Revelation 2:18-29

1. Intro.
1. historically, Thyatira covers the period known as the dark ages (600-1500)
2. the church at Thyatira represents the age when Rome took over the reins of religion on earth
3. in the first verse of this letter we have the statement "these things saith the Son of God", not saith Peter
4. the foundation of the NT church is Jesus Christ the Son of God
2. how Jesus is identified to this church – 18
1. Jesus is identified as the "Son of God"
1. it represents His divine nature, and it is only used in the book of Revelation this one time
2. why is the term "Son of God" used
1. because false doctrine was being taught in the church
2. during the dark ages, Popery was in power
3. in Popery, every true thought of the New Testament Church is denied and lost
4. in the New Testament Church Jesus is the head
3. "hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire"
1. His eyes "as a flame of fire" symbolize His moral hatred and intolerance of evil
2. He will search out sin and discover all hidden iniquity
4. "His feet are like fine brass"
1. "His feet as fine brass" shall tread in judgment
2. every system of evil that bears the Christian name must be utterly and totally destroyed
3. the good that Jesus sees in this church – 19
1. the later works of Thyatira were more impressive than in its beginning
2. a church manifesting love, faith, patience, and good works; and with these increasing all the time, would seem to be an ideal church
3. such attributes, vital as they are, cannot substitute for sound doctrine and godly living
4. a major fault that Jesus found within the church – 20
1. the church was permitting in its midst an evil more serious in character than any evil that had yet appeared in the local assemblies
1. they had entrusted a position of teaching leadership to an immoral woman who called herself a prophetess
2. Paul had specifically forbidden women to speak in the church or to teach in such a way as to exercise authority over men
3. ignoring this instruction had led to a tragic situation in Thyatira
2. the general state of the church in the middle ages is represented by Thyatira (the condoning of evil)
3. the woman Jezebel
1. she pretended in the assembly at Thyatira to teach with authority
2. she taught and seduced the minds of the people and trained them to follow her, instead of following Jesus
4. Jezebel may have been her real name, but more likely it was a symbolic name given her by Christ
1. the spiritual kinship with the Jezebel of the OT is clearly recognizable
1. the OT Jezebel was the cause of a vast turning to "whoredoms and witchcrafts" in Israel
2. the OT Jezebel sought to drive out the worship of God in Israel
3. the OT Jezebel sought to kill the prophets of the true God
2. this Jezebel taught and seduced the people to commit fornication and idolatry
1. "seduce" means to mislead, and to cause to go astray (a fundamental departure from the truth)
2. she promoted carnality in one’s life under the disguise of spirituality
3. she no doubt stressed "love" while making little of doctrine and separation (as many do today)
5. the historical period of the Dark Ages which the church at Thyatira represents
1. pagan practices and idolatry were mingled with Christian works and worship
2. the papacy was elevated to a place of secular power
3. rituals and the authority of church doctrine was introduced
4. the Roman church instituted the Inquisition during this period
5. Jesus’ dealings with Jezebel – 21-23
1. she was given an opportunity to repent – 21
1. in some way she had been made aware of the serious nature of her sin
2. this was not a case of a misguided but sincere woman
3. she knew she was in the wrong, and deliberately rejected God’s Word and refused to change her mind
4. Jesus has patiently dealt with this false system for over a thousand years, and there has been no change
5. the only remedy is judgment
2. the coming judgment – 22-23
1. three parties are named in these verses who will be judged
1. Jezebel
2. those who commit fornication with her
3. her children
2. Jezebel will not repent, her judgment is certain
3. those who ally with her will be judged [great tribulation] unless they repent of their wickedness
4. her children (converts) will be killed with death, which means they will be tormented forever in the lake of fire
5. Jesus Christ understands the hearts and secret thoughts of all men [searcheth the reins and hearts]
6. all churches must know that Christ will judge such behavior appropriately, if they do not repent
6. Jesus’ advise for those that have not followed the teachings of Jezebel – 24-25
1. this letter was written to the faithful remnant - 24
1. in Christ view, Jezebel and her followers were not a part of the church even though they dominated it
2. the church of the dark ages was not entirely corrupt
1. these people were witnesses against the corruption of Rome and the Papacy
2. they were sound and true in their faith, and denounced the teaching of Rome
3. they were mostly simple, poor, unlearned peasants and mountaineers, but they were spiritual
4. they had not stooped to the "depths of Satan"
3. the Lord promised not to place upon them any other burdens
2. Jesus exhorts them to be steadfast in the faith
1. what these people had, they were not to surrender
2. they were to hold fast, regardless of the wickedness and immorality of all others
3. they were to refuse to compromise, resting assured that one day Jesus would deliver them from the trial and suffering through which they were passing
4. The admonition to all believers is to hold fast "TILL I COME!"
1. this world is not our home, and we cannot feel at home in this world
2. we are not of the world, as Jesus was not of the world
3. we have the promise that one day the moment of deliverance will come
4. we are to stand fast, occupy, and be faithful until He comes
5. then we will receive a full reward for our faithful labor of love in the Lord
5. if we begin to look at churches, church members, preachers and church leaders, we will find yourself ready to give up and quit
1. remember--we are serving the Lord Jesus--not man or men, not religions or churches
2. we will never be disappointed in Jesus
7. Jesus’ promise to those that overcome – 26-29
1. it is not enough to deny Jezebel and to refuse her and her works, we must go further: "HE THAT KEEPETH MY WORKS UNTO THE END"
1. that is the person who will be crowned
2. that is the person who will have power over the nations, and who will reign and rule with Jesus
2. the statement "My works" is in contrast with the works of Jezebel
1. it is Jesus--not Mary, not the pope, not the priest, not the pastor, not the evangelist
2. Rome is not the only place that has a pope
3. some preachers dare not preach anything that is not sanctioned by the church bosses in the big denominations of our land
3. the authority of the saints over the nations here on this earth will occur during the Millennium
1. the overcomer shall rule and reign over the angry and rebellious nations with a rod of iron
2. their stubborn will shall be broken, their pride shall be humbled
3. All nations and all peoples will know that God is God
4. One day all will own the eternal truth that God is sovereign
5. that will be a glorious day when evil will be put down forever and righteousness will rule forever
4. the promise in verse 28 is an assurance of His own presence as a gift to His people
5. a plea to hear what the Spirit says to the churches – 29
1. the children of Jezebel will not hear, but the true children of the Lord will hear
2. in the first three letters this exhortation came before the promise to the overcomers, but in the last four it comes after the promise
1. in the messages to the first three churches, it is the CHURCH that is called to hear what the Spirit has to say
2. in the last four churches, the message is in to INDIVIDUALS who hear the words and overcome