Thyatira:

 

It’s kind of funny that the longest of the letters to these seven churches is addressed to this smallest and most insignificant of the cities mentioned.  I guess God doesn’t view things as we do.  Thyatira was a great trade city.  It was famous for its supply of died fabrics and other textile items.  It was known for woodwork, leather, garments, pottery, etc.  As a commercial center it had a variety of trade-guilds within its borders.  In Acts 16:14 we read that Lydia was from this city and known for her purple died fabrics that she sold.  Not much is known about this city.  This makes it difficult to be certain about specifics requiring caution when interpreting this letter.  The Christian church here must have been very small as no particular detail is recorded elsewhere in the N.T.

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Psalm 2 -                      Son of God – rod of iron – pottery shattered

Acts 16: 11-14  -         Lydia at Philippi – purple cloth – from Thyatira

 

(Son of God)

Today I have begotten you – Psalm 2:7; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5, 5:5

 

Rev. 2:19 - much praise to this church for the good things they have done

 

But v. 20 ff.  Nevertheless …

Jezebel – prophetess?   Leader – influential in community

- Charge against her sounds familiar? Nicolaitans at Pergamum?

- Maybe connected!

 

1 John 2:19; 4:1-3

1 John a group who left the church in Asia, doing their own thing.

Anti-Christ – those who deny Jesus as God – Father and the Son

Gnostics – flesh is evil – Jesus is either God (deity) or flesh - NOT BOTH.

 

The Searcher of the mind and heart – didn’t find anything wrong with them.

So why is there anything wrong with them?

 

She (Jezebel)– claimed authority – Prophetess – authority of Spirit.

- Fornication = religious infidelity? Children = followers of her teaching

- She attempted to seduce the Israelites to worship Baal (2 Kings 9:22)

- Jezebel – a term – you Jezebel! – Expression rather than name.

- John is undermining her credibility by this name – a known name

- Adding or mixing other religious practices and beliefs

- Polluting true Christianity – lead others astray

 

Baptism – immunity to enemy onslaught.

- One must experience the full depth of evil in order to appreciate the full measure of God’s grace.    

- v. 24 - 1 Cor. 2: 10 Paul: “the Spirit searches… the deep things of God”

John: What they proclaimed and believed as the deep things of God were actually the deep things of Satan – misled by prophecy that was not from God.

 

John & Elijah

Elijah accused Israel for wavering between the opinions

Yahweh or Baal?

John confronts the church --- Christ or Caesar?

Give Caesar what is his – but not what is God’s

 

 

Conquerors:

Live the life of faith and obedience – “until I come” – remain faithful.

“Receive authority over the nations?” (Ps 2: 8, 9)

Promised of the Messiah – we have a part in Christ.

 

Shepherd’s Rod and Staff

“rod of iron” – rule, shepherd, destroy – word studies

“broken in pieces” – the right to smash the unclean pottery

Just as Christ has this authority, so we who reign with Him

“Morning Star” – Jesus himself

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This is the longest letter to the least known church or city.

It is a very difficult letter to understand and interpret.

 

v. 18 - sons of god – local worship of Apollos & Tyrimnos – sons of Zeus (god)

It is the risen Christ who is truly The Son of God!

 

Daniel 10:6 – Daniel’s vision of the last days – a figure of a celestial being…

eyes – legs – similarity to Rev 2: 18?

“eyes like flames of fire” – the penetrating power to see through Jezebel’s schemes

“legs of burnished bronze” – sign of strength and splendor – strong things were made of bronze in the Empires.

 

Jesus knows their deeds –

 

v. 19 - Good deeds of Thyatira = love – faith – service – patience or perseverance

Love and faith are motives of Christian activity.

Service and perseverance are the results that follow.

Their love has even grown – more than at the beginning.

 

v. 20 - Jezebel (vv 20-24) queen of Ahab (1 Kings 16:29 ff & Kings 9:30 ff)

led the Israelites into idolatrous worship of Baal.

Relates here? Trade guilds were organized by local pagans?? And met together for common meals and fellowship.  Meals that had been sacrificed to pagan gods – idols.

Christians had to be part of the trade guilds to survive (livelihood)?

Compromise became inevitable? To top this off…

The prophetess (Nicolaitan probably) taught that it’s ok – go ahead

the spirit says these idols are nothing – even Paul absolves you.

(1Cor 8: 4-6) – But keep reading – Christ speaks against the compromise!

They are not willing to repent, and will suffer the judgment of God!

The offer to repent of this sin – suggests a church member gone astray.

Prominent, out-going, woman in the church who influenced some to forsake loyalty to God by promoting involvement in pagan feasts as ok. (false religions – danger).

Thyatira unique – this was actively promoted by a woman claiming to have the gift of prophecy – speaks for God - who would never approve.

** God never contradicts Himself – we must study and know the content and intent of His Word to us in all situations.

These pagan feasts of ten led to sexual promiscuity – danger Will Robinson!!! J

 

v. 21 - “Her sexual immorality” adulterous relationship with pagan religion. 

 

God expects faithfulness in the marriage to Him – we are His bride.

 

OT (Hos 9:1; Jer. 3:6; Ezek. 23:19) Israel played the whore – unfaithful

This Jezebel loved the pagan rivalry more than God – played the harlot – and would not repent! - serious trouble.

 

v. 22 -  Punishment would be swift and severe-

“Bed” – bed of sickness and pain – common understanding of the consequences of sin – sickness and death – Leprosy OT

Even in Paul’s view  - mis – taking the Lord’s Supper – (1 cor. 11:27-29)

All those she led astray still had time and opportunity to repent of her ways.

 

v.23 - “I will strike her children dead” … those who have fully brought in to her adulteries. 

Those on the fringe are given time to repent – we saw in v.22

If Jesus condemns to death, it is because He sees the heart and mind and knows there will be no repentance.  This is promised in OT (Jer. 17:10), the Gospels by Jesus Himself (Matt 16:27), and by Paul (Rom 2:6) – god will give to each as their deeds deserve.  God is the perfect judge.  This is also why we should not judge …

– we can’t search the mind and heart.

 

v. 24-25 - Versus work well taken together.

The deep things of Satan? A train of thought emerged and lasted into Gnosticism, that one could not appreciate the grace of God that brings victory unless one experienced the bowels of evil and found them powerless.  Possible that Jezebel promoted participation in these evil practices preaching some type of immunity to these Christians.  They needed to experience the deep things of Satan and emerge triumphantly the grace of God.  Jesus tells the ones who did not participate, that they have done well and He will lay no burdens on them “just occupy until I return.”

 

v. 26-27 - The order of this letter has changed, and there are two promises given. 

To “the one who conquers and keeps my works until the end.”  We must remain faithful to the cause of Christ in order to overcome the hostile evil environment of pagan values and practices.

2 Promises Jesus will give 

1.  Authority over the nations, and

2. The Morning Star v. 28

Common belief that followers of Messiah would share in His future blessings  (1Cor 6:3; Rev 5:10)

 

“Rule …with a rod of iron” - like a shepherd’s club – to protect flock – wooden club with metal end.  Rev 12:5; 19:5 – Christ will rule the nations with a rod of iron. – Conquering followers have a part in the future of Christ (The Good Shepherd).

“Earthen pots broken in pieces.” Symbol of the absolute power and authority that Jesus and His faithful followers will have over the corrupt and rebellious nations (pagan, unrepentant).

Back to the Son of God context – Jesus gives authority to his followers just as He received authority from His Father (Ps 2:7)

 

v. 28 - also given “the morning star”… no clear positive interpretation.

Several  references to “morning star”

1. Satan – Is 14:12 – Lucifer – authority over?
2. Jesus – Rev. 22:16 – refers to Himself as “bright morning star”
3. Daniel 12:3 – immortality of the righteous
4. The dawn of eternal life
5. the planet Venus – the morning star but we want something more spiritual
6. the Holy Spirit
7. possible reflection on Numbers 24:17 in keeping with the iron scepter concept.

 

v. 29 - Hear and Do! Again – repeated as in other letters for us to fathom.