Revelation 2:18 KJV 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 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 church.
In each letter we will see Jesus addressing two groups (those who are obeying God and those who follow and listen to false doctrine) of people and reveal His different attributes. Jesus has revealed He is;
- The One who holds the leaders of the church and walks among His church, Revelation 1:20, 2:1
- He is the first and last, Revelation 1:8,17-18 & 2:8
first – that is He is the most important above all
last– 2078 exatos (from esxaton, “end, last”)- properly, last, final (the furthest, extreme-end). 2078/exatos (“future things”), the root of “exchatology” is “the study of last things.” This includes future bible prophecy, the end-times, and life after death (“the after-life”). HELPS Word-studies
- He is the One with the two-edged sword, Revelation 1:16, 2:12
Jesus has told these churches and is telling us He holds those who lead accountable and He walks among His church. He is to be the One on which your eyes and mind stay because He knows the future and He is eternal life. In this letter He warns that He will come and destroy the church and bring judgment upon those who teach and follow false doctrine. Jesus wants us to know He is coming and when He does it will have an eternal impact on every single person.
In this letter Jesus point blank says, I am the Son of God and these are My words. He declares He is equal with God and He is God. He will not return as a humble and meek servant with sympathy toward man but He will return as God who will judge sin. We are then given a physical description which is, He has eyes like a fiery flame and His feet are like fine bronze. Revelation 1:14, 2:18. What does this mean?
The eyes of fire will penetrate all, see all, and judge all. Everything you think you have hidden away will be revealed and judged, Zephaniah 1:17-18; Isaiah 66:16; Revelation 1:5; 2 Peter 3:10.
Revelation 19:15 KJV And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Once again we see the sharp sword and rod of iron, Revelation 2:27, and we see Christ will be stomping out sin and compromise in His church. Do not be deceived, when Christ returns He is coming as God who never tolerates sin but always judges sin, Revelation 2:23.
This is a severe warning to a church that has been overrun with false doctrine that has lead most of the people falling into sexual immorality and the ways of the world. The church in our time has moved from God’s stand on sex before marriage to fit into the culture and now they have abandoned God’s word concerning LGBTQ and the next move is straight into the One World Religion.
The church in Thyatira no longer exists because they did not repent. Those who follow the way of Jezebel and any other false religion and doctrine will not be able to withstand God’s judgment. If you are a believer and are listening to false teaching and following the way of culture and society instead of obeying the ways of God, you will not escape God’s correction but you will receive “great tribulation.” This is not tribulation for standing firm in your faith even unto death but this is internal pressure of repenting and turning back to God in love and obedience.
Jesus is the Truth, the Word of God is truth, God can not lie. As a professing Christian, do you believe every “jot and tittle” will come to pass as God says, Matthew 5:18.
