To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
Thyatira – Phonetic spelling (Thoo-at-i-rah)
“These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.”
For those who would claim that John wrote Revelation from his own knowledge, with his own imput, the introduction here leaves no doubt as to who the author of the letter is “These are the words of the Son of God.” This would also be true of the entire book of Revelation. For right in the introduction of the book we read:
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to show His servants the things which must soon take place.”
“whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.”
The meaning behind the Lord “whose eyes are like blasing fire” is revealed in verse 23 in the same letter which is in reference to“I am He who searches the hearts and minds.” The Lord knows the thoughts and motives of those who belong to Him.
“I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your first.”
As is consistent in all of the letters, the Lord first comends them regarding their positive aspects and then folllows with His rebuke..
“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.
This is in fact the fourth time that sexual immorality is mentioned, referred to as the practices of the Nicholaitans (both in the letter to Ephesus and Pergamum), Balaam teaching Balak in Pergamum and now here by the teaching of this woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess. Though the eating of foods sacrificed to idols would not apply to the church presently, the rebuke of sexual immorality within the church does.
Scripture also states that believers who are willfully continuing to engage in sexual immorality and the acts of the sinful nature, will not inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor.6:9)
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” – 1 Cor.6:18
Our sexual desires are one of Satan’s greates weapons against us because of the weakness of our flesh!
Regarding the reference to Jezebl, this could have been the actual name of the woman mentioned in the letter to Thyatira, but it is more likely in reference as to being a type of that evil Jezebel who was the wife of King Ahab and who lead Israel to worship Baal and who most likely practiced the ritual of eating foods sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immoralityand thereby leading Israel astray. This is the same Jezebel who was attemping to kill Elijah and who consequently was thrown from the top floor of her building where she splattered on the ground and was eaten by dogs.
Notice that in the verse that it states that Jesus gave her time to repent of her immoral teachings and practices. And thank God that He has patience with us and works with those who are wrestling to overcome it and to remove it from their lives. Unfortunately, this type of Jezebel and her followers were unwilling to repent.
“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. 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.”
It is obvious that the Lord does not like this practice, for when writing to the church of Ephesus He said, “But you have this in you favor; you hate the practices of the Nicholatitans, which I also hate.” From the verse we can see that that this is indeed directed not only to the church of that time, but to the churches throughout the entire church period, for the Lord says “Then all the churches will know that I am He who searches the hearts and the minds.” Needless to say, it would not be a good thing to be willfully practicing sexual immorality when the Lord comes to gather His church. If so, then you would be one of the virgin’s without oil. We were bought at a price. Therefore we should honor God with our bodies.
“And I will repay each of you according to your deeds”
Regarding the above, I am reminded of the following scripture:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” – 2 Cor.5:10
Since we as believers in Christ have been forgiven for our sins, when we go before the bema seat of Christ, we will be judged, not for our sins, but regarding our works whether good or bad, where everything that passes through the fire and does not get burned up, we will receive reward for. Any work that does get burned up, we will suffer loss of reward. However, since the reference to “repay each of you according to your deeds” is within the context of those who are eating foods sacrificed to idols and the committing of sexual immorality, it would seem to be a warning regarding their eternal hope.
“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.”
Obviously there were some in Thyatira who did not hold to Jezebl’s teachings and so the rebuke was not to them, but to those who were being lead astray by practicing them. For those who did not hold to her teachings only the commendations would be applied to them, minus the rebuke. And so the message to them is to “keep doing what you are doing until I come.” The “So-called deep things of Satan” would have to be regarding her teachings of eating foods sacrificed to idols and the committing of sexual immorality.
“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.”
Within Revelation there are four mentioned who will rule with a rod of iron: 1). Here in the letter to Thyatira as a promise to them and all believers who are victorious, 2). The Male Child (Rev.12:5) 3). The Lord Jesus (Rev.19:15). 4). And the great tribulation saints (Rev.20:4).
“And I will give him the morning star”
Jesus himself is the Morning Star:
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” – Rev.22:16
On to Sardis ………
Thyatira – Phonetic spelling (Thoo-at-i-rah)
“These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.”
For those who would claim that John wrote Revelation from his own knowledge, with his own imput, the introduction here leaves no doubt as to who the author of the letter is “These are the words of the Son of God.” This would also be true of the entire book of Revelation. For right in the introduction of the book we read:
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to show His servants the things which must soon take place.”
“whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.”
The meaning behind the Lord “whose eyes are like blasing fire” is revealed in verse 23 in the same letter which is in reference to“I am He who searches the hearts and minds.” The Lord knows the thoughts and motives of those who belong to Him.
“I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your first.”
As is consistent in all of the letters, the Lord first comends them regarding their positive aspects and then folllows with His rebuke..
“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.
This is in fact the fourth time that sexual immorality is mentioned, referred to as the practices of the Nicholaitans (both in the letter to Ephesus and Pergamum), Balaam teaching Balak in Pergamum and now here by the teaching of this woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess. Though the eating of foods sacrificed to idols would not apply to the church presently, the rebuke of sexual immorality within the church does.
Scripture also states that believers who are willfully continuing to engage in sexual immorality and the acts of the sinful nature, will not inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor.6:9)
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” – 1 Cor.6:18
Our sexual desires are one of Satan’s greates weapons against us because of the weakness of our flesh!
Regarding the reference to Jezebl, this could have been the actual name of the woman mentioned in the letter to Thyatira, but it is more likely in reference as to being a type of that evil Jezebel who was the wife of King Ahab and who lead Israel to worship Baal and who most likely practiced the ritual of eating foods sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immoralityand thereby leading Israel astray. This is the same Jezebel who was attemping to kill Elijah and who consequently was thrown from the top floor of her building where she splattered on the ground and was eaten by dogs.
Notice that in the verse that it states that Jesus gave her time to repent of her immoral teachings and practices. And thank God that He has patience with us and works with those who are wrestling to overcome it and to remove it from their lives. Unfortunately, this type of Jezebel and her followers were unwilling to repent.
“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. 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.”
It is obvious that the Lord does not like this practice, for when writing to the church of Ephesus He said, “But you have this in you favor; you hate the practices of the Nicholatitans, which I also hate.” From the verse we can see that that this is indeed directed not only to the church of that time, but to the churches throughout the entire church period, for the Lord says “Then all the churches will know that I am He who searches the hearts and the minds.” Needless to say, it would not be a good thing to be willfully practicing sexual immorality when the Lord comes to gather His church. If so, then you would be one of the virgin’s without oil. We were bought at a price. Therefore we should honor God with our bodies.
“And I will repay each of you according to your deeds”
Regarding the above, I am reminded of the following scripture:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” – 2 Cor.5:10
Since we as believers in Christ have been forgiven for our sins, when we go before the bema seat of Christ, we will be judged, not for our sins, but regarding our works whether good or bad, where everything that passes through the fire and does not get burned up, we will receive reward for. Any work that does get burned up, we will suffer loss of reward. However, since the reference to “repay each of you according to your deeds” is within the context of those who are eating foods sacrificed to idols and the committing of sexual immorality, it would seem to be a warning regarding their eternal hope.
“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.”
Obviously there were some in Thyatira who did not hold to Jezebl’s teachings and so the rebuke was not to them, but to those who were being lead astray by practicing them. For those who did not hold to her teachings only the commendations would be applied to them, minus the rebuke. And so the message to them is to “keep doing what you are doing until I come.” The “So-called deep things of Satan” would have to be regarding her teachings of eating foods sacrificed to idols and the committing of sexual immorality.
“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.”
Within Revelation there are four mentioned who will rule with a rod of iron: 1). Here in the letter to Thyatira as a promise to them and all believers who are victorious, 2). The Male Child (Rev.12:5) 3). The Lord Jesus (Rev.19:15). 4). And the great tribulation saints (Rev.20:4).
“And I will give him the morning star”
Jesus himself is the Morning Star:
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” – Rev.22:16
On to Sardis ………