Revelation 2 vs 18-29

Revelation Chapter 2 Verse 18

 Jesus always starts His letters with exactly what the church needs to hear!

The name Thyatira means, “Continual or Routine Sacrifice,” and it is

most titled and most known as the “Corrupt Church.” This is what

happens… Compromise (Pergamos) leads to corruption!

 Thyatira represents the church age directly following Pergamos around

590AD and continuing even until today. This church is a fundamental

pivot from the first three churches we have already looked at. How? The

next four churches, Jesus introduces a warning and a preparedness that is

not necessary for Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamos. He prepares Thyatira,

Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea for one of two things (or both); His

return and/or the Great Tribulation.

 This is important to understand. The church of Thyatira represents a

period of church history that began in 590AD and continues still today. As

well as Sardis, Philli, and Laodicea…these churches are still on the scene

today…while Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamos, those periods of church

history have come to an end. How do we know this? For the remaining

four churches, Jesus speaks to them of His return…very different than His

remarks to the first three churches.

 The Lord opens this letter with a unique designation and declarative

statement, “These things says the Son of God!” This is exactly what this

church needed most. To break through corruption, to reverse the negative

effect of compromise, the key is to recognize and heed the authority of

God!

 Folks struggle over the conversational skepticism that Jesus never said

that He was God!? That’s nutso! Forty-six times in the scriptures we see

Jesus referred to as the Son of God. From the disciples, to the centurion, to

the Roman soldier at the cross, to Jesus Himself and this one example in

Revelation Chapter 2 is authoritative.

 Why to this church? This is very different than how Jesus has introduced

Himself to the other churches? To the corrupt church, where compromise

has given way to outright corruption, this is an authoritarian call…, a

turning of the head from all other sources, traditions, voices and cultural

norms…, to lock eyes with God Himself…

 Already, the person of the mother of God was taking preimiennce over the

person of the Son of God in the church. All a hold over from what we

studied last time… Ancient Babylon Queen of Heaven mystery religion…

joined to Christianity under Constantine. Listen, just being ultra practical

here, if Mary was to be so venerated then Jesus Himself greatly missed

this mark!

 They came to Jesus once in Matthew 12 and said to Him, “Look, Your

mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with

You.” His replay was, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers but

those that do the will of My Father in heaven.” Another time in Luke

Chapter 11, a woman in the crowd exclaims, “Blessed is the womb that

bore you!” And Jesus responds to her, “More than that…, blessed are

those who hear the word of God and keep it!” And then there was the

wedding of Cana where Mary told Jesus to help them with the wine

situation and Jesus responds to her, “Woman, what does your concern

have to do with Me?”

 The compromise of mixing mother son worship with Christianity was a

slippery slope to corruption. The next church, the church of Sardis,

introduces a church that breaks from corruption…, make no mistake, this

new reformation church has its own problems, but it all kicks off with a

Roman Catholic priest named Martin Luther who objected to 95 practices

of the church that were not Biblical and should be stopped.

 For example, indulgences in the Catholic Church originated during the

Crusades in 1095 when Pope Urban II granted indulgences to those who

participated in the Crusades. Essentially paying God for the right to kill.

Later, the concept of the "Treasury of Merit" developed, allowing for

indulgences to be granted for various good works and even for donations.

So, the reward for good works and generosity is sin? Total corruption…

 In introducing Himself like this, Jesus is forcing a question…, an

inquisition of who is the authority? Is He God or is the mother of God or

is the church the authority? If He is, there are great and direct and distinct

ramifications. That ramification is…if He is God then He must have the

preeminence. No matter what we’ve been taught, no matter what we’re in

to…no matter how we feel or what we think is logically right or wrong.

 Check this out, from the transcript of Pope Leo XIV’s first speech just a

few days ago, “Our blessed Mother Mary always wants to walk with us,

be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her

love. So let us pray together for this mission, and for all of the church and

for peace in the world. We ask for this special grace from Mary, our

mother.”

 He says that His eyes are like a flame of fire and His feet like fine brass.

Fire and brass are strong symbols, strong types all over the Bible. Fire

speaks of purification…brass speaks of judgment.

 He goes on to offer commendation to this church. And I want you to

remember that as we continue, that Jesus did have good things to say

about this church which represents the routine church, the corrupt church,

the church that has embraced idolatry…and what will surprise you, is that

when we get to the church of Sardis next week, the Reformation Church,

Jesus will have nothing good to say about that church at all…

Revelation Chapter 2 Verse 19

 Jesus says the last are more than the first…more meaning more important,

more prominent. This church leads in works but love, patience, service,

faith should be all, should be more…are more in God’s economy

always…than works. Works are a result…love, patience, service and faith

are fruit…the manifestation of a real relationship with God…

 Works just simply cannot be the point. Love is the point. Love must

always be the fuel, the motivation behind whatever works. AND love is

the end goal! We want to have a worship service that includes praise and

worship, announcements, a Bible study and the end result we are after is a

church full of obedient religious people? Not a chance. The single end

result I’m after is love. Agape…! We want to have a ministry that teaches

people to manage their finances correctly so that they do well in life. NO!

The point of this service, that ministry and every act of service or works,

the end result is LOVE. Some folks don’t like that but hey, perhaps one

day you’ll understand that the love of God produces patience and faith

and character and joy and faithfulness and great control of self…, which

are all far better fuels for improvement, growth and maturity in the spirit

than knowledge and strategy and someone being inspired for an hour to

better themselves! I’d rather folks be inspirited than inspired ALL

DAY!!!

Revelation Chapter 2 Verse 20

 Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess, was a character in the Old

Testament, back in 1 Kings. Jezebel was the most wicked woman in all of

scripture. She was a daughter of a pagan king…the king of the

Sidonians…who also was a priest of Ashtaroth…, (also known as

Semiramis), and she was given to King Ahab in marriage. King Ahab was

the King of Israel and to that point he was the most wicked of kings yet.

 1 Kings 16:31-33, “And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial

thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took

as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal (meaning Baal is with us), king

of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. Then

he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in

Samaria. And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the

Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before

him.”

 Jezebel effectively brought the worship of Baal front and center in Israel.

The Bible records that with Jezebel at his side, King Ahab set up altars for

Baal all throughout the nation. Interestingly we read in 1 Kings 18:19

Elijah calling Ahab out, “Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me

on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the

four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” That’s a

lot of Jewish prophets of Baal and Asherah!

 There’s a particularly relevant account of Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings

where you will read about Ahab and Naboth. Ahab was upset (pouting on

his bed), saddened that a man named Naboth would not sell to him his

land. And so, Jezebel there in 1 Kings says, “Hey you’re the king! Just

take it! Tell you what hubby, I’ll get that land for you.”

 And so, what did she do? She couldn’t just go and murder him so she set

up false accusations against Naboth which ended up getting him killed.

She used deceit, lies, trickery, false reality… Ahab and Jezebel did get the

land, but the way they got it was through deceit, a power play and an

inquisition. (Acquiring by the blade of a sword)

 This was and is the infiltration of this church. Allowing and embracing the

Queen (as it were) of idolatry and spiritual immorality or spiritual

fornication. To choose another husband other than God. And that was

present, but also there is another form of this spiritual fornication and that

is the worship of God in unprescribed ways. Taking what God has given

and twisting it for ungodly purposes.

 I mentioned at the start that Thyatira literally means, “Routine or

Continual Sacrifice.” This church had embraced spiritual fornication,

idolatry and worship of the Goddess or Queen of Heaven. What we are

talking about is the fully matured, post-Pergamos worship that persisted

and thrived through the dark ages, the medieval Roman Catholic church,

and even until today. The worship of God in routine, unprescribed ways.

The papacy, indulgences, transubstantiation, purgatory, confirmation,

prayers to and for the dead, none of these practices are substantiated by

scripture.

 These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire and

His feet like fine brass…none of these things go unnoticed by the Lord

and every distraction, every unprescribed worship practice, is time,

attention, focus and understanding that is taken from what God has indeed

prescribed. And what is that?

 Certainly not a continual sacrifice. That is what the mass is week to week.

That in the Eucharist, the actual blood of Jesus is present physically and

the actual body of Jesus is present physically and thus He is sacrificed

again for the atonement of sin. A hold-over of Mithraism…and perhaps

the most tragic element is that worshippers believe that it is the mass that

secures their salvation.

 That however negates Jesus’ proclamation upon the cross of “Paid in

full.” And when some sort of penance is assigned for sin committed, that

again, simply negates how Jesus has prescribed we worship Him. From a

position of being saved and forgiven our sins by grace through faith. How

are we to honor and worship God?

 John Chapter 1:12, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right

to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” We are

simply to receive…to welcome and open our hearts to the indwelling

presence of God Himself and be born again, being forgiven and dead to

our sin, and alive to Christ. Add anything to that and you are in danger of

spiritual fornication, the very verdict pronounced upon the church of

Thyatira.

 In the end, Jehu kills Jezebel. Jehu means “Jehovah is He.” No one else.

Nothing was left of her but her feet, palms and skull which interestingly

point to a false Christ-like character as Christ is the Head of the church,

bought and paid for through the nails driven through His palms and His

feet.

Revelation Chapter 2 Verses 21 - 23

 This is important. People ask “Will the church go through the

tribulation?” My answer, “Not the Body of Christ.” Parts of the church,

…yes. Jesus here says, your idolatry, your religion, any other way to

salvation other than by grace through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ

ALONE…consider it proof positive that there’s an issue…an indication

of an unregenerate heart…and if you do not repent and be saved, into

the Tribulation you go.

 You’ve devised a way, you’ve invented a method…just like Jezebel and

Ahab, to grow in power and position and fortune and lands and you’ve

mixed in false religion that says something other than what the Bible

says, something other than what Jesus said, concerning salvation. And

it’s not going to work. Notice, what is required to stay out of the sick

bed and also the Great Tribulation…repentance. Repentance and being

born again go hand-in-hand.

 Ultimately, we will be rewarded according to our works. John 6:28-29,

“Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works

of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that

you believe in Him whom He sent.” That word in the Greek for “believe”

is commit. Repent, and turn your life over to God…that is to believe, and

that comprises the totality of religion prescribed by God Himself. And

that is the single thing you and I will be judged upon in the end.

 This church has many children. Very interesting. Not just folks that

attend. In fact, this church was rather small at the time that this letter was

written…but it’s grown. And in its growth, this church has produced

many parent/child relationship churches. One, just because its interesting,

Constantine moved the capital of Rome from Rome to Byzantium which is

modern day Istanbul and he renamed it to Constantinople.

 This eastern move gave rise to the Byzantine Empire which would

ultimately outlive the Roman Empire. There were those that rejected this

and ultimately rejected Constantine’s spiritual and empirical authority thus

giving rise to the Western or Greek Orthodox Church which is separate

from the Roman Catholic Church. That’s One child.

 Another example is the Episcopal Church which is essentially a Catholic

denomination that rejects the papacy and some of the doctrinal teaching of

the Roman Catholic Church… Still a child though… Interesting study to

pursue if you’re into that sort of thing. For today, we move on…

Revelation Chapter 2 Verse 24

 It’s very interesting here that Jesus would say “depths of Satan.” Satan is

the biblical name of the fallen one but his original name was Lucifer…, so

Satan is his name but it is also his title… Its root means adversary or one

who seeks his own. Yet Jesus says “depths” here. What’s interesting

about that is that the priests of Ashtaroth, the Queen of Heaven, they

espoused that they alone knew the mysteries, the deep things of heaven

and existence. They had the direct line to the Sun God and the Moon

Goddess and so people, just listen to us…

 We still see that today. Because this church is still on this earth. A

religious system that employs an elite group who can absolve sin, who

alone can speak to God and so they must be sought by the common

people…even today, services around the world are held in a language that

only the religious elite understand (Latin) …isn’t that odd?

 I’m not trying to come down on the Catholics, I’m just reporting the news!

If you think I’m hard on them, come back next week when we look at the

church of Sardis which is the protestant, reformation movement

churches…Jesus had nothing good to say about that church…so just hang

in there, I’ll equally offend everyone by next week.

 Ever seen the two keys that are always sewn onto the robe of the Pope?

What are they? Where did they come from? The priests of Babylon

carried around two keys on them. One was the key of a god named Janus,

the other the key of a god named Cybele. And with the authority of

holding these keys, the Babylonian priest could approach the hidden

things, the mysteries, the things that were locked away that pertained to

the heavens. Today the Pope emblazons on his arms these two keys as the

ensigns of his spiritual authority and with that authority he is believed to

be…, infallible.

 But look what Jesus says here…He calls out a remnant. He says I know

there are some that simply seek Me yet they find themselves burdened by

all of these add-ons…you have enough problems! I put no other burden

on you…

Revelation Chapter 2 Verses 25 - 27

 There, “Hold fast till I come.” First time Jesus talks about His return. I

tell you what, that is a word for the church today! Stay the course, in this

craziness of this crazy world, finish strong! And notice, the keys to the

kingdom as it were to overcoming is indeed right now, hold fast to the

truth! Which we will see in more detail with the church of Philadelphia.

 What kind of a potter’s vessel can be dashed to pieces? The hardened

kind. Make sure your ministry, your religion, your relationships do not

become routine or hardened to the point that you are all finished learning.

Stay soft, teachable and focused on the love that you have received from

God! Let love be the mark of true faith. Allow humility to teach you

strength and depth of character. In the end, those who have hardened,

none of them make it…, if you’ve hardened, you will be broken into

pieces, its just a matter of time.

Revelation Chapter 2 Verse 28

 What is the Morning Star? Well not what, but who. Jesus said in

Revelation 22 verse 16, “I m the Bright and Morning Star.”

 Don’t buy into this system people. We are lulled into a sleep and

programmed to place position and power and politics and wealth above

salvation and eternity and love! Programmed to put works in front of

grace… And we end up dashed to pieces instead of soft, wet clay in the

potter’s hands! Don’t fall prey to the world system, the capitalistic

system, the religious system, this Luciferian system that says “Do what

thou wilt!” And if you overcome, and keep the works of Jesus (love,

grace, truth, suffering, service) then Jesus you will have!

Revelation Chapter 2 Verse 29

 You cannot hear these things with ears of flesh. To hear and know the

Lord, you must listen with ears of the spirit.