“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“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. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.” (Revelation 2:24–25)

Jezebel was tolerated in Thyatira, and this was a big problem. It was a problem for her and for her followers because they were going to be chastised by the Lord directly. It was a problem for the leadership at Thyatira because they were the ones who put up with this contagion in the church. The Lord promises to parse the situation out, in accordance with the works of “each one of you.”

The next word is a bit more encouraging. The toleration of Jezebel was a problem, but the Lord continues to talk to the church leadership (apparently) along with the rest of the saints in Thyatira, the ones who had not been corrupted with this licentious teaching. It is interesting to note how John references how these false teachers described their own teaching – as “the depths of Satan.” They were apparently peddling some sort of deep heavy, and the Lord will have none of it.

He says that he will put no additional burden on them. I take this to mean that there is no additional task beyond the implied task of no longer tolerating Jezebel. No additional labor is necessary. Get rid of that woman, and hold on tight until the Lord relieves them.

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Read More Grace & Peace Posts:

• Revelation #22
• Revelation #21
• Revelation #20
• Revelation #19
• Revelation #18
• Revelation #17
• Revelation #16

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“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“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. 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” (Rev. 2:19–20).

The church at Thyatira was an industrious, hard-working church. In speaking to them, the Lord begins by commending them for their labors. He uses a number of overlapping terms to do so—He praises their works, using that work twice, once at the beginning and the other at the end of the list. He commends their works, and then their love, and their faith, and their steadfastness, and then their works again. The works at the end of the list were greater than the works at the beginning. Their labors were growing in volume and intensity. The church at Ephesus worked hard also, but had fallen from their first love. The church at Thyatira was given over to ever-increasing works, but they were also commended for their love (agape). All in all, they appeared to be a healthy church. [Read more…]

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“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“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” (Rev. 2:18).

Thyatira was about 128 miles from Patmos, where John was exiled as he wrote these exhortations to the cities. What he wrote was delivered as a circular. From Ephesus, you would work northward toward Smyrna, and from there to Pergamum. At Pergamum, the route would turn east and head toward Thyatira. After Thyatira, the course would run southeast through Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. All the churches, and Patmos also, could fit inside a circle with a radius of about 86 miles. [Read more…]

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“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it” (Rev. 2:17).

The letter to the church at Pergamum concludes with one of the most personal individual exhortations in the Scriptures. The general invitation is given. Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. The Spirit speaks to the churches corporately, and all Christians are invited individually to hear. To the one who overcomes—which is to say, to the one who is born anew, regenerate, born again—God promises to give him hidden manna. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). The victory that overcomes the world is our faith, and it is by faith that we receive the free grace of justification. The only one to whom this happens is the one who is born of God. If a man is born of God, then he overcomes the world. If a man is born of God, then he receives hidden manna. [Read more…]

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