Thyatira, Its Believers' Characteristics
The Corrupt Church
“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: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 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. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 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.
“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. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—‘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; and I will give him the morning star.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
Thyatira was a working man's town, with many trade guilds for cloth making, dyeing and pottery. Lydia, the ambassador Paul's convert in Philippi, was a merchant from Thyatira. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. The city was basically secular in nature, with no focus on any particular belief in God.
Now the believers in Thyatira were commended for growing in good works. Keep in mind, we shouldn't feel satisfied when those in religious organizations rejoice in the salvation of its members or in the comfort of the gathering for worship. We should rejoice when those who hear the Word keep it. Church membership is just that--membership--but the Kingdom of God is citizenship. We should grow in love for all mankind, wisdom and knowledge in the Word and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the times are critical, we must spend our days wisely and be faithful to the Word of the King.
There was a woman in the church of Thyatira teaching that immorality was not a serious matter for those in Christ Jesus. Her name may have been Jezebel, or the Lord Jesus could have used the name Jezebel to symbolize the kind of evil woman she was exemplified. She was Jezebel in spirit and in deed. Remember, Jezebel was a heathen queen of Israel, a wicked woman, and wife of Ahab. She was considered the most evil woman who ever lived. Once you recognize the characteristics of this demonic spirit, you will recognize it wherever you go. Do you know any? Allow me to give you some insight into Jezebel's character. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” This woman was so wicked that she had a man murdered for his property for her husband the king.
And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”
And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”
But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”
So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food?”
He said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
Then Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. She wrote in the letters, saying,
Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.
So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people. And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!” Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” So it was, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. That wicked and manipulative spirit, if not put in check by the man of God, will always bring down a man with a weak foundation.
Why is sexual immorality such a serious issue? Because the Lord of heaven and earth forbids it. Sex outside of marriage damages both individuals. It shows that you put your desires above God's principles and laws. He takes a back seat to your desires, instead of placing His Word first and foremost in your life. It hurts because it brings separation between you and your Creator. It hurts others because it violates the commitment so necessary to a Godly relationship. It is so destructive because it corrupts your 'temple of the Holy Spirit'. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. It hurts because it often brings diseases to our bodies and adversely affects our personalities and emotions. When a man and woman give consent to have a sexual relationship without marriage, that somewhat bonds them together. But it is an unholy corrupt bond. Sexual immorality has tremendous power to destroy families. Yet it happens every day. People give up what is most precious to them for a moment of lustful pleasure. It destroys reputations, ministries, churches, communities and nations.
Continue to part 2
Revelation 2:18-29 Acts 16:14 I Kings 19:1-2 I Kings 21:1-16 I Corinthians 6:19-20
~~W.R. Luchie
“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: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 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. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 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.
“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. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—‘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; and I will give him the morning star.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
Thyatira was a working man's town, with many trade guilds for cloth making, dyeing and pottery. Lydia, the ambassador Paul's convert in Philippi, was a merchant from Thyatira. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. The city was basically secular in nature, with no focus on any particular belief in God.
Now the believers in Thyatira were commended for growing in good works. Keep in mind, we shouldn't feel satisfied when those in religious organizations rejoice in the salvation of its members or in the comfort of the gathering for worship. We should rejoice when those who hear the Word keep it. Church membership is just that--membership--but the Kingdom of God is citizenship. We should grow in love for all mankind, wisdom and knowledge in the Word and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the times are critical, we must spend our days wisely and be faithful to the Word of the King.
There was a woman in the church of Thyatira teaching that immorality was not a serious matter for those in Christ Jesus. Her name may have been Jezebel, or the Lord Jesus could have used the name Jezebel to symbolize the kind of evil woman she was exemplified. She was Jezebel in spirit and in deed. Remember, Jezebel was a heathen queen of Israel, a wicked woman, and wife of Ahab. She was considered the most evil woman who ever lived. Once you recognize the characteristics of this demonic spirit, you will recognize it wherever you go. Do you know any? Allow me to give you some insight into Jezebel's character. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” This woman was so wicked that she had a man murdered for his property for her husband the king.
And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”
And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”
But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”
So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food?”
He said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
Then Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. She wrote in the letters, saying,
Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.
So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people. And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!” Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” So it was, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. That wicked and manipulative spirit, if not put in check by the man of God, will always bring down a man with a weak foundation.
Why is sexual immorality such a serious issue? Because the Lord of heaven and earth forbids it. Sex outside of marriage damages both individuals. It shows that you put your desires above God's principles and laws. He takes a back seat to your desires, instead of placing His Word first and foremost in your life. It hurts because it brings separation between you and your Creator. It hurts others because it violates the commitment so necessary to a Godly relationship. It is so destructive because it corrupts your 'temple of the Holy Spirit'. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. It hurts because it often brings diseases to our bodies and adversely affects our personalities and emotions. When a man and woman give consent to have a sexual relationship without marriage, that somewhat bonds them together. But it is an unholy corrupt bond. Sexual immorality has tremendous power to destroy families. Yet it happens every day. People give up what is most precious to them for a moment of lustful pleasure. It destroys reputations, ministries, churches, communities and nations.
Continue to part 2
Revelation 2:18-29 Acts 16:14 I Kings 19:1-2 I Kings 21:1-16 I Corinthians 6:19-20
~~W.R. Luchie
