Thyatira was located about 40 miles southeast of Pergamum. Lidia was from Thyatira (Acts 16:14), and she may have been the one who took the gospel to them. Of the messages given to the seven churches, the one given to Thyatira is the longest.

• “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God [ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ - occurs only here in the book of Revelation], who has eyes like a flame of fire [emphasizing righteousness], and His feet are like burnished bronze [symbolizing righteous judgment], says this: 19 ‘I know your deeds [emphasizing omniscience], and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first [an increase in good works]. 20 ‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess [i.e. one who receives direct revelation from God], and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray [with false doctrine and sinful practices], so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols [similar to what Ahab and Jezebel in the OT did with Israel; cf. 1 Kings 16:31-33]. 21 ‘And I gave her time to repent [warning before judgment]; and she does not want to repent of her immorality [perpetuation of negative volition]. 22 ‘Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness [divine judgment for rebellion], and those [her willing Christian followers] who commit [spiritual] adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 ‘And I will kill her children [Christians who follow her teaching and practices] with pestilence; and all the churches [i.e. all who see Christ’s judgment on the church at Thyatira] will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts [emphasizing omniscience]; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds [emphasizing justice]. 24 ‘But I say to you [faithful Christians], the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this [false] teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan [i.e. false teachings of Jezebel, perhaps a claim to secret knowledge], as they call them-- I place no other burden on you. 25 ‘Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 ‘And he who overcomes [1 John 5:4-5], and he who keeps My deeds until the end [faithfully executes the Christian life], to him I will give authority over the nations [to rule with Christ; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:4-6]; 27 and he shall rule [ποιμαίνω poimaino – lit. act like a shepherd; cf. Rev. 12:5; 19:15] them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star [eternal reward – perhaps right to rule]. 29‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’" (Rev. 2:18-29)

     Jesus is presented as the “Son of God”—a phrase that occurs only here in the book of Revelation—and He is described as one “who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze” (Rev. 2:18), which pictures Him as a righteous judge Who brings righteous judgment. As a righteous judge, Jesus commended them for the things they were doing right, which included their good deeds, love, faith, service, and perseverance. “In many particulars some in this church were praiseworthy. They were strong in good deeds, love for others, trust in God, service of their Savior, and patient endurance in trials. Moreover they had become even more zealous recently. Love shows itself in service, and faith demonstrates itself in perseverance through persecution.”[1] However, all these good qualities and practices were overshadowed by a sinful woman na