Revelation the Book
Revelation the Book
We continue studying the messages to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3. In this lesson we look at the message to Thyatira in the latter half of Revelation chapter 2.
Rev 2:18-22
Thyatira A commercial centre on the road east. Nothing remains of the ancient city. Lydia was from Thyatira.
The Son of God Here Jesus calls himself "the Son of God..." . Yet in the vision he appeared as "a son of man" (Rev 1:13). Jesus is both God and man. The Son of God became also a son of man. Although a human being, Jesus is, was, and always will be, God. He is the Word who was God and who became flesh (Jhn 1:1,14 Acts 2:33). He is now exalted to his Father’s right hand.
Eyes like a flame Jesus sees all things, and the fire of his eyes (Rev 1:14) signifies judgment. The woman Jezebel and her followers were under judgment and threat of punishment (verses 20-23).
I know your deeds... Jesus commends the deeds of, service, and perseverance by which the Thyatirans demonstrated their love and faith.
We should never be so in love with love, nor have so much faith in faith, that we forget God judges and values our deeds. They must be works of love and faith, certainly. They must be works of steadfast service to Christ. But they are works. They are deeds. If Christ wants them, who are we to say, "No, Lord, You have done all the deeds that are necessary. My deeds are worthless".
On their own, "all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags" (Isa 64:6). Nevertheless, when Jesus Christ touches our deeds with the sceptre of his kingdom, then our deeds are made worthy and acceptable. Let us persevere and grow in the Lord's work, serving him as "priests to his God and Father" (Heb 1:8 Rev 1:6) knowing that our labour in the Lord is not in vain.
In verse 23 Jesus says, "I will give to each one of you according to your deeds" —reward for righteousness, and punishment for evil.
That woman Jezebel In the Old Testament times there was a woman called Jezebel. She married Ahab a king of Israel and incited him to be even more wicked than he already was (1Kg 21:25). She died a horrible death just as the prophet predicted (2Kg 9:7-10, 30-37). The Jezebel at Thyatira was as bad as her name's sake, leading church members into idolatry and immorality. Her punishment was imminent too.
Calls herself... This Jezebel "calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads astray..." Jezebel was a false prophet, a pretender. She was the antichrist in the church at Thyatira. Antichrist is everywhere, and "many antichrists have arisen" (1Jn 2:18). They will even arise from within the church, but when they do they must not remain in the church, for they are "not of us" and that needs to be made manifest (1Jn 2:19).
You tolerate... Jesus said, "I have this against you that you tolerate that woman..." Jesus is not here suggesting that the Thyatirans should exhibit impatient intolerance. They were at fault in not warning Jezebel and her followers, and not exhorting them to repent. They were letting evil creep in by stages, and doing nothing about it.
Time to repent Christ himself is tolerant in the sense that he allows time to repent. During that time he does not overlook the error, however he gives a person time to consider his warnings and to change. Christ's whole purpose is that evil should be overcome (verse 26). He wastes no time in persuing that purpose. The time to repent is time granted to overcome evil and escape judgment. If one is unwilling to do that, then the time to repent makes it manifest that the judgment is just.
Great tribulation There are two kinds of tribulation in the book of Revelation, tribulation as a punishment for evil, and tribulation as a test of faith. It is very easy to point the finger at those who suffer troubles. "What sin have you committed that this punishment should come upon you you?" However, John writes the book of Revelation as "your brother and companion in tribulation" (Rev 1:9). Surely he was not saying that he was a Jezebel and they were Jezebels and they were all partaking together in punishment for their sins! No, this was "the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus". This tribulation is noble to suffer. Jezebel's tribulation, if she did not repent, would be ignominy.
Message to Thyatira (continued)