What was Jesus' message to the church in Thyatira in Revelation?

Thyatira is the next in order. The Lord reveals Himself here with eyes as a flaming fire; i.e., in piercing judgment. Nothing could be worse as to the state of the Church. Jezebel is the governing power, and by her name we are carried back to Israel's apostasy in the days of Ahab, when she fed the prophets of Baal at her own table, and persecuted the prophets of the Lord. It is a similar case. Children are born of her whom the Lord says that He will "kill with death." But she is here the mother; and it is the voice of the Church of Rome that says, "He who has not the Church [of Rome] for his mother, has not God for his Father." Thus we now have, in this phase of the Church's history, the greatest outward assumption at the moment of the grossest wickedness within. She is an actor, teacher, and seducer. But this is always the case. Where the voice of the spirit is not heard calling for judgment on the evil, there will always be found the greatest assumption of rectitude; and in this case she assumes to be henceforward THE CHURCH on earth, distinctly and exclusively so. This is Jezebel and her children. But the Lord's eye discerns another company. These He addresses as "the rest in Thyatira." They have not received this doctrine, or the teaching of Jezebel, and He encourages them, "That which ye have hold fast till I come." He who overcomes in Thyatira shall have "power over the nations." Now, this is the very thing that Home has sought. The Lord will give it to the Church in His own time. When He reigns she shall reign with Him; but the order is, "If we co-suffer, we shall also co-reign." (2 Tim. 2:12.) Suffering comes first, and as He was, so the Church must be - the rejected one on the earth. And while He says to the assembly, "I know thy works," He cheers the overcomer as "he that keepeth my works unto the end;" and he shall have the "Morning Star" for his portion through the gloom of the night.

Then we come to Thyatira. Those who study the epistles in the light of the theory that they represent church history all agree that Thyatira represents Romanism. One need hardly explain that an eye like a flame of fire illustrates a penetrating eye. "His feet are like fine brass." That is a symbolical representation of the judgment of the Son. "I know thy works." Here works is properly put in. There was still a great deal of activity, a great deal of service, but what else was there? "Thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols." False teaching was permitted. In Thyatira there was a new feature; there was a remnant that feared God. There is also another feature — the Lord's coming. The Lord's coming is brought in as a hope, and something to direct the mind to. "That which ye have, hold fast till I come." This, I need not say, is an exhortation which applies to all times, to hold fast to that which we have. Whatever we have, do not let it slip do not be a backslider. If you have the truth, hold it fast. Then there is the promise — "He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations." This is a remarkable promise. It is to share in Christ's judgment of the nations mentioned in Psalm 2:8-9. It refers to Christ's coming and the judgment of the world; it does not refer to Christ's coming to fetch the church which will be caught away to be with Christ before that. There is the promise that the church will come with Him, and share in the work of judging the nations. Then, again, you get the Lord's coming, but now in a different way. "And I will give him the morning star." The morning star refers to Christ in the character of His coming and receiving the church to Himself, before He appears to the world.

18 And to the angel of the church that is in Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God, that hath his eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass: 19 I know thy works and love and faith and service, and thy patience, and thy last works more than the first. 20 But I have against thee that thou lettest alone the woman Jezebel that calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and deceiveth my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent, and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. 22 Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those that commit fornication with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth reins and hearts; and I will give you each according to your works. 24 But to you I say, the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine which have not known the depths of Satan (as they say): I put upon you no other burden: 25 but that which ye have hold fast till I shall come. 26 And he that overcometh and he that keepeth my works until the end, I will give him authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with an iron rod, — as the vessels of a potter are broken to shivers: as I also 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 to the churches.

" But I have against thee that thou permittest the woman Jezebel, she who calls herself prophetess, and she teaches and leads astray My servants to commit fornication and eat of idol sacrifices. And I gave her time that she should repent, and she will not repent of her fornication. Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and her children will I kill with death; and all the assemblies shall know that I am He that searches the reins and the hearts; and I will give to you each according to your works" (Rev.2:20-23, N.Tn).

Having expressed His appreciation and commendation of faithful devotedness of the godly remnant, the Lord now speaks of that which He had against the angel or messenger of the Church in Thyatira. He points out the grievous evil that was permitted in the Assembly, which called forth His severe condemnation and impending judgment. A wicked woman Jezebel was allowed to teach and to lead astray God's servants into spiritual fornication and idolatry.

"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" (Rev.2:18). The character in which the Lord presents Himself to these Assemblies of Asia is always in keeping with the condition and state of the Church addressed. Here He presents Himself in the most searching and positive character of the Son of God with absolute authority and penetrating judgment. The Lord approaches Thyatira in a sterner and severer manner than He does to any of the other Churches, for there was the greatest wickedness and presumption here.

Of the things which the Lord commends among these faithful believers in Thyatira, love is mentioned first. It is the great characteristic of the divine nature and of God who is love. From it springs all spiritual activity. In the more correct translations, faith is mentioned next. It is "faith which worketh by love" (Gal.5:6) and is manifested in service to God and man. Then there was patience, or endurance amidst much persecution. "And the last works (to be) more than the first" (N.Tn). There was increasing devotedness amongst these saints. As the evil increased, their energy and zeal for the Lord also increased, so that the Lord could say their last works were more than the first. Love and faith, which were missing in the Assembly at Ephesus, were found amidst this remnant in Thyatira, and in this sense their state was above that of Ephesus where first love had been departed from.

In the church at Thyatira there were faithful and loving souls, earnest too, especially in good works; but there was this plague-spot also — the sufferance of "the woman* Jezebel." Jezebel, as we are told here, was a false prophetess, who was teaching and deceiving Christ's servants to commit fornication and eat idolatrous sacrifices. This was worse than the iniquity of him who loved the wages of unrighteousness, a step farther even in Balaam's line. "And I gave her space to repent, and she is not willing to repent of her fornication. Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works. And I will kill her children with death, and all the churches will know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts, and I will give to you, each one, according to your works" (verses 21-23).

"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."

"Notwithstanding I have against thee, that thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess; and she teaches and seduces My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she will not repent."

Fourthly, a state of increased devotedness in patience, charity, and works; but Jezebel, teaching communion with an evil and idolatrous world; and suffered. Space had been given for her repentance, but she did not (note here, it is a woman, not some of them). Judgment would fall on her followers, but discriminating - to every one according to his works, and no further burden laid on the faithful.