Pergamos & Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Corinthians 13:1, Romans 3:23, Revelation 22:16)

"Jesus is the Morning Star"
light in the darkness
Canon Rebel T1i

© Karen Kyle Ericson, all rights reserved.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I lift up Ukraine to You.  I pray that the right will win and the wrong will fail.  You know all and see all.  Please bless these people with good things.  I also lift up those in the middle east who are fighting to survive.  I pray Your hand will be with the nations to give us all guidance.  Comfort those who mourn.  Please provide shelter from this terrible storm.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

The Compromising Church- Pergamos

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two- edged sword: 

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)

13 I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 

14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."
(Revelation 2:12-17 NKJV)
It sounds like the Church at Pergamos was allowing things that God forbids.  These are individuals that practiced idol worship, and eating food offered to idols.  When Churches close their eyes to what God hates and pretend that it doesn't matter, God remembers.  The Nicolaitans established a priesthood over the congregation.  Under Jesus all of us are to serve God, not one person over all.  The curtain that kept us away from God has now been removed.  This priesthood would be in defiance of all that God had sacrificed for us.

Jesus gives us all a chance to overcome the sin that is around us.  Those who overcome will get a new name written on a stone. 

The Corrupt Church- Thyatira

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:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  
(1 Corinthians 13:1 NKJV)

Jesus keeps mentioning His feet of brass and eyes like a flame of fire.  His servants are flames of fire. I interpret this to mean that without love, people are noisy clanging cymbals.  That's not something anyone would want to be around.  Yet that's how we sound to God when we are mean and rude to others, demanding they believe what we do.  Good question to ask myself, "Am I helping or stopping someone from having faith?"

Jesus always starts out talking about the good stuff-
19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 

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. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
In the Old Testament Jezebel married Ahab,a King of Israel.  She was not a Jew and things went really bad for them.  Her memory in history is that of an evil, designing, crafty, malicious, revengeful and cruel.  Definitely one of the bad girls in the Bible.  She was the first great instigator of persecution of God's saints.  She was killed when Jehu saw her looking out a window and told the chamberlains to throw her out.  She was dashed to pieces on the street.  Jehu's horses trampled her and the dogs ate her.(1)  Ok, so why is Jezebel mentioned in Revelation?  That would mean this Church will not be raptured but will go through the last days of tribulation.  They were seduced into temporary pleasures and did not obey God's will.  It sounds to me like a person who destroys other people's faith in God, marriage, and all that is holy will not see Jesus.  They will go through the great tribulation.  The rapture will come in the blinking of an eye for those who believe.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. (Romans 3:23)

In these verses Jesus is saying that He knows who is doing right, has faith in Him, and doesn't participate with the ones who are against Him.  Before the rapture, people can still come to Him for salvation.  More details about the Rapture and Great Tribulation are further into Revelation.  And, again this is symbolic in many places.
24 “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27 “He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels’ — as I also have received from My Father;
28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 “ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
(Revelation 2:18-29 NKJV)

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."(Revelation 22:16 NKJV)

(1) Easton's Bible Dictionary, Jezebel, 1 Kings 16:31, 18:19, 21:19, 2 Kings 9:7-37.

This song is so good for us today, from Tenth Ave. North "Worn" (link).