When Rosina Hernandez was in college, she once attended a rock concert at which one young man was brutally beaten by another. No one made an attempt to stop the beating. The next day she was struck dumb to learn that the youth had died as a result of the pounding. Yet neither she nor anyone else had raised a hand to help him. She could never forget the incident or her responsibility as an inactive bystander.
Some years later, Rosina saw another catastrophe. A car driving in the rain ahead of her suddenly skidded and plunged into Biscayne Bay. The car landed head down in the water with only the tail end showing. In a moment a woman appeared on the surface, shouting for help and saying her husband was stuck inside. This time Rosina waited for no one. She plunged into the water, tried unsuccessfully to open the car door, then pounded on the back window as other bystanders stood on the causeway and watched. First she screamed at them, begging for help, then cursed them, telling them there was a man dying in the car. First one man, then another, finally came to help. Together they broke the safety glass and dragged the man out. They were just in time… a few minutes later it would have been all over. The woman thanked Rosina for saving her husband, and Rosina was elated, riding an emotional high that lasted for weeks.
Being complicit is the last thing any disciple wants to be. When evil is rampant, we must not stay silently by. As stated in our last post, by Jesus, being complacent is being complicit. Surrendering yourself to actually being a participant is so much worse. Continuing in Revelation 2.20— “Notwithstanding 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.” He is against those who were “suffering” a person(s). Suffer in scripture means: ‘to put up with or not deal with’. The word “aphiemi” means: to not ‘deal with’ when you ought to. To permit to happen, and then to permit them to walk away. To release them from their wrong or wrong doing. To permit or allow.
Verse 21 goes on to detail the charges against this “Jezebel”. Jesus is “against” the church who ‘permits’ this kind of person to continue unchecked and unconfronted. But what about those who participate with them? What about those who take the stand needed? In verses 21-23 Jesus said— “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And 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.” Wait! He said— “…I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” He is not messing around! Do Notfind yourself on the wrong side of this believer. Stand!
Thank God for the ones who say No. Who do more than hold a passive aggressive grey area stance. Thank God for those who, by faith, decide to oppose the error. Jesus clarifies this in verse 24— “But 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.” Those of you that have taken this stand, there is no more burden I will lay on you now. Do the hard stuff—get rewarded. It’s just that simple. Instead of fearing what may happen because you stood up, fear what you’ll have to answer for when you see the Head of your church. Stand for Jesus, by standing up for the unity and purity of His churches. Sanctification is the act of the Holy Spirit upon us. It is the will of God (1 Thessalonians 4.3). Speaking of that passage, look a little further at it— “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” It’s God’s will that you separate yourself more and more from the trappings of this world and closer and closer to the One who is calling you out of the world. But did you see the context? It says— “…that ye should abstain from fornication.” The very thing Jezebel people were trying to evoke others to participate in.
Jesus said— “…as many as have not this doctrine…” It is first and foremost a belief issue. What do you believe about this? Is any form of fornication sin? Yes. I have heard church people say— ‘You can look but not touch’. That is a vial lie! That is how teens are trapped into a struggle with pornography throughout their life. The worst part of this is that other believers are leading even more to believe these lies. Jesus said that fantasizing about sin—is sin itself. He said so in Matthew 5.28— “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” By the way ladies, that goes in reverse for you too. The church of Thyatira was much like the church of Corinth in this way. In 2 Corinthians 12.21 Paul said— “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” They were in trouble too. The thing Paul mentions here that fixes it is— STOP. Here he said “repent”. Stop and turn from it. Do not participate, do not sit idly by either. Take action on this.
This teaching (doctrine) will rot out the whole church. Stop it. If you’re not careful, the thing you let slide here, turns into a much more difficult thing to confront later. Jezebel here isn’t the name of a particular person, in this particular place. It’s imagery from 1 Kings. She was a mess. She was wicked. She brought her dad’s sensually pagan ways into the kingdom at the very top. She poisoned her husband, the king of Israel, with this trash-thinking. Imbedded within the palace was vial wickedness. God brought a mighty prophet Elijah against them. Jezebel and her husband Ahab were one nasty pair. She was self-led, rebellious against God, and a supplanter. She twisted God’s people into fulfilling their own desires in numerous ways. It isnt always sexual in nature you know. It is sensual though. It is self-focused. It is self-determined. It is all about self. Nothing new here, that has been happening since the garden of Eden. Isn’t that the temptation that worked? Isn’t that the false-doctrine of Satan that took Eve over the edge? The serpent said in Genesis 3.4-5— “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” What he did here was separate her from God; cause some doubt; then lower the boom… ‘You will be like gods’. We are on the same path to this very day. We want control. We don’t want anyone telling us what to do. We want, what we want, when we want, how we want. ‘No one should ever be allowed to get between us and our pretty…ever!’ Sound familiar? Satan has nothing but old tricks repackaged into new technology. Jezebels will always be there to help peddle it to us.
Jesus told the church in Thyatira—“But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.” (Revelation 2.25). Hold what you got. Don’t let slip what hasn’t been tarnished by these people. The phrase— “…that which ye have…” are people not projects. Churches are not made up of bank accounts and departments, they are made up of eternal souls. What they have, are people who haven’t been defiled, and He tells them to hold on and don’t relent. Take what you have and focus on what you get if you do not participate with the wicked influencers— “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And 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. And I will give him the morning star.” (2.26-28). According to John’s own description in verse 7 (to the church of Ephesus) an “overcomer” is a true Christian. Here he says it is one also who “…keepeth my works unto the end…” which is one who stands and continues to stand. Don’t dip your colors disciples… hold on!
These who make the determination to be awkward, potentially lose so-called friends, and stand against evil within, are told by Jesus Himself— “I give power over the nations: And 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” (2.27). This is the future earthly kingdom. It is an award for us who would be faithful to the end. To be an active part of His kingdom here now, produces tangible rewards in the coming Millennial Reign of Christ. Pick a side. Choose who you will serve…now. Who do you want to please more? Who are you more worried about offending? Jesus or someone who is trying to sink you into their depravity? Much of this passage is trying to get people to participate in the soiling of their faith. But just standing by watching is just as bad brethren. Voyeurism is the very thing Romans 1.32 is about— “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
I was in a house of a friend while in grade school. A show was on, nothing compared to today, but one my parents told me not to watch. My friend was convinced my parents were the strictest people he had ever encountered. Now let me explain. We did not have cable. And television was only a few channels then, and I was the remote. Seems like ancient times now. The program in question would probably be hokey to most people today. But at the time, with a tender conscience, I did not want to upset my parents. Through peer pressure I watched the program. It was not sexual, or probably not even sensual. Do you know what it was? It was suggestive. That suggestiveness put a blot on my else-wise clear conscience. I was never the same. And worse, I had now learned to hide things from people. Maybe you’re reading this and think, ‘wow, this guy has gone full fundamentalist on us‘. No, but I have seen the treachery of Satan in working through carnally driven, sensual believers, to destroy other believers. It is a vial, sickening thing. I have had to watch as one-by-one, youth leave the fold. And encouraged to do so by none other than a ‘believer’. I have had to sit in the room with parents, counseling a kid who wants to end their life, because they feel like they have gone too far and can’t be helped. Jezebels are lurking behind every corner… even in church. Hold fast! Take a stand!
The reward for doing so is the very best Jesus can offer— Himself. “And I will give him the morning star.” (2.28). Jesus is the “Star” that has already dawned in our hearts (2 Peter 1.19). He is that “Bright Morning Star” of Revelation 22.16. And one day soon He will manifest Himself to us in His full power and glory. That is some reward!
Just in case you are wondering if this is for you or not. Just in case you are wondering if you need to change now or not… Verse 29 says— “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” If you have an ear to hear, then yes, it is for you.