THYATIRA
08/04/18 10:00
Revelation 2:18-29 (NKJV) “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: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 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. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 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.
24 “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. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27 “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;
28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
To this church we see Yeshua come as the "Son of God". When you see the title "God" in the Bible, whether referring to the Creator or man, the title is derived from the title elohim. That's right, elohim is not a name of God but a title. This is why the religious leaders are called elohim (Ps 84) and Moses is called elohim (Ex 7:1). The title elohim is equivalent to today's "judge". In contrast to when you see LORD (all caps) which is translated from YHWH. YHWH is the name given through the convenient and means "a friend". Remember these when you read Scripture like Psalm 18. Understanding this, we see Christ coming to this church as "the Son of the Judge". If that would not be enough, He then adds attributes like "eyes of fire".
This is another church that seems to have it going. Yeshua says He knows their works, love, service, faith, and their patience. None of these are addressed; thus, what He knows of them are apparently good. In fact, their works are better now than they were in the past.
Since Yeshua has pointed out their works so strongly, is He hinting that they are saved by their works? No. But we must remember that the Grace that saves teaches us to be ZEALOUS for good works (Titus 2:11-14). We know faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). So these brothers and sisters were working hard for the kingdom of God. They have love for their brothers and sisters and served well. Their faith was strong and they stayed patient in any suffering. Yet, it's verse 20 that things get interesting.
In their midst was a woman that Yeshua called Jezebel. Now, this was not THE Jezebel but rather a woman who acted much like Jezebel. Today, this woman would be called, "having the spirit of Jezebel". In all actuality of the grammar of "spirit", this title is so. The church was allowing this woman to teach and seduce others within the church. This is not good. A little leaven leavens the whole lump (Gal 5:9; 1 Cor 5:6). They should have called the woman to repentance (Matt 18:14-17) and if she would not listen then they needed to get her out of there (1 Cor 5:5-7). This church was not trying to restore the woman, and those she seduced, nor were they getting her out. This is the problem. The problem is that they were not doing anything, and this is not loving your neighbor.
Let's notice a few things here:
1. People think it's downright wrong to remove someone from the church because of sin, such as that of sexual immorality. Fact is, Yeshua has a problem with this church allowing this sinful woman in their midst. Notice the three groups of people. There are those who allow or accept, the woman (vs 20). There are those who are seduced by her, her children (vs 23). There are those who have not fallen into these things (vs 24). Each of these groups has a different outcome. Christ will give to "those who commit adultery with her", "her children", (notice second person pronouns), sickness and death. He will give to each one of "you" (first person pronoun) according to your works. There are "the rest of Thyatira" which will receive the power over the nations, if they hold fast. Anyone who studies Scripture cannot actually believe that God is fine with non-repentant people within the body.
2. The church was not instructed to cast the "spirit" of Jezebel from the woman. "Spirit" is a mindset, it is not a demon. This is why any moral sins were never addressed by casting out anything, or binding any kind of "stronghold", etc. Moral sins must always be addressed on the principle of repentance.
3. Understanding that this is a New Testament church, we see that God, when it comes to unrepentant sin in those who claim to be His children, still lays down judgments in this life. Notice that God says "HE" will do it. Many believe that God will not cause sickness, loss of goods or calamity to fall on a Christian; yet here we see God casting this woman and those who follow her, into a "sick bed" and ultimately death. The purpose is to cause them to repent. Like any parent who disciplines, the discipline of God is for correction and not vengeance. (See also: Kill, Steal, and Destroy)
Notice that the "give to each one of you according to your works" is directly connected with the sickness and death put on Jezebel and those who follow. Notice that this is not a future judgment but rather an earthly judgment for the refusal to repent. This is the "New Testament God". I say that because the American church seems to disconnect the judgment of God on earth in the Old Testament from the God of the New. Remember that God does not change.
The co-mingling that is happening is called "the depths of Satan. That is so not good. Those who don't follow this pattern need to hold fast while those who do need to repent. For those who are holding fast, it seems like the wicked ones are ruling, and they may be for a time, but the righteous will rule in the end.
The "power over the nations" does not mean the righteous will have a rulership roll while sinners are still alive. Genesis 1:28 has God telling Adam and Eve to subdue the world and rule over it. There was no one else alive and sin had not yet fallen. This is the context of the end for the saints.
What the church needs to learn from this letter is that we don't need to go with what culture, even church culture, says is right. We need to understand that Christ did not take away God's hatred towards sin. The New Covenant also did not take away God's judgment on non-repentant sin in this life. God disciplines, in ways we don't like (that's what makes it discipline) and does so to bring us to repentance. We need not allow non-repentant people in our midst. We restore them or we get them out; even though it's culturally unacceptable. Our God should be YHWH and not culture.
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 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. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 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.
24 “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. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27 “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;
28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
To this church we see Yeshua come as the "Son of God". When you see the title "God" in the Bible, whether referring to the Creator or man, the title is derived from the title elohim. That's right, elohim is not a name of God but a title. This is why the religious leaders are called elohim (Ps 84) and Moses is called elohim (Ex 7:1). The title elohim is equivalent to today's "judge". In contrast to when you see LORD (all caps) which is translated from YHWH. YHWH is the name given through the convenient and means "a friend". Remember these when you read Scripture like Psalm 18. Understanding this, we see Christ coming to this church as "the Son of the Judge". If that would not be enough, He then adds attributes like "eyes of fire".
This is another church that seems to have it going. Yeshua says He knows their works, love, service, faith, and their patience. None of these are addressed; thus, what He knows of them are apparently good. In fact, their works are better now than they were in the past.
Since Yeshua has pointed out their works so strongly, is He hinting that they are saved by their works? No. But we must remember that the Grace that saves teaches us to be ZEALOUS for good works (Titus 2:11-14). We know faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). So these brothers and sisters were working hard for the kingdom of God. They have love for their brothers and sisters and served well. Their faith was strong and they stayed patient in any suffering. Yet, it's verse 20 that things get interesting.
In their midst was a woman that Yeshua called Jezebel. Now, this was not THE Jezebel but rather a woman who acted much like Jezebel. Today, this woman would be called, "having the spirit of Jezebel". In all actuality of the grammar of "spirit", this title is so. The church was allowing this woman to teach and seduce others within the church. This is not good. A little leaven leavens the whole lump (Gal 5:9; 1 Cor 5:6). They should have called the woman to repentance (Matt 18:14-17) and if she would not listen then they needed to get her out of there (1 Cor 5:5-7). This church was not trying to restore the woman, and those she seduced, nor were they getting her out. This is the problem. The problem is that they were not doing anything, and this is not loving your neighbor.
Let's notice a few things here:
1. People think it's downright wrong to remove someone from the church because of sin, such as that of sexual immorality. Fact is, Yeshua has a problem with this church allowing this sinful woman in their midst. Notice the three groups of people. There are those who allow or accept, the woman (vs 20). There are those who are seduced by her, her children (vs 23). There are those who have not fallen into these things (vs 24). Each of these groups has a different outcome. Christ will give to "those who commit adultery with her", "her children", (notice second person pronouns), sickness and death. He will give to each one of "you" (first person pronoun) according to your works. There are "the rest of Thyatira" which will receive the power over the nations, if they hold fast. Anyone who studies Scripture cannot actually believe that God is fine with non-repentant people within the body.
2. The church was not instructed to cast the "spirit" of Jezebel from the woman. "Spirit" is a mindset, it is not a demon. This is why any moral sins were never addressed by casting out anything, or binding any kind of "stronghold", etc. Moral sins must always be addressed on the principle of repentance.
3. Understanding that this is a New Testament church, we see that God, when it comes to unrepentant sin in those who claim to be His children, still lays down judgments in this life. Notice that God says "HE" will do it. Many believe that God will not cause sickness, loss of goods or calamity to fall on a Christian; yet here we see God casting this woman and those who follow her, into a "sick bed" and ultimately death. The purpose is to cause them to repent. Like any parent who disciplines, the discipline of God is for correction and not vengeance. (See also: Kill, Steal, and Destroy)
Notice that the "give to each one of you according to your works" is directly connected with the sickness and death put on Jezebel and those who follow. Notice that this is not a future judgment but rather an earthly judgment for the refusal to repent. This is the "New Testament God". I say that because the American church seems to disconnect the judgment of God on earth in the Old Testament from the God of the New. Remember that God does not change.
The co-mingling that is happening is called "the depths of Satan. That is so not good. Those who don't follow this pattern need to hold fast while those who do need to repent. For those who are holding fast, it seems like the wicked ones are ruling, and they may be for a time, but the righteous will rule in the end.
The "power over the nations" does not mean the righteous will have a rulership roll while sinners are still alive. Genesis 1:28 has God telling Adam and Eve to subdue the world and rule over it. There was no one else alive and sin had not yet fallen. This is the context of the end for the saints.
What the church needs to learn from this letter is that we don't need to go with what culture, even church culture, says is right. We need to understand that Christ did not take away God's hatred towards sin. The New Covenant also did not take away God's judgment on non-repentant sin in this life. God disciplines, in ways we don't like (that's what makes it discipline) and does so to bring us to repentance. We need not allow non-repentant people in our midst. We restore them or we get them out; even though it's culturally unacceptable. Our God should be YHWH and not culture.
