Letters From God: to the Church in Thyatira
Thyatira: Revelation 2:18-29
It’s been a while since I’ve been
here, but when I was here last, I had started going through the seven letters
written to the seven churches in Asia, as recorded in Revelation 2-3. As we
started through them, it’s amazing how relevant these words are today, even
though they were written nearly two thousand years ago to a people far from us
physically and culturally.
Thyatira was founded as a military
outpost by the Greeks, but fell to the Romans and enjoyed stability and prosperity.
It was known as a center of manufacturing and marketing. In Acts 16, we meet “a
woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira.” It’s
often good to live in a prosperous city, but there was a problem. The
manufacturing sector was dominated by trade guilds whose membership was
intertwined with religious observances. Think of trying to serve pork in a
closed Muslim nation. It’s not going to happen. You can try, but you’re going
to have trouble. At best. What I’m saying is that in Thyatira, to belong to a
trade guild, to buy and sell, you have to buy into their religious observances.
In a city whose economic life was dominated by trade guilds in which pagan
religious practices had become the criteria for membership, Christian converts
would be faced with the problem of compromising their stand at least enough to
allow participation in a common meal dedicated to some pagan deity. To reject
this accommodation could mean social isolation and economic hardship.[1]
Into this context, the letter is
written from the Son of God. There is a reason that this title is used; here in
Thyatira, they worshiped a deity who was a combination of Apollo and the
emperor (who they called Apollo incarnate). Thus it is not the emperor or the
guardian deity of Thyatira, but the resurrected Christ, who is the true son of
God. [2]
The Son of God has blazing eyes,
which comes as a reminder that God can perceive even our deepest thoughts and
motives. Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the
eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:13) So as we read this
letter, we can understand that with his blazing eyes, Christ can see through the
seductive arguments of Jezebel and those who were being led astray by her
teaching. Feet like burnished bronze convey the idea of strength and splendor[3], with which he can stamp out
any opposition to his rule.
But in the difficult context, the
people of the church are known for their deeds, their love and faith, and their
service and perseverance, and that they are doing more now than even what they
did at first.
But there is a problem. The letter
wasn’t written just to say, “Great job; you’re doing fine.” The problem is
Jezebel. Probably a prominent woman within the church who was influencing the
people of God to forsake loyalty to God by promoting a tolerance toward and
involvement in pagan practices.
In other words, she was convincing
Christians that it wasn’t so bad to conform to the cultural standards around
them. Tolerance is a big word in American culture; it used to mean “to put up
with” what others were doing, even if you don’t like it or approve of it. But
lately it has come to mean “fully accept what others are doing and never speak
ill of it.” But the reality is: sin is sin. Even if it is widely accepted in
the culture around you, that doesn’t make it right. While the sin in Thyatira
was participation in pagan rituals in order to gain acceptance with the trade
guilds, the church is often guilty of accommodation.
The Lutheran Church of 1930s Germany
accommodated the Nazis, turning its back on the atrocities committed. Parts of
the church in America are guilty of accommodation to culture as they change
their rules about homosexuality. It’s easy to point fingers at “them” but where
are we guilty of accommodation here in Zambia? We are often guilty of
accommodating the dangerous “health and wealth” gospel, saying if you work and
pray hard enough, then you’ll get money and health and if you are sick then you
must be guilty of sin. Friends, the Bible doesn’t say anything like that. Jesus
even says that we will have trouble in this world.
We are often guilty of allowing, even
supporting men who sleep around, never speaking out about marriage being
between one man and one woman. We are guilty of accommodation when we turn a
blind eye to gender based violence, even within the church. We are guilty of accommodation
when we not only allow sin but celebrate it.
We often think of Jesus like a
grandmother, kind and forgiving and nice, but kind of a pushover. When I was a
boy and I went to my grandmother’s house, my mother would tell her, “Only one
hour of TV.” But since I didn’t have a TV at home, I wanted to watch TV all
day, and my grandmother would let me.
That is not Jesus’ character! Did you
hear what he said about Jezebel? This isn’t very popular in worldly culture,
but Jesus says: I have given her time to
repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 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. 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. Doesn’t
sound like a kindly old grandmother, does it? While we’re on the subject, let’s
throw out the picture of Jesus who just accepts us where we are and leaves us
like that. Jesus loves us too much to leave us in our sin, but he will allow us
to make our choice. He won’t force us to follow. But if we don’t follow, be
prepared to suffer the consequences of our choices.
So Jesus tells the church that severe
consequences are coming for those who accommodate the sinful world. A good
lesson for us today. And for those who remain faithful, his only command is to
hold on to what you have until He returns. What do they have? They have the
Holy Spirit. They have His commands. They have faith. They have love. They have
increasing good deeds. And to the victorious, he gives authority and a morning
star. Now, it is unclear just what the morning star is, but suffice it to say,
we will be rewarded for our faithful allegiance to Christ, that which allows us
to overcome in the hostile environment of pagan values and practices.[4] The letter concludes with
the exhortation: Whoever has ears, let
them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Jesus concludes his
Sermon on the Mount the same way. If you have ears, hear what the Spirit is
saying to us today. And if you hear, obey.
[1]
Mounce, R. H. (1997). The Book of
Revelation (p. 86). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[2]
Mounce, R. H. (1997). The Book of
Revelation (p. 85). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[3]
Mounce, R. H. (1997). The Book of
Revelation (p. 85). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[4]
Mounce, R. H. (1997). The Book of
Revelation (p. 90). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
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