The Church at Thyatira Compromised
December 27, 2021
Commentary
Thyatira is located about 35 miles southeast of Pergamos and was noted for its wool and dye industry. This city is first mentioned in connection with Paul’s missionary journeys. His first convert was a woman of this city by the name of Lydia who was a seller of purple. Though much was wrong in the church at Thyatira, the believers were praised for their love, faith, service, and perseverance (v.19). At the same time, as is pointed out in the verses that follow, this church had serious problems.
The church is rebuked for its compromise as it permitted Jezebel to teach the believers to take part in the sexual immorality that accompanied her pagan religion and to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols (v. 20). Their immorality had gone on for some time. God gave them time to repent but they refused to do so (v. 21). Only judgment remains.
Evidently there were some who did not follow the compromise of the church, but instead denounced its unbiblical ways (v.24). These faithful ones are promised association with Christ in His millennial reign (v.26_27). In addition, they will receive the morning star (v.28). Scripture does not explain this expression, but it may refer to participation in the rapture of the Church before the dawn of the millennial kingdom.
Application
A challenge for me is to be on guard to false teaching and following any religious group that has an empty formality. Satan is a specialist in compromise as he offers his counterfeits.
Revelation 2:18– 29 (NET)
18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following:
19 ‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, service, and steadfast endurance. In fact, your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones. 20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, and those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you. 25 However, hold on to what you have until I come. 26 And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations —
27 he will rule them with an iron rod and like clay jars he will break them to pieces,
28 just as I have received the right to rule from my Father—and I will give him the morning star. 29 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’