Revelation 2:18-3:6 Lesson 472

Revelation 2:18-3:6
Lesson 472

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

Lesson 471 continues.

Thyatira, the compromising church (2:18-29).

Sardis, the dead church (3:1-6).

Look for Jesus' praise, rebuke, warning, and promise to both churches.

This entire passage is Jesus speaking to us from heaven.

Where was -

Thyatira -
Thyatira was an important city in the Roman province of Lydia in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Thyatira sat on the Lycus River forty miles south of Pergamos. It had a large, primarily Greek population. With its manufacturing and numerous trade guilds (unions), Thyatira would be considered a blue-collar town today. Its most profitable products were dyes (made from local roots), linens, and pottery. To every Christian tradesman's horror, many of the worker's guilds in Thyatira worshipped their own patron god. The church in Thyatira had its good points. It was known for its faith, love, Christian service, and patience (Revelation 2:19). But like Pergamos, Thyatira had trouble resisting false prophets, pagan rituals, and immorality (Revelation 2:20).  The Bible only mentions Thyatira in Acts 16:14 and Revelation 1:11, 2:18, and 2:24.

Sardis -
Famous for its art, crafts, and dye works, the city of Sardis was located on the banks of the Pactolus River near Mount Tmolus, fifty miles east of Symrna. It was the capital of Lydia and grew rich thanks to its robust textile and jewelry industry.  Although in decline by John's day, Sardis was still a well-to-do commercial center.  Despite being an early center of Christianity, many of its citizens worshipped Cybele, the pagan goddess of nature. By the time Jesus dictated His letter to the Sardis church, it was spiritually dead (3:1).  The Bible only mentions Sardis in this passage. The city no longer exists, but its ruins have been well explored.  An archelogy team from Princeton University uncovered the ruins of a fourth-century AD Christian church and a temple honoring Cybele that dates back 2400 years.

Study Tip:

We read as if we're in a race. But slow down when reading the Bible. Take the time to meditate on each passage and allow the true meaning of God's word to enter you.

The Revelation of Saint John the Divine

The King James Bible

Revelation 2:18-3:6
Message to Thyatira

18 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 churches.

Revelation 3:1-6
Message to Sardis

1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Margin notes:

"I know thy works, and charity." (2:19) - "I know your good deeds and your love."

"Jezebel." (2:20) - A 9th century BC Phoenician princess who married Israel's King Ahab (1 Kings 16:31). Cruel, immoral, and treacherous, Jezebel worshipped the pagan gods Baal and Astheroth and encouraged others to join her. She is perhaps the most wicked woman in the Bible (1 Kings 21:25). She married Israel's king Ahab and turned him to idolatry and worshipping her pagan gods. With the help of eight hundred and fifty pagan priests (1 Kings 18:19), she converted so many Jews to heathenism that God turned His back on the Jewish Northern Kingdom and allowed them to fall into captivity. Jezebel met her end when she was thrown from a window, trampled by horses, and her body eaten by dogs (2 Kings 9:30-37). In this verse, the name Jezebel is used to describe the wickedness of an anonymous Thyatira woman. Jezebel may not have been her real name. Possibly, Jesus called her Jezebel because, like the Jezebel above, she worshipped pagan gods and taught heathenism. Both Jezebels preached that sexual immortality was not a sin. The church in Thyatira compromised itself by admitting her into the church and making her a pastor. Jesus called her teachings Satan's secrets (Revelation 2:24).

"Eat things sacrificed unto idols." (2:20) - After pagans offered up animal sacrifices to their false gods, they sold the meat in the public marketplace. Although Paul taught that buying and eating this meat did not offend Christ (1 Corinthians 8:4-6), it still bothered many believers.

"I gave her space to repent." (2:21) - "I gave her time to repent." We are given time to repent; it is our choice whether to use the time wisely or not.

"I will cast her into a bed." (2:22) - "I will throw her into a bed of afflictions."

"I will kill her children." (2:23) - This probably means "I will kill her followers."

"I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts." (2:23) - "I am the one who knows thoughts and hearts." The Lord knows and tests our thoughts and hearts (Psalm 7:9, Jeremiah 11:20, Luke 16:15).

"I will give unto every one of you according to your works." (2:23) - Means everyone will get what they've earned in this life. See Proverbs 24:12, Jeremiah 17:10, Matthew 16:27, Romans 2:5-6 and Revelation 20:12-13.

"The depths of Satan." (2:24) - "The deep secrets of Satan." Many members of the church in Thyatira followed Jezebel's pagan philosophy. She claimed her beliefs were the deep secrets of God. But Jesus called them Satan's secrets.

"And he shall rule them with a rod of iron." (2:27) - This is similar to the prophecy found in Revelation 12:5 and 19:15;

"As the vessels of a potter, shall they be broken to shivers." (2:27) - "Like a potters clay pot, they will be broken into pieces." The same prophesy was made in Psalm 2:9,
Isaiah 30:14 and Jeremiah 19:11 centuries earlier.

"I will give him the morning star." (2:28) - Jesus Christ is the "morning star" (22:16). An Old Testament prophecy of Jesus also called Him a star (Numbers 24:17).

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith." (2:29) - Jesus repeatedly asks us to listen to God's message and promises eternal life to those who do (Matthew 11:15).

"The seven Spirits of God." (3:1) - "The Seven Spirits seem to represent the Seven-Fold, or complete operation of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God, all one and the same Spirit, in the fulness of His power: the form in which Christ works in His churches and with His churches, in the age between his First Coming and His Second Coming." ("Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; pg. 706).

"Seven stars." (3:1) - The seven leaders of the seven churches John is writing to.

"I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." (3:1) - "I know your deeds, that you have a reputation as a living church, but you are dead."

"I have not found thy works perfect before God." (3:2) - "I have not found that your deeds are complete."

"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard." (3:3) - "Therefore remember what (the word of God) you have heard and believed."

"Hold fast." (3:3) - Hold fast to your faith.

"Therefore thou shalt not watch." (3:3) - "Therefore, if you don't wake up."

"Thou shalt not know what hour I will come." (3:3) - Jesus gave this same warning in Matthew 24:42.

"Thou hast a few names." (3:4) - "You have a few people."

"They shall walk with me in white." (3:4) - "Fine linen, clean and white" represents the garments of the righteous (Revelation 4:4; 19:8; 19:14).

"The book of life." (3:5) - The book containing the names of believers who will enjoy eternal life with God (Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 69:28; Daniel 12:1; Malachi 3:16-17;
Philippians 4:3). The names of unbelievers are nowhere to be found in the Book of Life (Revelation 13:8; 17:8). John will talk about the book of life again (Revelation 17:8, 20:12-15, 21:27, 22:19).

"I will confess his name before my Father." (3:5) - "I will acknowledge them before God."

New Living Translation

Revelation 2:18-3:6
The Message to the Church in Thyatira

18 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze:

19 "I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.

20 "But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman-that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet-to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols.

21 I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.

22 "Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds.

23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.

24 "But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching ('deeper truths,' as they call them-depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you

25 except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come.

26 To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end,

To them I will give authority over all the nations.

27 They will rule the nations with an iron rod
and smash them like clay pots.

28 They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!

29 "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

Revelation 3:1-6
The Message to the Church in Sardis

1 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:
"I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive-but you are dead.

2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.

3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don't wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.

4 "Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.

6 "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. What was Jesus' promise to those who overcame (2:26)?

Know anyone interested in studying the Bible? Have them email us at [email protected]

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. Jesus' promise to those who overcame (were victorious) was to grant them power over all nations (2:26), and in verse 2:28, to give them "the morning star" (Himself).

Application thought for the day:

Spend the day pondering what this passage teaches about Jesus Christ and repentance.

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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