fREVISED                 

REVELATIONS. Commentary by Mr K Gerner.BA

      AUDIO VISUAL MINISTRIES, 152 High St, HOLYWOOD, Co Down.BT18 9HT, NI

                  GIVEN MESSAGES TO THE CHURCHES. Lesson No. 5

                        Message to Church at THYATIRA.

                         Revelation Chapter 2. v.18 to ­ 29

1. PICTURE OF THE LORD JESUS

REV 2:18 NIV "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.

(a) COMPARISON

   The point of this picture was that APOLLO was the chief heathen god worshipped in this city, which was famous for its dyeing industry (Lydia, Paul's first convert at Philippi was connected with this industry and this made some contact here.

ACT 16:14 NIV One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.15 When she and the members of her household were baptised, she invited us to her home.)

   In this island city about 40 miles SE of Pergamos, APOL­LOS was worshipped as CHIEF MESSENGER OF THE GODS ­...hence the strong emphasis on the FEET of the Lord Jesus, who brought the real message from Heaven

(b) CHARISMATIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD

   The reference to the EYES of the Lord shows that He knows what we are  like inside, and will allow trials or Satan to expose it

REV 2:23 NIV 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.

2CH 16:9 NIV For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to  strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war." (HANANI the Seer, rebuked ASA (King of Judah) for relying on the King of Syria and not the Lord)

(i) THE LORD EVEN KNEW JOB BETTER THAN SATAN OR HE KNEW HIMSELF, and declared him perfect, which appeared to be so in the trial that followed.

JOB 1:8 NIV Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you consid­ered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

GOD'S KNOWLEDGE WAS SHOWN TO SATAN EVEN BEFORE THE TRIALS REVEALED HIS WORTH, and HIS SUPERIOR OBEDIENCE TO THE DEVIL WHO FELL.

JOB 2:3 NIV Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you consid­ered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

JOB 2:10 NIV He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

(ii) JESUS KNEW PETER AND BROUGHT HIM THROUGH THIS TRIAL OF SATAN

LUK 22:31 NIV "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have  turned back, strengthen your brothers."33 But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."34 Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." CHRIST PRAYED HIM THROUGH THIS TRIAL WHICH WAS ALLOWED TO SHOW PETER HIS NEED OF RELIANCE UPON PRAYER AND THE POWER OF THE LORD

(iii) DO WE REALISE GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING AND ACT ACCORDINGLY ?

2.PRAISE OF THE LORD JESUS

REV 2:19 NIV I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

We have already seen the IMPORTANCE OF WORKS from Ephesians 2 v 8 and v 10.The Lord now goes on to praise their :­

(a) LOVE (Agape)

(i) This is MOST IMPORTANT in the sight of God.

(ii) CHRISTIAN LOVE is NOT:

(1) Mere impulse of the feelings

(2) Run along the lines of NATURAL INCLINATIONS

(3) Available ONLY to those who RECIPROCATE IT

(iii) Christian love SEEKS THE WELFARE OF ALL

ROM 15:2 NIV Each of us should please his neighbour for his good, to build him up.

IT DOES NOT WORK ILL TO ANYONE

ROM 13:8 NIV Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

IN FACT IT SEEKS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO GOOD TO ALL, ESPE­CIALLY GOD'S HOUSEHOLD.;

GAL 6:10 NIV Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

(iv) It is DESCRIBED IN DETAIL IN 1 CORINTHIANS 13 AND

COL 3:12 NIV Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

(v) GOD'S LOVE IS SHOWN BY ITS ACTIONS IN

THE GIVING OF HIS SON, THE LORD JESUS

1JO 4:9 NIV This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

GAL 5:22 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

SIMILARLY OUR ACTIONS SHOW OUR REAL LOVE

(b) FAITH

REAL FAITH IS ALSO SEEN BEST IN OUR ACTIONS (cf James 2:20 to 26)

GK "Pistis" is not here used in the sense of FAITHFULNESS, but probably generally of their high level of being able to believe God as they love Him.

GAL 5:6 NIV For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

WHAT SORT OF FAITH IS SHOW BY OUR ACTIONS ?

(c) SERVICE

This is linked with the first two virtues and contains the key idea of being a BLESSING TO OTHERS. THIS SHOULD BE OUR AIM, RATHER THAN POSITION IN THE KINGDOM

LUK 22:26 NIV .. the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

JOH 12:26 NIV Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.

GAL 5:13 NIV You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your  freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love.

 REV 22:3 NIV No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

(d) PATIENT ENDURANCE

This may be through tribulation or simply as an extension of the last thought of simply continuing to do good.

ROM 2:7 NIV To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life.

DO WE CONTINUE WHAT WE HAVE BEGUN FOR GOD ?

(e) INCREASE IN THE LATTER WORKS

This the opposite virtue to the failing of the EPHESIAN CHURCH (Rev.2:5) and shows that God EXPECTS US ALWAYS TO BE MAKING PROGRESS, increasing as we go forward. (Williams translates"You are now working harder than you did at first")

3.POINTS OF CORRECTION

(a) TOLERATION OF JEZEBEL

REV 2:20 NIV Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immor­ality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

False prophetess teaching & practising immorality. Though many of the Church had not participated in her sins, they were guilty of allowing her to continue and the Lord shocks the Church by naming her after Ahab's wicked wife, who killed God's prophets.

1KI 18:13 NIV Haven't you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord?

WOMEN WHO ENCOURAGE IMMORALITY AND GOSSIP ABOUT GOD'S PROPH­ETS, NEED TO BE WATCHED TODAY

(i) BACKGROUND HISTORY    Wife of King AHAB of Samaria.

Jezebel was daughter of ETHBAAL,King of Sidonians, who taught BAAL WORSHIP 1KI 16:30 NIV Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.

1KI 16:31 NIV He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria.33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.

(ii) BATTLE WITH ELIJAH on Mt Carmel, led to victory for God

1KI 18:22 NIV Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the Lord's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.

1KI 18:40 NIV Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the proph­ets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

GOD DEMANDS TOTAL DEALING WITH EVIL IN THE CHURCH TODAY

(iii) Men can be influenced for evil by their wives.

1KI 21:25 NIV (There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.

1KI 21:26 NIV He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.) ISRAEL WAS WARNED NOT TO DO THIS WHEN THEY CONQUERED CAANAN

(iv) Such people come to really heavy judgement by God

2KI 9:33 NIV "Throw her down!" Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.34 Jehu went in and ate and drank. "Take care of that cursed woman" he said, "and bury her, for she was a king's daughter."35 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands.36 They went back and told Jehu, who said, "This is the word of the Lord at he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground  Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh. 37 Jeze­bel's body will be like refuse on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, 'This is Jeze­bel.'

v Dot not allow sin in the Church or trade on the Grace of God to allow sin

God's long-suffering should not be mistaken for WEAKNESS, as this will only bring down more severe judgement

ROM 2:3 NIV So when you, a mere man, pass judgement on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgement?4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realising that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are stor­ing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgement will be revealed.

HEB 10:26 NIV If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,27 but only a fearful expectation of judgement and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?30 For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

THE LORD JESUS had seen this sin and would crush it in such a way that all would know this was the judgement of God

REV 2:23 NIV 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.

(b) TEACHING TO PRACTICE IMMORALITY

REV 2:20 NIV Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immor­ality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

IMPORTANT TO GIVE GOOD AND CLEAR TEACHING ON THIS SUBJECT

(i) Lord seems to smite with sickness, those guilty of sin (AIDS ?)

REV 2:22 NIV 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.

(1) ONLY REPENTANCE AND A GODLY LIFE WILL GUARENTEE HEALTH

PSA 41:3 NIV The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.

(2) THERE WILL ALSO BE SUFFERING FOR THE CHILDREN

AHAB'S 70 CHILDREN WERE ALL KILLED BY THE ELDERS OF THE CITIES WHERE THEY WERE LIVING AT A LETTER SENT OUT BY JEHU THREATENING TO ATTACK THEM IF THEY DID NOT.(2 Kings 10:1 to 5)

4.PROMISES TO OVERCOMERS

(a) Freedom from heavy rules

REV 2:24 NIV 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):

(i) SATANISM FALSELY BOASTS OF GREAT DEPTH

Real depth is only found in God

(ii) This word from the Lord refers to EASY RULING OF COUN­CIL OF JERUSALEM

ACT 15:28 NIV It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following re­quirements:29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

THESE ARE THE PRECISE REQUIREMENTS JESUS IS NOW GIVING THEM BY THE SPIRIT, WHICH WERE CHALLENGED BY JEZEBEL TEACHING

LIVING IN HOLINESS MEANS A MINIMUM OF LAWS

(ii) FAST HOLD on what you already have achieved

REV 2:25 NIV Only hold on to what you have until I come. THIS IA AORIST OF DEFINITE ACTION HERE IN NOT LETTING GO BUT HOLDING FAST

HEB 3:6 NIV But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

(iii) Future power over the nations

Saints who overcome will have power to rule the nations and act as Kings and priests with Christ

REV 1:6 NIV and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father;to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

REV 5:10 NIV You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

All RESISTANCE AGAINST THEM WILL BE CRUSHED and they will ENJOY THE PROMISES MADE TO CHRIST BY THE FATHER.

Ours will be this glorious fellowship with the King of Kings, if we are faithful

EARTH'S TRANSITORY GLORY (now held by Satan) WILL BE RE­PLACED BY HEAVEN'S PERMANENT POWER. DO WE LIVE FOR THIS PROMISE ?

DAN 7:14 NIV He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language wor­shipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

1CO 6:2 NIV Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not compe­tent to judge trivial cases?

DAN 12:3 NIV Those who are wise will shine like the bright­ness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteous­ness, like the stars for ever and ever.

ROM 8:18 NIV I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

2CO 4:17 NIV For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.