seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 2:18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 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. 23 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.
24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’(b)—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 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. 23 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.
24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’(b)—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
b. Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9
I'm going to the easy English today....
Verse 18 This is the longest letter and it is the most difficult. We know less about Thyatira than the other cities. It is south and east of Pergamum at a distance of 40 miles. It was famous for its trade. There were many trade unions in Thyatira. Each one of these was for a particular trade. These trade unions had a relationship with the worship of the gods. This caused real problems for the Christians. They had to belong to the union in order to get work in their trade.
Verse 19 The Lord Jesus is aware of all that his people do. He knew all about the Christians in Thyatira. He liked so many of the things that he saw.
They had not lost their love. It had not grown weak as it had in Ephesus. Their love for the Lord Jesus seems to have grown. They believed in him. They trusted him completely. They served God and not the local gods. There was progress in this church. They were doing more now than they did before.
Life in Thyatira was difficult for them. But they accepted all the problems and they did not turn from the Lord.
Verse 20 In the church, there was a woman who called herself a prophet. The Lord calls her Jezebel. And the church allowed her to stay and teach.
There had been a queen, also called Jezebel. She was the wife of king Ahab. She was a wicked woman. Because of her, king Ahab of Israel turned from God. He then worshipped and served the false god called Baal (1 Kings 16:31). Jezebel encouraged Ahab to do all kinds of wicked deeds (1 Kings 21:25). She even tried to murder Elijah, who was the prophet of God (1 Kings 19:2). She was responsible for the deaths of many people in Israel (2 Kings 9:7).
The Lord uses the name Jezebel for this wicked woman in Thyatira too. This woman was probably very clever. She was able to convince people that she was right. She said that she had special knowledge from God. She taught the Christians to live as the people in Thyatira did. She said that it was right to join the trade unions. This meant that Christians would join the worship of the false gods. They would eat meals in the temples. They would even think that it was not wrong to have sex with different partners.
Verse 21 In some way, the Lord had shown Jezebel that she was wrong. What she was doing was evil. She knew it. The Lord had been kind to her. He had warned her and he had given her time to change. He desired her to repent of all the wicked things that she had done. But she would not repent.
Verse 22 The Lord would soon punish her. The bed here is a place of illness and pain. She will suffer much for the evil things that she had done.
Verse 23 These are not her children by natural birth. These ‘children’ mean those who accepted Jezebel as their leader. She was like a mother to them. They did not just sin as she sinned. They believed all that she taught. The Lord will cause these people to die.
Verses 24-25 Jezebel argued that Christians should join in the things of the false gods. She probably said that the false gods were not really bad. Therefore, there would be no problem for the Christians. They would know the secret things of Satan. What she taught was false.
Most Christians in Thyatira did not follow Jezebel. The Lord adds no extra tasks on them. They must continue in love and service to God. They must trust the Lord completely.
Verses 26-27 The rewards of the Lord are for those who overcome. They continue to the end. They serve the Lord until death or until Jesus comes.
Jesus will give power to his people when he comes to rule on earth. They will share with Jesus as he rules. They will lead the nations as those who lead sheep. They will be able to encourage the people.
Verse 28 We do not know what the morning star means. But this is a description of Jesus. He is like the bright morning star. The Lord will be with those who overcome.
Verse 29 The Lord tells us to listen to the Spirit. We need to hear what he says to the churches. What he wrote to Thyatira is also for the whole church, and for us now.
Verse 19 The Lord Jesus is aware of all that his people do. He knew all about the Christians in Thyatira. He liked so many of the things that he saw.
They had not lost their love. It had not grown weak as it had in Ephesus. Their love for the Lord Jesus seems to have grown. They believed in him. They trusted him completely. They served God and not the local gods. There was progress in this church. They were doing more now than they did before.
Life in Thyatira was difficult for them. But they accepted all the problems and they did not turn from the Lord.
Verse 20 In the church, there was a woman who called herself a prophet. The Lord calls her Jezebel. And the church allowed her to stay and teach.
There had been a queen, also called Jezebel. She was the wife of king Ahab. She was a wicked woman. Because of her, king Ahab of Israel turned from God. He then worshipped and served the false god called Baal (1 Kings 16:31). Jezebel encouraged Ahab to do all kinds of wicked deeds (1 Kings 21:25). She even tried to murder Elijah, who was the prophet of God (1 Kings 19:2). She was responsible for the deaths of many people in Israel (2 Kings 9:7).
The Lord uses the name Jezebel for this wicked woman in Thyatira too. This woman was probably very clever. She was able to convince people that she was right. She said that she had special knowledge from God. She taught the Christians to live as the people in Thyatira did. She said that it was right to join the trade unions. This meant that Christians would join the worship of the false gods. They would eat meals in the temples. They would even think that it was not wrong to have sex with different partners.
Verse 21 In some way, the Lord had shown Jezebel that she was wrong. What she was doing was evil. She knew it. The Lord had been kind to her. He had warned her and he had given her time to change. He desired her to repent of all the wicked things that she had done. But she would not repent.
Verse 22 The Lord would soon punish her. The bed here is a place of illness and pain. She will suffer much for the evil things that she had done.
Verse 23 These are not her children by natural birth. These ‘children’ mean those who accepted Jezebel as their leader. She was like a mother to them. They did not just sin as she sinned. They believed all that she taught. The Lord will cause these people to die.
Verses 24-25 Jezebel argued that Christians should join in the things of the false gods. She probably said that the false gods were not really bad. Therefore, there would be no problem for the Christians. They would know the secret things of Satan. What she taught was false.
Most Christians in Thyatira did not follow Jezebel. The Lord adds no extra tasks on them. They must continue in love and service to God. They must trust the Lord completely.
Verses 26-27 The rewards of the Lord are for those who overcome. They continue to the end. They serve the Lord until death or until Jesus comes.
Jesus will give power to his people when he comes to rule on earth. They will share with Jesus as he rules. They will lead the nations as those who lead sheep. They will be able to encourage the people.
Verse 28 We do not know what the morning star means. But this is a description of Jesus. He is like the bright morning star. The Lord will be with those who overcome.
Verse 29 The Lord tells us to listen to the Spirit. We need to hear what he says to the churches. What he wrote to Thyatira is also for the whole church, and for us now.
Well, this is a complicated church letter.
First of all... Apparently this is another woman named Jezebel??? That makes sense.... People were not all that happy with Ahab and Jezebel. Maybe Jezebel wasn't just the name of one wicked queen... maybe it was a common name.
Next... the problem with the church is complicated. The people of this town had to join a union to have income. I guess if you didn't have letters of reference from the right people you would starve. These unions were made up chiefly of people who did not love the Lord. The worshiped other gods.
If we think for one minute that this problem doesn't exist today... take another second to think this out..... haven't we heard a lot of testimony from women who had to perform sexual acts to keep their jobs.
I have to admit... in most communities around Southern Maryland... the church doesn't have as much influence over the daily lives of the people. There are so many churches... the people are scattered and the sermons would be unique. The church doesn't have a central place in the community anymore either.... people just don't believe... and they don't go to church.
Then there are the "inclusive" churches. These are the modern day churches that encourage people to hire like minded believers. I've been calling the kettle black so I guess I should be honest about the identities of these culprits as well. I found this quote at MormonMatters.org.
The Mormons, it seems, have crossed over. Far from being a persecuted minority, they are now more likely to be defendants in employment discrimination controversies, at least judging by those complaints that have resulted in written opinions (and there is no reason to think these opinions are not representative of all cases.) In these matters, Mormons are not the aggrieved. They have become … The Man.
I can see how being aligned with a Christian Church in the future would become even more dangerous. I wonder... will the churches of the future feed only the hungry who belong to their church... leaving the lost on their own?
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