In His message to the church at Thyatira, sent by letter through the aged apostle John, Jesus listed several excellent qualities He observed being demonstrated by His church.
19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. Revelation 2:19 (NASB)
What more could a church want than to have their good works, faith, and service directly praised by the object of their worship, Jesus Christ, through Whom the entire universe has been created?
Unfortunately, the church did not have opportunity to celebrate this good news. A much bigger problem not only eclipsed these good attributes but endangered their very existence as a church.
Jesus went on:
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 sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. Revelation 2:20 (NASB)
The problem was that the church at Thyatira was slowly being seduced and corrupted. An influential leader was directing the children of God away from a pure worship of Him to a devotion to other gods, ones who scorned the keeping of sexual relations morally pure and within the context of a faithful marriage and family.
Jesus always gave strong warning to anyone who was guilty of leading His believers astray. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus stated:
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him if a heavy millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea.” Mark 9:42 (NASB)
This harmful teacher referred to as Jezebel had introduced the leaven of sin into the church, and it had almost completely taken hold of them. Thyatira’s Jezebel was named after an evil Queen in the Old Testament, one who played a key role in the corruption and eventual demise of the entire Northern Kingdom of Israel. Their spiritual downfall led to a loss of divine protection by the Lord, whom they had repeatedly turned their backs upon and rejected. Then, after defeat by neighboring Assyria, the people of northern Israel were removed from their land and carried off into a cruel exile there.
Jesus was not going to permit this same thing to happen to His church at Thyatira, at least not without a good fight. His severe warning to this later-day Jezebel and her “children”, those who followed her, gave them all one last opportunity to repent and to avoid a similar severe judgment. But they would not turn from their sin.
Jesus message to the churches continues:
21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with plague, 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. Revelation 2:20, 22-23 (NASB)
This latter-day Jezebel faced a bed of sickness, and her followers were also at great risk of entering tribulation. This was a judgment of God.
It should be noted here that severe illness in itself is common, and often is not a judgment. Many people, including great saints of God, have faced a bed of sickness. Some have recovered, but many do not. We must only read the book of Job to see that the good suffer along with the bad.
The teacher in the church who leads believers to be unfaithful to God, and to each other sexually, faces the consequences of their own sin. Those who are misled and choose to remain that way must eventually face their own tribulation, even “plagues” that might cost them their lives. This is God’s remedy to preserve and sanctify those in the church who remain faithful to Him and who seek to turn away from a lifestyle of sin.
Reflection
The Lord has made provision for the forgiveness of sin at the cross of Christ. His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead paid the penalty for the sin of all those who have placed their faith in Him.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NASB)
We confess our sin and seek to turn away from it to follow Jesus, claiming the forgiveness and divine life that He provides. God will also help us to identify any false teachers in our life who are seeking to block the Light of Christ, so that we may turn away from their influence and towards the holiness of Christ.
Father God, thank You for loving us so much that Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from our sin and grant us eternal salvation. Help us to follow Him so that we may serve You and each other in a faithful manner, with purity and holiness. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Have a blessed day in the Lord today!
Times and Seasons - The Book of Revelation FOR TODAY 