the second is equal to the first just said differently. So those who follow her will face the same illness.

Jesus is warning the church to not compromise their Christian faith in the practices involved in the membership of these trade guilds.

Jesus continues in verse 23 and he says,

Revelation 2:23 ESV

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.

Look there is a very important contrast that is being made here. In the previous verse we had Christians who were following her lead. In the verse we have a different group mentioned and that is those who are called her children. And as we can see the punishment of this group is much more severe. Look struggling with sin is the normal reality of life for a Christian. One who completely gives themselves over to it is the reality of one who is not in Christ Jesus.

Jesus also says here that all the churches will know that he is the one who searches mind and heart. It appears that this Jezebel was well known throughout the churches of Asia. And so he is saying that his judgment upon her will be apparent to all of the churches and they will all know that He searches the hearts and minds of everyone.

Jesus has given his correction and so now he wants to reassure those who still hold fast to their faith in Him. And so in verse 24 he says,

Revelation 2:24 ESV

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.

Even though they have tolerated her presence within the church and her influence within the church, he knows that there are those who do not hold to her teachings. And he describes these teaching as the deep things of Satan. I do not believe that she would have called them this. But instead she was promising something different, something greater than what had been revealed through the apostles or through the scriptures. She had greater knowledge than even these. She would have most likely called them the Deep Things of God. But in reality they were not. Jesus says here very plainly that they are the deep things of Satan. I believe that this also reveals the influence of the demonic realm at times that can happen within a church. It is for this reason that spiritual warfare is so important.

And then Jesus ends with what seem odd words. He will lay no other burdens upon them. This is likely saying very plainly simply hear my words and follow me and me alone. Everything else in time will fall into place.

Then in verse 25 he says,

Revelation 2:25 ESV

Only hold fast what you have until I come.

This is tied into the end of the previous verse. He wants them to continue in their acts of love and in their faith in Him.

Then in verse 26 he says,

Revelation 2:26 ESV

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,

The victorious Christian is the one who does not follow and chase after the world. But instead is the one who follows after and chases after Jesus.

To this Christian Jesus will give authority over the nations. I believe that this is a reference to what we will in time see as the millenial reign of Christ. This is when Jesus returns to this world and he will set up a thousand year rule over this world. And those of us who are alive and enter this period of time when Christ returns will rule over the nations alongside him. We see this in several verses. I don’t want to go into each one so I will simply list them for you. Matthew 5:5; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; 1 Corinthians 6:2. None of these are in the book of Revelation and yet all address the end times. We will return to this idea and discuss it more when we get to Revelation chapter 20 verse four.

Jesus continus in verse twenty-seven and says,

Revelation 2:27 ESV

and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.

These words further describe the one who will conquer the nations. It is not a new idea in the scriptures. This is a clear reference to Psalm chapter two verse nine. And we are going to see it again in chapter nineteen verse 15.

This can be a difficult concept for some to accept. But the new world can not be effectively established without first displacing the old, fallen, sinful age. and those who enter into this new age with Jesus will somehow we’re not sure of all the details rule with Jesus over the nations that have been so hostile towards Jesus and his church.

Finally in verse twenty-eight we read.

Revelation 2:28 ESV

And I will give him the morning star.

This is a pretty obscure saying in the scriptures. It only occurs a few times. It is likely a reference to Daniel 12:3. Which reads

Daniel 12:3 ESV

And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

If so Jesus is promising to bestow glory upon the one who overcomes this present age.

This is also a title used of Jesus in Revelation 22:16 which reads,

Revelation 22:16 ESV

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

And again here this is a reference to Jesus being due glory because he is the one who has conquered this sinful fallen world.

So What?

Economic Temptations

The temptations in Thyatira dealt with issues that affected their economic standing within the culture. So, I feel it is important to address this here today. I don’t know if I have answers to many of the problems that we see and face today. But I can help us to see them perhaps just a bit clearer.

Every time we purchase goods at the store or online we participate in an international economic system. And that system includes inequities.

One of this that stands out to me is the practice of slave labor by the Chinese. Particularly among the population of the Uyghurs. This is well documented. In fact our own state department here in the US has information pertaining to this forced labor on its web site.

Our only and our greatest weapon against such things is prayer. And we need to be praying for those that are being taken advantage of in these ways in order to satisfy Americas greed for greater wealth. Because the two primary companies operating in this area do not produce cheap products. Apple and Nike.

This is about profit.

On a more personal level. Many companies today are asking if not demanding Christians abandon their beliefs. If we do not toe the line on certain subjects you can and will most likely be ostracized. When dealing with these struggles we need to remember. Jesus approval on the day of Judgment has to matter more to us than wealth or status in this life, or we will succumb to the same temptations as the Thyatiran believers.

Modern Pluralism

This is the political philosophy that people of different cultures can coexist in society even though they have different political opinions.

Modern Pluralism is not necessarily a problem. One of the great things that modern pluralism has done is to provide a voice for minorities - whether that be for ethnic minorities, religious minorities, or others.

The danger of modern pluralism is the tendency to lend credibility to relativism. Relativism is the theory that value judgments, things such as beauty, truth, and morality have no universal validity. They can only be valid for those persons or groups who hold them to be true.

So my truth is my truth and your truth is your truth and that is ok.

So for instance today in the age group of 18-25 year olds seventy-two percent of Americans say that there is no such thing as absolute truth. Unfortunately half of people that claim to be born again Christians would agree with this statement.

Oddly enough in our society the only absolute truth is that there is no absolute truth. And so what our society is saying is that everyone is right unless they claim that they are right.

In the letter to the Ephesians we had a warning against a loveless orthodoxy or believe system. In Thyatira we have a warning against what I would call a “soft” love that tolerates all things and judges no one.

The impact of accepting relativism into the church is that Jesus is no longer the only way. There become many ways that one might reach the heavens and God.

Let’s take an often used argument against Jesus being the only way used by some who profess to be Christians. What about those who have never heard the Gospel of JEsus Christ? God is love and so he must have provided for them some other means of reaching him. Right? I have a very blunt answer that many do not like but I believe answers the question very well.

If this is true that there may be many ways to reach God the Father. Then I would have to ask the question, “What kind of loving heavenly Father would send his own Son to the cross if the plan of salvation was actually multiple choice?”

To suggest that God has other means of salvation in addition to faith in the message about Jesus Christ runs counter to the center of the Christian faith. This is not an area that is up for discussion in the Christian faith. It is true. And it is absolutely true. Period.

We may choose to divide from one another in the church on many issues some within the church have proven for too tolerant or lacking in any backbone on matters that affect people’s salvation.

We have no choice in this matter and we must remain faith until the end. We must persevere.

Perseverance of the Saints

We must remain faithful until the end. I would say this concerning our perseverance. Those who do not remain in the faith until their last breath were never in Christ Jesus. The threats to the churches perseverance will vary across time, location, and situation. No one can argue with me that today we are one day closer to the return of Christ than we were yesterday. And tomorrow will be one more day closer. We may be uncomfortable with the thought that merely praying a prayer without truly persevering in Christian faith is adequate for salvation. But it simply isn’t. Most people today at some point in their lives will pray. To whom they do not know. But they will pray. The only way to be victorious in this life and the next. Is to persevere in and through your faith in Christ Jesus until you see him face-to-face. This letter is a call to us to become spiritual vigilant in the face of constant attack from the world and the forces that are at work within this world.

Amen!

Let us pray.

Father God we are so grateful that in your great mercy and grace and love towards us you sent your only begotten son to die for us upon the cross. and that any who believes in him will not perish but be saved. Jesus your obedience to the love of your Father is an example for us to follow. That we are called daily to lay down our lives in service of you to this lost and dying world that needs so desperately the truth of the Gospel. Holy Spirit empower us, embolden us, and guide us to speak the truth of Jesus to this world.

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

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