Thyatira - Rumor notes 12

 

Revelation 2

18 "To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: "The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things:

19 "I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.

In each message we recall that select parts of the description of Jesus from chapter 1 are listed as highly relevant to this particular group. So as we move through the rest of this message we need to keep asking why these particular aspects of Jesus are mentioned.

The Son of God

Eyes like a flame of fire

Feet like burnished brass

Why these particular aspects of Jesus? How do they resonate with this group of people?

What is key about mentioning specifically that Jesus is the Son of God? What does that really imply?

What does Son of God mean or emphasize? Purity? Just like God? Revelation of God's heart?

How might this contrast with Jezebel's version of God?

Why are His eyes and feet the only parts mentioned relative to this group?

Eyes like fire. Contrast with eyes of lust or enticement from a prostitute who does not have your best interest at heart. Whose eyes are full of light and passionate love rather than darkness or evil intent?

Eyes that search minds and hearts are filled with a fire of passion that exposes what is hidden in darkness. This is judgment God style.

Feet like burnished bronze. Does this relate to authority? Authority in other places involves putting everything under Jesus' feet. But how is this done? Not through force or compulsion, for the Lamb never uses force, fear or threats to gain control over others. That is false authority.

Later in this message Jesus says He will give authority to those who keep His works to the end. Is that tied back to this reference to His feet? We don't usually associate feet with authority, but then we have to learn that a lot of things in Revelation are not what we initially what we usually think.

With this list of positive attributes about the people in Thyatira, it would appear they should be in pretty good standing with God. Love, faith, service, patient endurance (think James 1) are all things one would expect to see in a true Jesus follower. And mention is made of a strengthening or increasing of their good works over time which is also a positive thing.

So with such a glowing review of the character traits of this group, how could the following weaknesses be such a problem? Could it be that patience might become a problem when it comes to overlooking open sin in a group of believers? This raises the serious question of just how God wants us to relate to fellow believers who retain faults in their lives that become a source of serious temptation or the downfall of others. At the same time we must guard against lurching to the other extreme from too much tolerance to censure, condemnation and harshness. Jesus reminds us here that He is the one who is going to arrange things so that consequences come about that are invoked by a stubborn continuation in sin that threatens to destroy the sensitive works of restoration and love in the hearts of vulnerable children of God.

20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

22 Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works.

23 I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

A number of hot button issues of today are highlighted here. Some would insist that this is proof that God becomes angry if a woman is allowed to teach or takes on the title of prophet. Yet is this the message Jesus is giving here? Or do we need to be cautious in how we apply messages and be discerning to see what the underlying issues really are? Remember that everything is symbolic.

What is the difference between Jesus giving someone time to repent and improper tolerance that allows someone to undermine and damage the work of God within the body of believers?

How is this relevant to Jesus having eyes of fire? What is the meaning of this fire? Is there danger that we might mistake His fire with the kind of fire found in our eyes in a similar situation?

This gets into the area of judging. We need to be keenly aware of the dangers and responsibilities involved in passing judgments on others and pay close attention in particular to the clear instructions of Jesus in regards to this issue.

What is our responsibility when it comes to dealing with sin among believers and what must we leave in God's hands? This requires more than average maturity to handle appropriately.

...throw her into a bed. Throw means an initiated act rather than something passive here. But Jesus says He will handle that and does not instruct us to be responsible to do it.

Bed can mean a couch, literally an incline or recline, implying a change of position from standing upright.

If this figurative woman is seducing others to get involved in immorality/adultery, why would Jesus be the one to put her in a bed? It would seem she might already be wanting to go there herself to promote and participate in what she is seducing others into getting involved with.

How does this promised action of Jesus fit safely into everything else we learn about the motives and methods of the Lamb in this book?

How are we to know when tolerance and patience are needed and when to relate differently?

How does this relate to freedom of choice and God's respect of that for every individual?

...with her into great oppression

Is the source of this oppression Jesus Himself? Or does He allow the natural outworking of the principles of cause and effect to accomplish this promised outcome?

Notice that those who are drawn into her enticements and believe her teachings will participate in the negative consequences of her sins. This is a theme that shows up throughout this book again and again.

The word translated oppression here means pressure, affliction, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble. These sound very similar to what God's people often experience from being faithful to Jesus and resist embracing lies about God and choose instead to love their enemies like Jesus. This raises the serious question relating to the cause of consequences. Does Jesus have to impose such consequences for those who promote sin, or is the language a bit confusing as Jesus is simply portrayed as actively causing things that in reality happens as a result of His withdrawing His protection?

Kill her children with death. Consider this carefully: her children are likely the offspring of her actions of adultery. Additionally we see in Revelation 20:14 that death is the last thing exterminated. The main target of God's wrath is death Heb 2:14-15, and all who cling to the ways of death Pr 8:36 simply become unnecessary collateral damage and suffer its final demise because they refuse to let go of it.

24 But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don't have this teaching, who don't know what some call 'the deep things of Satan,' to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.

25 Nevertheless, hold firmly that which you have, until I come.

We start to see more clearly that there is a rift in this group of people. Some have already been sucked into the logic and compelling allurements of a powerful source that makes sin very attractive, maybe even appear positive. Others have refused to accept this line of logic and teaching, meaning there is likely a growing division of beliefs and practice in this church. But does this mean that those who are more conservative or fundamentalist are more righteous than those who hold liberal views?

What might be the deep things of Satan? Jesus says those who are not involved in false seductive teachings of Jezebel don't know these things. What might this mean for us? If we want to be on the right side it might be well to know the nature of these deep things without knowing them directly. Examine some passages that may well give us important clues related to this.

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)

Satan is the originator of all deception, lies and violence. He relies on complexity to distract from simplicity, to bring in confusion and double-mindedness.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles. And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

(2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:11-12)

For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be judged who didn't believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)

And on her forehead a name was written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Revelation 17:5)