Revelation 2:18-20 To the Church in Thyatira Greg Bahnsen Part 13 of 63

Finish our discussion of the letter to the church at Thyatira out of the second chapter of the book of Revelation this morning. There's a great deal of interest in this letter, and I think it might be profitable for us to have something of a discussion of it as well as our exposition. But before we get to that, let's read the letter again, beginning at verse 18 in chapter 2, revelation 2, revelation 2, beginning at verse 18. And to the angel of the church in Thyatira, these things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass. I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and steadfastness, and that thy last works are more than the first. But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess. And she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time that she should repent, and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. Behold, I cast her into a bed and then to commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent her works. And I will kill her children with death. And all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts. And I will give unto each one of you according to your works. But to you I say to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who know not the deep things of Satan as they are wont to say, I cast upon you none other burden. Nevertheless, that which ye have, hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers. As I also have received of my father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear with the Spirit. Spirit saith to the churches this morning, how many of you have the ear necessary to hear properly the promise and the conditions of that promise to him who overcomes, I will give to him to rule over the nations, even as I have received of my father. It's quite a dramatic promise. But before we get to that and some discussion of it, let's review what we saw last week. I spent a great deal of time at the beginning of last week's lesson explaining that very simple designation that we hear so often in the Scriptures. But one which has a great deal of meaning. It's a very significant designation, these things saith the Son of God. Now, we're accustomed to calling Jesus the Son of God, and we usually mean by that that he is divine, that he is a second member of the Trinity. However, in the New Testament, that designation is much richer than just simply in some bald fashion describing Jesus as divine. The Son of God turns out to be a technical designation for the Messiah, for the King of Israel, for the one who is given rule and dominion. And that phrase, with the significance of the dominion of the Messiah, is used at the crucial junctures of Jesus life. At the annunciation, at the baptism, and so forth and so on throughout the life of Jesus. He is significantly described as the Son of God when we are to understand especially that he is the divine Messiah given dominion by the Father. Now, why am I emphasizing that? Because of what I've already indicated. By way of preview, at the end of the lesson, we're going to be saying that Jesus offers to those of us who overcome to rule over the nations to partake of his dominion even as he's received from the Father. All right, these things, saith the Son of God. And then a description who has eyes like a flame of fire and feet like unto burnished brass. Jesus is described as the one who sees everything, who detracts from the luminary gods of Thyatira, the gods of sun and moon. Jesus is the one who has feet like burnished brass, shining feet and flaming eyes. He's the one who sees everything. And it's his commendation and condemnation that have ultimate significance. The commendation is this, that Jesus knows the works of those at Thyatira, contrary to the saints at Ephesus, who have to get back to their first love because they've really gotten off the track. They are not progressing in their sanctification. Jesus says to those at fire, tyra, I know that your later works are greater than your first works. I realize that you are growing in holiness, that your moral progress is evident. But notwithstanding that, there are certain defects which offset it. Where Ephesus was strong, Thyatira was weak. Just as we've seen. Thyatira was strong. Where Ephesus was weak, Ephesus was strong. On what doctrinal discernment? Their inability to bear with false teachers. Those who claim to be followers of the apostles, but who really taught contrary doctrine, they would not bear with them. They tried the false teachers and they put them out. Thyatira is just the opposite. They are progressing in their moral growth. However, their doctrinal discernment is not coming to expression in who they allow to teach in the Church. It's something that we as Presbyterians in this day especially need to learn. It's a lesson that will protect us from a century of. Of woes and difficulties in our various denominations if we'll but remember that God calls us not only to holy living, but to holiness with respect to who teaches in the Church. But I have this against thee. Jesus says that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. You allow this Jezebel to teach in the Church? Now, it's ironic that not only are we going to have trouble with the doctrine of Jezebel, but we have here a woman teaching in the Church. I don't think it's 20th century Eisegesis. I don't think I'm reading into the passage here. When I say something was amiss right there. People should have been alerted to the fact that this was improper in that a woman was claiming the right to be a prophet of God, a prophetess of God. She was claiming the right to exercise teaching authority in the Church. We might liken this to Adam and Eve in the garden before the Fall. Not every theologian agrees with this, although I think it's rather indisputable myself, my own personal opinion that when Eve encountered a talking snake, she should have immediately have said, there's something wrong here. But you see, speech is one of those things by which we exercise dominion. Speech is one of those things that indicates that man is the image of God. And now when this snake is talking, it is usurping its proper place. And so Eve should have been alerted by the very nature of the teacher that there was something wrong not only in what Satan himself said. Likewise in Thyatira, people should have realized the very fact that a woman was claiming the right to have teaching authority indicates there's something amiss. It's not just what she's teaching, but that she is the one teaching it. Now, again, I realize that because that's a live issue today. There's always the threat of reading that into the passage. But I do think that the Greek is stressing the fact that this is a woman teaching. She claims for herself to be a prophetess of God, and we should have known better than to listen to her. But notice what she does teach. She calls herself a prophetess and teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Last week I explained this in terms of, well, the practice of fire. Tyra, of course, was the prevailing practice was that of trade guilds, unionism. And in the ancient world, it wasn't simply one aspect of your life that was given over to the Trade Guild. That is, you know, 8 to 4 in the afternoon, 8 to 4 during the day is your life in the industrial world. And of course you have to be a member of the union to have that kind of a job. It wasn't quite that simple. To be a member of the trade guild in the ancient world meant to be member of a religious association because each one of the trade guilds had their own gods and goddesses. And so if you're going to be a member of the trade guild, you had to partake with the communal religious feast of the trade guild. And that communal religious feast very often involved not only eating things sacrificed to idols, that's obvious, but it involved fornication, loose sexual practices. And so here we have Jezebel teaching the Christians in Thyatira that they aren't going to be able to have a job if they won't compromise somewhat. And so she's teaching God's servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Interestingly, the very things that the Jerusalem council said was forbidden to Christians. She says, well, now that's what the elders up in Jerusalem say. But we know a little bit better. I mean, if you use a little common sense, you realize if you're going to get along in this world, especially in the society here in Thyatira, that's quite unrealistic. It's all right to say that to the problem with respect to Gentiles and Jews, but I'm telling you that here in Thyatira things are different. And so the issue finally comes down to this. When a Christian faces in his society this kind of call to compromise, shall he retreat from his society? Shall he compromise with his society, or shall he reconstruct his society? This raises the whole question of what is the relationship of Christ to culture? What is the relationship of Christ to the way we do things politically, artistically, in terms of our entertainment, our mass media? How does Christ relate to all these things? Here in Jackson, Mississippi, what is the relationship of Christ to culture? In thya retire, the relationship of Christ to culture is that Christ was being acculturized. The culture was dominating the Christians there. Jezebel was teaching the Christians to compromise with their culture. Now, in the third century AD we had a different problem in Thyatira, we know from church history, they went to just the opposite extreme. Instead of compromising with their culture, they retreated from their culture, realizing that the culture was really pulling the Christian church down, was really destroying the Christian church and the truth of its witness. He had certain wealth cultic sects there in Thyatira, which taught that the world was soon coming to an end, that the Christian should practice ascetic practices. That is, he should withdraw from the world involvement in physical matters, and he should await the momentary appearing of the kingdom. Now, as you think about this, you see the words to the Church of Thyatira by Jesus Christ take on even more contemporary significance for us, more relevance, because we have in our day those who say Christ is related to culture by way of compromise. That is, we need our Christianity to be reformed by the culture in which it comes to expression. We have those who teach as part of their own mission strategy, ironically enough, that when the Christian message goes into a culture, it must take on the form of that culture. We have those who teach from a liberal or modernistic standpoint in our own culture, that the things taught in the Bible are all temporally conditioned by the age and the culture in which they were given. And therefore we must retranslate the Bible. I don't mean simply an NASV or this, that or the other. Not just retranslate that way. We must bring the Bible to modern expression by changing what it says to American culture. So we have those. But then, on the other hand, we have the error of those who want to retreat from culture, don't we? Those who say there's a real separation between Christianity and the world. Not in the sense that there's a separation between those who are in the world and those who are in the Christian church, that obviously is there. But they're saying also that Christianity has nothing to do with the world. Christianity has to do with that which is inside a man, the internal part of man. The spirit of man doesn't have anything to do with his physical relationships, his social relationships. Does it have anything to do with his economic relationships or his political relationships? Christianity is spiritual. And not only is Christianity spiritual, but we are waiting for the momentary appearing of the kingdom, or at least the rapture. And so what we're doing is we're withdrawing from culture. A statement of a modern advocate at this point of view recently was Jesus calls us to be fishers of men, but he doesn't call us to clean up the fishbowl. And so Christians withdraw from their culture. They have nothing to do with the environment in which they live. They're only interested in saving a few isolated internal souls here and there, waiting for the momentary appearing of the kingdom. That's another way Christ relates to culture. That's called Christ against the culture. See, Christ isn't wanting to do with the culture. Christ is waiting for a new culture to be introduced, and momentarily and cataclysmically. But until that time, there is no relationship. And so it's the Christ of culture, the compromised Christ, the Christ against culture. So the culture is never Christianized. Or on the other hand, and what I recommend as what we're taught here in this letter, we have the culture which is Christianized, or, if you will, the idea of reconstructing your culture. Don't retreat from the culture. Don't compromise with the culture. Remake the culture, change the culture. Indeed, the Great Commission calls the church to do that very thing. Jesus says, all power and authority in heaven is given to me. He says, all power and authority in heaven and on earth right now is mine. Therefore, having gone, make disciples of the nations. Make the nations my disciples. And how will you do them? Well, you'll do that by teaching them not only to observe the sacraments, not only to be good church members, if you will, but by teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you. Well, that's a nice ideal. Many people tell us today, you know, wishful thinking. It's like the train that says, oh, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. And of course you'll get further. You get further along in the Great Commission if you really believe those sorts of things. But Jesus says it's not just a nice ideal. It's not just a carrot and stick motive here, but rather Jesus says, for lo, I'm with you always, even to the end of the age. Now, if all power and authority belongs to Jesus Christ, and all power and authority which belongs to Jesus Christ is present with the church until the end of the age, then what justification has the Church for not discipling the nations? It has no justification. It may have an explanation, but it doesn't have a justification. The explanation is that we're unfaithful. The explanation is that we're not teaching the nations to observe whatsoever Jesus has commanded. But there's no justification for that. All power and authority is with us to do that. And so to the church at Thyatira, Jesus is going to give this message. Don't retreat, don't compromise. Reconstruct. Make disciples. But you can't do that as long as you have Jezebel bothering you. Jezebel, who teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Now, in verse 21, Jesus says, I gave her time that she should repent. I think we have reference here not to some axiomatic principle that is always coming to expression, but I think we're actually being told of some historical incident. Somehow Jesus had specifically set a time that Jezebel was to repent. I gave her this time, I set the period, and the result was that she would not to repent of her fornication. That's why Jezebel is a heretic. You see, if I stand before you today and I say something which is wrong and contrary to the Scripture, I'm not thereby, automatically, ipso facto, a heretic. But if I say something to you this morning which is contrary to the Scripture, and you bring that fact to my attention, and you show me how the word of God is contrary to me when I say such things, and when it is set before me that I need to repent of such teachings and I refuse to do so, then I'm a heretic. An unteachable man who will not change his opinion when he is shown the truth is a heretic. So it isn't just that Jezebel was misled. I mean, she may have been not innocent. We were never innocent. The mistakes with respect to the word of God. If she had been teachable and willing to be drawn back to an orthodox stand, that would have been different. But Jesus gave her time to repent and she wouldn't. Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent her works. The Lord is not hasty in his punishment. He leaves time for repentance. However, the false prophetess did not wish to repent. She persisted in her error and she ignored the invitation to have a change of mind to perform that about faith, sinner teaching. And so you see, Jezebel was more like the secular harlot described in chapter 17 than the pure bride of Christ which we read of in chapter 14. Jezebel was really much more like Babylon the Great than she was like the bride of Christ. Now, the punishment seen here is quite vivid in the Greek. Behold. And then the present tense is used. I am throwing her into. I am casting. Casting her into a bed. The punishment is going to fit the crime. Here she is seducing my servants. Here she is that adulteress and Jesus will punish her by casting her into bed. There's an irony here, and you've got to appreciate the passage and to have it etched upon your mind, you need to see that irony. He's going to cast her into a bed. But what kind of bed is it going to be? A bed of sexual pleasure? Going to be a bed of pestilence and death? He's going to cast her into a sick bed, a bed of sickness unto death. From the bed of profane love to the bed of sickness. Not only is she going to be cast into this bed, but those who commit adultery with her. That's graphic language. And it's something that you need to know as Christians who listen to preaching in this church or whatever church you're in, that if someone teaches contrary to sound doctrine, and if that person will not change his or her opinion and will not repent, and you continue to hear such teaching and to follow such teaching and not to rebuke such teaching. Jesus cast those who commit adultery with her or him into that sick bed with him or her. That is, Jesus is going to punish those who will not repent of following Jezebel as well. Those who accept her teaching and those who follow it will also be cast into the sickbed. Notice in verse 22 that they are said to commit and to follow to perform her works. The very things that she does and recommends to the church they do. Her works are done. That is to be contrasted to what you read in verse 26, he that overcometh, he that keepeth my works to the end. Jesus sets his works, his lifestyle, his commandments, his recommendations over against her works and her lifestyle and her commandments. If you keep her works, you'll be cast into a bed of sickness and death. And if you keep mine, you'll rule over the nations. Quite a contrast. Of course, it does say here, except they repent, the prospect of mercy is again held out. They are going to undergo great tribulation with her. Unless they repent. They have the opportunity, which she did not pick up on, they can repent if they will. Verse 23 says, and I will kill her children with death. Now, the word death there actually means pestilence. And if you look in the Greek translation of the Hebrew, Old Testament and the book of Exodus, the same word is used for pestilence or plague. And I will kill her children with pestilence. Her children, that is, her most intimate disciples. Not just those who commit fornication with her, not just those who follow her teaching and commit her works, but those you see who are the closest to her, her very children, the ones that she has almost theologically brought into this world with that mindset, her children are going to be killed with pestilence. Do you take that very seriously? Or do we have a tendency to say, well, that means they're going to have all sorts of spiritual problems? Remember that in the book of First Corinthians 11, Jesus teaches the church through Paul, that those who are partaking unworthily of the Lord's table, many of them are sick and some even sleep, a euphemism for some even die. Jesus rules over his church, and he rules as an autocratic monarch. Jesus rules with penal sanctions. And Jesus uses penal sanctions, not just of economic distress, not just emotional distress, not just familial problems. But Jesus even brings physical sickness and hardship, pestilence and death upon his disobedient people, those who profess his name, but who are disobedient and persist without repentance. In that Jesus brings physical pain and death. Do you take that seriously? If you will not repent of her deeds, I'll cast you into a bed and kill you with death. One might remember Moses who was not obedient to the covenantal command to have his children circumcised. And what happened? God said, okay, Moses is going to slap you on the wrist. Now remember Moses, I take very seriously these sorts of disobediences on your part, and I'd like to see you change that. Moses was threatened with death if he would not keep the covenant. Now we learn here that this is supposed to teach all the churches something. The fact that it's to teach all the churches, that all the churches shall know that I am he that searches the reins and the hearts again indicates how these letters, which are written to occasions written to a particular historical situation, these letters nevertheless are intended to teach all the churches for all time, so that all the churches are going to know something as a result of this. Don't limit these epistles in their universal application just because we know they have historical reference in mind. All the churches will know that nothing can be hid from the all seeing eye of Christ. He is said to search the reins and the hearts. Now that English translation of rains throws a lot of people. What that means is kidneys. Jesus searched the kidneys and the hearts. That helps you a lot, doesn't it? Now you all understand what that means, so we can go on. No, not really. He searches the kidneys and the hearts. Now, if it said he searches the hearts, you would all know that metaphor. He searches that which is in the innermost being of a man. He knows the internal life of a man. He knows the mental and emotional and spiritual life of a man. He searches his heart. Well, now, in our day, we oftentimes speak mistakenly, but I mean, there is a proper metaphor. Forgetting the mistaken use of it, we oftentimes speak of the head and the heart, don't we? Meaning thereby the intellect, the way a man thinks, perhaps his doctrine, and then his heart, his emotional, volitional, spiritual life. Jesus searches the head and the heart. If that was said here, I think he'd understand it, given 20th century use. Well, that is what's being said here. But of course, the metaphors are taken from the ancient world and not from ours. Man thinks with the heart very often in the Scripture. For out of the heart are the thoughts as well as the life of a man. And so Jesus searches the heart, meaning the mind. Jesus also searches the kidneys. While we think of the heart as the center of emotions, in that day, the kidneys were often thought as the center of emotions. That is the, if you will, the powerful, the energetic aspect of a man. From his kidneys, you see, he feels certain things. Well, Jesus searches the way you feel and the way you think. He knows this. Now, apart from the awkwardness of the metaphor, which we're not accustomed to notice, what's being said. I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am the one who searches the kidneys and the hearts. And I will give unto each one of you according to your works. A sad thing. So often in Arminian theology the idea is presented that the only thing that will ever be judged for after the coming of Christ is whether we believe on him or not. That's the only issue now is belief or disbelief. Now there are some who will say the only issue for a Christian is belief or disbelief, but will allow that unbelievers will be judged according to their works. But not a Christian. He wouldn't be judged according to his works. But Jesus says, I know the way you think and the way you feel, and I will give to you according to your works. They will know that God's recompense is proportionate to one's deeds. Notice verse 19, I know thy works. And then verse 23. And all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the reins and hearts, and I give unto each one of you according to your works. The one who knows our strength is the one who correspondingly knows our sins. Jesus knows all about us. He knows what's right about us, and he knows what's wrong about us. He knows our strengths, he knows our sins, and he will proportion his judgment according to our deeds. Now, there's going to be great tribulation here. Great Tribulation in John's own day, verse 22, behold, I cast her into bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation. Now, that phraseology is very significant in terms of that party in the Christian church that teaches in this day that we are awaiting the Great Tribulation. Jesus says, I'll cast the wicked out in John's own day into great tribulation. He's not waiting for a future day, but right then and there in the ancient world, the wicked would undergo great tribulation. Quite the opposite of a free millennial speculation. Now, what does a free millennial say about that? What does a very popular free millennialist say about that? Hal Lindsay tells us three things, all of which I think should be noted very interestingly. First of all, he says, well, now this shows that some church members will enter the Tribulation. I will cast them into great Tribulation. There are some members of the church. They're not genuine members of the church, but they are. I mean, they're not members of the universe, of the invisible church. They're not really belonging to the Savior, but they profess to be Christians. They will enter great tribulation. Okay, so there's some exhortation on the basis of that in Lindsay's commentary. Obviously, if you're a member of the Church, that's not good enough. You better make sure you really know the Lord, or else you may enter into the Great Tribulation. What's the problem? Well, we're not waiting the Great Tribulation. Jesus ends the Great Tribulation right then and there. But then, another interesting thing about Lindsay's commentary, he says, secondly, that this letter to Thyatira, given his overall view of the Book of Revelation, this letter to Thyatira actually applies to the period between AD 590 and 1517, the Middle Ages verses that. He believes that the letters to the seven churches are really recapitulating church history. Do you begin to see the problem? First of all, he begins with his outline of Revelation. And in that, we learn that the book of Thyatira applies to the Middle Ages. Now, when we read about the Middle Ages, we're being told that some were going to pass into the Great Tribulation, which is in the future. In fact, it's still to the future in 1977, one might be inclined to think that people lived from the Middle Ages until somewhere after 1977 so that they might be cast into the Great Tribulation. But then there's one final problem, and we'll get to this in a second. Later in this epistle we find out that those who are obedient to the works of the Lord, those who overcome in his name, are given to rule over the nations. What's a pre millennialist to do with that kind of talk? Well, obviously that can't apply to any time in history. But when the future millennium in the future, when Christ comes back and sets up his kingdom on earth, then of course all his followers are going to rule over earth. And so now look at the three different time frames that are confused in this letter. If you follow the premillennial speculation. First, in terms of the overall view of the book of Revelation, this has got to apply to the Middle Ages. Secondly, because it mentions the Great Tribulation, it's got to apply to the period, that seven year period which is prior to the millennium. And thirdly, because it refers to ruling over the nations, it's got to apply beyond the tribulation in the millennium. And so we have not only way in the past, but also in the near future and also in the far future. This book being referred now, I think that's a little too much to bear. Jesus says, behold, I cast her into bed and then that commit adultery with her into great tribulation. Jesus brings great tribulation throughout history. Jesus uses tribulation to punish those who are false hypocritical believers. Jesus uses this by way of historical judgment. We're not waiting for the Great Tribulation. This doesn't apply to the Middle Ages. It applies to John's own day. And it applies to all those in the churches who have to learn the lesson. It applies to all history. It began in John's day and applies even today. Let's look at the exhortation now in verses 24 and 25. But to you I say to the rest that are in thyatir, that is to those of you who are not following Jezebel, to those of you who have not compromised with Jezebel. To you I say those who do not know the deep things of Satan, as they are wont to say, I cast upon you no other burden. What does Jesus cast upon Jezebel? Great tribulation. Where does Jesus cast Jezebel? Into a sick bed unto death. But to those of you who are not following her. I don't cast any burden on you. I don't place any burden on you any further one. Now notice there's one other thing that's said about Jezebel here that's very interesting. The followers of Jezebel are wont to say that they know the deep things of Satan. There's another contemporary application of that I want to pause just to discuss here for a moment. They are wont to say that they know the deep things things of Satan. Now this is, this is some sort of a reference to a mystical insight that they know in some almost gnostic way, in some special way, in some elitist way, they have a special insight into the deep things of Satan. And that phrase the deep things of Satan is really a parody on a phrase we find in the book Romans. Look at Romans 11:33. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past tracing out. Oh, the depth, the depth of God's knowledge and wisdom. Now you have a group of people in the church. They realize that God's ways are past finding out they can't search out God's ways. But correspondingly, they think they know the deep things of Satan. Now what's wrong with that? Doesn't Paul say that we're supposed to know Satan's devices? Satan can't do certain things to the church because we know his plots, his ploys, we know how he operates. That's true, we do know things about Satan. But now we're referring here not just to that knowledge that the scripture gives us, but there are certain mystical insights, certain gnostic and elitist insights into the deepest things, the incomprehensible things about Satan. I don't know how big a movement it is here in Mississippi. I just haven't been here long enough and haven't observed enough to see. But I'll tell you this. In California, there are a good number of churches who proclaim that they know the deep things of Satan and they will teach their people how to exorcise demons. And they will teach their people how to recognize just by looking into the eyes of a person that a demon has him in his control. See, they know the deep things of Satan. They specialize in Satanology, if you will. That is where God gives us his incomprehensible riches of grace to be stuck studied. As the book of Romans lays out, these people focus very narrowly on Satan instead of looking to the grace of God to help transform their society. They have a morbid interest in the one who is leading their society astray. And so they study and restudy and ingrain themselves and steep themselves in the deep, deep things of Satan and know very little of the power of God. Emphasis falls so often these days, not just in California, but throughout the evangelical church. Emphasis falls on the Prince of Darkness. As though the Prince of darkness and his deep, deep mysteries was really the one who has central influence in society, the one who rules over history. We're told by premillennialists so often that Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world because the kingdoms of this world were in the possession of Satan. He really is the one who rules here. But that contradicts precisely what Jesus says after his resurrection, that all power and authority is his in heaven and on earth. Jesus owns this earth. Jesus rules over this earth, Jesus lords it over this earth. And that's why he tells his people to disciple the nations. And so we mustn't have this morbid concentration, this emphasis upon Satan, as though he were central, as though he were the primary influence, as though somehow we needed to be able to discern who was under the control of Satan and know how to exorcise the demons from them. Jesus says then verse 24, but I say to you, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching who do not know the deep things of Satan as they are wont to say. Isn't that interesting? Jesus is giving this exhortation to those who, if you were to listen to the Jezebelites, were the dummies in the church. See, there are certain people who have the insight, certain people who are elite, certain people who follow Jezebel and know the deep things of Satan. Jesus says, but I tell you, those who don't know these deep things, those who don't partake of this game of trying to have mystical insight into the influence of Satan, they're the ones who are going to rule history. They're the ones who I'm going to give to partake of my dominion. So the message now is to true believers, those who are not led astray by the false teaching, those who are not engrossed in pseudo Satanology. No other burden will be placed upon them besides that of Christian service, the Christian service which they have already assumed. Jesus says, I cast upon you none other burden. Nevertheless, that which ye have, hold fast till I come. Persevere in that which you have. That Christian service which verse 19 mentions, I know thy works, thy Love thy faith, ministry and steadfastness, that's all I ask of you. Remain steadfast in those things, persevere in those matters. Of course, that means they must abstain from idolatry and fornication. That means they can't compromise with their society. But if they're going to be steadfast in Christian ministry and not compromise, what's to keep them from going to the opposite extreme of retreating from their society? Well, the promise is given nevertheless. That which ye have, hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. Perseverance is a difficult task, and perseverance is every Christian's responsibility. But to those who will persevere, to those who will overcome, to those who will be victorious by doing Christ's works, not the works of Jezebel, but the works of Christ, those who will live lives of holiness patterned after the life of our Lord and His commandments, they will be conquering, not compromising. Now, to understand, I think, the really heavy significance of this promise, you need to understand the Old Testament background to it. Jesus says, if you keep my works and overcome unto the end, to you I give authority over the nations, and you shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers, as I also have received with my Father. Jesus says, I'm going to share a promise with you here. I'm going to share my dominion with you. As I have received from my Father, so I will share with you dominion over the nations. You'll rule them with a rod of iron and break those who are rebellious to shivers like a potter breaks a vessel. Now that obviously is referring back to the promise of the Father made to Jesus Christ in the second Psalm. And so let's turn to the second Psalm and study it for a short while before we end this morning. Why do the nations rage and the peoples meditate a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against Jehovah and against his Christ, saying, let us break their bonds asunder and cast their cords from us? He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision. Then he will speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will tell of the decree Jehovah said unto me, thou art my son. This day have I Begotten thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. The second psalm tells us that Jehovah establishes Messiah's eternal reign and that Jehovah will establish Messiah's eternal reign despite the opposition of kings and nations to him. In verses 1 through 3, notice how haughty men are plotting vainly against the Messiah. Why do the nations rage and the people meditate on a vain thing? Why are they plotting vainly? It won't do them any good. It's to no end. They can't be successful. So why are they doing this? The Lord will mock the rebellious efforts of such men. Verses 4 through 6. Look at the divine derision. He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh and hold them in derision. You have to think about that seriously. The Lord laughs at men who try to break his rule. The Lord laughs with derision. You know, you've seen in the movies so often in cartoons and so forth. See, you have the strong man. You see this real hulk of a guy, and somebody is opposing him and comes up just pounding on his chest, and he's just laughing. Well, that somewhat expresses the thought here. The Lord just laughs in derision when people try to oppose his kingdom. He who sits in the heavens will mock the rebellious efforts of men. To what end do they try to rebel? It's vain. They're trying to rebel against the Messiah of Jehovah's choosing. But God is out of the reach of their rebellion. He just stands back and laughs. But then verse 5 says, he will speak to them in his wrath. He will vex them in his sore displeasure. God's going to take decisive action. Verse 6. God will defer the matter of this decisive action to the Messiah. Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. God is going to install his Messiah, and the Messiah is going to take decisive action. The Messiah will show how vain their efforts are. In verses seven through nine, having seen the divine derision, we see the divine decree. The Messiah proclaims that he has God appointed position and rule throughout the earth. I will tell of the decree. Jehovah said unto me. Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee. The significance of that was pointed out last week. Thou art my son this day I have begotten thee. In the life of Jesus Christ. That's repeated, you see the voice from heaven on two occasions quotes this portion of the psalm. Isn't it significant, then, that when Jesus is introduced to the people in Thyatira is introduced as the Son of God, the One. Because of that title, the voice from heaven says, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. All right. So the second psalm is at the beginning of the letter to Thyatira. It's also at the end of it that God's engraved decree is referred to by the Messiah. Probably the decree here refers to 2nd Samuel 7:14, where in the Davidic covenant David has promised that his seed will be raised up to sit on his throne forever. Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance. The decree is that the Messiah has been appointed to worldwide rule, and that worldwide rule is being expressed in terms of his sonship. Because he is the Son of God, he is to rule over the world. It's his messianic sonship being referred to. There's a great deal here I have in my notes that I want to go over, but I guess time isn't going to allow it. The Divine decree is that the Messiah is going to be given this position throughout the earth, so that he will rule the nations as his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth will be his possession. He shall break them with a rod of iron, and shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. That is, Jesus has punishment for those nations which will not submit to his lordship. Jesus intends to rule over the entire earth. Verse 8 tells us that as the Son of God, as the chosen Messiah, he he needs only to ask, and these things will happen. Ask of Me, and I will give thee. The Father won't deny the Son anything pertaining to the extension of his kingdom throughout the earth. In the 72nd Psalm we have an extension of this promise in Psalm 2. Look at Psalm 72. 8. Begin reading at verse 7. In his days shall the righteous flourish in abundance of peace till the moon be no more. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Look at Psalm 89. 1935 Psalm 89. Then thou speakest in vision to thy saints and saidst I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the people I have found David my servant with my holy oil have I anointed him with whom my hand shall be established Mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact from him, nor the Son of wickedness afflict him and I will beat down his adversaries before him, and smite them that hate him. For my faithfulness and my loving kindness shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers. He shall cry unto me, thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. I also will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My loving kindness will I keep for him forevermore in my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven. If his children forsake my law and walk not in mine ordinances, if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. But my loving kindness will I utterly not take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness. I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne is the sun before me. It shall be established forever as the moon and as the faithful witness in the sky. Precisely the language of Psalm 72. Jesus will reign from the river to earth's remotest ends. The whole earth has been given to Jesus, and all his enemies are going to be beat down before him. And he will indeed put down the revolt of the world nations and will bring all nations into the dominion of his Father. Now this second psalm that we've been looking at is the most frequently cited psalm in the New Testament, next to Psalm 110. That's interesting to me, because if you look at Psalm 110, it's precisely the same message. Psalm 110. Jehovah saith unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The New Testament specializes in these two psalms. The New Testament repeatedly brings them to bear. And so also in the letter to Thyatira now you begin to understand the momentous significance of Jesus promise Even as I have received from my Father worldwide dominion, so that I shall rule the nations with a rod of iron and break all rebellion, just like a pot is broken to smithereens, so also I will give to you the rule of the nations. Let's look at that promise again. Revelation 2, verse 26 and he that overcometh, he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers, as I also have received of my father. Now, throughout our class up to this morning, I have continually expressed, I suppose, my post millennial confidence. And I have had hints of that and there have been that theme. But we come this morning to something which is just not simply congenial to post millennialism, but I dare say demands post millennialism. I don't see that there is any possibility of interpreting this in an amillennial or a premillennial fashion. Now, if you are amillennial or premillennial, don't give up on the class. I trust there'll still be things you can learn after this. But I do want to challenge you today. Not just because I'm looking for people to join a theological party, but I challenge you. Do you really take the word of God seriously? Jesus promises that if you won't compromise, if you won't commit fornication with Jezebel, if you'll keep his works and persevere to the end, if you'll do that, he's going to give his church, his people, rule over the nations. Now that rule is as literal, is as real, is as extensive and significant as Jesus own rule over the nations. I challenge you with this. Whatever your interpretation of the Christian church's influence in society and history is, that's the measure of what you think of the Messianic rule of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus says, as I've received of my Father, I share that dominion with you. And so if your view of the rule of Christians in society is simply that they're going to pluck a few brands from the, from the burning, that is, they're just going to save a few souls here and there, and that's the way that the Church rules in society. Remember that that's what you're saying of this worldwide dominion and extent of the Messiah's kingdom, that that's what you understand by Jesus saying, I have all power in heaven and earth. Whatever you believe to be Jesus rule over the nations. Jesus says, I share it with you. And we no doubt that God calls Christians to reconstruct their society. God calls Christians to make the same disciples of the nations. And God will not relent in that. After all, all power and authority is with us to the end of the age. That we might be successful in the commission that Great Commission needed so great that I think we failed to have our eyes opened wide enough to see what God requires of us as Christians. But that's the greatness of the commission to make all nations his disciples and to teach those nations to observe his commandments. So we are going to share in Christ's triumph over the hostile nations. And I dare say we'll share in that triumph, even if we have to be dragged into it. You see, there are some people who are on a boat going east, even though they face west. And there are going to be Christians who think it's impossible, who are nevertheless going to be part of that worldwide dominion. God uses our efforts and our evangelism and our influence in society, despite our expectations. But notice, whether you believe it or not, it's going to happen. Revelation 12, verse 5. And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up unto God and unto his throne. Here you see that Jesus has been born of a woman for the very purpose of ruling the nations. And in Revelation 19:15 we read, and out of his mouth proceeds a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God. The Almighty. Jesus is going to rule. Jesus was born to that end. Jesus has that powerful sword proceeding from his mouth that with it he should strike the nations with the gospel. They will submit in Revelation 24. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. And I saw those who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God. And also those who worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they lived and reigned with Christ for the thousand years. God's people are going to share in the rule of the Messiah. In Revelation 1, verse 6, we read, and he made us to be a kingdom of priests unto God and Father to him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. We are the kingdom of the Messiah. His is the dominion. Second Timothy 2, verse 12 teaches that the reward of endurance and perseverance is sharing in the Messiah's reign. 2nd Timothy 2:12. If we endure, we shall also reign with him. If we endure. That's the message to Thyatira. If you'll be steadfast, if you'll persevere, if you'll just keep progressing in your holiness, then I'll give you to rule over the nations, even as my Father has given me to have such dominion. Those are the meek of the earth, those are the ones who are meek because they submit to God's rule, they aren't arrogant, they don't rule themselves. They aren't compromising with their culture. They're just living that life of endurance and perseverance that God requires. They're the meek. And Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, to those who are meek, they shall inherit the earth. The earth. Now, before we close, we must see one more thing. Jesus says after promising that we'll share in this dominion, and I will give him the morning star. What is the morning star? The morning star is the token of that triumph that shall be the Christians if he'll endure and do the works of Jesus. In Revelation 22:16, we find the key to the interpretation of the morning star. I, Jesus, have sent sent mine angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. You know, you might have thought at first that as I was expounding to you, the significance of the reward to those who persevere, that this is really almost too much to take in, that Jesus intends for Christians to rule the nations, that Jesus intends for our state influence to govern history. Well, that's just incredible. But then Jesus adds the thing that's even more incredible. He says, it's not just that you're going to inherit the earth, not just that you're going to rule with me, but to him who overcomes I give the bright and morning star, I give myself. Inheriting the nations is certainly a blessing, and it's certainly something that should make you awe before God. But how much more that Jesus says, you shall inherit me, that I shall be yours. You know, we're so prone to think of ourselves belonging to Jesus, and we do. Jesus says that he holds us in his very hand, and no man can pluck them, pluck us from that hand. We belong to Jesus. But then Jesus says that he belongs to us, that he gives of himself to us. The bright and morning star, the symbol of resurrection and triumph, is ours to possess. The ultimate reward of the believer is Christ himself. And that takes us in closing back to the original covenant of God with Abraham. God says in Genesis 15:1, after these things, the word of Jehovah came unto Abram in a vision, saying, fear not, Abram, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. Jesus brings the Abrahamic covenant to fruition. When Jesus says, I am your exceeding great reward, that if you'll persevere, you'll gain me the bright and morning star. Let's Pray. Lord, teach us this day to know that the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but are rather mighty before God for the pulling down of every stronghold that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Help us to know the power of your Word. Help us to see that that sword of the Spirit is powerful to the converting of the nations. Make us take seriously Father our responsibility to reconstruct and not to compromise. Keep us Lord from retreating in fear from our world and society. Make us to disciple it, to disciple the nations for Jesus Christ and Lord. We would do this not for our own sake and not to express our own power, but rather to express the dominion of Jesus Christ and to extend his kingdom, to exalt his name and to draw people under his saving rule. We would do this for the sake of that one whom we love as the bright and morning star. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.