Revelation 2:18 – 29 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze. I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your first. But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
Behold, I will cast her onto a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer great tribulation unless they repent of her deeds. Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned the so-called deep things of Satan: I will place no further burden upon you. Nevertheless, hold fast to what you have until I come. And to the one who is victorious and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter and shatter them like pottery —just as I have received authority from My Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
At first, it’s difficult to understand why Thyatira was included in the list of seven churches. Most of the other cities were huge important trading centers or political capitals. So what’s so important about Thyatira? Thyatira was the center of a number of trade guilds, and each of these guilds had its own deity to which guild members dedicated their work. Thyatira also had a very special place in the textile trade because it was here that a highly – prized purple dye was produced. But what also set the church at Thyatira apart was the presence of a prophetess who had come into the local church and created havoc. We don’t know if this woman’s name was really Jezebel or if that was Jesus’s designation for her.
Who was the original Jezebel? The story of Jezebel is told in 1 Kings 17 – 21. Jezebel was the daughter of a priest – king of Baal from Tyre and Sidon. God had specifically forbidden the Israelites to marry anyone from the tribes surrounding them; however, Ahab did so. Jezebel promoted Baal worship, persecuted the prophets Elijah and Elisha, and also persecuted common people. To this day, when people speak about a woman having a Jezebel spirit, they are describing an evil woman, possibly involved in witchcraft, and certainly attempting to manipulate and to rebel against the one true living God.
The original Jezebel was beautiful, and perhaps the one in Thyatira was beautiful as well. At any rate, this woman had gained a position of great influence within the local church. She was encouraging wide – spread sexual immorality and the eating of meat sacrificed to idols. Paul covered the problems associated with eating such meat in a discussion in 1 Corinthians 10:27 – 29 “If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience. But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own.” For a believer to eat meat that had been offered to an idol after being informed that this had been a sacrifice meant that believer was taking part in idol worship. This Jezebel was encouraging people to engage in idol worship by eating sacrificial meat.
“Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling. Behold, I will cast her onto a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer great tribulation unless they repent of her deeds. Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” Jesus died for the sins of this woman just as much as for the sins of anyone else in the world. But that did not mean that this woman’s sins would be tolerated forever. And Jesus was warning all those who had had anything to do with this woman to repent and to confess their sins while they still had time.
One problem that is not well tackled by churches is the fact that demons transfer through sexual intercourse. Evidently there were many in this church who had been having sex with this prophetess. And the more they became involved with her, the more difficult it would be for them to repent and get free of her demonic influence.
“But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned the so-called deep things of Satan: I will place no further burden upon you. Nevertheless, hold fast to what you have until I come. And to the one who is victorious and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter and shatter them like pottery —just as I have received authority from My Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Those who were faithful in little Thyatira were given incredible promises, promises that were for all believers for all time. We who share the same faith should take heart! Even if we are laboring in obscure locations or under incredibly difficult circumstances, Jesus knows! Jesus sees! And some day, Jesus will reward.
Perhaps you have been very discouraged recently. You took a stand for righteousness at work or at school and found yourself being abused for your actions. Perhaps you have even lost a promotion or a position over your unwillingness to compromise. Do not give up! God is still on the throne and He is still watching. Hold on and keep following Jesus, and you will yet receive the morning star!
PRAYER: Father God, sometimes we feel like giving up! Our circumstances seem to overwhelm us and we find little light in the darkness. Help us to know that you are always with us, that you will never leave us or forsake us, and that you are a rewarder of those who seek you. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment