July 27 Only One God

Revelation 2:18-25 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25 Only hold on to what you have until I come.”
 
JESUS continues to speak his holy authority over his church. When he says, “These are the words of the Son of God.” he declares himself above all false gods, especially Rome’s emperor, considered a god. This is God’s command: Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”
    The image of Jesus’ blazing eyes indicate he sees all things; his bronze feet are strength and judgment. Faithful Jews would be reminded of Daniel 10:6 His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. The all-seeing Lord praises Thyatira’s love, faith, service and patient endurance. The church is getting stronger in these ways of God.
    Then Jesus addresses the church’s problem. Jezebel is a woman in the church who claimed to have special prophetic powers. She was influencing the church to accept sexual immorality. Sexual sin is a great challenge in the church, isn’t it? It was a problem for Abraham, Samson, David and all of Israel throughout history. It is a sin today that destroys more pastors and churches than any other. Immoral sex compromises the family, children and communities. The Righteous Lord Jesus will not tolerate it.
    “Jezebel” refers to Jezebel from 1 & 2 Kings. This pagan queen of Israel, born in Assyria, was the wife of King Ahab. She infected God’s people with her pagan worship of Baal. She murdered God’s prophets (1 Kings 18) and innocent people who blocked her desires (1 Kings 21). She threatened to kill the prophet Elijah when he destroyed 600 of her Baal priests. The Lord God judged Jezebel to a violent death, reflecting her evil life. The One whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze will not tolerate sin.
    It was time for Thyatira to remove the Jezebel among them. Does anything in your life, in your church need to be cleansed?
 
Prayer: Grant us faith and courage, Lord Jesus, to hold onto what you have given us until you come. Amen.
 
Note: Time for a break – be back Tuesday. Grace and peace in Jesus. He’s your authority.