16. The Kingdom Parables – The Fourth – The Leaven – Part 3 Series

16. THE KINGDOM PARABLES – THE FOURTH – THE LEAVEN – Part 3

NOW WHERE IS THIS PARABLE LEADING US?

We have seen in the first three parables of the kingdom that each parable associates itself with one of the churches of Asia Minor to whom John wrote, and also, that each parable associates with a period of church history, and it is all in order.

The Sower matches the church at Ephesus and the Apostolic period of history. The Wheat and Tares matches the church at Smyrna and the period of the great persecutions. It represents the period of church history from near the end of the Apostolic period until Constantine in A.D. 312. The Mustard Seed represents the church at Pergamum and the period of church history from 312 A.D. until the Roman Catholic Church became a definite identity. The Pergamum church grew up into the church at Thyatira. We did all that previously. Now for the church and historic period that represents the leaven.

[A]. THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA

As we have seen in all these churches the names are so significant to the Church History period. And each one is in order as well. It could not work if the order was not there. Thyatira follows Pergamum, which meant “married twice”, when the church got married to the world with Constantine and adopted Babylonian paganism. Wickedness entered the Church.

Thyatira is when Pergamum matured as the leaven did its work, and spawned something really terrible. Before we look into that church from Revelation it is important to know the meaning of the word. THYATIRA MEANS "PERPETUAL SACRIFICE," OR “CONTINUING SACRIFICE.” Some say it includes also "sweet perfume of sacrifice," and as we look into the period of church history later on, we will see how significant that is.

The letter to Thyatira was written by John under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and is the longest of the letters to the seven churches. The church had sunk very low and of course represents the period of church history where everything was evil and “low” in honouring God. In fact, God was not honoured.

[1]. JUDGEMENT OF AN UNHAPPY GOD. {{Revelation 2:18-19 To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has EYES LIKE A FLAME OF FIRE, and HIS FEET ARE LIKE BURNISHED BRONZE, says this: “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.”}}

The very first thing God says to this church relates to judgement. Flame of fire and gleaming bronze are both symbols of judgement and used in Revelation 1 and 20. They are also consistent with the Old Testament types. This church had a lot of evil in it even though some there were faithful. It is the faithful ones who are addressed in verse 19. There is a lot of evil in that system that church represents.

[2]. JEZEBEL AND PAGAN WICKEDNESS IN THE CHURCH. {{Revelation 2:20 “But I have this against you, that you tolerate THE WOMAN JEZEBEL who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols,

Revelation 2:21 and I gave her time to repent and SHE DOES NOT WANT TO REPENT of her immorality.

Revelation 2:22 Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her, INTO GREAT TRIBULATION unless they repent of her deeds,”}}

This is a serious matter. The focus is on Jezebel. Jezebel is not a literal woman in the church in Thyatria, one but stands for the old system of the Jezebel of old. Supposedly, Jezebel is the most wicked person (woman) in the bible; the most wicked not being in the bible; that is Semiramus. Both Semiramus and Jezebel held to the pagan anti-God Babylonian system.

This evil Babylonian system of religion was in the Thyatira church. Shortly we will look at this church in the history of the last 2000 years but it represents the growth of Babylonian paganism in the church and is expressed in the growth of the church of the Middle Ages and Medieval times.

In verses 21 and 22 God speaks about this church, and the pagan immorality of religion did not stop. There was no repentance and it continued RIGHT TO THE PRESENT, and this church will go into the Tribulation. We look at that later on. One serious trouble with this church is that the people there were tolerant of the paganism that was this church. It was an idolatrous church.

[3]. WAGES ARE PAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEEDS. {{Revelation 2:23 “and I will kill her children with pestilence and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts, and I WILL GIVE TO EACH ONE OF YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR DEEDS”}}