REV.#7-2:18-29-pt.1 ~THYATIRA ~FROM ABOUT 500-ABOUT 1570 AD~
Today we’ll continue our study of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we’re here in chapter 2: verses 18-29 and in these verses Jesus is sending this 4th messages to the church of Thyatira, the corrupt church. Fox’s book of Martyrs has much to say about this Dark Age period.
Let me mention once again that these 7 churches that we find here in chapters 2 and 3 were real churches of that day, there in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey, there were more churches than these 7 but God had chosen these 7 particular churches for a specific purpose, these 7 particular churches were not only actual churches there in Asia Minor, but they were chosen by God to represent the entire church period while its on earth, from Pentecost, when the True Church was born until the rapture of the True church. They each represent a stage you could say, of what would be going on while its on earth. The names of the 7 churches are~ Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
And let me say, there were always true believers in each of the 7 church periods.
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Ephesus was of the Apostolic church period, { 30-100 A.D.} and already the Lord Jesus, Who is the Head of His True church rebuked them, for leaving their 1st love, the Lord warned them that He would remove their Candle stick,{the church} except they repent, and He, as He always does, kept His Word.
The Church of Ephesus is gone now because their “Candle stick” the church had been removed, they allowed their light to go out, their witness.
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And then the 2nd church, the church of Smyrna, {100-350 A.D.} this was the most persecuted period of the True church; many gave their lives because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
Smyrna still has a flourishing Church there today; only the name today is Izmir.
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And then ~ Pergamos, the 3rd church, the Compromising Church, {350 to about 590 A.D.} Called “the greatest city in Asia Minor,” the Capital of Asia Minor, Pergamos had the first temple dedicated to Caesar.
The town of Pergamas still exists today. The name has been changed to Bergma.
And let me say that each of these 7 churches are still with us today in some form or fashion.
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So today we come to the 4th church period, the church of Thyatira, the period when the church became corrupt, as we’ll see, and it all began because of the compromising church period of Pergamus, the compromising church.
~The time period of this corrupt church of THYATIRA was from about { 590-to ABOUT 1570 AD}
If you’ll recall the message last week of the church period of Pergamus the 3rd church period known as the compromising church, how it began compromising with the world as the Emperor Constantine had declared that he had saw a vision of the cross in the sky along with these words above it, “in this thou shall conquer” and because of what he had seen he took it to mean, that Christianity was to be the religion of the Roman Empire and so he had his armies all baptized, which certainly don’t mean that they were saved, and in doing so the persecution of Christians slowed down dramatically, not stopped completely, but certainly not as it had been, as the believers were there in the 2nd Church period of Smyrna, they had been greatly persecuted, and many put to death.
Listen as I read today’s Text found in Rev. 2: 18-29 and we find this:
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.
21And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
22Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
23And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
24But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
25But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27And 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.
28And I will give him the morning star. 29He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
This is the largest message of the 7 churches with 12 verses; the shortest is to ”Smyrna” the persecuted church with only 4 verses.
We’ll probably be here at least two broadcast. We’re not going to rush to get through.
There is a promise in chapter 1:3 that all who read or hears the “Revelation” will be blessed.
Lets remember, that every body couldn’t get a copy of Gods Word as you and I can today here in America, and we are convinced that our Old 1611 K.J. Bible is truly Gods Word for the English speaking people, the minister back in those days that had a copy, or a portion of Gods Word would stand and read the Word of God to the people, but its sad to say that a great number of people today still don’t have a copy of Gods True Word, as they’ve been duped into excepting the modern day perversions of the Holy Bible, but most of them don’t know it. Most of the Laodicean churches use a perversion of the Bible.
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This church existed in the period known as the Dark Ages, and this age certainly was dark for the Church True believers, there were millions slaughtered because of their stand for Christ, Foxes book of Martyrs tells all about it. ~ Go to any library.**~
The message to the church of Thyatira has a woman mentioned in it. As we learn of her identity we can see how this church fits into the historical plan during these years.
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In the Bible many times a woman represents a religious system. Israel is the wife of JEHOVAH.
Isaiah 54:5 says 5For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name;
And the N.T. Church is the “Bride to be of Christ”, Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: ==
Revelation 19: 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.---- that’s a reference to our deeds, our works after we were saved. We’re at this time making our own wedding garment.
Also, the Great Harlot in chapters 17 of this book represents a false religious system.
It is the end time Apostate Church. She belongs to Satan.
Revelation 17: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. –13 words*
This church of Thyatira represents the Papal church. Roman Catholicism, This system has and still is leading many astray today. Many people will suffer in hell because they have been seduced to believe her doctrine.
During this period as in every period, there were people who held to the truth, and they did not follow her doctrine.
The papacy has some horrible history. Examples would include Pope Sergius who had a mistress, Pope Benedict VIII who bought the office with money, and Benedict IX who committed adultery openly.
Although God gave this papal church plenty of time to repent, she never has and never will.
When the True Church is taken out of the world at the rapture, this church will unite with all false religions to form the harlot church of chapter 17.
Something needed to be done so God raised up a servant by the name of Martin Luther who was involved with this pagan religious system, but after reading Gods Word for himself, he nailed his 95 theses on the Wittenberg church door, and the reformation was on its way.
And this reformation brought about the church of Sardis. This is where the Pro-tes-tants** come from. – Sardis—they pro-tested after they found out that the Bible said, “the just shall live by faith” not by works. Found in 4 places,
Habakkuk 2:4 but the just shall live by his faith. Romans 1:17 The just shall live by faith
Galatians 3:11 The just shall live by faith Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith:
So that does away with all the works programs that are all caught up in the corrupt church.
Let me remind us that the Baptists are not “Protestants” the reason is because the Baptists were never in Catholicism. How ever we are to protest and expose any and all religions that are not of God.
These protestant churches that we no about today, most of them still carry on some of the Catholic rituals that was instilled in them from way back then. Some of them still have their so-called priest.
Their ministers wear their fancy robes, and there are many of the Pulpits that they stand behind with the letters, {I- H-S} across the front of it, which is a reference to the pagan Egyptian trinity “ISIS-HOROS and SETH”. But most don’t know why it’s there are what it means.
I’ve even saw it in the bottom of offering plates in Baptist churches, [I-H-S} some one will go to a Christian book store and purchased these things for their church, they just don’t know, no one has ever taught such as this to their people. And some will even be offended when you tell them the truth.
This time of the Church of Thyatira, often called the Dark Ages, was a time the completeness of the finished work of Christ was denied, and instead were added works, ceremonies, ritual and sacrifices of mans making as we see today with the so called Jesus wafers that their so called priest place on the peoples tongue.
The people who attend this church will go to a so called confession booth and tell some sinner on the other side of the little partition his or her sins, this way this corrupt church could keep tabs on it’s people. Listen dear heart only God can forgive sins.
That is why works are mentioned twice in verse 18; it was and still is a religion of works and not of grace.
Ø The Roman Catholic religion is made up of three religions:
Christianity, Judaism, and paganism.—there’s a little of each in order to please every-body.
They’ll mention the name of Jesus just enough to appear that its Christian, and then there’s Judaism, they claim to have “priest” like the Jews had, we’ll see them walking around on the T.V. waving their so called censers of incense, and then there is “paganism” with the counting of prayer beads, they pray to dead saints, to Mary. They have so many rituals they go through, they say theres a “purgatory” a holding place for sinners and if their loved ones will give their priest enough money they might some day be prayed out and go to heaven.
And there’s many more ridicules things that they do.
The Catholics believe that Peter was the 1st Pope, and the way they come about this is by twisting the scripture to fit their Religion.
Matthew 16:13-18 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: **{son of John} for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church;
-- “this rock”—means what Peter had just admitted, - Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Simon Peter was not that Rock.
John 1 40-42 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
So Peter was a little stone, Jesus is The Rock
1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. When Jesus told Peter,’ Upon this Rock I will build My Church, he could have laid His fist upon His chest and that would have cleared it up to most folks today.
~ Also the Catholic priests are not allowed to have a wife, and we know that Peter had a wife.~
Matthew 8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.
And let me say that’s she is still the biggest cult on earth today.
This false church claims to be the Mother church, while actually she is “ THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS” as she’s called in chapter 17:, so she couldn’t be the True church as the True Church was born on the day of Pentecost in the 1st Century.
== Fox’s book of Martyrs has much to say about this Dark Age period.
We’ll continue with our study to do with the church of Thyatira next time Lord willing.
