Tag: Overcomers

Thyatira was a much different city than the first three addressed in the Revelation. Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum were all critical cities in the Roman Empire and home to some of Rome’s most influential leaders. They were favored cities by Roman officials and for those involved in commerce.

Thyatira was about forty-five miles further inland and east of Pergamum. It was known for its many industries. The city manufactured what was purchased and shipped from the ports of Ephesus and Smyrna. Christ’s words to Thyatira represent the strengths and weaknesses of the people living in that city and the Christians in the early church there.

Jesus wrote to the pastor of the church in Thyatira identifying himself as, “the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze” (Revelation 2:18). This is the only time in the book of Revelation that the phrase “Son of God” appears. The emperor worship included the phrase “Caesar the son of god,” and quite possibly, Jesus is emphasizing his character to those in the church who were dabbling in that cult worship. 

Jesus’ eyes were described as “a flame of fire” to indicate his ability to burn through the outward appearance and discern the truth. It’s challenging to know what his feet as burnished bronze was intended to mean, but working with bronze was a significant trade in Thyatira and something they would have been familiar with. Those words could refer to the immoveable perfection of Christ and his words.

Jesus wanted the church in Thyatira to know him as God’s perfect Son, able to discern the truth in each person’s heart and mind.

Who in the church did Christ commend?

Jesus said, “I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.” Jesus knew those who were the faithful in Thyatira. Their lives were filled with Christian character and Christian service. They were people who had remained faithful to the truth of the gospel teaching, even under persecution. They were people who chose to endure and withstand the influence of those who were teaching a different message. They were also people who had grown stronger in their relationship to God, evidenced by their latter works exceeding the first.

The letter of 1 Peter was written to and circulated among the churches in Asia Minor. It’s possible that the faithful in Thyatira knew and remembered what Peter had taught them in 1 Peter 2:2: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” Jesus commended those in the church who had continued to grow in their faith.

An article on spiritual growth from Christianity.com quotes Oswald Chambers’ words from his classic devotional, My Utmost For His Highest. Chambers said this about our need to grow and mature as Christians consistently: “It is of no value to God to give Him your life for death. He wants you to be a ‘living sacrifice’—to let Him have all your strengths that have been saved and sanctified through Jesus (Romans 12:1). This is what is acceptable to God.”

Will our “works” today exceed those of previous years and be judged acceptable to God? Christians are like the trees of this world. If we aren’t growing in the Lord, then our faith is beginning to falter and die. Jesus commended those in Thyatira whose latter works exceeded their first works. They were models for our spiritual growth.

Jesus’ words to those whose faith had changed course

Some in the church of Thyatira had ceased to grow spiritually, and their works proved that. Jesus told them, “I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:19). There was a woman in the church who was believed by some to be a prophetess, a person who was able to speak for God. Women who taught and preached in the first century were valued and respected as messengers of God. In Thyatira, however, there was a woman who some people had assumed to be a prophetess, but she, like Jezebel in the Old Testament, had led God’s people to believe wrong teaching.

According to Jesus, this influential woman, this Jezebel, was “seducing” the weaker members of the church “to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” Like most of these Roman cities, there were plenty of places where cult worship was offered. Apparently, this “Jezebel” had taught the people in the church that it was fine to tolerate, and even participate in, the so-called worship offered at these idolatrous places.

Jesus doesn’t condemn these practices without offering the way out of them. The first thing Christ offers those who have fallen away from the true faith is the chance to repent. Jesus tells them what will happen to the “Jezebel” and those who have listened to her saying, “Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works” (Revelation 2:22). Jesus is definite about the fact that God will judge those who falsely speak for God and those who tolerate or follow wrong teaching. But, before judgment, there is the opportunity to repent, to stop and turn back to God.

Why will God harshly judge Jezebel and those who follow her if they do not repent? Jesus said, “And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:23). Jesus, with eyes of blazing fire, can discern the hearts and minds of all people. His purpose in bringing judgment on the unfaithful is that people may recognize him as the Son of God and worship him by following his word. Consequence for our sins is often the best road to repentance. Discerning what is false is often the road to truth. The word of God is clear. God will not allow people to misrepresent his character or his word of truth to others. At some point, there will be judgment for that sin.

Who is an overcomer?

Jesus said, “But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden.  Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:24–26). Jesus encouraged the Christians of Thyatira, and every Christian, to hold onto the purity of God’s word. Our steadfast faith in God’s truth will help us conquer our sins and continue to serve God until the end. Jesus has authority over the nations. He will rule over and even destroy every sin, or every person that comes against his children. When we remain faithful, we remain under the authority and protection of Christ himself.

The final promise to the overcomer

Jesus said, “And I will give him the morning star” (Revelation 2:28). Jesus reminded those who had remained faithful that he would give them the hope of the coming day. The morning star was the last star seen on the horizon as the sun rose. The morning star was the promise of no more darkness. That promise was also for those who would, in obedience, repent and turn back to faith.

To all of us concerned about the churches in our culture who tolerate teaching that is not biblical truth, hear Jesus say: Do not be influenced by their teaching. Continue instead to grow with a steadfast faith in the pure truth of Scripture. Jesus also would want us to have ears to hear, “I am your Morning Star,” your promise that one day there will be no more darkness. 

Let’s commit our lives to a continued effort to grow, and may our growth be seen in the works we do for others. Jesus calls and equips us to be overcomers. We have an eternity with Jesus, the Morning Star, to look forward to someday.