Thursday through Sunday morning we will have several children and adults at Camp Baldwin. Please pray for Pastor Josh and Cody and the leaders as they direct the activities for our students. The theme is “Know Him!” Pray that students will come to Know Him – some for the first time and others to Know Him even better than before.
The message to the church at Thyatira is the longest of the seven. The city was not known as a leading city and did not house notable temples to the pagan gods. It was the smallest of the seven cities. Thyatira was known as a producer of fabric and expensive purple dye. The city was also known for influential trade guilds (unions) that represented the interests of skilled workers. Each guild did have its own patron god they were loyal to. Acts 16 tells of Paul’s first convert in Philippi after the Macedonian call. That convert was Lydia of Thyatira, the seller of purple.
Like most of the other letters, Jesus begins with a commendation, but ends with the need for correction. It is possible that Lydia or some of her family returned to Thyatira and were instrumental in founding the church.
Verses 18-19 Again, Jesus describes Himself with powerful imagery. The eyes of fire emphasize His ability to see through the surface and perceive all that was happening with the people, even though some were attempting to hide from Him. The feet of bronze speak of strength and power. The craftsmen of the town would know that bronze is an alloy of copper and tin and is stronger than either metal alone. Christ speaks from a position of ultimate majesty and power.
Their positive characteristics are certainly commendable. He begins with the key and foundational characteristic of love. Love must be present for the other works to matter. In addition to love, the church was faithful. Faith is granted by God and allows us to trust in God to provide for our needs and to believe on Him for our salvation. Jesus next recognizes the church body for their service to the Kingdom. Their love and faith compelled them to do selfless good deeds for fellow believers and others. The last positive He compliments them for is perseverance. In the New Testament we read of our lives in terms of running a race or completing the course in order to win the crown. The church had continued to fight the good fight in the face of difficulties. Their faithful acts of service continued to grow as time went by.
Verses 20-23 I don’t believe I would want to be affiliated with Jezebel in any way. Another Jezebel, the wife of wicked King Ahab, is known to us from the Old Testament. She met her end in 2 Kings 9:30-37 when she was thrown from a high window and trampled by horses until all that was left were her hands, feet, and skull. This prophetess Jezebel led many astray (like we saw in Pergamum) to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit various acts of sexual immorality. We see, however, she was given the opportunity to answer a call to repentance which she ignored. Repentance has been defined as “a change of mind that leads to a change of heart.” She, given the option, chose to pursue sin and spread lies. Those who followed her and acted with her in sin were also given the opportunity to change their ways. God is merciful, but a sinful lifestyle is not without consequences. The church knew about her deeds but did nothing to stop her. God’s punishment would send a strong warning to other churches to keep their houses in order.
Verses 24-29 After the pronouncement of punishment, God gives hope and encouragement to the faithful. He first says He will not put anymore burden upon them. I picture the words of Isaiah 41:10 that God does not want them to be fearful or dismayed because He will continually uphold the faithful with His “righteous right hand.” In verse 26 we read the promise that those who remain faithful (the overcomers) will rule with Christ. (See Revelation 20:6.) This is a sharp contrast to the fate of Jezebel and her followers. The image of the iron scepter (from Psalm 2:9) is a departure from what we typically think of the gentle shepherd. The shepherd tended to and nurtured the sheep, but he also had to protect them from predators. Protection from an adversary sometimes requires a display of force and strength from the shepherd. Likewise, Christ will crush the enemies of His kingdom who would bring harm to His people.
The authority given to Christ will be shared with the overcomers. Romans 8:17-18 reminds us that we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. We share in His sufferings now, but we are promised that we will also share in His unmatched glory that is yet to be revealed. Part of His promise is to present the church of Thyatira the morning star. There is not consensus on the meaning of morning star. Jesus Himself is referenced as the Morning Star in Revelation 22:16. The morning star is also thought by some to reference the planet Venus, that appears most brightly in the early morning sky before the sunrise. At least this is a symbol of God’s provision of hope for the overcomers. Christ is the victorious One. After this period of darkness and persecution, He provides the promise of eternal life that nothing we know can compare with.
Recalling our lesson truth: “Purity in all things impacts your service for Christ” leads us to pose the question. How am I doing in my life and heart when it comes to the issue of purity? Maintaining purity was difficult for the churches of Revelation and is certainly difficult today. Our personal and corporate commitment to holiness (or lack of commitment) does impact our service for Christ.
I’ll close with two verses to help align our hearts with God’s heart. The first from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” The second is from King David in Psalm 24:3-6, “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.”
