Guide us Holy
Spirit, that we may comprehend all that we must keep of this book of
Revelation. Bless us in You, Savior, please!
We would know You and all the truth that is Yours.
*******
Revelation Chapter
2-
Verse 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;
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
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
IF the period
covered by the Pergamos church has been correctly located, it terminated with
the setting up of the papacy in A.D. 538.
The most natural
division to be assigned to the church of Thyatira would be the time of the
continuance of this power through the 1260 years of its supremacy, or from A.D.
538 to A.D. 1798.
The Church of
Thyatira.--
Thyatira signifies
"sweet savor of labor," or "sacrifice of contrition." This
well describes the state of the church of Jesus Christ during the long period
of papal triumph and persecution. This age of dreadful tribulation for the church
such as never was (Matthew 24: 21), improved the religious condition of
believers. Hence for their works--charity, service, faith, and patience--they
receive the commendation of Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire. Works are
again mentioned, as if worthy of double commendation, and the last were more
than the first. There had been an improvement in their condition, a growth of
grace, an increase in all these elements of Christianity. This progress, under
such conditions, was commended by the Lord.
This church is the
only one that is commended for an improvement in spiritual things.
But as in the church
of Pergamos unfavorable circumstances were no apology for false doctrines in
the church, so in this church, no amount of labor,
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charity, service,
faith, or patience could compensate for a like sin. A rebuke is therefore given
them for suffering an agent of Satan to remain in their midst.
The Cause of
Complaint.--
"That woman
Jezebel." As in the preceding church Antipas denoted,NOT an individual,
but a class of persons, so doubtless, Jezebel is here to be understood in the
same sense. Watson's Biblical Dictionary says, "The name of Jezebel is
used PROVERBIALLY.
Revelation 2:
20." [13] William Miller speaks as follows:
"Jezebel is a
figurative name, alluding to Ahab's wife, who slew the prophets of the Lord,
led her husband into idolatry, and fed the prophets of Baal at her own table. A
more striking figure could not have been used to describe the papal abominations.
(See 1 Kings 18, 19, and 21. . . .)
It is very evident
from history, as well as from this verse in Revelation, that the church of
Christ did suffer some of the papal monks to preach and teach among them."
The Comprehensive
Commentary has the following remark upon verse 23: "Children are spoken
of, which confirms the idea that a sect and its proselytes are meant."
The judgments here
threatened against this woman are in harmony with the threatenings in other
parts of this book against the Roman Catholic Church under the symbol of a
corrupt woman, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. (See
Revelation 17-19.)
The death which is
threatened is doubtless the second death, at the end of the one thousand years
of Revelation 20, when the righteous retribution from the Searcher of "the
reins and hearts" of all men will be given.
Further, the
declaration, "I will give unto every one of you according to your
works," is proof that the address to this church looks forward
prophetically to the final reward or punishment of all accountable beings.
"All the
Churches Shall Know."--It has been argued from this expression that these
churches could not denote seven suc-
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cessive periods of
the gospel age, but must exist contemporaneously, as otherwise all the churches
could not know that Christ was the searcher of "the reins and hearts"
from seeing his judgements upon Jezebel and her children.
But when is it that
all the churches are to know this?--
It is when these
children are punished with death. If this is at the time when the second death
is inflicted upon all the wicked, then indeed will "all the
churches," as they behold the infliction of the judgment, know that no
secret thing, no evil thought or purpose of the heart has escaped the knowledge
of Him who, with eyes like flames of fire, searches the hearts of men.
"I will put
upon you none other burden." We believe this refers to a respite promised
the church from the burden so long her portion, the weight of papal oppression.
It cannot be applied to the reception of new truths, for truth is not a burden
to any accountable being. But the days of the tribulation that came upon that
church were to be shortened for the elect's sake. (Matthew 24: 22.)
"They shall be
holpen," says the prophet, "with a little help." Daniel 11: 34.
"The earth helped the woman," says John. Revelation 12: 16.
The Admonition.--
"Hold fast till
I come." These are the words of the "Son of God," and bring to
our view an unconditional coming. To the churches of Ephesus and Pergamos,
certain comings were threatened on conditions: "Repent, or else I will
come unto thee," implying visitations of judgment. But here a coming of a
different nature is brought to view. It is not a threatening of punishment. It
is suspended upon no conditions. It is set before the believer as a matter of
hope, and can refer to no event other than the future second advent of the Lord
in glory, when the Christian's trials will cease, and his efforts in the race
for life, and his warfare for a crown of righteousness, will be rewarded with
everlasting success.
This church brings
us down to the time when the more immediate signs of the soon-coming advent
began to be fulfilled. In 1780, eighteen years before the close of this period,
the predicted signs in the sun and moon were fulfilled.on Revelation 6: 12.) In
reference to these signs the Saviour said: "When these things begin to
come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for you redemption draweth
nigh." Luke 21: 28.
In the history of this church we reach a point
when the end is drawing so near that the attention of the people could properly
be called more particularly to that event.
Christ has ever said
to His followers, "Occupy till I come." Luke 19: 13. Now He says:
"Hold fast till I come."
The Promise to the
Overcomer.--
"Unto the
end." This must denote the end of the Christian age.
"He that shall endure unto the end,"
says Christ, "the same shall be saved." Matthew 24: 13.
Is there not here a
like promise to those who keep the works of Christ, do the things He has
enjoined, and keep the faith of Jesus? (Revelation 14: 12.)
"Power Over the
Nations."--
In this world the
wicked bear rule, and the servants of Christ are of no esteem. But the time is
coming when righteousness will be in the ascendancy; when all ungodliness will
be seen in its true light, and be at a heavy discount; and when the scepter of
power will be in the hands of the people of God. This promise will be explained
by the following facts and scriptures:
The nations are to
be given by the Father into the hands of Christ, to be ruled with a rod of
iron, and dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2: 8, 9.)
Associated with
Christ, when He thus enters upon His own work of power and judgment, are to be
His saints. (Revelation 3: 21.)
They are to reign
with Him in this capacity for one thousand years. (Revelation 20: 4.)
During this period,
the degree of judgment upon wicked men and evil angels is determined. (1
Corinthians 6: 2, 3.)
At the end of the
one thousand years, they have the honor of sharing with Christ in the execution
of the sentence written. (Psalm 149: 9.)
The Morning Star.--
Christ says in
Revelation 22: 16 that He is Himself the morning star, the immediate forerunner
of the day. What is here called the "morning star," is called the
"daystar" in 2 Peter 1: 19, where it is associated with the
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dawn of the day:
"Until the day dawn, and the daystar arise."
During the saints'
weary night of watching, they have the word of God to shed its needful light
upon their path. But when the daystar shall arise in their hearts, or the
morning star be given to the overcomers, they will be taken into so close a
relationship to Christ that their hearts will be fully illuminated with His
Spirit, and they will walk in His light.
Then they will no
longer need the sure word of prophecy, which now shines as a light in a dark
place. Hasten on, O glorious hour, when the light of heaven's bright day shall
rise upon the pathway of the faithful, and beams of glory from the eternal
world shall gild their banners!
*******
How incredibly important it is for us to
comprehend that the war we battle is a VERY REAL war. There will forever be-
until our Savior returns- a war. Evil will strive to fight against all things
of God! We will NOT live in a world without this battle, it will rage on until
our Savior lights up the sky ready to call all His saints home with Him.
We need to study
these words. We need to read for ourselves God's word and PRAY for
comprehension. We need to read the words
of the scholars and let the Holy Spirit guide us as we need to be guided.
We need the
blessing, we need to keep the sayings, we need to understand and only by the
grace of God will this happen.
Please.
All through Jesus
Christ, our LORD, our SAVIOR.
Amen.
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