The Church facing the Judgment of God
Revelation 2:18-29
This letter and the next three speak of the Second Coming of Christ in a way not mentioned in the first three letters. This may show that the conditions pictured in Thyatria, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea will continue till Christ comes. That means that maybe the conditions in the first three are passed.
There is no permanent political solution to the crises of today. Our congress and 99 percent of the news media ignore the fraudulent election. And until that deceit is challenged, talked about, and fixed our government lacks creditability. The election in two years and four years matters not if the fraud committed in the guise of politic is allowed to stand where the will of the people was stolen and the duly elected President is not in office. And I do not see a leader in our current mix who will stand.
Our current leaders have no idea of how to govern or which way to turn. They have forsaken the truth, and right: Isa_59:14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Equity = uprightness. Things are not going to get better if you have any spiritual insight. Isa 59:15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
There will be one coming on the scene who offers solutions and he will speak great swelling words, the antichrist and with him will be the false prophet who will require worship of the antichrist. And we are just one small step from this coming tribulation period.
But now Christ is speaking to the Church: 1:14 "°and his eyes were as a flame of fire; Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. Symbols of Judgment. This speaks of penetrating wisdom and justice, Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; This picture of Christ is drawn from, Daniel 10:6, His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works;°.." There are no absences of devotion and faith in this church. I think because of chastisement they repented and their work was already turned around, 2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
[1]The eyes that see and the feet that judge do not overlook what may be praised in the Church, [Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.] That reminds us Jesus knows and sees all.,
Some background information about Thyatria: Lydia was a merchant from Thyatira, Acts 16:14-15, And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. Act 16:15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
She worshipped God and therefore heard the Preacher/Teacher, Paul. i.e. which worshipped God
"°heard us°"= She was listening
The LORD opened her heart, whose heart the Lord opened,
She was obedient to the message, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. "Attended" = She paid attention
But in this church, they had a woman, Jezebel who called herself a prophetess and a lot of difference between her and Lydia, Verse 20 and 21 is a warning to this particular person and to those who had follow her teaching in the church.
"[2] Her name may not have been Jezebel but her character was taken from O.T character of the wife of Ahab., 1 Kings 16:29-33. The charge against the church is that they "allow" the influence of this Jezebel. The word means "to permit, to tolerate, on an ongoing basis." This Jezebel falsely claimed the role of a prophetess, but her teachings were contrary to biblical truth. She taught a compromise of idolatry and sexual immorality. The "fornication" that is mentioned here may have been the spiritual adultery of doctrines of demons (v. 24, But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 1 Tim. 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; } Tolerance of false teaching opens the door to self-destructive conduct.
The doctrine in this church taught by the woman called Jezebel was that you have complete freedom and your life, actions, does not matter as a believer. But it does matter, [ seeRomans 12:1-2]
To do business in the temples you had to be a member of the guild, a business organization. In the course of business, they would have a common meal dedicated to a pagan idol. And in these temples, there was the matter of temple prostitutes. [3]Their participation in this atmosphere was okayed by her teaching. The powerful trade guilds in this city would have made it very difficult for any Christian to earn a living without belonging to a guild. But membership involved attendance at guild banquets, and this, in turn, meant eating meat that had first been sacrificed to an idol. What was the Christian to do? If he did not conform he was out of a job. Jezebel reasoned that an idol was of no consequence (cf. 1 Cor. 8:4), and advised Christians to eat such meals. That these meals all too readily degenerated into sexual looseness made matters worse. But we can understand that some Christians would welcome a heresy of this kind. It enabled them to maintain a Christian profession.
The Bible is plain about the role of women in the Church, The Body of Christ, 1Ti_2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 1Ti 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 1Ti 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. "Sobriety" has a meaning of self-control. All women have the instinct of Motherhood even if they have no children. A woman who continues in faith and charity with self-control is freed from the stain [in human thinking ] of Eve's rebellion. She is perceived as a godly woman in whatever her vocation. So the word "saved" does not mean saved from eternal damnation but saved in your daily life.
2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Timothy was a grown man and had long since been born again and it is the Word of God and your daily walk with Christ that gives you daily victory.
He specifically singles out her, And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. A warning to this particular person and to those who had follow her teaching. Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
He always gives Grace and an opportunity to repent. The depth of satan? It is his teaching that revolves around man becoming god similar to the lie he told Adam and Eve.
Even when Judgment was falling, He was saying except they repent. She refused to repent of the false teaching, and her followers were to repent from following her teaching. If not her followers would suffer a terrible death. "°°.and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."
The Lord will search the motivation of individuals and His reward is with Him.
1. Jesus is the One you must believe on as your Saviour and be loyal to, (Rom. 12:1–2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ).
2.We must give attention to the accurate teaching of God's Word, lest we drift away from it (Heb. 2:1–4 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do Not Grow Weary
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.).
3. Our greatest failure is indifference to God. (Eph. 4:17–19 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Eph 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. ). The great hallmark of worldliness is not so much its sinfulness, but rather its indifference to God.
4. The way of repentance is open to us, 1 John 1:9-2:2, (Luke 15:17–24 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! Luk 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, Luk 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. Luk 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Luk 15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Luk 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: Luk 15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: Luk 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ).
Salvation comes by Believing: The following are verses from the greatest sermon ever preached and it is by Jesus to Nicodemus
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Joh 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Joh 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Joh 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
Joh 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
From these verses, you know that you are Born from Above when you believe on Christ for His promise of everlasting life. Also, you know it is the Holy Spirit that brings you to Christ.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. What is that seed that remains? It is something implanted by God. James 1: Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. I think that is more than His Word that has been implanted in you. It is something He gave you, Eternal Life and He is the Eternal One. So to speak, that seed is His Divine Gift, Born from above a new life, His Life, implanted in you. That new life does not sin. It cannot. Sin comes from the flesh it is your spirit that is born again by His Spirit.
His divine expectation for you is to be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. I think that is why He is always dealing, drawing. Much like the Ninety and nine, the Lost coin, His son who was lost [they all were own by the owner] [Luke 15]. That is why the JSOC is a time to prepare for, in which we give an account for our life lived in the flesh. Now is the time to return home, confess our sin, and receive His forgiveness.
"[4]If you study the Lord's evangelistic messages in John's Gospel, you will see that He never gives an invitation to believe. He simply states that whoever believes in Him will never perish but has everlasting life. The apostles say that same thing.
When we evangelize, we are in the truth-telling business. We are not selling anything. We are not seeking for people to pray a prayer, walk an aisle, make a commitment, or be baptized. We are simply telling them that the Lord Jesus guarantees everlasting life to all who believe in Him for it. "
That means you know you are saved. If He promised you life, then you have what He promised you. Or, you do not believe Him for His Promise of Life. Do you know you have eternal life? He promised it to you! Why not believe Him for it? Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Jesus removed the sin barrier so that we can have everlasting life simply by believing in Him. If He had not died in our place and risen from the dead, then faith in Him would be worthless (1 Cor 15:19).
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