151025 Judgement, Encouragement and Promise

Revelation 2:18-29 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. ¹⁹ “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. ²⁰ But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. ²¹ I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. ²² Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, ²³ and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. ²⁴ But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. ²⁵ Only hold fast what you have until I come. ²⁶ The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, ²⁷ and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. ²⁸ And I will give him the morning star. ²⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

We come today to the letter written to the church in Thyatira. Of course, it is attached to the book of Revelation. So far Jesus has promised that the overcomer, or conqueror, will have access to the tree of life in the paradise of God; protection from the second death; some of the hidden manna and a new name; now let’s see what this fourth letter promises us. But, first we have to look at the judgment and the encouragement given to those believers.

In the very beginning of the letter Jesus identifies himself as the Son of God. In searching the New Testament I find that only one other time did Jesus use these exact words to identify himself. Others often use the term “Son of God” to identify Jesus. After his resurrection he is commonly referred to with that title. Some people today claim that Jesus never said he was God’s one and only son. In the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 36 Jesus said, “I said, ‘I am the Son of God’”. Having established his credentials the church in Thyatira is reminded that…

Jesus knows their works. And ours. In point of fact, God has always been “all-knowing” or omniscient. David was overwhelmed by his understanding of God’s knowledge of him. Turn with me to Psalm 139:1-6. O Lord, you have searched me and known me! ² You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. ³ You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. ⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. ⁵ You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Five times in these introductory letters Jesus assures the churches that he knows their works. Never, ever think that God does not know and see what we do. For the church in Thyatira God knew their love and faith as well as their service and patient endurance. These are all qualities that each congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ needs to have cultivated. Love, faith, service, all indicate an active church seeking to reach the lost and grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. They had to do that with patient endurance. Our lives are improved immensely as we practice patience. We can do so because we trust God to meet all of our needs. Not only did Jesus know their works…

He observed their progress. Their latter works exceeded their earlier works. Jesus had noted that the church in Ephesus had abandoned their first love. The church in Sardis would be warned that Jesus did not find their works complete in the sight of God. The church in Philadelphia is commended for keeping his word and that they have not denied his name. The church in Laodicea, on the other hand, had works that were lukewarm — neither cold nor hot — and were in danger of being rejected. The church in Thyatia was growing in grace and the knowledge of the Lord…

But! They were tolerating unrepentant evil. Throughout Revelation there is a theme of a lack of repentance. Listen while I read Revelation 9:20-21. The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, ²¹ nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

We will see as we get into the book of Revelation that God’s wrath will be poured out in many different ways. The outpouring of God’s wrath is really a blessing not a curse. The goal of all God’s actions toward mankind is to lead mankind to repentance. Whether it be an act of kindness by God, or allowing plagues, storms, wars, famine or breakdown in society. All are designed to bring an end to sinful behavior and an awareness of God in the lives of people. In the church in Thyatira there was a toleration of evil in the form of a woman who claimed to be a prophetess. She was teaching sexual immorality and idol worship. The woman is characterized as Jezebel. We know that Jezebel in the Old Testament was the wife of King Ahab. As such she enticed him to all kinds of wrong doing. The kind of idolI worship that she engaged in was focused on sexuality. Baal worship involved priestesses who were religious prostitutes. The Jezebel of the Old Testament had a godly man murdered just so she could give his vineyard to Ahab, her husband. In the church of Thyatira the woman Jezebel was given time to repent. But she, like so many others, refused God’s gracious offer. As a result…

The evil one and her crew will pay the price! Jesus had promised during his ministry. Listen while I read Matthew 16:27. For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

A large part of the second coming of Christ involves judgment. God the Father has fixed a day on which he will judge the world by Jesus Christ. Along the way, God will judge individuals while they are living. That judgment will not put aside the coming judgment after death. It is a matter of bad consequences for evil conduct. When Christ comes again we will all appear before the judgment seat. I am grateful that God has provided for us redemption. If we confess our sins now, while we’re living, John tells us that God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Our God, who knows everything, chooses not to remember our sin that is covered by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ His Son. (Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34)

Not everyone in Thyatira had followed after this evil woman. So for those who had kept themselves clean and refused Jezebel’s temptations…

They can be encouraged. Hold fast. We have a responsibility also. Listen to Paul’s words to the Ephesians in Ephesians 6:10-12. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Each of us have the responsibility to choose to be strong in the Lord. It’s not our strength that keeps us from evil it is his strength! In reality our battle is against spiritual forces rather than people. The only way we can stand against the schemes of the devil is to draw near to God. Then, and only then, are we promised that he will draw near to us. As a result we can then resist the devil and he will flee from us. We are to hold fast until Jesus comes.

I believe there are two ways that Jesus will come. First, he comes to our aid when we are in need. He comes to take care of us not to physically stay with us. The other way is at his second coming at the end of the age! Just as he ascended into the air in the clouds he will descend to earth. He will bring with him hosts of angels as well as those who have gone on before in death. (1 Thessalonians 4:14) He will return to conquer and rule. Everyone who is alive, at that time believing in him, will be a conqueror. In his strength not ours — we conquer! And he has given us a promise…

The conqueror will rule with Christ. Psalm 2:7-8 This passage speaks of Christ but also of our role in taking the world for Jesus’ heritage. Listen to what was written hundreds of years before Christ was born. I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. ⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

Jesus says that he will give the conqueror authority over the nations. That must be speaking of a time when Jesus takes control and rules the world. Along the way, we have the responsibility to follow the footsteps of those who’ve gone before bringing the nations under Christ’s rule. Our enemy, Satan, expends a great deal of energy trying to stop the spread of the gospel around the world. Beginning on the day of Jesus’ ascension into heaven and continuing throughout history we have stood, like his apostles, gazing into heaven rather than going to all the world. There are many different ways that we avoid carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth. I have often heard the Book of Acts referred to as the record of the spread of the gospel. I have come to see that is not the case at all. The Book of Acts is a record of the hesitation of the Christians to carry the gospel to all the world. God the Father promised to give the Son the nations as his heritage. The Son of God issued to us what is called the great commission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) As we read through the Book of Acts we see them not going and not making disciples! God had to send persecution against them to get them to move and then the Apostles remained in Jerusalem while the people went out preaching the word. When they did have good results in winning people to Christ the Apostles sent committees to see if they were doing it right. Finally, at the right time and in the right place, Saul of Tarsus was struck down on the road to Damascus and commanded to take up the cause and carry the gospel to the Gentiles.

The conquerors are promised that they will join with Christ in ruling the nations. And then finally Jesus says they will…

Have the morning star. We need to look towards the end of Revelation to get a grasp on what this means. Turn to Revelation 22:16. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Here, as the visions come to an end Jesus identifies himself as the “bright morning star”. He promises those who conquer they will have him!

I was once asked where heaven is. My reply was simple, “heaven is where Jesus is”. I discovered recently — this week in fact — someone had written a hymn about it. In 1898 Charles Butler wrote these words:

Entitled, Where Jesus Is, ‘tis Heaven

Since Christ my soul from sin set free, This world has been a Heav’n to me;
And ’mid earth’s sorrows and its woe, ’Tis Heav’n my Jesus here to know.

Refrain

O hallelujah, yes, ’tis Heav’n, ’Tis Heav’n to know my sins forgiv’n,
On land or sea, what matters where? Where Jesus is, ’tis Heaven there.

Once Heaven seemed a far off place, Till Jesus showed His smiling face;
Now it’s begun within my soul, ’Twill last while endless ages roll.

Refrain

What matters where on earth we dwell? On mountain top, or in the dell,
In cottage, or a mansion fair, Where Jesus is, ’tis Heaven there.

Yes, we are given the morning star and that star is Jesus himself! Wherever he is will always be heaven for me.

This first century church had the same kind of problems we have today. It may be a little more intense today because we have the Internet, radio and television to spread the false teachings that are so common in the world today. Remember, the false teachers will finally and surely be struck by the Lord. They will suffer and die physically as well as, very likely, be overtaken by the second death which is hell! For those who love him Jesus will be with them to the very end. Have you given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Today can be your day of salvation.

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.