Rev. 2:18-29 Thyatira: The Adulterous Church
Intro: We have said it was important that we understand these letters in three ways:
1. The letters are literal and are written to literal churches in Asia.
These churches had real problems & real needs and were given real promises.
2. The letters have personal application for every believer in every church in every age.
3. The letters represent the chronological spiritual development of the church over time.
Today, we come to the fourth of the seven letters:
The City of Thyatira: Thyatira is about 40 miles South East of Pergamos. The city was built in a relatively flat area located in a long north-south valley. Due to the flat topography,
the city lacked any natural fortifications. The other cities we have studied so far were built on large hills. Thyatira’s purpose was to delay any attack that may be headed to the
more important city of Pergamos. Due to the city’s flat area & purpose they were repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.
When Rome conquered the area and brought piece & stability to that region its location on the north-south road became a great asset. Thyatira became a flourishing commercial
center. At the writing of Revelation they were in their period of greatest prosperity.
They were noted for their production of wool & dyed goods. They were especially noted for things dyed purple from a root extract. Lydia (Acts 16:14) the seller of purple was
from this place. They were also noted for having lots of guilds (kind of like modern day labor unions). They had guilds for linen workers, bakers, slave dealers, and bronze
smiths. Each of these guilds had their own deity and held feasts where idol meats were eaten and immoral acts occurred. A person needed to belong to one of the guilds in
order to hold a job or run a business. Can you imagine being a Christian in that environment?
The Church of Thyatira: As mentioned, Acts 16:14-15 tells us that Lydia and some of her household were saved under Paul’s ministry. It is possible or likely that she and her relatives
participated in starting this church as part of Paul’s outreach ministry while he was in the area of Ephesus for three years.
Prop: The Christian church should not commit spiritual adultery.
I. We need to consider the Description of Christ to the church of Thyatira (12).
Jesus is pictured as:
Son of God = in 1:13 Christ is identified as the “Son of Man”. The change is significant. Son of Man emphasizes His humility and His sympathetic identification with man.
However, “Son of God” emphasizes His deity. He is not coming to this church to identify & empathize with them. No, He is coming as God & as Divine Judge. It
is sort of like when someone uses their official rank/title/position, you know this is serious.
Eyes like fire = speaks of perfect discernment, omniscience and penetrating judgment. Christ’s gaze is able to penetrate anything or anyone so that nothing is concealed.
(Heb 4:13) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
(Psa 11:4) The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
Feet like brass = symbolizes authority & judgment
Kings would sit on elevated thrones so those being judged would be beneath their feet. The feet of a king thus became to symbolize a king’s authority. And these feet
are brass which is reddish in color, which speaks of chastening & judgment.
(Rev 19:15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of
the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Like the last letter, this isn’t a social, feel good, friendly letter and you can tell that by how Christ describes Himself.
II. We need to consider the Diagnosis of the church of Thyatira (2:19-20).
A. The Good News to the Church [Commendation] (2:19).
1. Jesus knew their works (v.19).
Again, just the generic word for all of their deeds in general.
2. Jesus knew their love (19).
“charity” = love (agape)
They had a love for God and a love for each other.
Here they are somewhat opposite the Church at Ephesus:
Ephesus: had discernment but lost their love…
They were hard, taking a stand for right, but unloving….
Thyatira: had love but lost their discernment/purity…
They were loving but unwilling to take a stand.
Some of our Fundamental churches today are doctrinally pure, but full of hard & unloving people…
Some of the Charismatic/Pentecostals churches are very loving, people friendly, but doctrinally off and worldly…
3. Jesus knew their service (v.19).
This is word from which we get “deacon”. The office of deacons was designed to meet the needs of others. They were a church know for serving one another &
helping each other.
4. Jesus knew their faith (v.19).
“faith” = faithfulness, dependable, reliable, consistent….
Some Christians are hit & miss, spasmodic, but not these people…
5. Jesus knew their patience (v.19).
“patience” = perseverance under afflictions and persecution; suffering for the sake of Christ and the Gospel
6. Jesus knew their maturing (v.19).
Their last is better than the first indicates a growing love, a growing faith, a growing patience…
On the surface this church looked pretty good.
But the one with “eyes like fire” saw below the surface.
B. The Bad News to the Church [Condemnation] (2:20).
The problem wasn’t vicious wolves outside the flock or persecution from the community. The problem was internal. They tolerated perverse & false teaching.
They tolerated Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess.
We see a downward spiral; a progression of sin here.
1). They sinned by tolerating women teachers –
(1Ti 2:12) But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
The prohibition is NOT a cultural thing….
2). That led to them tolerating a specific woman teacher:
She is likened to Jezebel – That isn’t likely her real name, but she is only likened to the notorious O.T. wife of King Ahab. She was an unspeakably vile and
wicked woman. She did to her name what Judas did to his name. You don’t find people naming their kids Judas or Jezebel today because of the evil associated
with their names.
When Ahab, her husband, wanted a vineyard, she had the owner, Naboth, killed so her husband could have the land.
Jezebel introduced and sponsored Baal worship in Israel. Sexual immorality was mingled with or a part of Baal worship. There were 850 prophets of Baal in
Israel before Elijah challenged them on Mount Carmel. Jezebel systematically killed the prophets of God. She tried to kill Elijah, but he fled from her.
Jezebel was later killed & her body was eaten by dogs.
3). That sin led to them tolerating her perverse teachings.
She called herself a prophetess – Like Jezebel of old, this woman succeeded in leading God’s people astray spiritually and committing acts of immorality.
False doctrines that were taught (may have been by her???).
She may have taught a form of dualism which said that it didn’t matter what you did with your body; God is only interested in what you do with your Spirit.
She may have taught that it doesn’t matter what you do with your body since God is so gracious He would forgive you of whatever sin you commit…
Truth is, we don’t know exactly what she taught, but we know it led a majority of the believers away from truth and righteousness.
We know she was guilty of a very serious sin:
(Mat 18:6-9) But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he
were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the
offense cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather
than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into
life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Preaching & teaching God’s Word is serious business.
III. We need to consider the Message given to the church of Thyatira (2:21-25).
A. God had a message for those who followed Jezebel (21-23).
1. He wanted them to repent.
God gave the people time and evidently many warning that they needed to repent, but they didn’t repent.
This illustrates that people love their sin, and once involved in sin, don’t come out of it easily.
People love darkness rather than light…(3 John 3:19).
2. He will bring Divine Judgment upon them.
a. He is going to cast her & her followers into Tribulation.
b. He is going to kill her children…
“her children” may be those who are teaching what she taught…
B. God had a message for those who didn’t follow Jezebel (24-25)
For those who didn’t “know the deep things of Satan” God wanted them to
“hold fast until I come” = use your strength and power to hang onto something that isn’t easy to hang on to. It will not be easy to do what Christ is telling them to do…
IV. We need to consider the Promise given to those in the church of Thyatira (2:26- 29).
1. The overcomer will be given “power over the nations” (26-27).
This is talking about a part they will have in the millennial kingdom.
During the Millennial Kingdom, believers will rule & reign with Christ to help protect His people and promote righteousness.
As we are faithful in the present world, we will be rewarded in the future.
(Rev 5:10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
2. The overcomer will be given “the morning star” (28).
This seems to be a reference to Christ Himself. (Rev 22:16 Jesus is the bright and morning star).
Believers will have Christ in all His fullness.
(1Co 13:12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Conclusion: We need to consider today what the Spirit said the Church at Thyatira.
