In this study the following are to be considered
The significance of the name p.1
The importance of the historical and geographical status of the city p.1
Scriptural references p.2
The Messiah p.2
Works p.2
Izevel and her teachings p.3
The nations p.4
References and credits p.5
Thyatira – The Negligent Assembly
Rev. 2:18-29
It is generally considered that the message to each assembly has a typical prophetic word for the time of writing and a future fulfilment. In these letters to the assemblies, Yochanan addresses the immediate situation but also the assemblies are characteristic of each type of assembly throughout the Church Age.
Each future assembly would have a particular problem highlighted in the letters, but there are all aspects of the letters apparent in varying degrees at all Church Periods.
This assembly was typical of assemblies from Pope Boniface III in 606 C.E. to the Reformation 1520 C.E. Roman Catholicism became the world’s dominant religion during this period and assumed it peak just prior to the Reformation (Larkin p. 23).
Rev. 2:18 – The Greeting
“To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: ‘The Son of Yahuah, who has His eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished brass, says these things:”
The city
Geographical status: a strategically important city. It was located in the valley connecting the Hermus and Caicus Rivers and the surrounding land was extremely fertile. It was on the roads connecting Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Smyrna and Byzantium. These roads formed part of the Imperial Post Road throughout the Roman province of Asia ((1)Barclay p.125).
It was a frontier city established to protect the capital, Pergamos. Although it was a difficult city to defend, being on a broad flat area, its role was to delay attacking forces long enough for Pergamum to prepare for the invasion.
Political status: Being close to the capital, Pergamos meant that it had no real political importance.
Religious status: It was not of significant religious importance.
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Population: There was so large a Macedonian population that it was considered a Macedonian colony ((2)Fairbairn p. 277).
Commercial status: Due to the fertile region and pure mountain rivers, the city was a major commercial centre. It was world renowned for the purple/scarlet dying of cloth.
The many trades and crafts led to the establishment of powerful trade guilds. Not to be a member of the relevant guild would have made any form of trading virtually impossible. These guilds would hold communal meals in temples or at homes but certainly using meat sacrificed to idols. These meals often deteriorated into drunken orgies.
In Scripture: This was the city from whence Lydia (so named after the area close to Thyatira) came. She is considered the first Gentile convert by Sha`ul in Philippi, “A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped `Elohiym, heard us; whose heart the Messiah opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Sha’ul.” (Acts 16:14).
The Messiah
(i) Son of Yahuah: this is a declaration of His authority and by what right He over the assembly.
(ii) Daniel’s vision (Dan. 10:6): this is a declaration that the message is from Yahuah;
(a) Flaming eyes:
(1) for the wrath at having to look upon sin;
(2) the eyes that burns into the heart of Man and sees his thoughts ((1)Barclay p128).
(b) Brazen feet: judges in perfect wisdom and acts with perfect strength (Henry p. 1383).
Rev. 2:19 – The Commendation
“I know your works, your benevolence, service, faith, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.”
The works:
The leadership must use the following in order to carry on the works of the Messiah:
(i) charity – to do good to all men especially to Believers;
(ii) service – the faithful leadership to the Word of Yahuah;
(iii) faith – in the grace that enables and equips for service;
(v) patience – longsuffering and endurance to the rigours of service;
(v) fruitfulness – to be not satisfied with what has been done but ready to press on (Henry p. 1383).
Rev. 2:20 – The Condemnation (1)
“But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Izevel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.”
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Izevel (Ee-za-vel)
The woman known as or referred to as Izevel would have been well known within the congregation. She may have been:
(i) The wife of the leader of the assembly, although this is quite tenuous;
(ii) The oracle Sambathe who would have had great influence in the city but would not be from within the congregation;
(iii) An un-named but self-proclaimed prophetess and teacher;
(iv) An un-named woman whose character brought to mind the wife of King Ahab, “It happened, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Yarov`am the son of Nevat, that he took as wife Izevel the daughter of Etba`al king of the Tzidonim, and went and served Ba`al, and worshiped it.” (1 Kgs. 16:31). These would be:
(a) not native to the city but has quickly gained power and influence;
(b) from a pagan background;
(c) ruthless in obtaining her personal ambitions;
(d) usurps the authority of the leadership by proclaiming her ‘divine’ calling or her superior lineage or intellect.
Teachings of Izevel
(i) These may be considered as the teachings of the Nicolaitans:
(ii) Spiritual fornication, “Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;” (Exod. 34:15; cf Deut. 31:16):
(a) drifting or leading others way from the one true `Elohiym;
(b) Believers not to be exclusive in worship.
(iii) Physical fornication:
(a) the norm for Greco-Roman society;
(b) antinomianism.
(iv) Eating of meat offered to idols:
(a) guild meals would invariably contain meat sacrificed to idols, “But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality.” (Acts 21:25; cf 1 Cor. 8:1-13);
(b) fellowship meals would buy meat from the market place with the better cuts that may have originated from meat sacrifices.
Rev. 2:21, 22 – The Condemnation (2)
“I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works. I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”
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Izevel proclaimed herself as a prophetess. She is cast onto her bed, symbolising the area of her sin. However, the warnings are rejected and her punishment is pronounced and is certain. Those who are being led astray are given the opportunity to repent and renounce the works of Izevel. Nevertheless, those who will not reject her teachings are likewise condemned. Their punishment will be all the various plagues and pestilences that resulted in sin and will be heaped up on them. This will act as a warning to all assemblies throughout the ages that no sin, personal and corporate, can be hidden from the Messiah, “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the righteous; Their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous `Elohiym. By the breath of `Elohiym they perish, By the blast of His anger are they consumed.” (Psa. 7:9).
Therefore, the Risen Messiah uses her sin against her and her ‘children’, “According to what I have seen, those who plough iniquity, And sow trouble, Reap the same.” (Job 4:8, 9 cf Gal. 6:7); “The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.” (Prov. 5:22 cf Hos. 8:7).
Rev. 2:24 – The Promise (1)
“But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, who do not know what some call ‘the deep things of haSatan,’ to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.”
The teaching of Izevel is associated with haSatan and its false doctrines (1 Tim. 4:1). All those who have succumbed to its temptations will be subject to the same punishment as Izevel (and ultimately haSatan). Those who have remained faithful to the Messiah will have no other work put upon them. However, this does not mean they do not have any work but are still commissioned to proclaiming the Good News using what they have always displayed (v19).
Rev. 2:25-27 – The Promise (2)
“Nevertheless, hold firmly that which you have, until I come. He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father:”
The overcomer is the one who perseveres and endures until the task is completed (or the Believer dies and goes to be with the Messiah).
The nations
This is a direct reference to the Messianic psalm, “I will tell of the decree. Yahuah said to me, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, The uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” (Psalm 2:7-9). Yahuah gave the Son authority over the nations. There is the promise from the Risen Messiah that the overcomer will be rewarded by a harvest of souls.
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Rev. 2:28, 29 – The Promise (3)
“and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
Morning star
(i) the promise of resurrection as surely as the morning star rises after the night;
(ii) the morning star is the brightest as it can be seen during the day. The overcomers will
be those who have been made righteous, “Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse; and those who turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.” (Dan. 12:3);
(iii) the promise of the Messiah Himself.
Ears
ἀκούω akoo-oh #G191– means not only to hear but to consider, understand and to act upon what has been said and is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew שָׁמַע shar-mer #H8085.
Him: this personalises all the letters. The Messiah addresses the warnings and promises of this and all the other letters to each and every Believer throughout the ages;
Assemblies: this generalises all the letters. The Messiah addresses the warnings and promises to each and every Assembly throughout the ages.
The promise is given to those who endure to the bitter end.
There will be a more severe judgement against those who have heard the Word of Yahuah and reject it than to those who have not heard. “That servant, who knew his master’s will,and did not prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes, but he who did not know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whoever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked,” (Luke 12:47, 48).
Yahuah bless you and keep you
Yahuah make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,
Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.
All glory be to Yahuah,
Ameyn.
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References and Credits
In using these references, it is in no way agreeing to or condoning the theological viewpoint of the authors.
(1)Barclay Rev. W.(1960) The Revelation of John Vol.I, St. Andrew Press, Edinburgh.
(5)Fairbairn Rev. P. The Imperial Bible-Dictionary, Vol. V, Blackie & Son, London.
Henry. Rev. M. (1828) An Exposition of the Old and the New Testament, Vol. III,
J.R. & C. Childs, London.
Larkin C. (1919) The Book of Revelation, Moyer & Lotter, Philadelphia, PA.
Strong J. (1994) Strong’s New Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, World Bible Publishers Inc., Madison.
Strong J. (1996) The New Strong’s Complete Dictionary of Bible Words, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.
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First Generation Assembly 