The Book of Revelation The Church at Thyatira

All right, good morning. Good morning. Good morning and welcome to the all things broadcast. This is William Bell had a little. Technical issue right at the very start. Facebook wouldn't allow me on and so I had to sign out and sign back in. At any rate, welcome and again, good morning to you. Looking forward to another study on. 7 churches this morning, we're going to be talking about the church at Tara. And let me say, welcome to each of you. Good morning to you, Carol and Timothy and Eric. And any others who might be joining us in the rod is here as well. And so we're going to get right into it this morning. It kind of went a little bit over last week and I didn't like that. Taking more time, so let's. Get straight into it. Good morning to you and and Gail and Steven. All right. So, we're talking about the church at Tara. This is revelation chapter 2 verses 18 through 29. And just a little bit about that tower. It was a wealthy city located 40 miles north of Pergamon. It had been in Roman hands, making sure I got some audio. It had been in Roman hand since 190 BC and included in the province of Asia. It was an important trade and manufacturing city noted for its purple dye and dye garments. It was also known for its trade guilds of wool and linen workers, makers of outer garments, leather workers, dyers, bakers, slave dealers. And you can see a reference to that in act 16 and verse 16 and run Smiths. It is the lengthiest of all the letters, probably indicative of the extent of the problems faced with the false teachers. And it is the place of Paul's 1st convert on European soil with the household of Lydia. Again, Acts chapter 16 verses 11 through 15. Now, as we begin, we see in verse 18. Where it says to the angel of the church in fire tower, right? These things says the son of God who is who has eyes like a flame of fire and his feet like fine brass. Now, in the epistle to the letter to the church at the tower, we have the only letter where the son of God is used. And that is true for all the book of Revelation. And so I think that's a unique point that as we look at it, we can see there's something significant about the use of it. In this particular epistle, it is an illusion to Revelation 1 and verse 6, where Christ. It is said that Christ has made them priests to his God and father. And so when he uses that phrase to his God and father, particularly, we see a reference to the. To his being the son of God. In addition, when the Jews heard Christ refer to himself as the son of God, they interpreted that as being equal with God. Therefore, when we look in John chapter 5 and verse 18, it says, therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill him. Because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was his father making himself equal with God. And immediately after that conversation, Jesus starts a discussion on the authority given to the son of God to judge. And therefore, the son of God is an eschatological term. Connecting Christ and his authority to judge as the father did. God is the only one who was qualified to judge and thus it is an argument also for the deity of Christ. As you can see expressed in John chapter 5. When you read verses 18 down through pretty much the end of the chapter, but at least the next 5 or 6 verses. In that context where he talks about the father gave him the authority to execute judgment. Because he is the son of man and you have therefore this tie in. Of the son of God with the description of Christ that supports that particular premise. That it's a reference to his deity. It is a reference to his being the son of man as well. Because in verses 1 or chapter 1 verses 12 through 16 and particularly in verse 13. When you look at Christ among the candlesticks it says, and in the midst of the seven lampstands. One like the son of man clothed with the garment down to his feet. And girded about the chest with a golden band. Now that is a quote from Daniel chapter 7 and verse 13. And it identifies him with the son of man who comes on the clouds of heaven. So we've seen son of God. We've seen son of man. We see all of this in this reference here. And we have therefore the correlation with Matthew chapter 24 and verse 30. And in Matthew 24 and 30 of course it talks about the son of man coming on the clouds. With power and great glory where all the tribes of the land mourn. That of course is Revelation chapter 1 and verse 7. But that's also tied to Matthew 26, 63 and 64. When Christ is on trial and they ask him tell us whether you are the Christ the son of God. And Jesus' response is as you said, I'm trying to go too fast. It is as you said but hereafter you will see the son of man. Coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. So what he tells them when they ask him are you the son of God? He responds by saying you will see the son of man. And again that shows the correlation between that phrase and tying all of that together. Son of God, son of man, coming on the clouds, etc. And then that just ties in Acts 1, 11 and then back to Revelation 1 and verse 7. Where you can see all of that involved. But when you look at Matthew 24, 30 you see that included in the statements that say this generation would by no means pass away till all these things take place. And that becomes just the nail in the coffin to show the continuity of these passages relating to 70 AD, the end of the age and the destruction of the temple. I remember the debate on the great tribulation with Dr. Thomas Ice and Dr. Kenneth Gentry. And that was one point that was raised in that debate in terms of the consistency of Matthew 24, 30 which Gentry was arguing for the great tribulation happening in 70 AD. And Thomas Ice came back and said well what about Acts 1, 11, etc. Because he recognized that those passages were correlating with the one with the other. That they were equal to one with the other. So, people are trying to separate Acts 1, 11 and the coming of the clouds there from Matthew 24, 30 and Revelation. Yet they put it together with Revelation 1, 7. And that just shows you how all of those relate together. And then remember that we spoke about the coming of Christ on the clouds as the priestly coming of Christ in connection with the destruction of the temple. And that was per Hebrews 9 verses 1 through 28 which also ties into Hebrews 10, 25. They could see the day approaching in the first century that was prior to 70 AD. It was the time of God's vengeance Hebrews 10 in verse 30. And then again in verse 37 the text says in a very, very little while. He who is coming would come and would not delay. So, all of those passages go together related to the time of the temple's destruction in 70 AD. And that's what we have. We have another reference here in Revelation chapter 2 and verse 18 in the description that is given of Christ where it says that his feet were like fine brass. And remember back in that description of the church at Thyatira they had bronze smiths there. And of course dealt with brass and metals. And so, that could have been one of the reasons why we have this reference here related to Christ. But the entire description that we see in Revelation 1, 12 through 16 is all about manifesting Christ as the divine being in his priestly role in coming in judgment. And we've discussed that before in our studies. Now, it's important also since we have some Hebrew Israelites who study a Kaysland who comment often about this verse. This is not an ethnic description of Christ. And in other words, this is not trying to tell us what Jesus' skin type was. This is all about his divine glory and appearance. It really should be understood from a spiritual point of view. And not looking at it from the fact that it's, you know, because it says, you know, his eyes were like a flame of fire and his feet were like fine brass. And they use that to say, well, this demonstrates that Jesus was black. Well, you can look in other references and find out things that imply what Jesus was. But to use this passage in that manner is just not accurate. And you don't need false doctrines in order to try to prop up what's good and what's true. And then the next point we want to make is because of that divine essence and appearance. And if you go back to Exodus, not Exodus, but if you go back, or you could go to Exodus 2 and look in Exodus 19, Exodus chapter 24 with Christ, you know, with God on the throne as it comes down to Moses in that appearance. And you look at, you know, the throne room there and in those examples. But you can also see it from Ezekiel when it talks about the creature that had the eyes all around. This is dealing with the omniscience of God, with the divinity of God in his divine appearances that were being manifested. And so the very statement that talks about he had eyes like a flame of fire represents that omniscience of God. And that's expressed in the next verse that says, I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience. And as for your works, the last are more than the first. So God knew all of that. And if you compare that verse with Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 10. Yeah, Ron, it's confusing me. I hope it's not confusing you. At any rate, when you compare that with Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 10, it says, for God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love, which you have shown toward his name and that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. The verses are almost identical in terms of the wording of them. They're slightly different, but you can see the essence and the subject matter of the verses are very similar. So it's just pointing out that Christ would not forget their work, their love, their labor, et cetera, their endurance under trial. And that was an important point that he's making here, because when he talks about their patience, that means to labor under duress, to labor under trial. And as a result, it was their exhortation and admonition to continue to the end. And also in connection with that, if you follow through on Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 12, 11 and 12 in the context, notice he says, and we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end. So now he brings in with this, remembering their labor of love and their work and their patience, et cetera, he ties in the hope with that, which was the direction toward which all of that effort and their behavior and conduct and service was pointed. And so he says that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. And that chapter ends in verses 19 and 20, speaking specifically about Christ entering the presence behind the veil as the forerunner. In other words, indicating that that was their hope that he was going to lead them there as well. And so we, in my judgment should see the correlation between the two shows again, the harmony of this temple typology, the priesthood, et cetera, in the book of Revelation related to the churches and the message throughout in this particular book. And so I hope that that is something that you're aware of and that you're paying attention to as we look through the chapter. Now, the problem in Thyatira was the common problem of all previous churches that we've looked at, and that was the Judaism because he says in verse 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, sacrifice to idols. Sometimes when I'm studying others on these or listening to sermons, I guess I should say, you know, they're so generic a lot of times that they just deal with the church and say, well, this church was, you know, a corrupt church or this church was failing, et cetera, et cetera. And that becomes the essence of the message. And they never really get into some of the real details about what's taking place with these particular churches. But in this example, we've, we've covered this several times, both in our introductory messages and as we were going through the individual churches up to this point. And we see this common thread, and I don't think that we should minimize the importance of recognizing that they had this same element of the Judaizing teachers, these false apostles who were misleading the church and they were eating things, sacrifice to idols in terms of the references that are given for them. And this is where this language is pointed. And so he uses the metaphor or the type of Jezebel by saying, I have a few things against you because you allow that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess. Now, there are some different renderings of woman. Some translation says your wife, but nevertheless, it says you have that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess to teach and to seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat things, sacrifice to idols. Now it was Jezebel who stirred up Ahab to worship idols and to commit spiritual adultery against the Lord with Baal. But there was no one like Ahab, as the scripture says in first Kings 21, 25, who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord because Jezebel, his wife stirred him up. So there's the type in the use of Jezebel because she was the instrument behind and the motivation behind Ahab's actions in that example. And it says that he behaved very abominably in following idols. Now one thing I've done, I've looked up the word abomination on past occasion in the New Testament and every case, if I'm not mistaken, so I have to go back and recheck, but I think I'm pretty safe in saying this, just about every case where the term abomination was used, it was always an indictment against the Jews who were opposing Christ. But nevertheless, it says he behaved very abominably in following idols according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. And she was also a persecutor who had Nabah stoned to death so she could take his inheritance by violence. And you may see in that somewhat of a type with Israel. Take for example, Matthew chapter 21, when they wanted to, in the parable of the vinedressers, when they wanted to seize the kingdom by force and so they killed all the servants and eventually when they saw the son, they said, this is the heir, let us kill him that we may seize his inheritance. And so they wanted to take the kingdom by violence. All of those things correlate with what was taking place with the Jews in the first century and particularly as it is related to the context and the message here. Now it says in first Kings 2, 21 and 11, so the men of the city, the elders, the nobles who were inhabitants of his city did as Jezebel had sent them and it was written in the letters which he had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast 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 and the presence of the people saying Naboth is blasphemed God and the King. Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones so that he died. Sounds like a few correlations that could relate to the Lord who was killed outside the city so that they could seize his inheritance. And so 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. And so she was a type of the harlot or unbelieving Israel who was also considered as a site satanic as well. Now, once again, that connects all the previous churches with the same problem, this thread of Judaism or the unbelieving Jews running through each of these epistles. And that also puts them in the same timeframe. So we can't have, you know, this element of Jewish opposition at a time way beyond the destruction of the temple. It just doesn't work. And therefore it identifies that historical timeframe. She was also given time to repent. Now, this is significant as well, because you find in the book of Revelation several times where Israel was given time to repent and they did not repent. I don't know if I had this one down in my lesson, but I think there is one in Revelation chapter nine and yes, it is Revelation chapter nine. And when we get there, we'll tie that in when we're looking at things related to who this is. But I think we can deal with some of it here just for a just for a moment. But notice just the language it says, but the rest of mankind and there's some other things that tie in with this that I just can't get into now because we're quickly getting out of time. The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues and the very fact that he's talking about the plagues would suggest Israel to you. All right. And Egypt, et cetera, did not repent of the works of their hands that they should not worship demons and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. And that ties them in with the same people that we have in Revelation chapter two verses 19 and 20 regarding the church at Thyatira. But we can also see another tie in when we go to Revelation chapter 16. And in Revelation 16, notice why and what's happening to them. So let's let's read starting in verse two, it says, so the first went out and this is when they're pouring pouring out the bowls of wrath against them. And in pouring out these these bowls of wrath, it says the first went out, poured out his bowl upon the earth, a foul and loathsome sword came upon the man who had the mark of the beast and those who worship his image. Well, that sounds like plagues from Exodus as well. So we're dealing with the second Exodus again. We're dealing with those who were spiritually called Sodom and Egypt. But then he says, then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it became blood as of a dead man and every living creature in the sea died. Remember Moses Rod striking it and turning the river and the waters to blood. And then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the water say, you are righteous, O Lord, the one who is and who was and who is to be, because you have judged these things. Now, watch those who were judged, for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets and you have given them blood to drink, for it is their just due. So that tells you that this ties right back to Matthew chapter 23, when Jesus said the blood of all the righteous would be avenged on that generation. No one questions generation in that text that it's referring to the time of Israel, because he says, Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who stones the prophets and kills the prophets and stones those who were sent to her often, I wanted to gather your children or chicks under my wings as a hen does her chicks, but you were not willing. And then we can see the reference to that in Revelation 18, chapter 20, verse 20 and also 24, where mystery Babylon is judged for killing the prophets, the apostles and the saints. So the continuity of that all ties in with the one who did not repent. And you can see Peter's appeal to them in second Peter as well. And Ron, I didn't get a chance to respond back to you in email, but I thought your paper was great. I had just read a more extended work on that from Don Preston, who sent a similar text, but in so doing, it just made what you sent me even more powerful and appropriate because both of you were dealing with the same subject, have the same conclusions. And so I really appreciated that. All right. So we've seen this concept of they're refusing to repent. We've identified them as the one who shed the blood of the prophets that takes it back to the Jews as well. And so he says, indeed, I will cast her into a sick bed and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation unless they repent of their deeds. That was the premise that was given to them or for them in Matthew 24, when Jesus was given the message to the apostles. And he said that there would be great tribulation during that time when Jerusalem was being destroyed. He 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 we have to recognize that if he says all the churches are going to know, he couldn't have been excluding any church. And if we've identified them as the Jews, that means all seven churches were present and therefore we don't have any dating problems by trying to push this into 80, 91 to 96 or 80, 95 and 96 for the writing of the book of Revelation. All right. It is. I got about 30 seconds to go here and 30 verses left. So he says 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. Remember he said the same thing about him in chapter two. But he says, as they speak, I've pointed this out before that Satan here is a corporate concept that he's, he uses Satan, but he says, as they speak, so it is Satan, they, and therefore we're talking about individuals. We're talking about those who were the ministers of Satan, the apostles, these false apostles of second Corinthians chapter 11 verses 11 through 13, which he says in verse 22, are they Hebrew? So am I, are they Israelite? So am I, are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. And remember what John the Baptist said, don't even think to call yourselves the sons of Abraham, but bring forth fruit meat for repentance. They were unwilling to repent and hence they were considered as sons of the devil, John 8, 44, et cetera, in reference to, to the, the information and the message of that text. All right. So now as we close, he says, but hold fast what you have till I come. Now he's admonishing them to hold fast till he comes. We talked about the lesson of the multiple comings in the book of revelation. So this is the Pharisee. There is but one. And it's very clear by looking at all the promises and blessings to the churches that we're not dealing with more than one coming. And so he says, he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end to him, I will give power over the nations. And so this was the promise of enduring to the end. That's Matthew 24, 13, and also verse 14, which the gospel had to be published to all the nations. Then the end would come. All of that took place in that generation. It's documented in the epistles, Romans 10, 18 acts, excuse me, Romans 10, 18, Romans 16, 16, 25, and 26 and Colossians one five and six. And so that in came during that time. But you also see where he tells them they're going to rule them with a rod of iron. Well, that brings back Isaiah 11 and verse four, the rod that would come forth out of his mouth. And that's also that also ties in with revelation 1915, which shows that these armies were being destroyed at the time of the and the wedding that followed that when they were fighting against the beast and the false prophet as well. And so let me just wrap up here real quick. I just can't finish all of this other than to just say very briefly that ruling the nations with the rod of iron dashing, they should be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessel. Think Daniel to 44 and 45. And there you have the the iron and legs part of iron part of my reclaimed and they're all shattered to pieces. This is what that is referring to. And so he says is, as I also have received from my father, and I will give him the morning star. So notice how he opened the text with Christ saying that he was the son of God. And we pointed out the reference to Revelation 1, 6, when he talks about his father. And now he closes it with the same thing. So we have this inclusion here. So here's another allusion to Jesus being the son of God, because he says, as I have received from my father, and then he says, and I will give him the morning star. Well, we can look in second Peter, chapter one, and verse 19, that connects that with the Pharisee. And, you know, when he says, until the day dawns, and the morning star shines in your heart. But also, we should see from and I just did something here and got myself in a pickle. But nevertheless, we can also see from Revelation chapter 22, where the Bible says, Jesus himself says that he is the bright and morning star. So that's Revelation 22, and verse 16. So with that, we're going to close the lesson for today. I want to thank each of you for tuning in, I'm going to try to get back over to Facebook because I just did something and change my view. And I can't see. I can't see. Oh, there we go. I hit the full screen situation. Alright, so let's see who's here. This morning, we talked, mentioned several of you earlier. And I just want to give a shout out to Ron and to Robert. You're welcome, Robert to Maine, and be sure and share the message with your family and friends. If there are any questions on the material, please submit that. I know I rushed kind of fast because I didn't want to take a lot of time this morning to get through that. And so I left out a few little points here and there. But I think you got the overall gist. And I think it is a good study in looking at the comparison with these churches, and they just solidly prove that this was the coming of the Lord in 70 AD, along with the reference to Judy, you know, to the Jews being destroyed. So with that, have a good morning. And we'll talk to you again on next week, we'll look at another church.