Revelation 2: Church Of Thyatira 

Thyatira means sacrifices that wearies or sacrifice of contrition

Main Theme: The church in the Dark Ages (Jezebel is the main figure)

🔹City of Thyatira

The Roman Empire's towns had highly organized workforces, but Thyatira had the best.

Thyatira was also well-known for its fabric dyeing industry. The most commonly used color was royal purple dye (now known as Turkish red). According to the book of Acts, Lydia was from Thyatira and worked as a merchant selling purple cloth. The harlot woman in Revelation 17 wears purple and scarlet, a color that is significant.

In addition, Thyatira had talented coppersmiths who made brass and copper instruments. The discourse to this church (verse 18) depicts Jesus with feet fashioned of fine metal, polished in a furnace.

Revelation Chapter 2 - Verse 18

18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass

🔹Eyes like fire, and feet are like fine brass

Jesus' eyes observe and examine. God's eyes see everything (Hebrews 4:12-13) and His people's pleas do not go unheard.

Jesus' eyes are "like a flame of fire," and he looks through every church on earth and His gaze pierces every heart.

• He is measuring the temple and its worshipers, weighing their actions on heavenly scales, and recording the results in the records (1 Peter 3:12, Proverbs 15:3).

• Everything is visible to God, with whom we must interact. He understands the intentions and purposes of the heart (Psalm 7:9).

• He can see every terrible deed. The great heart-searcher observes and records evil that human minds cannot recognize or suspect (Proverbs 21:2; Psalm 139:1–7).

Revelation Chapter 2 - Verse 19 to 21

19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, 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.

21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

🔹Jezebel

The mention of Jezebel is symbolic because, the literal Jezebel had been dead for hundreds of years.

These are Jezebel's characteristics:

• She fornicated with the king and used his authority to spread her false religion.

• She shed the blood of God’s servants.

• She was involved in the occult because she was called a witch.

• She blended true and false worship, enforcing the worship of the sun god Baal.

• She instituted a counterfeit sacrificial system.

• She led Israel to break the commandments of God.

• She had a group of false prophets who increased her influence.

The Papacy and Roman Catholic church committed the same sins as Jezebel:

By its own admission, the Roman Catholic Church has incorporated the practices of the pagan nations. In this way, the church fornicated with the state or government. It embraced and Christianized pagan customs, turning into a harlot.

• The Papacy, which controls the Roman Catholic Church, enjoys engaging in politics and instructing politicians on how to govern their countries. The Papacy also exerts authority over businesses.

• The Roman Catholic Church has killed more Christians than members of other religions. This was especially seen this during the Protestant Reformation.

• The Roman Catholic Church introduced worshiping on Sunday as a holy day instead of Christians worshiping on God’s Sabbath as a holy day, which is on Saturday.

• The Roman Catholic Church instituted the false mass, in which they falsely claim that Jesus literally transforms into a wafer during communion.

• The Roman Catholic Church led Christians to break the commandments of God. She brought idolatry into the church, as evidenced by the numerous statues found in Catholic churches, to which many Catholics bow. She introduced the breaking of the fourth commandment, as mentioned previously.

• The Roman Catholic Church has false priests who spread her false message every Sunday.

Revelation Chapter 2 - Verse 22

22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

🔹Thrown into a sickbed

During and around the end of the French Revolution, the relationship between church and state underwent a significant transformation. This culminated in 1798 when the Roman Catholic Church, also known as the harlot, suffered a fatal wound.

Revelation Chapter 2 - Verse 23

23 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.

🔹The harlot’s children

The Reformation resulted in Christians leaving the Roman Catholic Church and forming their own Protestant churches. However, these Protestant churches continue to adhere to non-biblical teachings from the Roman Catholic Church, such as the adoption of Sunday as the day of worship instead of Saturday, and the adoption of pagan holidays such as Easter and Christmas. As a result, these apostate Protestant churches are descendants of the Roman Catholic Church.

We read in Revelation 17:5 that the Roman Catholic is a harlot who is also a mother.

Revelation 17:5 - "And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth."

Unless they repent, the daughters of the harlot (apostate Protestantism) will suffer the same fate.

Revelation Chapter 2 - Verse 24 to 27

24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

27 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.

🔹Promised reward

Nations will submit to the conqueror, who will rule them with a rod.

The shepherd's rod has two parts:

• The crook, which kept the sheep together, was on one end.

• The rod's other end served as a weapon against predators.

This is why Psalm 23:4 speaks of God’s rod and staff bringing comfort to David.

According to Daniel 7:14, 22, 26–27, the Father will give the kingdom to Jesus, but the saints will also receive it. The little horn and beast ruled and defeated the Most High's saints at this time, making this promise especially important to those under persecution (Daniel 7:21, 25; Daniel 8:24; Revelation 13:7).

Revelation Chapter 2 - Verse 28 to 29

28 And I will give him the morning star.

29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

🔹The Morning Star

The Morning Star represents Jesus, who is the Word of God.

In this instance, the use of the Morning Star in relation to the prophetic word is notable. The gloom of the dark ages was banished by Bible prophecy. Luther and the Reformers used Bible prophecy to strip this false religious system of its mask.

Jesus is the morning star that shines through the moral gloom of this wicked, corrupt planet. All who open their hearts to Him will experience peace, calm, and joy because He is the Light of the world.

Next: Revelation Chapter 3: Chapter Reading

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