parallel between the threat Balaam faced of being killed by the sword of the angel of the Lord (Numbers 22:23, 31) and his actual death when he did not heed the warning, and the threat to the church to be killed with the sword if they did not repent of his teachings—Beale, The Book of Revelation, 250.
110. Beale, The Book of Revelation, 252.
111. Beale, The Book of Revelation, 253–55. See also Osborne, Revelation, 149, who writes, “The manna and white stone are both eschatological symbols related to the messianic feast at the eschaton but also teaching the spiritual food and new name that God gives to the believer in the present as well.”
Revelation 2:18–29
Jesus’ Message to the Church in Thyatira
Introduction
When our youngest son, Josiah, was little, the movie Toy Story came out. Josiah really liked Buzz Lightyear. He had a Buzz Lightyear toy that made cool sounds. One week, as Lora was praying for the kids before they went to school, she prayed that God would protect them. Josiah had asked her beforehand to pray that Buzz Lightyear would protect them. When Lora had finished praying and had not mentioned Buzz Lightyear, Josiah said, “You didn’t pray that Buzz Lightyear would protect us.” Lora said, “That’s because Jesus is able to protect you.” Josiah said, “But Jesus does not have lasers!” How about eyes of flames of fire and feet like burnished bronze!
Jesus has power. Jesus has authority. He is the One we want in our corner. But he is not the One we want to be on the wrong side of. Of the many things lacking in our cultures, one of the bigger ones is the lack of good authority figures in people’s lives. Our authority figures have often proved disappointing. They lack integrity, or they don’t have the kind of leadership we need. Maybe our parents have been bad examples of authority figures. Politicians we know certainly have been bad examples of authority figures. Even policemen, and sometimes teachers, have been bad examples.
With a lack of authority, there is an increasing sense of lost-ness or the feeling of chaos around us. “Who is in control anyway?” This is an especially crucial question in light of events that are happening around the world. In the book series, The Lord of the Rings, which was made into a motion picture, there is a time during the story where the four hobbits are walking through the old forest alone. There is no one to lead them. Their leader and teacher, Gandalf, had been detained by the once wise man who had succumbed to growing shadows of darkness. They were afraid, unaware of the dangers around them, and yet knowing that dangers were everywhere. Is this not an accurate picture of many we know? They are wandering this world with no leadership, and thus no direction, no purpose, and no hope; only fear and lost-ness and uncertainty.
The good news is that Jesus is in control! Jesus has authority. It is an authority He had before He came to the earth, and an authority He won again when He came to the earth to give up his life, so that the Father could honor him with the rule and kingdom that would last forever. It is this authority we see very clearly demonstrated in the message to the church in Thyatira. What do we know about Thyatira? It is one of the least known cities, but we do know it was situated about 40 miles east/southeast of Pergamum, along the Lycus River in fertile valleys. It was a Roman colony with many trade associations (guilds), and a religion dedicated to Apollo. It was a wealthy city. And I’m sure they had many who claimed a certain kind of authority. But the little persecuted church in this wealthy city needed a reminder of the true and real authority, Jesus alone.
Exposition
Jesus identifies himself as the Son of God, whose eyes are flames of fire and feet like burnished bronze. These are reminders of the vision of Ezekiel, the omniscience and majesty of Jesus in all his glory. Also see Daniel 10:6. This glory is Jesus’ glory as the Son of God. In Thyatira, both Apollo and the emperor, to whom local trade gilds were dedicated, were believed to be sons of Zeus. But the church in Thyatira must give heed to the real Son of God. Jewish literature of the time often combined the identity of the Son of God from Psalm 2 with the Son of Man individual in Daniel 7.112 The Son of Man who received power and authority from the Ancient of Days is the eternal Son of God who holds the iron scepter in his hand.
Jesus commended the church in Thyatira for their deeds. Unlike Ephesus, the deeds of Thyatira got better. Their latest deeds were better than the first. They understood Jesus more. They gave more. They loved more. They served more. Jesus saw the growth. He saw the improvement when others did not. Growth is always the most imperceptible by the ones who are growing. Children rarely see that they are growing unless family members who haven’t seen them for a while say, “My, how you have grown!” Believers, especially new believers, may not perceive their growth in the Lord. But Jesus sees it.
There is a four-fold commendation from Jesus to this church, evidence that they had grown. They had love, probably love for God and love for one another. Many of our acts of kindness or love that we extend to others, or sacrifices we make because of our love for God, while may not be seen by others, are seen by God. We may not get our pictures in the paper, or in the latest blog news post. But Jesus does not allow any acts of love that we give to him or to others to be overlooked. The church in Thyatira also had faith. What some may assume is foolishness or superstition on our part (believing in a God we cannot see and holding to the truth of a book written thousands of years ago), Jesus sees that faith and is pleased. He knows that with that faith, mountains can be moved, and his church can grow. Jesus also commended the church for their service. The word for service, τὴν διακονίαν (ten diakonian), is closely associated with Jesus’ death in John 12:2, 26. Disciples are also to be willing to follow Jesus even unto death, loving service manifested in one’s faithfulness to death,113 accented by Jesus’ forth commendation of the church’s commitment to patient endurance.
It is nice to be noticed by Jesus when we are living our lives in love, faith, service, and patient endurance, similar to the church in Thessalonica. I experienced many times when I was playing baseball as a young person, when I came up to bat at the plate, connected on a solid, run-scoring double, only to look to the stands, deflated that no member of my family was there to see it happen. Well, Jesus is always “in the stands” to see when we hit a double for his kingdom. He always sees. Hebrews 12:1–2 reminds us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses (those who have gone before us), let us throw off the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.” Why? Because his eyes of blazing fire are fixed on us.
Jesus knows the good, but He also knows when his church or those in the church are not following him. The problem in the church in Thyatira was that they tolerated a woman named Jezebel who called herself a prophetess. She taught and seduced the servants of Christ to do the same that Balaam had done when he seduced the Israelites at the time of Balak. They committed sexual immorality and ate food sacrificed to idols. There was compromise in the church to the local pagan celebrations, most likely with the hope that they would not be ostracized from the local trade guild.114
The church tolerated this false prophet rather than take active steps to remove her from the congregation. There was a church in my district when I was a pastor in Ohio where the music leader of the church for fifteen years was carrying on an extra marital affair while still leading worship. No pastor did anything about it until a new pastor came to the church. The new pastor, when he found out, lovingly yet firmly removed him from ministry in the church. This infuriated the worship pastor and he left, taking some with him. Was the church better off? They had less members, and a music program with less quality, but Jesus saw them and was pleased with what He saw.
Jesus had given the false prophetess time to repent, but she was unwilling. So, the punishment from Jesus was harsh and complete. Consider the harsh words used by Jesus and it reminds