Thyatira. —Rev. 2:13-2013I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. 18And 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; 19I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20Notwithstanding 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. (Revelation 2:13‑20).
These are the three addresses of those to the seven churches in which the Lord’s coming is mentioned. It is not referred to in the three first nor in the last, where we find His threat to spue the church out of His mouth in His judgment. In them we get the coming in three distinct ways.
In Thyatira we have the substitution of the kingdom and heavenly blessedness for ecclesiastical or church position. “He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to Him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron,... and I will give him the morning star.” “Hold fast till I come.”
In Philadelphia we have encouragement to those who keep Christ’s word. “Because thou host kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” “Behold I come quickly,” &c.
In the three first churches judgment is not referred to, because He calls them to repent, and to return to first state. There are always two distinct grounds for God’s judgment. First, the state we are in, not being that in which God set us. God cannot set up anything but what is perfect; but man is a sinner—he has departed from the state Adam was created in-he has lost his innocence. Another ground is, Are we ready to meet the Lord when He comes? Let us ask ourselves, can we stand before the Son of man? It is by our past blessing and our future blessing that God judges us. So here in these messages. The three first speak of what the church was: and He calls for return. When she did not repent, the coming of the Lord is introduced—was the church ready for that? You find the same principle in Isa. 5 and 6. In chap. 5 He recalls to what He had set up Israel at the first—a wholly right seed. In chap. 6 He introduces the coining of the Lord—were they fit for it? Properly speaking, we never get God’s work in these churches, but the result, when roan has had to say to what God had done. God cannot judge His own work; God’s work is perfect always; He sows good seed, as to which there is no question of judgment; but He judges it when He finds tares have been sown with the wheat. Here you find there has been decline in the state of the church at Ephesus— “Thou hast left thy first love.” In Smyrna persecution comes in, and in Pergamos false teaching; then in Thyatira you find Jezebel corruption. The history of what is called the Primitive Church in the middle ages was just the seduction of God’s servants. Jezebel is not merely false, seducing prophetess, but a mother. There are children born to her. She had a time of repentance given to her, but she lost it— “I gave her space to repent, and she repented not;” therefore, there must be judgment executed upon her special judgment.
There is never restoration from a fallen state in the public ways of God. You never get the first man restored, but the Second Man brought in, through whom individuals are brought into a far more blessed condition than they ever had under the first man: but they are not restored to that from which they have fallen. So it always is. You never get Israel restored under the old covenant, but God sets up a new thing both for Jew and Gentile, so that far better blessing is the result. If tares are sown among the wheat, the Lord says, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” Have not tares been sown? Has not Satan sown false doctrine? There can be no restoration— “the mystery of iniquity doth already work.” If I take the case of mystic Babylon, you find it will be destroyed, because God has in mind to give the kingdom to the beast—a power of still greater evil—violence instead of corruption. God judges the corruption by violence, and then puts down the beast; there is no restoration. The mystery of iniquity which began in the apostle’s days goes on till the man of sin is revealed “whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (2 Thess. 2:7,87For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thessalonians 2:7‑8).) Judgment is reserved for Christ. Jezebel had time given her to repent, but she repented not, so He must execute judgment upon her— “I will kill her children with death, and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”
Christ has received it as His title to rule the nations with a rod of iron. This is the substitution of the kingdom and. heavenly blessedness—the millennial state referred to in Psa. 2— “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, and I will give him the morning star.” The morning star is the heavenly Christ and blessing with Him. You get the kingdom, and besides that, you get Christ looked for as the one waited for by those that watch for the morning. “My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning; I say more than they that watch for the morning.” (Psa. 130:66My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. (Psalm 130:6).) In Malachi you see what the Sun of Righteousness is— “Unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings,... and ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet.” (Mal. 4:2,32But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 4:2‑3).) He will be the Sun of Righteousness to the world when He appears, but then there will be judgment; but in Rev. 1 get the Morning Star. When the sun is up no one sees the morning star; it must be seen before the day comes in. When we have Christ as the Sun of Righteousness, the day will have come-the day that will burn as an oven—to the righteous that is a glorious expectation; but I want the Morning Star—the hope of Christ’s coming before the day-to cheer my soul through the long and dreary night. When we read (Rev. 22:1616I 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 22:16)), “I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” The moment that comes the church says “Come.”— “The Spirit and the bride say come.” Christ is known before He appears, and is possessed fully. This is the blessed expectancy of a soul that knows the Lord, and waits to see Him and to be with Him.