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, except to hold on to what you have until I come.
To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations - that one will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery - just as I have received authority from my Father.
I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev. 2:24-29)
What are "Satans so-called deep secrets"? What could the Lord be talking about here?
I suspect that He is referring to the "depths" of depravity. I suspect that He is talking about "knowledge" such as was gained by Adam and Eve from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that was in the Garden of Eden. I suspect that those who had not "learned" this knowledge, had managed to keep their innocence; remaining ignorant of the deep things of Satan.
Thus, there was a remnant in this church who had remained faithful to the Lord, overcoming every temptation that was put before them; and there must have been many temptations, especially that coming from within the church itself thru the "Jezebel."
And so, Jesus says to that remnant that He "will not impose any other burden" on them; other than the burdens they currently carried. What burdens did they carry?
Possibly those who had not conformed to the trade guilds were able only to scrape up meager work here and there, that which was not worthy of the guilds, or the cast-off of the guilds. Perhaps they were unable to work at all because they did not belong to the "union" that the guilds were during that time.
I have family in Sicily whose craft is in marble and tile. They are unable to work unless they "pay" their dues to the Mafioso there. The Mafia is not talked about openly, especially to tourists who visit Sicily, but it is still the established "system" in Sicily, one that gained a foothold a couple of centuries ago when the peasants of Sicily were in dire poverty with no one to help them...until the overlords, the Mafia, stepped in and rescued them.
I suspect the trade guilds in Thyatira were of the same mentality...work was given to those who paid the "dues." Except that in this case, the dues included worship of false gods and participation in sexually immoral acts at the temples of these false gods; the "rescuers" of the people. The "dues" had eternal consequences that the Thyatirans were blind to; blindness that the church in Thyatira was to bring light to so that they could see. But instead, except for a few, the church joined themselves to the darkness and deception. Those that once saw became blind themselves.
The other burden that the faithful remnant had to endure was the very presence of these brethren who were not faithful. How greatly did the sin of their brethren, afflict the hearts of those who understood the need for "separateness" from the world? Jesus tells us that when we first repent and come to trust in Him, He takes up residence in our hearts in the form of the Holy Spirit. How greatly were these transformed hearts grieved by what they saw happening in their midst? Only as much as a Holy God would be grieved by sin: infinitely and sorrowfully grieved.
To those who endured, but managed to hang on to their utter and complete faith in God and in His goodness, Jesus promises the reward of ruling with Him, having "authority over the nations." Those to whom He gives this authority, just as the Father gave Jesus authority, will rule with "an iron scepter" and will use that iron rod to break into many pieces "like pottery" rebellion of the nations. This is a reference to Daniel 2:44:
The God of heaven will set up a kingdom FROM heaven: the millenial kingdom. This kingdom from heaven [the millenial kingdom] will break down and humble governments and nations int he way that only Jesus can do. But others, He says, will share in His ability, His authority, to humble those who are given to rebellion. This refers to a just and fair government. Those who will be humbled, or justly governed, are the "nations." This especially is a reference to the millenial kingdom, the thousand-year reign of Christ here on earth. Where else would there be "nations" which refers to an earthly system, except here on earth? Why else would that kingdom be the ultimate final kingdom to follow those of gold, silver, brass, iron and iron and clay mixed as Daniel 2 speaks of? It must be the milennial kingdom.
The authority that Jesus is speaking of is not the authority which every believer has in Him. He says that this authority will come at the "end" of their endurance: "does my will to the end."
This speaks of the rewards that every believer has the potential to receive, if he will. He also has the potential to lose, or not receive, the promise. This is separate from the salvation (justification) that only the cross of Christ can deliver. God called a people to belong to Him: the Israelites. Jesus called people to follow Him: disciples. God promised a "land" to those whom He called; but few were able to enter into that promise, So is it with those whom Jesus has called to Himself: many are called but few are chosen; few enter in.
The unfaithful believers in Thyatira took their eyes off of the eternal and focused on the temporal. Unless they repented, they would lose the "promise" - the rewards - to come. This is a subject we will dig deeper into when we get into the remaining churches of Revelation.
To these faithful few in Thyatira, Jesus promises to give them the "morning star." Who or what is the morning star that He refers to?
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. (Rev. 22:1)
The morning star is Jesus Himself. Don't these believers already have Jesus in their hearts? Of course, but Jesus is again referring to the millenial kingdom, when they will be in His very presence, the most cherished position of all: the reward that we will lose if we are not faithful servants.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Are you listening?
To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations - that one will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery - just as I have received authority from my Father.
I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev. 2:24-29)
What are "Satans so-called deep secrets"? What could the Lord be talking about here?
I suspect that He is referring to the "depths" of depravity. I suspect that He is talking about "knowledge" such as was gained by Adam and Eve from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that was in the Garden of Eden. I suspect that those who had not "learned" this knowledge, had managed to keep their innocence; remaining ignorant of the deep things of Satan.
Thus, there was a remnant in this church who had remained faithful to the Lord, overcoming every temptation that was put before them; and there must have been many temptations, especially that coming from within the church itself thru the "Jezebel."
And so, Jesus says to that remnant that He "will not impose any other burden" on them; other than the burdens they currently carried. What burdens did they carry?
Possibly those who had not conformed to the trade guilds were able only to scrape up meager work here and there, that which was not worthy of the guilds, or the cast-off of the guilds. Perhaps they were unable to work at all because they did not belong to the "union" that the guilds were during that time.
I have family in Sicily whose craft is in marble and tile. They are unable to work unless they "pay" their dues to the Mafioso there. The Mafia is not talked about openly, especially to tourists who visit Sicily, but it is still the established "system" in Sicily, one that gained a foothold a couple of centuries ago when the peasants of Sicily were in dire poverty with no one to help them...until the overlords, the Mafia, stepped in and rescued them.
I suspect the trade guilds in Thyatira were of the same mentality...work was given to those who paid the "dues." Except that in this case, the dues included worship of false gods and participation in sexually immoral acts at the temples of these false gods; the "rescuers" of the people. The "dues" had eternal consequences that the Thyatirans were blind to; blindness that the church in Thyatira was to bring light to so that they could see. But instead, except for a few, the church joined themselves to the darkness and deception. Those that once saw became blind themselves.
The other burden that the faithful remnant had to endure was the very presence of these brethren who were not faithful. How greatly did the sin of their brethren, afflict the hearts of those who understood the need for "separateness" from the world? Jesus tells us that when we first repent and come to trust in Him, He takes up residence in our hearts in the form of the Holy Spirit. How greatly were these transformed hearts grieved by what they saw happening in their midst? Only as much as a Holy God would be grieved by sin: infinitely and sorrowfully grieved.
To those who endured, but managed to hang on to their utter and complete faith in God and in His goodness, Jesus promises the reward of ruling with Him, having "authority over the nations." Those to whom He gives this authority, just as the Father gave Jesus authority, will rule with "an iron scepter" and will use that iron rod to break into many pieces "like pottery" rebellion of the nations. This is a reference to Daniel 2:44:
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
The God of heaven will set up a kingdom FROM heaven: the millenial kingdom. This kingdom from heaven [the millenial kingdom] will break down and humble governments and nations int he way that only Jesus can do. But others, He says, will share in His ability, His authority, to humble those who are given to rebellion. This refers to a just and fair government. Those who will be humbled, or justly governed, are the "nations." This especially is a reference to the millenial kingdom, the thousand-year reign of Christ here on earth. Where else would there be "nations" which refers to an earthly system, except here on earth? Why else would that kingdom be the ultimate final kingdom to follow those of gold, silver, brass, iron and iron and clay mixed as Daniel 2 speaks of? It must be the milennial kingdom.
The authority that Jesus is speaking of is not the authority which every believer has in Him. He says that this authority will come at the "end" of their endurance: "does my will to the end."
This speaks of the rewards that every believer has the potential to receive, if he will. He also has the potential to lose, or not receive, the promise. This is separate from the salvation (justification) that only the cross of Christ can deliver. God called a people to belong to Him: the Israelites. Jesus called people to follow Him: disciples. God promised a "land" to those whom He called; but few were able to enter into that promise, So is it with those whom Jesus has called to Himself: many are called but few are chosen; few enter in.
The unfaithful believers in Thyatira took their eyes off of the eternal and focused on the temporal. Unless they repented, they would lose the "promise" - the rewards - to come. This is a subject we will dig deeper into when we get into the remaining churches of Revelation.
To these faithful few in Thyatira, Jesus promises to give them the "morning star." Who or what is the morning star that He refers to?
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. (Rev. 22:1)
The morning star is Jesus Himself. Don't these believers already have Jesus in their hearts? Of course, but Jesus is again referring to the millenial kingdom, when they will be in His very presence, the most cherished position of all: the reward that we will lose if we are not faithful servants.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Are you listening?
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