2/11/07 – 6LAW “Revelation’s Seven Churches – Part 4”
Victory Ministries International presents:
Awesome Truths and Amazing Facts  
Treasures of awesome truths from God’s Word 
and facts that affect you!

Hello!  This is Richard Vaughn

Today’s subject – “Revelation’s Seven Churches – Part 4”

Before we begin today’s program, shall we reverently seek God’s presence. Heavenly Father, once again we ask for divine guidance through the agency of the Holy Spirit, as we open the word and continue our study of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation.  In Jesus name Amen.

I continue to keep my pledge to cry aloud and spare not, lift up my voice like a trumpet and to show God’s people where they are transgressing God’s Law.

We concluded our study last week of the third of the seven churches of Revelation as found in chapter 2. That was the church in Pergamos and its parallel church period was from AD 323 to 538.

In our continuing study of the seven churches of Revelation we have discovered that there was a dual application, as the description, warnings rebukes and promises applied to the seven churches of that first century, but also describes the Christian church in seven periods of its history to our present day.

Today we will continue with the fourth church, starting in Revelation chapter 2, verse 18. It would really help your understanding if you follow along with me as we study verse by verse. Verse 18 reads, “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;” 

The period of history covered by this church was from 538 AD to 1798 AD and was known as the church of darkness in an age of adversity. The message to Thyatira is particularly appropriate to the experience of the true church in the dark ages and the later middle ages. Since the scriptures were not available to the ordinary Christian, tradition was exalted in their place. Works was considered to be the means to salvation. An earthly human priesthood obscured the true and divine priesthood of Jesus.

“These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;” This title and description of the glorified Christ is drawn from Revelation 1:13-15. “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.”
“… his eyes like unto a flame of fire, …” emphasizes the brightness of His countenance and the intensity of His gaze. “… and his feet are like fine brass;” Brass would have been fired in a furnace so the feet would look like they had been subject to intense heat. We can conclude the furnace of trials and afflictions.

Verse 19 reads, “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.” Charity, or Agape love, and faith were the inner basis for the outward expression of service and patience. “…and the last to be more than the first.” Jesus indicates here that in spite of the difficulties of the church of Thyatira, it is the only one of the seven that shows improvement.

Verse 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. 
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest (or permitted). The church was at fault not only because many openly submitted to apostasy, but also because no earnest effort was being made to check the course of evil.  
“…sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess…” As applied to the Thyatira period of church history from AD 538 to 1798, the figure of Jezebel represents the power that produced the great apostasy of the medieval centuries, namely the Papacy at Rome.
 “…to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” This would represent an admixture of Paganism with Christianity and the process was greatly accelerated under Constantine and his successors. Medieval Christianity absorbed to a great extent, pagan forms, traditions and practices of worship.
 Verse 21 “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”  God extended the offer of forgiveness to the unrepentant prophetess for a considerable time, but was not willing to repent, rather she became bolder in apostasy.
 
  Verse 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.” The sins of Jezebel and her lovers are essentially her sins for it is she who leads the church. The door of mercy had been extended by God, but it is her and her lovers who have cut themselves off from Him. There is a price to pay.  

Verse 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.
Her children are the offspring of the mother who were contaminated by her evil character. Her offspring started in the 16th century reformation and would be called apostate Protestantism today, still following many of the false doctrines and traditions. Many of the true church however were sorely persecuted for their faith. 
  “…and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts…” The reins are the kidneys and was once thought to be the seat of one’s affections and emotions. The heart is the mind, meaning the intellect. Christ penetrates both the thoughts and emotions. His judgment is just because He sees and takes into consideration the inner most secrets of the heart.
 
Verse 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. 
“But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira…” The rest would be the loyal believers and historically refers to the loyal groups thoughout the middle ages who sought to remain loyal to the historic apostolic beliefs. Such groups were found within and without the formal framework of the Roman Catholic Church. Such groups as the Waldenses on the continent of Europe and the followers of Wyclif in England. “…as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan…” This doctrine is speaking of the false doctrine and teachings of Jezebel. The Gnostics were the only ones that claimed to know the deep things.

Verse 25 “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.” The “blessed hope” of the soon coming of Christ, has ever been the stay of Christians enduring affliction and persecution. The counsel is to hold fast.
 
Verse 26 “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”  
“…and keepeth my works unto the end, …” That is the works that reflect the character of Christ. These are in striking contrast with the “deeds” of those who ally themselves with Jezebel.
“…to him will I give power over the nations:” This connects with 1 Corinthians 6:2,3 which reads,“Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels?   
  During the millennium, God’s people will be able to do a careful investigation of the records of evil men and angels, so that every man will be convinced of the justice of God in the destruction of the wicked. They will not render decisions, they will however verify the validity of God’s decisions.

Verse 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.  
The passage was taken from Psalms 2:9, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
‘Rule’ is from the Greek word ‘poimaino’ and means to shepherd and to smite. To understand the phrase to rule them with a rod of iron, we look at the ancient shepherd’s rod, which had a double function. The crook on one end served to help and guide the sheep, while the heavy ferrule on the other end, a metal cap or ring to strengthen the rod, made it also a weapon of assault. It could repel and kill wild animals that would try to scatter and destroy the flock. In verse 26 we are talking about the time for the Good Shepherd to use the ‘rod of iron’ against the nations for the deliverance of His beleaguered flock on earth. His ruling or smiting the nations, with a rod of iron results in their extermination, not their government during the millennium as some believe.   

Verses 28 “And I will give him the morning star. The morning star would be Jesus Christ Himself, as He clarifies that in Revelation 22:16. “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.   
Revelation 2:29 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Once again, this is a serious call to all, to hear and to understand as it applies to eternal issues.

It is important to note that the Thyatira period, AD 538 to 1798, is characterized as the era of Papal supremacy, and it fulfilled the 1,260 year prophesied period that the Papacy would ascend to power in 538, and receive its deadly wound, Revelation 13:3, in 1798.

Well it looks like time is up again for this week’s study, so be tuned in next week as we continue our study with the fifth church Sardis and “Revelation’s Seven Churches – Part 5”.	

	If you want some more information or even Bible studies, contact me by writing to: Pastor Vaughn that’s V-A-U-G-H-N, at PO Box 727, South Hill, VA 23970. Once again that’s Pastor Vaughn that’s V-A-U-G-H-N, at PO Box 727, South Hill, VA 23970. 
 
	And remember, you are always welcome to worship with us each seventh day Lord’s Day (that’s Saturday mornings) at the Victory Seventh Day Adventist Church located at 117 W. Danville Street in the center of South Hill, VA. 

	Until next week, Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”. Even so, Come Lord Jesus.