Revelation 2:22-23 22 Pay attention now to what I am saying: I will lay her upon a sickbed of intense affliction, along with all her immoral followers, e unless they turn again to me, repenting of their sin with her; 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches shall know that I am He who searches deep within men’s hearts and minds; I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.[1] TLBP
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5. The Warning: to the Compromising and
Corrupt (Revelation 2:22–23).[2] |
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E. The Message to
Thyatira: The Church That Is Compromising or Permissive, Revelation 2:18–29 |
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1. The
recipients a. The messenger of
the church b. The Thyatira
churchDS1 2. The
speaker: Jesus |
18 And
unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of
God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; |
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3. The
commendation for deeds or works a. For love &
faith b. For service &
perseverance c. For expanding
ministries |
19 I
know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and
thy works; and the last to be more
than the first. |
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4. The
complaint: Allowing a Jezebel to teach a. They tolerate a
false prophetess b. They tolerate
false teaching, sexual immorality, & idolatry |
20 Notwithstanding
I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,
which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to
commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21.
And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. |
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5. The Warning:
To the Compromising & Corrupt a. To Jezebel: She will be Cast into a bed of Suffering
|
22. Behold, I will
cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great
tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. |
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b. To Jezebel’s followers: The same Fate c. The Purpose for the Warning 1) To Honor Jesus 2) To Execute Justice |
23 And I will kill her children with death, and all the churches
shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give
unto every one of you according to your works. |
|
6. The
counsel: To the faithful a. There will be no
other burdens or demands made upon the faithful |
24 But
unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this
doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will
put upon you none other burden. |
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b. They must hold
fast |
25 But
that which ye have already hold
fast till I come. |
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7. The
promise: To the overcomers a. They will be
given authority & power over the nations |
26 And
he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give
power over the nations: 27 And
he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they
be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. |
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b. They will be
given the Morning Star, Christ Himself |
28 And
I will give him the morning star. 29 He
that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.[3]
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·
The Condemning Curse on Jezebel. (Revelation
2:22–23) The curse of Jezebel is detailed. It was threefold in its
application. First, the curse upon
her comfort. “Cast her into a bed” (Revelation
2:22). The context implies a bed of discomfort which means a bed of
sickness or injury. It is paying her back in the coin of her sin. She went to
bed with many men; now, she will be forced to be in bed in discomfort. Second, the curse upon her companions.
“Cast …
them that commit adultery with her into great
tribulation” (Revelation 2:22).
The delight of their transgression now is changed to the distress of trouble. Third, the curse upon her
children. “I
will kill her children with death” (Revelation
2:23). The sins of the parents curse the children by causing them to sin
and experience judgment.
·
The
Counsel Concerning Condemnation (Revelation 2:23)
Christ had some counsel for the
folk in Thyatira, especially for those who had not become involved in Jezebel’s
ways.
· The counsel about condemnation. The judgment upon the wicked ones sent a message to all the churches. First, the examination by the Lord. “All the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts” (Revelation 2:23). Everything we do is scrutinized by the Lord to see “what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:13). We may view our conduct as excellent, but what does the Lord say? The Lord measures conduct by a high standard. Second, the equity of the Lord. “I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:23). You will be punished according to your deeds. The Lord is fair in judgment. No one will be able to complain of a lack of equity.[4]
5 (Revelation 2:22–23) Warning—Church: There Is The Warning To
Those Who Compromise And Are Corrupted. Note Five Significant Points.
1. There
is a warning to Jezebel. She is to be cast upon a bed of sickness. This
probably means some venereal disease or some disease, such as cirrhosis of the
liver, due to excess drinking. Her judgment was to match her sin, to be a
direct result of her sin. She was to reap what she sowed.
“For with what judgment ye judge, ye
shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you
again” (Mt. 7:2).
“But after thy hardness and impenitent
heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation
of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his
deeds” (Ro. 2:5–6).
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his
flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Ga.
6:7–8).
2. There is the warning to those who gave in to her seduction and lifestyle, to those who refused to turn to Christ and to separate themselves from the world. They were to suffer great tribulation. The idea is some severe affliction, deep suffering, and pressing distress.
3. There
is a warning to the children of Jezebel. Who are they? Real children or
those who swallowed her false teaching and worldly lifestyle? In either case,
they were to be killed. What does this mean?
⇒ It
could mean the chastising hand of God, such as fell upon some of the Corinthian
believers (1 Cor. 11:27–30; 1 Jn. 5:16).
“For this cause, many are weak and
sickly among you, and many sleep [have died]” (1 Cor.
11:30).
⇒ It
could mean the second death, the judgment of eternal death when we stand face
to face with Christ on the final judgment day. (Rev.
2:10–11)
4. There
was still time for all of these to repent (Rev
2:22). Imagine! Christ still loved and reached out to Jezebel, this
false teacher, and her followers, despite all the corruption they had caused in
this great church. Christ still gave them a chance to repent. Christ said that
the judgment would only happen if
they failed to repent of their deeds.
Thought 1. This
means a most wonderful thing: we can still repent so long as we are living on
earth. No matter what we have done or how terrible it is, Christ calls us to
repentance. And if we repent, He saves us and delivers us from the judgment to
come.
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from
the presence of the Lord” (Ac. 3:19).
“Repent therefore of this thy
wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven
thee” (Ac. 8:22).
“And the times of this ignorance God
winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Ac. 17:30).
“If my people, which are called by my
name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will
heal their land” (2 Chr. 7:14).
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and
the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Is.
55:7).
“But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die” (Eze. 18:21).
5. Note
why Christ is going to judge those who compromise with the world and
corrupt the church.
“All the
churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I
will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Rev 2:23).
⇒ Christ
is going to judge those who compromise so that all the churches may know and acknowledge
that He is the Christ, the Sovereign head of the universe. He is the One who
searches the minds, thoughts, and hearts of people.
⇒ Christ
is going to judge those who compromise so that every person will be treated
fairly and justly so that justice will be executed within the church and the
world—perfectly executed.
“Also, unto thee, O Lord, belongeth
mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work” (Ps. 62:12).
“I the Lord search the heart, I try the
reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit
of his doings” (Je. 17:10).
“For the Son of man shall come in the
glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man
according to his works” (Mt. 16:27).
“For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Co. 5:10).
“And if ye call on the Father, who
without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time
of your sojourning here in fear” (1 Pe. 1:17).
“And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which
is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were
written in the books, according to their works” (Re.
20:12).
“And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Re. 22:12).[5]
“Therefore,
I will throw her upon a sickbed, and she will suffer greatly with all who
commit adultery with her unless they turn away from all their evil deeds. I
will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am the one
who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give
to each of you whatever you deserve.” (Rev 2:22-23) NLT
The phrase “I will strike her children dead” most likely refers to Jezebel’s followers, her spiritual children, those whom she had convinced to compromise with the pagan world. God wanted the church to deal with Jezebel. This judgment would be an example so that all the churches would know that God can see with his “blazing eyes” (Rev. 2:18) the thoughts and intentions of every person. No matter how a person appears on the outside, God alone knows what is going on in that person’s heart. No one can hide from Christ; he knows what is in every person’s heart and mind. Those who work against Christ will be found out and will receive whatever they deserve.[6]
Epistle to the Church at Thyatira.
Careful readers of these letters will observe how, in this and the foregoing ones, St. John seems to be contemplating great historical events recorded in the Old Testament. In the first, the allusion to “the tree of life” and the “Paradise of God” carries us back to the story of the Fall and the expulsion from Eden. In the second, Noah and the Flood are apparently referred to in the promise of life as the reward of fidelity and not being “hurt by the second death;” for the Flood was the second death of humanity, and the waters of the Flood may point us to that awful lake by which the ungodly at the last shall be over-whelmed, and which St. John calls the second death. In the third, the wilderness life of Israel, the ruin wrought on them by Balaam, and “the manna,” which was their food—form the groundwork of the letter to Pergamos. Then in the fourth, that is before us now, we come on to the times of the monarchy and that dark period when Ahab ruled over the northern kingdom, and Jezebel led him and his people into all the vileness of idolatry. A thorough Jew as St. John was, and having complete knowledge of the ancient Scriptures, they being his one book, would be quick to find analogies and illustrations of the spiritual condition of the Churches in the checkered history of mankind, and especially of Israel, as recorded in those Scriptures. And the tragedy—for it was no less—associated with Jezebel (cf. ‘Macbeth,’ and see whence Shakespeare got his inspiration); and the flashing fire in the eyes of the fierce Jehu, and the burnished boss of his swift-revolving chariot wheels as he furiously drove along; on his journey of vengeance to slay the proud, idolatrous queen who had led all Israel astray,—this avenger might well come into the mind of St. John as he thought of the spiritual tragedy at Thyatira, and of an avenger more awful still, “the Son of God,” whose eyes were “as a flame of fire and his feet like molten brass,” and who was swiftly hastening to take vengeance on the guilty leader of whom Jezebel was the prototype, and that guilty Church. A fit name for this letter would be “The wrath of the Lamb,” for much concerning that wrath is shown in it.
I. It’s reality. The letter is full of fearfulness to those whom it concerns and was without doubt intended so to be. Aye, there is scarce a soft, gentle word in it, but all is stern from first to last. The inscription, the contents, and the very promises at the end are all marked by the same character. The Church had connived at, or at least had offered no strenuous opposition to, most awful and flagrant wrong, which had been taught and practiced in her very midst; and in the wrath that this aroused all their righteousness—and they had much—is little more than named, and seems scarcely mentioned. The letter is hardly anything else than one vehement outpouring of the Lord’s wrath and threatenings of his sore displeasure. The symbols show this. The eyes, like a flame of fire, and the feet of incandescent, glowing, molten brass suggest strongly the twin ideas of rage and ruthless resolve to execute it upon those against whom it is directed. They bring before us a truly terrible aspect of the character of our Lord, but one which is real and actual, though far too much ignored both in thought and teaching. We say and sing far too exclusively, “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild;” and this, notwithstanding the very Gospels themselves, give not a few indications of a power of holy and awful anger which he who so graciously took up little children in his arms yet evidently had within him. Hearken how he speaks to the scribes and Pharisees; listen to his reiterated “woes” denounced upon hypocrites; and observe as a momentous fact that the most fearful utterances of the whole Bible fell from our Saviour’s lips. And this Book of the Revelation, is it not like the prophet’s scroll, written both within and without, and full of scarce anything but “lamentation and mourning and woe”? And all of it is the Lord’s doing, either directly or through his agents. The Bible, therefore, gives but little countenance to that far too general idea that the character of Christ is only gentleness and love. And there is, and there ought to be, no such character anywhere. That love which is said to go out to everybody generally goes to nobody in particular except the man’s own self above all. It is a mere easiness and softness, utterly unreliable, and of little moral worth. But when there is real love, the obverse side will be corresponding wrath against all that injures what is so much loved. What is tenderer, and at the same time fiercer, than a mother’s love? Even amid the beasts of the field, it is so. A bear robbed of her whelps; woe betide the despoiler if the mother overtakes him! And all that wrath which is told of in the Bible, and especially in this book, those eyes which, against the Jezebels that seduce his people, are “as a flame of fire,” once wept over Jerusalem and by the grave of Lazarus. If he could not hate, he could not love; and because he does so love, therefore is the wrath of the Lamb so real and terrible a thing.
II. Its severity. (Rev. 2:22-23) God does do, even now, what is meant by these expressions. Out of men’s own wickedness, he makes whips to scourge them. How dreadful and irreparable is the ruin which even here and now often overtakes the ungodly! There is no need for a labored argument to prove that there is a hell hereafter: many men spend their lives in hell now. Their intense realization of their shame, their fall; the horror which good men have of them; the ruin they have brought upon themselves, and yet more upon those who trusted and loved and depended upon them; —all this is hell and is a fearful corroboration of the sure teaching of God as to the judgment he forewarns us of hereafter.
III. It’s forbearance. “I gave her space to repent” Sentence upon an evil work is not executed speedily, and hence men, too often, therefore, all the more set their hearts steadfastly to do evil.
IV. It’s justice. The Lord denounces here, we think, not a person, but a party, some evil knot of persons in the Church, who were to the rest what the woman Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, was to Israel—their seducer and leader in all abominable ways. Revelation 2:22-23 seems to imply that there was not one person merely, but a dominant party in the Church, who were guilty of the sins which had so roused the wrath of the Lord. True, we have the phrase, “thy wife Jezebel,” and this has led some to suppose that the pastor of the Church was afflicted with a detestable woman as a wife—such things do happen; but when we remember how “the harlot” is the continual name with which corrupt Churches are branded, we are permitted to regard the whole as symbolical. The phrase may therefore be regarded as telling of a pestilent and powerful set belonging to the Church, and therefore it could be said, “thy wife,” who was as Jezebel. And we must regard the sins spoken of as being literally what they are said to be. And whom that knows the power of these sins to waste the conscience, pollute the mind, ruin the body, paralyze the will, and every way turn a man into worse than the very brutes, and so to make the Church in which they have practiced a byword, a hissing, and a rebuke, can wonder that, as has ever been the case, the wrath of God arose against them until there was no remedy? Because of them, the Flood came, the cities of the plain were overwhelmed with fire, the nations of Canaan were exterminated, and today, given the sin, there, not far off, is the judgment of God. Beware of them, for they “war against the soul” and against all the well-being of mankind so that, in mercy to the human race, God has branded them with his severe displeasure.
V. It’s discrimination. “The Lord knoweth them that are his,” and his eye was upon them even in that corrupt Church. They had refused to be beguiled by the specious pretenses of these ungodly teachers that their doctrines were profound, not for the uninitiated; that they were “deep” things—deep things of the devil, the Lord in indignation, adds—though they pretended that they came from above. But this “rest of you in Thyatira” would have none of the doctrines; they spurned it as they should. And now the Lord tells them that no other burden should be put upon them. To have to endure such people amongst them and to have the Name of Christ so dishonored, this was burden enough. Therefore, only let them abide in all those good and blessed qualities which characterized them and which he commemorates in Rev 2:19, and then in that coming glory foretold in Psalms. 2, they shall share, and from being despised and borne down with the burden of the wicked, they shall with Christ rule over them, and restrain them effectually as with “a rod of iron,” and as now they were powerless to do; and best of all, He who is “the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and the Morning Star” Rev. 22:16, He will give Himself to them; the day-star should arise in their hearts, the joy of the Lord should be theirs for evermore.
“Grant, Lord, that I may come to thy saints’ happy home,
Where a thousand years one day appears nor go,
Where a day appears as a thousand years for woe!”
Revelation 2:22-23 The Warning: To the Compromising and Corrupt: “Pay Attention Now to What I Am Saying.”
All Pics from Bing New Zealand
e 2:22, along with all her immoral followers, literally, “together with all those who commit adultery with her.”
[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The
Living Bible, Paraphrased.
Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.
Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
DS
Deeper Study
[3] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
[4] Butler, John G. 2010. Analytical
Bible Expositor: Revelation.
Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.
[5] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga,
TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
NLT
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All
rights reserved.
[6] Barton, Bruce B. 2000. Revelation. Edited by Grant R. Osborne. Life Application Bible
Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[7] Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. 1909. Revelation. The Pulpit Commentary. London; New York: Funk &
Wagnalls Company.
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