Friday, April 8, 2022

Thyatira, The Corrupt Church, Revelation 2:18-29

 


Θυάτειρα, ων, τά

The Letter to Thyatira

The Corrupt Church

Revelation 2:18-29

18 “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.” ’

 

The longest letter, to the smallest town.

“And to the angel (aggelos; messenger, pastor) of the church in Thyatira write

Thyatira was a bump in the road on the way to Pergamos. A bump filled with Roman Soldiers, stationed to stop marauders from pillaging the wealthy elites of Pergamos.

Soldiers had to eat, sleep, live. Thus, the town of Thyatira.

This blue-collar town was made up of hard workers and hardened soldiers. Disputes were settled with fists; unlike the soft handed elites, just up the road, in Pergamos. But those soft handed, robe wearing, elites, were the reason for Thyatira to exist.

Thyatira hammered out helmets for soldiers, cured and carved leather, became somewhat famous for their madder root, used to dye fabrics, purple. To this day it is still used—the color is called, Turkey Red.

It’s that fabric trade that brought Lydia, to Philippi; where she met Paul, and more importantly, where she met Jesus. The Church in Thyatira may owe it’s beginning to Lydia (Acts 16:11-15).

The military presence may’ve rubbed off on the industrial zone, because they developed trade guilds; we call them labor unions. Those guilds, had their mascot, their god. Along with that came the rituals, members were expected to follow. Today we have the good ol’ boy’s club, initiation and membership fees, like buying rounds at the local pub. Then, it was bowing to their patron god.  To not do so, was to be ostracized, shunned, banned, canceled…unemployed.

‘These things says the Son of God,

The phrase used in the opening description of Jesus is, “Son of Man” (Revelation 1:12). However, here we see, “Son of God,” depicting, undoubted deity, rather than, humanity. The only time used in Revelation.

Thyatira worshipped Apollo; who was considered to be the son of god, since in mythology he was the son of Zeus. Jesus told them straight out of the gate, I AM The Son of God.

 who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:  

Don’t you just love how Jesus speaks our language? To a farming community He speaks of sowing and reaping. To fishermen, He speaks of becoming fishers of men. To Thyatira, He speaks of a refiner’s fire.

Flames. Fire. This was a familiar picture to Thyatira. Penetrating, purging and purifying would come to mind as they related this description to the local metal refiners.  

Factories and refineries are on the early days of my resume. I think, maybe, the ringing in my left ear, came from there. Flames of fire, are burned into my memory—thank God, not my future. If a day went by, that I didn’t get burned, it just meant, it was my day off. The thing is, no matter what you wore, no matter how thick the gloves, that intense heat, that molten-material—would penetrate, burn, straight through anything.  

Eyes like a flame of fire, are Eyes that penetrate, straight through the manipulative motives of the mind and straight to the heart of the matter.

Hebrews says it like this:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12-13

Later in the letter, (verse 23) explains that all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.

But they won’t know that He searches, until He purges. Justice isn’t served, until evil is purged. 

His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace (Revelation 1:15).

Fine Brass (Greek: chalkolibanon; fine copper, burnished bronze or, precious metal, even more precious than gold).

Malachi 3:3 tells us, He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver.

In the Refiner’s fire, the dross, the impurities, (the wood, hay, and stubble, flesh, fear, selfishness…etc.), are burned off. The Refiner watches, until He can see His reflection in the precious metal. Then, He knows, it’s pure and fit for The Master’s use.

The feet like fine brass, refined in the fire, speak of the standing and walking out of justice, with strength and purity; steadfast and secure.

 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 

He knows. Because He wants to. Not just head knowledge, but personal, intimate. He knows everything. And still loves us.

The list of works, are all affirmations. Thumbs up. They’re fruits of the Spirit. And, even getting better. Well done

20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you,

Notice the pattern. Jesus offers encouragement at first, not to manipulate, but to reveal His commitment, His love, His care.

But He doesn’t stop there. He loves us just as we are—but too much to leave us that way. He doesn’t shy away from the hard conversation. The ones that hurt. That burn. But they are the ones that penetrate, purge, purify, strengthen.  

Despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves, He corrects, just as a father the son, in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12.

Are we willing to receive correction, or do we get offended?

Are we willing to love enough, to have the hard conversation?

 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

Have you noticed a numbing toward evil with each letter?

The first letter, to Ephesus, says they hated evil. Next, Smyrna was persecuted by it, but they were holding on. Then Pergamos, compromised and just put up with it. Now, here in Thyatira, they actually allow evil, to participate, to teach, to seduce.

Evil kills our babies, steals our liberty, destroys our children—while some mentally challenged, spiritually perverted, guy, with a beard, in a skirt, and heels; reads about “love” to our children…and we, allow it.

What do you allow, that if Jesus were standing right there in the flesh, watching, you wouldn’t?

Remember, Jesus taught that at the end of the age, He’d separate the sheep from the goats. He will invite the sheep to inherit His kingdom, for what they did. But the goats, He will send to eternal fire, for what they didn’t.

The blood of the wicked will be on the hands of the watchman, who fails to sound the alarm. Ezekiel 3:16-21, Ezekiel 33:1-20. This haunts me.

21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent22 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,

This powerful passage is multi-dimensional; so, we’ll look at it from different angles.  

Jesus pronounces judgement on three different people in these three verses. Jezebel, those who commit adultery with her, and her children.

Additionally, in this short passage, Jesus captures three end time eras. The Church age in which we now live is, time to repent. Those who refuse, will be cast into great tribulation. And those who reject Him, into the eternal lake of fire, the second death.   

Notice how many times He uses the word, repent. If Jesus says something once, it’s important. Twice, scoot to the edge of your seat and pay attention. Thrice, stand up, get close, take notes, it’s vital.

From that day to this, Jesus has patiently held open the door of repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-10  says it something like this: The Lord is not slow, but patient, not willing that any should perish, but that all would repent.

Recently, for the first time in HIStory, the entire world echoed the same sentiment. “Wash your hands!” That is Bible-speak for, “Repent.” Those with ears, heard that still, small, Voice, echoing, Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded (James 4:8).

 The door of repentance won’t be open forever.  Noah’s door may have been open for a hundred years, but one day, it was closed, and the wrath began.

Hear what the Spirit, says to the Church.

As we stand here in the threshold of two thousand years, from when Jesus, after two days, crossed the threshold from death, to Life… The Bible and the headlines are looking more and more alike. We can almost hear the trumpet. Soon, perhaps at the end of your next blink, before your next breath, we’ll see His face.  

Oh, by the way, that scripture above, from 2 Peter, starts by saying a day is as a thousand years, and ends talking about the day of the Lord, coming like a thief in the night. 

The King is coming.

Notice the other word that Jesus repeated: I. I gave. I will cast. I will kill.

He’s no longer waiting, no longer telling the Church, do this, do that. He has sprung into action, with eyes of fire and feet of brass.

I gave her time to repent, but she refused, so, I will cast, her into a sickbed. She lusted in bed, so I’ll give her a bed; a bed of affliction, a sickbed, that will become her deathbed. And her children, those who’ve followed her wicked ways, who’ve become her protégés; I will kill them with death.

NOTE:  Do you think, “I will kill them with death” is bad grammar? A bit redundant? After all, kill, already implies death. So why add the second, death?

Jesus doesn’t make mistakes. He added the second death, because that’s what He was talking about, the second death.

 Jezebel and her children will be cast into the lake of fire; which is the second death.

Here’s a list of her children:

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

I will cast, I will kill; those are hard words to hear with American ears; accustomed to only hearing, about gentle Jesus, meek and mild.

PAY ATTENTION: If this causes you fear, your heart isn’t right with Jesus. God is love (1 John 4:16) and if He abides in you, Love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). The enemy of your soul, knows this. He knows the cowardly, are cast into the lake of fire along with the rest of the scoundrels mentioned in Revelation 21:8. He knows if you’re filled with fear, you’re not filled with God or Love, or Faith, or Fight…which is what he fears.

That is the hidden agenda, vaccinate the world with fear; because the cowardly, comply.

We, the Ecclesia, must boldly say, come what may, I will obey, The Lord God Almighty. Come hell or high water, if I perish, I perish, but I will not walk in fear.  

Back to our letter to Thyatira.  I will cast those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent. These are the deceived, they’ve sinned, they are headed for great tribulation and hell. However, they still have a sliver of hope, but only if they repent. These are those we snatch from the very jaws of hell.

"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop, within a yard of hell" C.T. Studd.

Lord Jesus, help us be hell snatchers, not allowing any You’ve given us, to enter into that place.

And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 23.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28.

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.

I don’t know about you, but I’m glad to know, justice is served. I’m tired of evil simply being exposed, but never dealt with. Rest assured, a reckoning is coming, and all will know, His eyes of fire, searches hearts and minds, divides asunder, soul and spirit, and pierces the dross, the impurity, iniquity, wood, hay and stubble.

All will know Justice is served, when evil is purged.

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, 

Gnostics called their doctrine, the depth of God. Jesus calls it, the depth of satan.They thought they reached some higher plane of understanding. This came from lucifer, who thought he could ascend above God.

I will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. (Rapture).  26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— (millennium)

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; 

Here Jesus quotes from Psalm 2:9. The short twelve verse chapter, gives a snapshot of the time when the nations gather, plan and rage against the Lord, the Lord’s laughter at the futility of their effort, the battle of Armageddon and His ultimate rule over the nations during the millennium.

Today, just across Israel’s border, Russia and her allies, are building up troops and military might, Iran is doing the same, they are key players in this battle against the Lord. They will come against Israel, against The Lord, and He will dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.

28 and I will give him the morning star.

If you look toward the east about four or so in the morning, you can see it. At the darkest, coldest, longest, part of the night, the morning star rises; trumpeting the coming of…The Son.

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12.

29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

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