Lesson 8Revelation 2: 18-29 |
In Revelation 2:18 - 29 we
have the letter to the church of Thyatira which is the longest letter to
any of the churches. Thyatira is located around 30 miles southeast of
Pergamos. Thyatira was a very active commercial center known for its
fine brass works, especially armor, and its purple cloth. Do you
remember how the church of Thyatira was formed? It was formed on Paul's
second missionary journey. Do you remember Lydia? Remember Paul met her
by the riverside because there was no synagogue in the city. She heard
Paul's message about Jesus and became a believer. She constrained Paul
and those with him to stay at her house (Acts 16: 15).
Read the rest of Acts 16 to get a feel for the city and
the area around the city. In this city was a temple of Diana. The
supposed deity of this city was Tyrimnas, a sun god. This god is
generally depicted as a warrior riding forth to battle, armed with a
double-edged battle-axe.
In verse 18, the description of Christ is a two-fold
picture. Let us not rush past this picture. Compare it to what the city
is known for. The city is known for its fine brass work. Well, Christ's
"...feet are like fine brass". The difference is that the people of this
city store things in their brass works. In lesson 3 of this series we
talked about His feet of brass and the furnace. Therefore, He is saying
with this description that He knows where you are at and He can burn the
old off you and make you new. Let us compare these eyes, the flames of
fire, with the sun god. This sun god stands for crushing military power,
which means the outside military actions affect the inside, but may not
change the inside. So the military power can bring changes to the
outward life but cannot bring changes on the inside of people, in their
hearts. Yes, military power does affect the people on the outside, but
it does not correct the problem (sin) that is inside of the person nor
does it correct the behavior of the people. Examine these eyes that are
flames of fire. They burn into the inside of a person where the problem
(sin) is located. Jesus is able to crush sin by burning it, destroying
it from the inside and out of you. Think about this for a second. If sin
is not in you, you will act differently. If the behavior changes and
becomes different, then the military will not have to crush you. Because
His eyes are like fire, when He is looking at you, He is burning right
through the mess in your life to get right to the issues. How would this
make you feel? With this description, you can see the power of His eyes
and feet.
The following definitions help us to understand verse
19.
Charity =
agape, unconditional love
Service =
ministry (the office of work)
Faith = firm
persuasion
Patience =
endurance which comes through trails
More =
greater (shall exceed)
We know that the church of Thyatira is located in a
spot where the residents worshipped other so-called gods. We can imagine
how the people felt about the Christians in their area. Yet, we see that
Jesus speaks some very powerful words to the body at Thyatira.
REMEMBER THAT ALL OF THE CHURCHES WILL READ THESE SEVEN
LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES. Why is that important? It lets us know that the
churches are aware of what each is going through. Today we act as if
nobody knows what is happening to us. The reason for this is that we
take pride in putting up walls around ourselves. We also have become
some of the best actors (hypocrites) in the world.
What do we hear in verse 19? We hear about their
unconditional love for the community. How do we know this? Look at what
Jesus says about their work. He says that their last work is more than
the first even with the trials occurring around them. We get the feeling
that they looked at their trials as tools to shape themselves into what
the LORD was forming them to be. This was based on their faith in JESUS
CHRIST. With all of this, you would think things were great in this
church!
In all of the churches that have a condemnation, one problem
keeps showing up. What is it?
In verses 20 - 23 John is told to tell them that Jesus is
holding some complaints against them. Who is this Jezebel? How would the
non-Jews of this church know about her? Let us examine her and what she
did in Israel (1 Kings 16:28- 17:1; 1 Kings 18 - 19, 21; 2 Kings 9:30 -
37).
The following definitions will help us understand Revelation
2:20-23.
Sufferest =to permit
Calleth = to say
Prophetess = a woman who speaks openly a divine message
Teach = to give instruction about relationships with God and moral
issues
Seduce = to cause to wander, to lead astray
Servants = one who gives himself up to the will of another
Commit Fornication = to commit illicit sexual intercourse
Eat = to consume meat
Gave = grant
Space = time
Repent = to change one's mind or purpose for the better
Cast = to throw
Bed = to recline due to being afflicted with disease or to lay on a bier
(a portable framework on which a coffin is placed)
Commit Adultery = one who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of
another
Tribulation = affliction that burdens the spirit
Deeds = works
Kill = physically destroy so that soul will be separated from God (the
person knows before death that he will NOT be with God)
Death = a separation of soul from body
Know = recognize completely
Searcheth = examine
Reins = kidney (the place your feelings and emotions come from)
Hearts = chief organ which controls your moral nature, reasoning powers,
understanding, and perceptions
Give = bestow
So can you see why Jesus is upset with this church? Jezebel has come
into their marriage with God and caused the body/spouse to get involved
with some other god. These adulterers are calling themselves Christians.
Yet even with Jezebel leading them to this other godly relationship,
Jesus grants her time to change for the better and not only Jezebel but
also those that follow her. Can you feel the LOVE of God for mankind (2
Peter 3:9) in this situation?
Let us take a side trip. If God can forgive us for
adultery, should we not attempt to forgive others for their
shortcomings? Now remember those with the shortcomings are called to
repent (to change one's mind or purpose for the better) which means not
to do it again. For the sin is no longer part of their lives.
Okay, back to the lesson. Examine the results of not
repenting in verses 22-23. Do you think this would cause you to repent?
They could not claim that they had repented, because Jesus says that he
examines the kidneys and hearts of the people. Can you imagINe knowing
that you are going to die and go to hell and you cannot stop it? Would
you warn your family and friends of what awaits them if they do not
change their lives?
Let us see what Jesus says to the rest of the church at
Thyatira. Remember, there are some who have not allowed Jezebel to lead
them to commit adultery; nor have they allowed the teaching of Satan to
pull them into depths of that lifestyle. No matter how things appeared,
nor how great that life sounded, the faithful did not turn from God. So
let us examine the meanings of the rest of the words in verses 24-29.
Then we can pull it altogether.
Know = recognize completely
Depth = deep poverty
Satan = adversary
Put = to throw
Burden = a weight, anything pressing on one physically or spiritually
Hold = to be strong in the tradition and teaching
Overcometh = the mightiest prevail (legal term)
Keepth = to watch over, preserve the commandments
End = even till things cease to be
Give = bestow
Power = the freedom to act unrestricted
Nations = multitudes
Rule = to act as a shepherd, tend flocks
Rod = a staff, scepter
Broken Shivers = break into pieces
Morning Star = the sun of righteousness, to govern the earth in peace,
an event to be preceded by the rapture of the church
Jesus tells some of the church to be strong in His
ways. He also knows that they have not fallen for the poverty of Satan's
teaching. Some Christians have fallen for these satanic teachings,
thinking that God did not mean what is in His word. Therefore, some
think we have the right to fix things with today's worldly values and
standards. That is why some of us have bibles that refer to God as
"she." In addition, there are people thinking it is all right to marry
partners of the same sex and/or to have sex before marriage.
John informs the faithful that Jesus said he would not
throw anything else on them. Think about this. Would you like to know
that there would be no new burden put on you physically nor spiritually?
When he tells them to hold strong to His teaching and tradition, you can
see them digging in. Then he bestows a promise on them that is what we
all would love to hear. Jesus will give His faithful rule over the
multitudes with no restriction. Nevertheless, there is a key to this
that most Christians miss. The key is that they will act like Jesus
because they have been holding on to His teaching and traditions. Part
of that word rule means to tend a flock, which means being there for
them.
In verse 28, he says "And I will give him the morning
star". That will be the end of the world, as it is known now. For the
church will be called up to Him, which means the Holy Spirit will not be
here on earth. Therefore, those who are left will have to find out about
God without the help of the Holy Spirit. This will be addressed later in
this study.
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