Revelation 2:18 - 29

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.”

John is told to write to the angel of the church which is the one who is responsible for delivering this message to the church accurately and expediently.

This time the author of these words identifies himself using his personal identity, the Son of God, who has eyes which are penetrating like fire, and feet which are like some metal like gold if not more precious. (Thayer)

Christ says he knows their way of life and sees good coming from it. They show love (they have charity or concern for the welfare of others), they serve (they work to accomplish that welfare) they have faith, since faith comes from the word of God, (Romans 10:17) it shows they know and study the word of God. They perform more good deeds for the welfare of others as time goes by, their amount of work grows as it should. Christians are not only supposed to do good but for those things to grow as they do. (2 Corinthians 9:10)

Christ has praised their works and their work ethic, now he brings up a problem they have within their congregation. They are allowing sin to be taught within their congregation. By allowing this false prophetess named Jezebel (Thayer defines “Jezebel”, "A second Jezebel," then gives us the following historical statement. "The symbolic name of a woman who pretended to be a prophetess, and who, addicted to antinomianism [the doctrine of faith alone], claimed for Christians the liberty of eating things sacrificed to idols.")to continue her evil practices and seductions of the other members they were condoning her works. If we allow anything wrong to be taught or practiced among the members of the congregation, we are as guilty as the ones performing these actions.

Christ was merciful, he had allowed her much time to repent from the sins she was committing. She is accused of fornication, which can be the physical sexual immorality associated with much of idolatrous worship, or it can be simply the unfaithfulness to God by worshiping idols instead of being faithful to God, many verses in the Bible refer to the unfaithfulness to God in this manner as (Jeremiah 3:9) does.

Verse 22 shows the relationship to idolatry which she and the members she has tempted are guilty of. If it were actual sexual fornication there would be no tribulation to be put into bed together. This shows a shared guilt for the temptress and those falling to the temptation. If it were actual adultery then the temptress and the tempted were all guilty (Matthew 15:14)

This public sin which had penetrated the church would cause all to be guilty of it by allowing it to flourish if not actually believing in the teachings of the woman. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) So they all will face punishment if they do nothing to correct the conditions in the congregation.

Because of the public nature of this sin the whole Christian world would know of these results and would understand how Christ knows every heart and mind.

Some of the members did not condone the sin in their congregation because Christ said to those who did not participate in the sin and did not endorse it or condone it within the congregation they would not be punished for what they could not control. They will not have any more of a load on themselves but to continue to withstand and not give in to the sin which is around them.

Verse 26 does not mean if we are faithful we will be given nations for us to rule. It means our faithful conduct unto death, makes us a spiritual partner with Christ and our behavior shows faithful living is possible by righteous humans while living on this earth. This accomplishment condemns those who do not live righteously.

Christ's rule is like iron, it is unbending, it does not change. Sin is sin and will be punished accordingly.

Christ calls himself the Morning Star in Revelation 22, it is the bright star before the sun rises. It means a new day is coming. (2 Peter 1:19) Faithful Christians will be given the brightness of Jesus.

We all need to pay attention to the writings to each of these churches because they are all facing conditions which we ourselves and our congregations face or could or will face.