THYATIRA AND HER PERSEVERING SAVIOUR
#225 THYATIRA AND HER PERSEVERING SAVIOUR
Scripture Revelation 2:18-29, NIV Orig. 2/6/1966 (10/1978)
Rewr. 9/25/1988
Passage: 18 To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[a]—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Purpose: Continuing the Revelation Letter series calling attention to the Holy Spirit reminding believers of their need to possess their possessions.
Keywords: Christian Life Judgment Perseverance
Timeline/Series: Revelation Letters Thyatira
Introduction
We encounter Thyatira early in the New Testament textual materials. It was a small city compared to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, but a very important one. Important for its industry and labor intensity. It was known for works in clay, for the tanning of skins, for artisanship in bronze, as well as for dyes and dyeing. It should not surprise us to discover that there were trade guilds for each of these industries.
The first mention of Thyatira is noted in Acts 16:14. Paul was in Philippi of Macedonia on the second missionary journey. While preaching there, he was heard by “Lydia, a seller of purple in Thyatira.” At this time, she believed, and she and her household were baptized. Paul and those with him were invited to her home. It is entirely appropriate to believe that the church in Thyatira was begun in her home. Lydia was the first recorded convert to Christianity on European soil.
Amidst the trappings of such success, the church had its beginnings in that place. But later, other things precipitated a lapse into spiritual lethargy. There must be a return to spiritual fervor. As things now stand the danger is that they will begin to judge themselves, not by spiritual standards, but by material ones.
Perhaps the couplet from Aurora Leigh (Elizabeth Barrett Browning) describes what is happening: “Earth’s crammed with heaven, and every common bush aflame with God. But only those who see take off their shoes. The rest sit round it, and pluck blackberries.” (Book 7.) 1
I. Persevering Sovereignty. V18 “These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass.”
“What are the qualifications of such sovereignty? First He is called the Son of God. Identified at His birth. Luke 1:35 “Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. At the annunciation (disciples), Mark 9:7 “. . . And a voice came out of the cloud saying. ‘This is my beloved son, hear him.’” It was the basis for the crucifixion, John 19:7 “. . . We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the son of God.” It sustains a strong link to faith. 1 John 4:15 “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God.” He is all-knowing—“eyes like unto a flame of fire.” Genesis 16:13, Hagar [about] Ishmael “Thou God seest me!” Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good.” Acts 1:24 (selection) “Thou, Lord, which knoweth the hearts of all men.” Kardiognosta, [Greek for “heart-knower”]. Hebrews 4:13 “. . . All things are naked and open before the eyes of him [with] whom we have to do.”
As this Sovereignty relates to us today John 2:24 “He knew what was in man.” John 6:64 “Jesus knew who would believe not.” John 1:48 Nathaniel/He could read what was on people’s hearts. Also the woman of Samaria and Simon Peter (denial).
Consider the message that He speaks to them out of His sovereignty. He knows all the good things that they are doing. He knows the things that they are failing to do that they should. Some are believing. Others are driven from faith. They are to go to their knees in repentance.
II. We Come Next to Persevering Repentance. V20f “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, . . . and I gave . . . space to repent . . . and she repented not.”
True repentance requires God’s view of sin. We too often see it as unimportant. We rationalize by other’s sins.
Why youth has such difficulty. They hear it sermonized but see sin in those they love. Ideologized from lack of experience. Experienced mainly through media sophisticates. Conclude that sin isn’t all that bad.
But try to see it from God’s point of view. He sees beyond the drunk driver to the accident waiting to happen. Picture in Newsweek 9/23/1985 mangled car (2 dead). Passed the gaiety of cocktail party to the home crushed under oppression of alcoholic mother/father. He sees marijuana become cocaine become death. Greg Louganis testimonial. He sees the cigarette/cancer link when its purveyors deny it. He sees sex experimentation become dissolution.
Do you remember why revivals were so important a few years ago? W.E. Sangster used to tell his revival audiences what revival would do: “It would pay old debts; reduce sexual immorality; disinfect the theater; cut the divorce rate; reduce juvenile crime; lessen the prison population; improve the quality, and increase the output of work; restore to the nation a high sense of destiny; make the nation invincible in the war of ideas; give happiness and peace to the people.”
It is time again to understand God’s sentence on sin. Sin has within itself the seedpod of punishment. Jezebel—Old Testament counterpart, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Zidonians/married Ahab (II Kings 23). Josiah’s revival revived them from this/RG Lee Payday Someday. Revived from worship of sexual deviation. The family unit is what is hurt the most.
Nothing quite shows the love of God quite like the offer to Jezebel to repent. All sin save that of unbelief is forgivable. Rank heresies can be repented of. Moonies/Cults (Jim Jones)/Satanism.
III. Finally, Persevering Truth. V23b “I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” Nephros—reins (mind, thoughts).
First, He refutes errant doctrine. It is satanic influence. It is congregational ineptitude in refusing to confront it. Interpreting the error. Not a shred of evidence that this is Lydia. Name probably not Jezebel. Her influence was like that of Old Testament Jezebel on Ahab of Israel. She didn’t try to stop Jehovah-worship, she just wanted to include Baal-worship. Innumerable ways the church can face corrupting influences.
Christ refuses to add to their teaching. 24b “I will put upon you no other burden.” Acts 15 leaders in Jerusalem sent instructions to Antioch, Syria, Cilicia/v28. “For it seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and to us, that we lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.”
Christ reaffirms His coming. V25 “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.” Nothing sets us to the task at hand like a reappraisal of His coming. I John 2:28 “. . . abide in Him that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”
And lastly, He ratifies a day of judgment. V26 “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my work unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.” Satan promised Jesus “power over the nations.” Matthew 4:8. A power not his to grant, But within Jesus’ power to grant. The promise of “the morning star.”
Conclusion
Thus, the ending is the call to faithfulness. They are to perceive the Christian life as one of obedience. A storm is on the horizon. They are to prepare themselves through faith for that tempest. The wise person is the one who learns of the dangers fraught in the storm and who prepares for the struggle to come. All of us have heard of the hurricane parties held in the face of impending dangers when a storm is announced.
1Browning, E. B. (1890) Aurora Leigh, a poem. New York: Worthington Co.