Revelation, and God’s Church Revelation 2:18-29, 3:1-6
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. 24 “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— 27 ‘ He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ as I also have received 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.”’
1“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum and, Tonight Thyatira and maybe Sardis. For all of these churches, there’s special eternal blessings for overcoming.
Revelation 2:18NLT “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze:
Thyatira is between Pergamos and Sardis. Its been under Roman rule for over 3 centuries. Thyatira was destroyed several times because it had no way of natural defense.
Remember Lydia, she came from Thyatira on business and was converted under Paul’s ministry.
Acts 16:14-16NLT One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.
Revelation 2:19NLT “I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.
19b, He sees your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance.
Jesus said these same words over the church of Ephesus. (He knows.)
Revelation 2:20-22NLT “But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality. 22 “Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds.
Verse 20b says, You are permitting...(Meaning they knew) The church can’t afford to close her eyes to any sin!
Jezebel- properly a fictitious name for a woman who influenced the church in the way Jezebel influenced the OT Jews. (Elijah)
1. A bad Spirit
Control
Intimidation
4. Female origin (Sex appeal)
Verse 22, say’s she will be thrown into a sick bed... She used nice (Lush) beds to commit her immorality.
Revelation 2:23NLT I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.
Those who go by the way of Jezebel will live under a generational curse.
Psalm 7:8-10NLT The Lord judges the nations. Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High! 9 End the evil of those who are wicked, and defend the righteous. For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God. 10 God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. ( The blood of Jesus.)
Revelation 2:24-25NLT “But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them—depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you 25 except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come.
Deeper truths: If a person becomes elevated higher than Christ run, or leaves Jesus’ teaching be aware!
Verse 25...Hold tightly- to faith! Don’t let go, and refuse compromise.
Revelation 2:26-27NLT To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. 27 They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.
During the millennial kingdom Christ will protect His own from all enemies with an iron rod! (God’s Mighty!)
Revelation 2:28NLT They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!
2 Peter 1:18-20NLT We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding,
Christ is the bright and Morning Star; however, soon every believer will obtain Him in His fullness.
Revelation 2:29NLT “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
God can and will anoint you with Spiritual ears, so you may hear Him.
Revelation 3: 1NLT “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:
“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.
Sardis was known by its harvesting wool, dying it and making garments from it. The church of Sardis was dead basically being filled with unredeemed people.
Revelation 3:1b...This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:
Sevenfold Spirit is a reference to Isaiah’s prophesy concerning the 7-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 11: 2NLT And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. (One thing is for sure, John is referring to the fulness of the Spirit.)
Revelation 3:2NLT Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.
James 2:14-17NLT What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Faith can be seen by others; faith is filled with action!
Revelation 3:3NLT Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
Repentance is the only remedy!
Revelation 3:3c... I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
A robber usually pounders; however, a thief comes and goes.
This isn’t referring to Jesus’ second coming, but Christ is saying, “Your decisions while staying Spiritual dead will bring terrible infliction.”
Revelation 3: 4-5NLT “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled (defiled) their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
Defiled meaning, to smear, pollute or stain their garment which refers to their character. Walking with God in white symbols the redeemed, holiness and purity.
The redeemed will be a part of a glorified church!
Book of life: A divine journal records the names of all the redeemed.
Revelation 13:8NLT And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made—the Book that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered.
Revelation 17:8NLT The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died.
Revelation 3:6NLT “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
Begin to listen; become aware of the Spiritual world.
Prayer.
