Thyatira and Jezebel.
“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: “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. 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. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.” – Revelation 2:18-21 (NLT)
The era of intense persecution of Smyrna had given way to Pergamum, the era of the church flirting with the world. This is when many pagan practices crept into the church through ‘compromise’ with paganism after the ‘conversion’ of Constantine. Many pagan practices were ‘Christianised’ at this time, statues of pagan idols were renamed, and practices like the celebration of Christmas and Easter (named after the Goddess Ishtar) were adopted and merged (sanctified) with Christian celebrations. For 300 years the church had never built a building – now they were granted pagan temples in which to worship. Constantine established the elite paid ministry to mimic the pagan priesthood, whereas before all spiritual gifts of the spirit were on an equal footing. Constantine also legislated the keeping of Sunday in 321AD with a decree that said “Christians will no longer Sabbatise on the Sabbath but will keep Sunday in honour of the resurrection.” An indication that by this time both practices were in use.
Jesus reference to the Balaam story from Numbers 22-24 is a reference to this eras’ union with heathenism. The Thyatira church, which covers the longest period of any of the letters (From about 538 to 1552) is the era of deepening darkness and permeating heresies. It is the time of Daniel’s little horn where he prophesied
“He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time.” – Daniel 7:25 NLT.
The church’s opponents are here called followers of Jezebel. Whoever she was, she appears to represent the Thyatira branch of the group labelled “Nicolaitans” and “those who hold to the teaching of Balaam” (Rev 2:14-15). Apparently all three names represent the same group because all three names involve the same two problems: eating food offered to idols and committing fornication. Interestingly enough, when you go to the Christian writings of the following century, the same two issues are front row centre.
The message to Thyatira is different. As mentioned above, the churches of Revelation exhibit spiritual decline. That decline is evident in the messages to the previous three churches. But the message to Thyatira goes against the established structural pattern of the previous messages. Firstly, the message to Thyatira is twice as long as the other six messages. This length is fitting to its role at the centre of the Chiasm and the long period of persecution that it perpetrated during Christian history. Secondly, within the church of Thyatira and the reference to Jezebel, there is a faithful remnant, (see 1Kings 19:18 during the Elijah story).
Thirdly, Thyatira is the only church about which Jesus says, “That their latter works exceed their first” (2:19). Placed at the centre of the history of the seven churches, this positive message means that Jesus is bringing His people out of apostasy and through the subsequent messages of justification by faith from the Reformation, preparing the church for His second coming. While satan accuses God’s followers to discourage and distract, Jesus and the Holy Spirit rebuke in order to encourage and to heal.
Thank you for doing this study for us Ross and Jesse God bless you 🙏