____________________________________________________________________ THE REVELATION Thyatira is the name of the modern Turkish city of Akhisar or “white castle” − Thyatira was founded as a military outpost by Saleucus I Nicator in 209 BC − It was a strategic military town due to it’s geographical position − It was on the road that connected three major cities – Smyrna, Pergamum and Sardis − It was considered the gateway to the capital city Pergamum − The city was known as Pelopia, but was named Thyatira Seleucus after hearing news of his daughter’s birth - Thyatira means daughter − Thyatira was a center of the indigo trade and was famous for the manufacture of purple dye − Lydia, a new convert mentioned in Acts 16:14-15, was a seller of purple from Thyatira − Although it wasn’t as big as Ephesus, Smyrna or Pergamum - it was known for having more guilds (trade unions) than any other contemporary city in the Roman province of Asia. − It was believed that the trades provided an auxiliary function for the military − Inscriptions mention wool workers, makes of outer garments, dyers, leather workers, tanners, potters, bakers, slave dealers and bronze smiths − SUMMARIZE: Thyatira was hub for the fashion industry of the ancient world The Spiritual Condition of Thyatira was dark − Thyatira was regarded as a holy city − Apollo, the “sun god” was the chief deity − No emperor worship occurred in Thyatira because Apollo was the true son of Zeus, not the emperor who claimed to be a son of Zeus − The Nicolaitans were highly influential with their idolatry and licentiousness under a “prophetess” who defied the church − There were also temples for the worship of Artemis (goddess of the hunt, wilderness and fertility) and to Sambathe (one of the Sybils, a local prophetess / oracle) or the individual gods / goddesses of the guilds There is no mention of any evangelistic effort in Thyatira − We don’t really know how the church of Thyatira was established − Lydia’s role as a seller of purple indicates that she was a distributor and What’s The Name Of Your Church: Thyatira / Revelation 2:18-29 © 2011 Holland Davis ____________________________________________________________________ THE REVELATION well known in the fashion industry representative − It is possible that Lydia was instrumental in starting the church there The large numbers of guilds present in Thyatira is significant − The guilds were centers for social, commercial and civic life − Every part of life was influenced by the guilds − There were very few workers and business owners who did not belong to a guild − The city was divided into sections and each guild controlled each section − The guilds were the center of religious life − Each guild had it’s own patron god or goddess − The feasts, religious in nature, were sponsored by the guilds and were the heart of social and commercial life in the city − To refuse to participate meant a loss of goodwill and business – it was hard to find a job if you didn’t participate in the social functions of the guild. − The pressure on Christians to participate in the idolatrous life of the people was linked to the guilds − Christians who refused to honor pagan gods, eat meat sacrificed to an idol and engage in sexual immorality jeopardized their ability to make a living. − Christians were regarded as outcasts of society Imagine the set up − It was a center for the fashion industry − Social and business life centered around the party life of the city − The spiritual leadership - a prophetess named Sambathe - encouraged immorality − It was like living in Las Vegas, New York, Paris, Rome or London – and if you weren’t part of the party scene, then you weren’t included in the business deals − The Christians allowed the immorality of the culture to influence them − Jesus begins by introducing Himself… Revelation 2:18 (NKJV) The Corrupt Church 18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: What’s The Name Of Your Church: Thyatira / Revelation 2:18-29 © 2011 Holland Davis ____________________________________________________________________ THE REVELATION − This is the only letter where Jesus introduces Himself as the Son of God − One reason can be seen in the text itself − Jesus quotes from Psalm 2 - a Messianic Psalm − In Revelation 2:27 Jesus quotes Psalm 2:8, 9 Psalm 2:7 says… Psalm 2:7 (NKJV) 7 “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. − This view holds that Jesus addressed Jews who rejected His divinity − Another reason can be seen from history − Thyatira was worship center for the “sun god” Apollo – son of Zeus − Jesus introduces Himself as the Son of God making the statement that only Jesus, not Apollo, is the true Son of God Jesus also describes Himself as having eyes like a flame of fire − An allusion to Daniel 10:6 Daniel 10:6 (NKJV) 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. − Eyes Like A Flame of Fire portray the penetrating insight of Jesus Jeremiah 17:10 (NKJV) 10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. − Jesus sees everything – nothing escapes His eyes, not because He is omniscient, but because He is present − He knows because He sees and He sees because He’s there Jesus describes Himself as having feet like fine brass − Fine brass represents judgment for sin What’s The Name Of Your Church: Thyatira / Revelation 2:18-29 © 2011 Holland Davis ____________________________________________________________________ THE REVELATION − The altar of sacrifice in the temple was made of brass and was referred to as the brazen altar − The word “fine brass” is only found here and it suggests that the metal was bright and shiny − It reflected light – speaking of the glory of Jesus − Jesus is the righteous judge who has judged sin once and for all at the cross I think it’s important to note that Jesus doesn’t judge from a far – but He is present in all His glory. − When He judges He is not looking at our sinfulness, but He is looking for the reflection of His glory − The problem with most Christians is that they judge from afar… they are unwilling to engage in relationship and thus their judgment and condemnation is impersonal and based on gossip and hearsay − It’s one thing to judge someone based on a rule − It’s another thing to judge someone based on personal knowledge of who they are, what they’ve been through and where they need Jesus − That is the difference with Jesus… when He speaks, He speaks from a place of relationship After Jesus introduces Himself, He addresses three kinds of works 1. The works of Thyatira 2. The works of Jezebel 3. The works of Jesus 1. The works of Thyatira: Jesus knows their works Revelation 2:19 (NKJV) 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. − Works: they were involved in sacrificial ministry for the sake of others − Love: they demonstrated God’s agape love to others − Service: they were known for their ability to render assistance to others, often of a humble or menial nature… they were great servants − Faith: they had complete and total reliance on God − Patience: they had the capacity to endure difficult circumstances − The Last are more than the first – their works were increasing, not decreasing What’s The Name Of Your Church: Thyatira / Revelation 2:18-29 © 2011 Holland Davis ____________________________________________________________________ THE REVELATION − But despite all that they were doing right, something was wrong 2. The works of Jezebel Revelation 2:20–22 (NKJV) 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Jesus mentions a woman called Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess − Scholars believe that the use of the name Jezebel is symbolic − History tells us of a Persian Sibyl by the name of Sambathe that was reported to be a descendent of Noah − Sibyl’s (Latin for prophetess) were believed to have supernatural power to foretell the future − This Sybil was said to have foretold the exploits of Alexander the Great − They would work themselves into a frenzy and utter prophesies under a demonic influence − Only 10 Sybil’s are historically recorded – the one in Thyatira was referred to as a Hebrew or Persian Sybil… which made her palatable to Jews and made her influence so damaging Why did Jesus refer to this Sybil as Jezebel? − Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab − This was the first recorded mixed marriage between a King of Israel and a heathen princess and signified and unholy alliance − This alliance was a turning point in the moral history of the kingdom − She influenced Israel to compromise and fornicate by worshipping Baal and the sun god on a magnificent scale. − Jezebel urged King Ahab to worship the fertility goddess Asherah and to construct a temple and a sacred Asherah pole. − The feasts that accompanied the worship of these false gods were often accompanied by sexual orgies − It is believed that Jezebel ministered as a priestess, participated in immoral acts