Continual Incense”
Thyatira – represents the pagan church and the church age between AD 590 – 1000. Thyatira means “continual incense” or a continual sacrifice and has reference to the bruising of incense to cause a fragrant smell.
The Thyatira period undoubtedly sets forth the union of the church and state. The Roman church has risen to power upon the collapse of Roman rule and is the savior of the common people. Two decades of war and the death of the last emperor, Justinian who died in AD 565, had completely devastated Italy. Chaos reigned. A leader was desperately needed to restore civil order. The man who eventually filled this need was Gregory.
In 589 devastating floods swept the Italian countryside, destroying whole regions of crops. Worse still, a new outbreak of the plague had struck. Pope Pelagius was taken ill and died in 590. The church, practically the only source of order, acted quickly; it unanimously elected Gregory as pope – the first monk elevated to the papacy.
Gregory was a great administrator and organized the papal estates as relief sites to feed the hungry masses. The church became the authority of the state and also of the church. Later the same authority discharged the Inquisitions. The churches outreach to the poor and hungry set the direction of the Roman Catholic Church and it’s many avenues of generosity throughout the centuries.
The introduction of rituals and church doctrine supplanted the personal faith in Jesus Christ. Worship of the Virgin and Child and the Mass were made a definite part of the church service. Purgatory became a positive doctrine, and Mass was said for the dead. The false documents labeled Donation of Constantine and Decretals of Isidore were circulated to give power and rulership to the pope.
Thyatira seemed to imply a continual sacrifice. The significance of this is in the great fundamental error of the church of Rome – the sacrifice of the mass. The Roman Catholic priests declare that, in the mass, they offer a continual sacrifice for the living and the dead. This is the central, the root of blasphemy – the denial of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross – the one, the only and all-sufficient offering for the sins of a guilty world.
Every time a priest stands at the alter of the roman Catholic Church to offer the sacrifice of the mass, he denies the unchanging deletion of sin and the work of Jesus’ death on the cross. Every time they offer the mass, every time they pronounce the blessing, they are sacrificing Christ again for the sins of the living and the dead. The only way Christ can be sacrificed is to be put to death; The priest kills Him again and again every time he offers. If this is the case, then every priest is guilty of murdering the Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God.
God is going to judge the Church of Rome for this blasphemy; so Christ’s letter to the church of Thyatira speaks of the central blasphemy of the church of Rome. Our salvation rested on the finished work of Christ. We need no other sacrifice. Christ gave himself as the propitiation for our sins, and He alone is our savior. We require nothing else on which to enter the presence of God the Father.
Thyatira was located along a long vale or pass. As most cities were built on high cliffs to defense against attacks from invaders, Thyatira stood in the middle of a pass upon a very slight rising ground.
The strength of Thyatira was the fact that Rome stationed their elite guard there.
Thyatira was the center for many ancient guilds: the potters, tanners, weavers, robe makers, and dyers.
Lydia, the seller of purple, who in Phillipi became Paul’s first convert in Europe, came from here (Acts 16:14).
The purple color spoken of is what we know today as “Turkey Red”. The dye is taken from a plant that grows in that area.
The city was completely destroyed by invading Goths and was rebuilt. The only ruins left today is a very small block of the city.
4. Apollo, the sun god, was worshipped in this region.
The Letter to the Church of Thyatira
The Commission – And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira… - The Lord greets this church, as with all the churches, so as to met the special condition in which the church is found.
The Character – These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass.
In this letter Jesus Christ introduces himself as “the Son of God” to reemphasize the fact that his deity is intact. He is not just the son of Mary but the savior of mankind, who came in infinite grace to save poor sinners.
2. He has “eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass”. This pictures the Son of God in judgement.
His eyes are like a flame of fire represents his ever-searching eyes looking into the hearts of man.
His feet are like fine brass represents his holiness and righteousness. He must judge all that is evil.
The Commendation – Christ has six words of condemnation for the Church of the Dark Ages, which had many true believers, who had a personal love for Christ, which was manifested in works.
“Works” were the credentials of true believers. The Roman Catholic Church is noted for it’s great accomplishments and help for humanity, like: hospitals, monasteries, societies, etc.
“Love”. This was a church noted for it’s love and it’s ability to show its love to the less fortunate. There were some wonderful saints of God during that period such as John Wycliffe.
“Faith”. The church is known for its faith because this is what moves the hands of “works’ and “love”.
“Ministry”. Their service to their fellow man is manifested in their good works.
“Patience” is their endurance during those days of darkness.
“Thy last works are more than the first”. In this church, works increased rather than diminished.
The Condemnation – There is one frightful charge of condemnation. Because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.”
Jezebel had brought paganism into the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the days of King Ahab. She was adept in the art of mixing theologies under the umbrella of uniting the religions into one.
This is just what Romanism is – a mixture of Heathenism, Christianity, and Judaism. It is not Christianity.
Note the two things he holds against Rome – spiritual fornication and idolatry.
The first is the union of the church to the world.
The second is the worship of images (which is strictly forbidden in the second commandment).
c. “Seduce” means a fundamental departure from the truth.
There was evidently a woman in the church who had a reputation as a teacher and prophetess who was a counterpart of Jezebel.
“And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”
“Space” is time. The Lord has patiently dealt with this false system and there has been no change through the centuries.
God raised mighty reformers throughout the years, like: John Wycliffe, John Knox, Martin Luther, John Wesley, Calvin, etc. Yet Rome refused to hear the voice of God’s Condemnation and repented not.
Behold I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.”
“Great tribulation” could refer to the persecution of the church in times of trouble or the Great Tribulation at the end of the ages.
“Their deeds” could be translated her deeds, the churches.
Note Ephesus is at an end; Smyrna is at an end; Pergamos is at an end; Thyatira begins in the 7th century and goes right on into the Great Tribulation, and ultimately manifests herself as Babylon the Great.
“And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”
“Children” are those who were brought up under this system.
This death is referring to the second death.
“All the churches” refers to the church of all ages.
“The reins and hearts”. Reins means literally the kidneys and refers to the psychological makeup of an individual. This means that He searches our entire being.
The Correction – “But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not know the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you no other burden.”
There were many in the church which did not adhere to the error of Rome.
“The depths of Satan” possibly refers to a Gnostic sect known as the Ophites who worshipped the serpent. All heresy boasts of superior spiritual perception, and that is what this group did.
“But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.” Christ is beginning to say to his church, “stand fast because I am coming to take you out of the world.”
The Challenge – “And he that overcometh, and keepth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit brings about the works of Christ. We overcome by faith and not by our own efforts.
1 Corinthians 6:2 explains our role and power we have over the nations.
And He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”
This tells of Christ’s divine right to carry out His judgement.
This is also in reference to the millennial reign of the believers which they share in with their king, Christ.
“And I will give him the morning star.”
Christ is the Bright and Morning Star
The rapture of the church by Christ is the hope of all the churches.
Titus 2:13.
The Call – “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
The children of Jezebel will not hear this call.
Only the true children of the Lord Jesus Christ will hear, for the Spirit opens the ears of those who advocate the true doctrine of God.
