Study in Revelation 8
Thyatira, The compromising Church: Rev.2: 18-29
We live in a world where people are looking to get their own way and they are willing to sell their souls to get it.
Some are willing to do anything just to get: attention * to be popular or accepted * to get that job they want * to get a promotion, etc.
Can the church be guilty of this?
Thyatira was guilty of this very thing. There were believers there who were compromising what they knew was right for what they wanted.
Thyatira was a frontier town that had no defensible surroundings. The city lay on the road between in a valley between Pergamos and Sardis.
Thyatira was a guild town, known for its business and social guilds, which brought a lot of traders in to the city. Their two main trades were dye and wool and the life of the community revolved around these trade guilds or unions. They would often have what could be described as “trade shows” which involved a meal that would usually be held in the temple area and sacrifices would be made o the gods. The people would most likely just end up in a drunken immoral affair.
Verse 18. The description:
Christ says that His eyes are like flames of fire.
This means that His eyes; are the color of fire flames are coming out from where His eyes should be
He has the ability to see every one of us AND ALL that we do
Christ can see in the dark * behind closed doors * inside parked cars * in offices and houses.
He sees the tongue that tells lies * the hand that steals [make your own list of things He can see]
His feet are like brass. This means He —used too much suntan lotion —He wears some real expensive boots
—when He steps on you, you get stepped on HARD
His judgment is final and His feet will crush those who compromise the truth for a lie
Scripture: Rom. 2: 16 * Jude 14-15 * Rev. 19: 15 * Ps. 96: 13
Verse 19. The Commendation:
Jesus Commended the church for being a working church, a loving church, a church of faith and patience.
The church was active and filled with energetic people who crowded the place BUT.
Verses 20-21. The complaint:
The church was allowing a teacher to teach who compromised with the world and that persons’ name was Jezebel.
Two things we need to look at here:
1. The church was allowing a false prophetess to teach in the church. She was made a prophetess by the authority of œGod œThe City Council œThe church œaccording to verse 20, her own authority.
Verse 20 says the she calls herself a prophetess. She claimed that God had called her and gifted her to teach. And the church said OK.
Just because someone says they are of God doesn’t necessarily mean they are. Just because someone wants to teach, be a deacon doesn’t mean they should.
2. The church was guilty of allowing false teaching, seduction, fornication and idolatry to take place right before their eyes.
a. The church had allowed Jezebel, the false teacher to come in and teach in the church. Her teaching was contrary to Christ and to the Word of God.
b. Jezebel was allowed to seduce the Lord’s servants. She was misleading, not only the servants but the followers as well and the church was letting her get away with it.
c. Jezebel was seducing the believers to commit fornication, which means, all kinds of immoral acts.
She most likely was teaching them that they could never completely separate themselves form the world. If they did they stood the risk of being looked at as exclusive or snobbish.
Another thing would be that the church needed to participate in the functions of those outside the church, in order to be seen as friendly, or to keep their job, get that promotion etc.
She was teaching that the church needed to reach out more into the world, fellowship more with the world and the functions of the world. By doing this the believers were putting themselves in a bad situation.
Many got caught up in the activities of the party and began to have that social drink. Many were caught up in what may have started out as just an innocent flirt, but ended up in a church full of believers participating in drunken orgies.
All this happened because the church set back and did nothing to stop it.
d. Jezebel was seducing the people into committing acts of idolatry. Some of the functions, held by the guilds and unions, were held in the temple areas of the false gods and she was convincing them to attend.
When we put jobs and social acceptance before God we are guilty of compromise.
When we put sinful pleasure in front of God we are guilty of compromise.
When the things of this world become more important than our relationship to God, we are guilty of compromise.
Scripture: Jn. 15: 19 * Acts 2: 40 * Rom. 2: 21-24 * Rom. 12: 2 * 2Cor. 5: 11 * 2Cor. 6: 14 * 2Cor. 6: 17-18 Eph. 5: 11 * 2Th. 3: 6 * 2Tim. 2: 4 * Heb. 11: 24-25 * 1Jn. 2: 15-16
Verses 22-23. The warning:
The warning to those who compromise and are corrupted has five points that we need to examine.
1. There is the warning to Jezebel. She will be thrown upon a bed of sickness. This means that her judgment will match her sin. We all know that unprotected sex with multiple partners can and usually will end up in a battle with any number of diseases. Heavy drinking will cause cirrhosis of the liver and many other illnesses.
Scripture proof: Mt. 7: 2 * Rom. 2: 5-6 * Gal. 6: 7-8
2. The warning was for those who gave in to her and refused to turn to Christ and separate themselves from the world. They would suffer great tribulation. The idea here is that some severe affliction, sickness or distress would be piled on them.
3. There is a warning to the children of Jezebel. Who are the children of Jezebel?
Real children? Those caught up in her false teaching? Whoever they are, we know that the warning is clear, they will be killed. If they die with unrepentant hearts they surely will suffer the second death.
4. There is still time to repent, but time is running out. This means that as long as a person is still breathing there is still time.
Scripture: Acts 3: 19 * Acts 8: 22 * Acts 17: 30 * 2Cnron. 7: 14 * Is. 55: 7 * Ezek. 18: 21
5. There is a reason for Christ judging the church, according to verse 23. He will judge those who compromise so that everyone will see that He is the Christ, He is the Head of the universe. He is the One who searches the minds the thoughts and the hearts of people.
Scripture: Ps. 62:12 * Jer. 17: 10 * Mt. 16: 27 * 2Cor. 5: 10 * 1Pet. 1: 17 * Rev. 20: 12 * Rev. 22: 12
Verses 24-25, The Counsel:
Christ tells those who have refused to give in and compromise, those who have refused to live in the “depths of Satan” to hold fast.
He tells those who refuse to compromise that He will not put any more burden on them.
Is Christ telling us that we should live like hermits?
YES we can go to the grocery store, church and fishing NO!!
We must live in the world but we must live of the world. There are pleasures and sins in the world that we must avoid, but God has created a wonderful place for us to enjoy WITHOUT COMPROMISING OUR FAITH!!!!!!
What Christ wants from us is that we separate ourselves from the things that will harm and destroy our minds, our bodies, and our souls.
Christ tells us to hold on, till He gets here. Don’t give in. No matter how appealing or attractive sin may be.
Scripture: Gal. 5: 16 * Eph. 4: 1 * Eph. 5: 15 * Ph. 3: 16 * 1Th. 5: 21 * Heb. 3: 6 * Heb. 4: 14
Heb. 10: 23 * 1Jn. 2: 6 * Rev. 3: 3
Verses 26-29, The Promise:
Two promises are given to those who don’t give in and who don’t compromise.
1. Vs26 The overcomer is given “power over the nations” There is a day coming when Christ will return and conquer all the forces of evil. Every knee œwill refuse to bend œmight bend œSHALL BEND and there WILL be a confession that Jesus Christ is Lord.
According to verse 26, those who overcome will given a job. Many people aren’t willing to accept Jesus because of there poor concept of Heaven. They believe that for all eternity we will be on our knees with our face in the dirt, worshipping God…
Scripture is very clear that we will be worshipping BUT we will be doing other things.
Scripture proof: Lk. 19: 17 * 1Cor. 6: 2 * Rev. 3: 21 * Ps. 91: 14 * Lk. 22: 28-29 * 2Tim 2: 12 * Rev. 1: 5-6 Rev. 20: 4
2. The overcomer is given the “Morning Star” This Jesus Christ Himself. See Rev. 22:16
If you have ears to hear with you must pay attention. Jesus says to separate from the world. NO COMPROMISE. Jezebel and her teachings have no place in the church and we must no longer allow that kind of nonsense to take hold.
Study in Revelation 8
Thyatira, The compromising Church: Rev.2: 18-29
Verse 18. The description:
Christ says that His eyes are like of .
This means that His eyes; are the color of fire flames are coming out from where His eyes should be
He has the ability to see every one of us AND ALL that we do
Christ can see in the dark * behind doors * inside cars * in and .
He sees the tongue that tells * the hand that [make your own list of things He can see]
His feet are like . This means He —used too much suntan lotion —He wears some real expensive boots
—when He steps on you, you get stepped on HARD
His judgment is final and His feet will crush those who compromise the truth for a lie
Scripture: Rom. 2: 16 * Jude 14-15 * Rev. 19: 15 * Ps. 96: 13
Verse 19. The Commendation:
Jesus Commended the church for being a church, a l church, a church of f and
p .
The church was active and filled with energetic people who crowded the place
BUT.
Verses 20-21. The complaint:
The church was allowing a teacher to teach who compromised with the world and that persons’ name was J___________.
Two things we need to look at here:
1.The church was al a f prophetess to teach in the church. She was made a prophetess by the authority of œGod œThe City Council œThe church œaccording to verse 20, her own authority.
Verse 20 says the she calls herself a prophetess. She claimed that God had called her and gifted her to teach. And the church said OK.
Just because someone says they are of God doesn’t necessarily mean they are. Just because someone wants to teach, be a deacon doesn’t mean they should.
2.The church was guilty of allowing teaching, se , for and I to take place right before their eyes.
a. The church had allowed the false teacher to come in and teach in the church. Her teaching was contrary to Christ and to the Word of God.
b. Jezebel was allowed to the Lord’s servants. She was misleading, not only the servants but the followers as well and the ch was letting her get away with it.
c. Jezebel was seducing the believers to commit f , which means, all kinds of immoral acts.
She most likely was teaching them that they could never completely separate themselves form the world. If they did they stood the risk of being looked at as exclusive or sn .
Another thing would be that the church needed to participate in the functions of those outside the church, in order to be seen as friendly, or to keep their job, get that promotion etc.
She was teaching that the church needed to reach out more into the world, f more with the world and the functions of the world. By doing this the believers were putting themselves in a bad situation.
Many got caught up in the activities of the party and began to have that s drink. Many were caught up in what may have started out as just an innocent flirt, but ended up in a church full of believers participating in drunken orgies.
All this happened because the set back and did nothing to stop it.
d. Jezebel was seducing the people into committing acts of . Some of the functions, held by the guilds and unions, were held in the temple areas of the false gods and she was convincing them to attend.
When we put j and s acceptance before we are guilty of compromise.
When we put si pleasure in front of God we are guilty of compromise.
When the things of this w become more important than our re to God, we are guilty of compromise.
Scripture: Jn. 15: 19 * Acts 2: 40 * Rom. 2: 21-24 * Rom. 12: 2 * 2Cor. 5: 11 * 2Cor. 6: 14 * 2Cor. 6: 17-18 Eph. 5: 11 * 2Th. 3: 6 * 2Tim. 2: 4 * Heb. 11: 24-25 * 1Jn. 2: 15-16
Verses 22-23. The warning:
The warning to those who compromise and are corrupted has five points that we need to examine.
1. There is the warning to J . She will be thrown upon a bed of si s. This means that her judgment will match her sin. We all know that unprotected sex with multiple partners can and usually will end up in a battle with any number of diseases. Heavy drinking will cause cirrhosis of the liver and many other illnesses.
Scripture proof: Mt. 7: 2 * Rom. 2: 5-6 * Gal. 6: 7-8
2. The warning was for those who gave in to her and r to turn to and separate themselves from the world. They would suffer great t . The idea here is that some severe affliction, sickness or distress would be piled on them.
3. There is a warning to the chi of Jezebel. Who are the children of Jezebel?
children? Those caught up in her false t ? Whoever they are, we know that the warning is clear, they will be k . If they die with unrepentant hearts they surely will suffer the second death.
4. There is still time to repent, but time is running out. This means that as long as a person is still breathing there is still t .
Scripture: Acts 3: 19 * Acts 8: 22 * Acts 17: 30 * 2Cnron. 7: 14 * Is. 55: 7 * Ezek. 18: 21
5. There is a reason for Christ judging the church, according to verse 23. He will judge those who compromise so that everyone will see that He is the C , He is the H of the universe. He is the One who searches the the and the of people.
Scripture: Ps. 62:12 * Jer. 17: 10 * Mt. 16: 27 * 2Cor. 5: 10 * 1Pet. 1: 17 * Rev. 20: 12 * Rev. 22: 12
Verses 24-25, The Counsel:
Christ tells those who have refused to give in and compromise, those who have refused to live in the “depths of Satan” to h t.
He tells those who refuse to compromise that He will not put any more b on them.
Is Christ telling us that we should live like hermits?
YES we can go to the grocery store, church and fishing NO!!
We must live in the world but we must live the world. There are pleasures and sins in the world that we must avoid, but God has created a wonderful place for us to enjoy WITHOUT COMPROMISING OUR FAITH!!!!!!
What Christ wants from us is that we separate ourselves from the things that will harm and destroy our m , our b , and our s .
Christ tells us to hold on, till He gets here. Don’t give in. No matter how appealing or attractive sin may be.
Scripture: Gal. 5: 16 * Eph. 4: 1 * Eph. 5: 15 * Ph. 3: 16 * 1Th. 5: 21 * Heb. 3: 6 * Heb. 4: 14
Heb. 10: 23 * 1Jn. 2: 6 * Rev. 3: 3
Verses 26-29, The Promise:
Two promises are given to those who don’t give in and who don’t compromise.
1. Vs26 The overcomer is given “p over the n ” There is a day coming when Christ will return and c all the forces of evil. knee œwill refuse to bend œmight bend œSHALL BEND and there
W be a confession that J Christ is .
According to verse 26, those who overcome will be given a job. Many people aren’t willing to accept Jesus because of their poor concept of Heaven. They believe that for all eternity we will be on our knees with our face in the dirt, worshipping God…
Scripture is very clear that we will be worshipping BUT we will be doing other things.
Scripture proof: Lk. 19: 17 * 1Cor. 6: 2 * Rev. 3: 21 * Ps. 91: 14 * Lk. 22: 28-29 * 2Tim 2: 12 * Rev. 1: 5-6 Rev. 20: 4
2.The overcomer is given the “M Star” This is J C Himself. See Rev. 22:16
If you have ears to hear with, you must pay attention. Jesus says to separate from the world. NO COMPROMISE. Jezebel and her teachings have no place in the church and we must no longer allow that kind of nonsense to take hold.
