Thyatira

Message to the church: “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations– ‘HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON; THEY SHALL BE DASHED TO PIECES LIKE THE POTTER’S VESSELS’ as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ‘ (Revelation 2:18-29)

Spiritual type: People who possess a faith springing from charity, as well as to people who possess a faith divorced from charity. (Apocalypse Revealed §124)

Description: There are actually a few different types of people who spiritually belong to the church in Thyatira, but what binds them together is that they put faith first. For some, this is a good thing – they have a faith that is connected to “works, love, service,” and “patience.” But they have allowed some of the Lord’s “servants” to give into sexual immorality and idolatry. This second group consists of people who pay lip service to faith but don’t make it a matter of life – they marry faith to evil works, and so profane it. If faith is the most important thing to you, this is always something to remain vigilant for – a temptation to downplay the need to live by that faith. If faith requires only an intellectual belief and not faithfulness to the Lord and His commandments, then it is not really faith.

Call to action: The truth is that faith is not the primary thing – love is – and that putting faith first will always lead to some problems. But if you feel like you cannot put love first without losing your faith, then you are called to “hold fast to what you have” – the firm conviction that faith requires intentional allegiance to the Lord and His commandments.

Promise: The people of Thyatira who overcome and keeps the Lord’s works to the end will “rule over the nations with a rod of iron.” That rod of iron represents the solid, simple teachings from the literal sense of Scripture about the the importance of living out your faith. These simple teachings will give you strength to overcome that temptation to make faith only a matter of intellectual belief, until you receive “the morning star” – a clear sight of the truth.