02.07. 7 Churches- 4- Thyatira
THYATIRA -- Jezebel Junction -- (Text: Revelation 2:18-29)
Background
1. Thyatira was famous for its purple dye, and the home of Lydia (Acts 16:14) who was Paul’s first convert in Europe (Philippi).
a.Lydia was in Philippi on business and was one of the first to hear the gospel when preached on European soil. b.Nothing is known concerning the church at Thyatira apart from what is recorded in this epistles. Some have supposed that Lydia returned to Thyatira after her conversion and started the church, but there is no evidence to support this.
2. Thyatira was located about 35 to 40 miles east, southeast of Pergamos. It was the smallest of the cities noted thus far and of less importance politically. It was most noted for as a commercial town.
a.Here were to be found weavers, tanners, dyers, potters, clothiers, cobblers, bakers, bronze-workers and many more. b.Thyatira boasted more trade guilds than any other town its size. Each having their own guardian god. These gods were worshipped by the membership of each guild by the offering of sacrifices to their honor. Huge festivals were conducted at which the sacrificial meats were eaten. Immoral practices accompanied these festivities. (1)To refuse to belong to a guild in that day would be like a coal miner refusing to belong to his union today. Commercial existence was dependent upon one’s belonging to a guild. (2)The problem at Thyatira was members of the church urging their fellow Christians to compromise with the world and the ring leader was a woman dubbed "Jezebel."
3. Thyatira, an unimportant little town that may fittingly be dubbed "JEZEBEL JUNCTION"
I.ADDRESS Revelation 2:18 1.Addressed to the Angel ("messenger") at Thyatira.
2. The longest of the seven letters is addressed to the most insignificant town of the seven, however the problems facing the church were far from being insignificant.
a. While Smyrna and Pergamos were threatened by sword and fire from without, Thyatira’s primary danger was from within.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPEAKER Revelation 2:18
1.The Lord identifies Himself to the church at Thyatira as "the Son of God". This is the first time in the letters that he makes the claim. This expresses authority. a.Expresses Himself as God’s gift, John 3:16. b.Expresses Himself as God’s spokesman, Hebrews 1:1-2. c. The way to the Father, John 14:6.
2. "Eyes like a flame of fire". Eyes that can penetrate and see everything. Hebrews 4:13.
3."Feet like fine brass." Indicates His strength to trample underfoot. Beautiful to the obedience, but a formidable threat to all opposition. a.The combination of these two symbols is very significant. They strikingly represent the Lord as the One whose eyes search out every evil deed, and those feet trample in judgment upon the wicked deeds of men.
III. WHAT IS RIGHT WITH THE CHURCH (Commendation) Revelation 2:19.
1."I know thy works" ..whether good or bad He says this of all the churches and then suggests whether the works of that particular church are pleasing to Him. [Matthew 10:29-30, John 2:24-25.] a.For this church it is good and evidence of a spiritual life.
2. "And thy Love" They loved the Lord and one another. Loving the Lord we will lend ourselves to obedience, 1 John 5:3; Galatians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 13:13.
3. "Faith" The golden chain that connects man with his Maker. Hebrews 11:1-6. Without "faith" our worship is ritualistic and our works are merely a social service. James 2:14-26.
4."Ministry" or Service. This service flowed from their love and faith. a.It included both religious and moral duties. b.It probably indicates, with the next commendation, that they were active in evangelism. c."Patience-endurance" steadfastness, (1 Corinthians 15:58) 5."Last to be more than the first." a.Very unlike Ephesus (Revelation 2:4). Between the first and last works were love and faith, which explain their growth. b.Thyatira was growing in works, but we will see that we must also grow in spirituality. 1 Peter 2:2, 2 Corinthians 4:16 c.Growth is the object of life. 2 Peter 3:18. Where growth ends, decay begins. (Poem) IV.WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CHURCH (Condemnation) Revelation 2:20
1."But I have somewhat against thee" -- a message of reproof. The world was in the church and they tolerated it there--"thou sufferest." They possessed several graces, but not all--they lacked courage. (see 1 Corinthians 5:1, Revelation 2:14. a.We can’t please God merely by leaving evil alone--we must actively oppose it. Note here: (1) The sinner tolerated: (2) The sin she committed: (3) The threatened punishment: and (4) the purpose of the punishment.
2. The sinner tolerated: She is symbolically called Jezebel. a.She must have been something like the character of Jezebel in the O.T. (1 Kings 16:1-34, 1 Kings 17:1-24, 1 Kings 18:1-46 & 2 Kings 9:1-37) b.She was a self-styled prophetess "calleth herself." Self-styled prophets are usually false ones. She was a teacher in the church.
c.(If literally she was a woman she may have been violating 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:35.) d.She was some influential person who was to the church what Jezebel of old was to Ahab and Israel. (See 1 Kings 16:31; 1 Kings 21:25) e.The church tolerated her when it should have withdrawn from her. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6.
3.The sin she committed. "fornication" Revelation 2:20 v.20b. Either real or spiritual. a.She refused to separate herself from "fornication" and idolatry and she led others astray--she continued "to teach and to seduce my servants." Jeremiah 3:6-11; Ezekiel 16:23-42. b.She was obstinate-- Revelation 2:21 -- and sinned against God’s long suffering (2 Peter 3:9).
V. ADMONITION AND ENCOURAGEMENT Revelation 2:24-25.
1.The threatened punishment- Revelation 2:22-23 a. a.The leader and the follower alike were to suffer Revelation 2:22. They were to be cast into a bed of affliction, if they did not repent. b.The symbol of their sin becomes the symbol of their punishment. Even today we have a saying, "He maded his own bed, let him lie in it." c.This seems to indicate the fornication was immorality and not spiritual. (Jeremiah 6:1-11) But not necessarily.
2.Purpose of the punishment; an object lesson to churches, Revelation 2:23 b. a. A lesson for all the churches, not just the seven. b.He searches the reigns and heart, literally the kidneys. The organs of the body have often been referred to as the seat or place of thoughts and feelings. (Illustration: "I love you with all my liver".) The Lord knows our innermost secret thoughts and motives. c.Judgement will be individually, according to a man’s works. Revelation 2:23 b.
3. As the trial was great, so was the encouragement. (See 2 Corinthians 1:7 b)
4. Revelation 2:24 Many had conformed to Jezebel’s teaching, but many had not. "None other burden" than the one of getting rid of the Jezebelites was placed upon them. Otherwise, they were a faithful, dedicated church that was growing and whose last works was greater than the first.
5."Hold fast till I come" Revelation 2:25, Revelation 2:29. "You are sentries on duty, I will come soon and relieve you." a.Hold fast to your faith, love, service, and opposition to error. b."Till I come" till they were relieved of their duty by victory and/or by death.
VI. THREAT-- (A warning ) Revelation 2:21-23
1. "I gave her time to repent" Christ had been long-suffering. Her need for repentance is emphasized.
2. He said He would bring affliction or punishment upon Jezebel and her followers if they did not repent.
3. "Will kill her children with death." Her followers or adherents would also suffer her punishment with her.
4. Will give unto every one of you according to your works." 2 Corinthians 5:10.
VII. PROMISED REWARD (An Encouragement) Revelation 2:26-29.
1. Those who kept His word until the end will be triumphant.
2. Authority over the nations (forces of evil) The overcomer shall triumph over all evil.
3. Revelation 2:27 He shall shepherd them with a staff of iron. His rule and triumph will be strong. As the vessels of the potter are broken into pieces. (Daniel 2:44). As I also received from my Father (the authority over nations) Luke 22:29 Psalms 2:6.
4. I will give Him the morning star. Revelation 22:16 refers to Christ. Therefore He promises to give himself to the one that overcomes. The morning star is proverbial for brightness and beauty. It is the harbinger of the day, is the bringer of light, life, and joy.
Conclusion:
1. This lessons is for us today: It is not enough for a Christian to refrain from false teaching and immorality, he must aggressively oppose both.