Admonition(vv. 24-29): Not everyone in the assembly was unfaithful to the Lord, and He had a special word for them. The Lord gave a word of comfort that “I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.” Christ’s judgement is based on each person’s deeds. “God is a righteous judge who will render to each person according to his deeds.” (Rom.2:6)
The Lord wanted them to hold fast in their resistance to evil. “Till I come” refers to Christ’s return for His people, at which time He will reward them for their faithfulness. (Rev. 3:3; 16:15; 22:7, 17, 20). This is the first mention in Revelation of the Lord’s coming for the church, the event we commonly call the Rapture (1Thes. 4:13-18).
The Lord addressed comfort to those who did not hold to Jezebel’s teaching. He further said: true believers “who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them – I place no other burden on them.” Jezebel and her followers claimed to discover the very depths of Satan’s domain and remain spiritually unharmed. Since the spirit belongs to God, their twisted logic concluded, what does it matter if the body attends idolatrous feasts and engages in sexual immorality? They imagined themselves to be free to explore the satanic sphere and yet come to worship God.
Jezebel represents pagan rituals with Christianity and this has made the Roman Catholics to elevate Mary to the status of “Mother of the Church and also Queen of Heaven which is an abomination. Jezebel is also a proto-type of “Mystery Babylon” the mother of harlots in (Rev.17). So the Lord gives a warning to them and to the rest of members to hold fast what they have till the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Further to those “who overcome” and who keeps Christ’s deeds until the end, the Lord promises 2-things:
- Authority: God will give them the authority over the nations is nothing but participation in the millennial kingdom (Ps.2:7-9). They will rule them with a rod of iron. As Christ has received authority from His father, He would delegate His authority to the overcomers.
- Morning star: the Lord would give “the morning star.” The Christians would reflect Christ’s glory. Christ promised believers Himself in all His fullness (1 Cor.13:12). Satan is named “Lucifer,” which in Hebrew means “brightness, bright star.” The compromising people in Thyatira were following “the depths of Satan,” which would lead them to darkness and death. God’s overcomers, on the other hand, would share the Morning Star!
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches,” are a charge to follow the message of the letter to the church at Thyatira.
Conclusion:
- The letter reveals the seriousness of practicing and tolerating sin and that God will judge sin in the church.
- Obedience marks the true Christianity. Those who obey will receive divine blessing, but those who fail to obey the message will receive divine judgement
- In spite of struggles, Christians will receive the fullness of Christ and they will reign with Christ.