Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, September 3, 2015

Today’s Scripture:

“And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, Who has eyes that flash like a flame of fire, and Whose feet glow like bright and burnished and white-hot bronze: I know your record and what you are doing, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your recent works are more numerous and greater than your first ones. But I have this against you: that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess [claiming to be inspired], and who is teaching and leading astray my servants and beguiling them into practicing sexual vice and eating food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she has no desire to repent of her immorality [symbolic of idolatry] and refuses to do so. Take note: I will throw her on a bed [of anguish], and those who commit adultery with her [her paramours] I will bring down to pressing distress and severe affliction, unless they turn away their minds from conduct [such as] hers and repent of their doings. And I will strike her children (her proper followers) dead [thoroughly exterminating them]. And all the assemblies (churches) shall recognize and understand that I am He Who searches minds (the thoughts, feelings, and purposes) and the [inmost] hearts, and I will give to each of you [the reward for what you have done] as your work deserves. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not explored and known the depths of Satan, as they say—I tell you that I do not lay upon you any other [fresh] burden: Only hold fast to what you have until I come. And he who overcomes (is victorious) and who obeys My commands to the [very] end [doing the works that please Me], I will give him authority and power over the nations; And he shall rule them with a sceptre (rod) of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, and [his power over them shall be] like that which I Myself have received from My Father; And I will give him the Morning Star. He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches).” (Revelation 2:18–29, AMP).

Today’s Observation:

While I would love to examine the details of the exact nature of the problems going on in Thyatira, it would be more efficient for us to consider some of the basic principles, then apply them, in the short devotional time we have today.

Where do I begin with this church? This was a dark time in church history. The Bible had been chained to a desk, subjected to human interpretation, and marginalized by dogma. The eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us was undermined by an earthly false priesthood of mere mortals who were set up to supposedly have the power to forgive sins. There was so much apostasy going on that God used the figure of King Ahab’s pagan wife Jezebel as a symbol of Thyatira’s apostasy. Just as Israel’s king was in an unholy union with her, the people of God in Thyatira committed spiritual adultery with all of the false teachers of their time who sidelined the Word of God. Just as the judgments of God passed through Jezebel and Ahab’s household due to unrepentance, all who became the spiritual offspring of these evil teachings would be condemned if they continued to refuse repentance.

It is amazing how hardheaded we can be. This counsel is not given to people who are out in the big bad world. This is to people who say we follow the Lord, but somehow the church felt it necessary to exchange their love and faithfulness to God, for false gods, false worship, man-made authority, and man-made teachings.

I am also amazed at how patient God is, because quite frankly, He could have chosen to simply reward their deliberate apostasy with the punishment they deserved, but He chose rather to represent Himself as the One who knows and sees all. He...