The Book of The Revelation The Church at Thyatira (2:18-29) - Pat Shaughnessy, Teacher Introduction I. One commentator has called the church at Thyatira: A Devil With A On. A. This church represents prophetically the years from approximately to 1500 A.D. 1. Thyatira was known in the ancient world for its outstanding dyes. 2. It was also known for its many trade guilds which were the forerunners to trade. B. Now...all those guilds were tied-in to worship. 1. The situation was very difficult for the Christian because these lavish included three basic elements. a. First - A cup of wine was drunk in a toast of honor to the particular of the guild. 1
b. Second - During the fellowship meal it was the custom to serve meat from animals which had been slain in a to the pagan gods. c. Third - Of the guild feasts was that they almost always ended up in a big, sexual orgy. 2. This Thyatiran Jezebel who called herself God s taught that it was okay for the Christians to in the pagan guild feasts. II. Deep on the inside where only the Lord s penetrating eyes can see, there was beginning to rise. A. Leaven or yeast in the Scripture symbolizes. 1. Jezebel of Thyatira was placing her own corrupt doctrine or leaven into the Word of God and corrupting the of the Son of God. 2. The emphasis in the Lord s commendation is upon their. 3. Then, comes that word we say in the letter to the Ephesians:. (Vs. 4) 4. Why? Because there was something horribly with this church. B. The church of Thyatira is the Roman church. 1. The big thing in Thyatira was. 2. They wanted to be culturally. 3. And if they were just a little more tolerant, then people coming 2
into the church services wouldn t feel so. 3
4. Let me give you a little historical list of some of the changes that took place during this period: a. 607 - Boniface III made first Pope. b. 709 - the Pope s foot. c. 786 - Worshiping of images and relics. d. 850 - Use of h w began. e. 998 - Fasting on Fridays and during Lent. f. 1079 - Celibacy of the priesthood. g. 1090 - Prayer instituted. h. 1184 - The. i. 1190 - Sale of indulgences. j. 1215 - The doctrine of transubstantiation. k. 1220 - Adoration of the wafer (host). l. 1229 - forbidden to laymen. m. 1414 - Cup forbidden to people at communion. n. 1439 - Doctrine of decreed. o. 1534 - The Order of founded. p. 1545 - granted equal authority with Bible. q. 1546 - Apocryphal books put into Bible. 4
r. 1854 - Immaculate of Mary. s. 1870 - Infallibility of Pope declared. t. 1930 - Public schools condemned. u. 1950 - The Assumption of he Virgin Mary. v. 1965 - Mary proclaimed Mother of the. C. Everything this Jezebel advocated took place in a. 1. Committing for the Church is always one thing in Scripture. 2. It is the Church straying away from it true love, the. 3. The word Thyatira comes from two words meaning and. 4. The church of Rome denies the work of Christ on the Cross. 5. It teach a c s which produces such things as the sacraments. 6. They reject Christ s finished work on the Cross and lead man into the concept of trying to his own salvation. a. By works, penance, indulgences... b. And other satanically-conceived ideas which Jess labels here in Vs. 24 as: c. The things of. 5
7. This is the first of the letters to the 7 churches that speaks about the of Christ. III. Now, in Vss. 26-29 Christ makes a very special to the true believers in this church. A. This is a special promise to the believers who, against all odds, hold to the interpretation of the Scripture. 1. Like the morning star is the first of the stars at night and the last of the stars to show before the day comes... a. Christ s Coming is like the Morning Star. b. He is going to come when it is just the and quickly bring in the light. 2. Let me show you something in closing from Revelation 13:8-9. a. If anyone has an, let him hear. b. This is in reference to the coming of the. B. In Chapters 2 & 3, after each instruction it says: He who has an ear, Let him hear what the says to the churches. 1. Now, why isn t that said here in 13:9? 2. Because the Church is! 3. This is directed to people who will live here during the time of the. 4. So, here is a clear indication that the is not going to be here during the Tribulation Period. 6