The Letter To Thyatira

Thyatira today represents those who hold the Works Doctrine of “Mother Rome,” inasmuch that we find a religious Jezebel who has children in this letter. Pertinently, there is only one mother having gravity in all of today’s Church who has children; who has also remained “unto the end.” She is “Mother Rome,” or the Universal Catholic Church. So then, along with “her children,” or Protestant counterparts who also hold the Works Doctrine, spiritual Thyatira is none other than the favorite daughter of Rome, the Eastern Orthodox Church. As some say, the word “Thyatira” is equivalent to the word “Thygatira,” meaning a daughter.

“This doctrine” of Thyatira’s letter derives from Jezebel’s teachings, and it is somewhat a twin to Balaam’s. Two independent Catholic Churches, correspondingly, two letters addressing the doctrines of Balaam and Jezebel. One to Rome before the split, the other chiefly to the oldest daughter after the split (and Jezebel’s other children), of which, both are now end-time churches. According to some expositors the word “Thyatira” means “sacrifice of labor”; and to others, a “continual sacrifice,” or Christ perpetually on the cross. Whichever is correct, both meanings identify the phenomena of Christians working for salvation within the Catholic system.

The description of Christ’s countenance in Revelation chapter one is as the strength of the sun shining. There, as our High Priest, Christ’s other characteristicsinclude His eyes of flame, and His feet of “fine brass.” Whenever a marked attribute of Christ’s literal body appears in one of these letters, that attribute has a special significance to the church in question. In a sense, Christ is telling Thyatira that His eyes of fire penetrate all things, and that His unshod feet of heated pure brass typify His exceptional holiness as our High Priest on the Lord’s Day. All of this also testifies to Christ’s deity as the Anointed of God, which the Lord emphasized by His opening remark: “These things saith the Son of God.”

No doubt, Christ’s judgment will be austere; nevertheless, the Lord’s judgment will be based upon His unbiased objective of love. In clear cut terms, it isn’t Christ’s ambition to try Thyatira and find her wanting, but to prod her beforehand toward a saving knowledge of Himself. In somewhat of a prejudgment, Christ acknowledges all the worthy elements of both historical and end-time Thyatira: “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience. . . .”

Historical Thyatira withstood the repeated onslaught of Arabs and Turks, rebuilding their city many times. On that account, the robust of historical Thyatira are certainly included in Christ’s commendation of ongoing service and ministry. Similarly, spiritual Thyatira endured Communism’s oppression in her unique service. And, in spite of that persecution, the Eastern Church served the Lord well in the resounding vibrancy of the Gospel’s expanse. In all reality, her service and charity are beyond knowing, and this should weigh heavily in our hearts, especially if we are Protestant.

I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy WORKS; and the last to be MORE than the first. (Rev. 2:19)

Notably, the Lord stated that the last works are more than the first. As we know, the “first works” translate to faith that works by love. Manifestly, then, the first works being what they are, tell us that the last works were unnecessarily added to the first, to the extent of overtaking faith and love. Without reservation, this is the real danger of the last works being “more than the first”!

Any work imposed upon the Body of Christ more than holds the possibility of diluting the all sufficiency of Christ. Biblical Grace is not to be set aside for the preferences of traditions or rituals, for those practices, given time, can destroy one’s faith. True, the Catholic Church holds that grace is a gift, but in their interpretation of grace they add certain unbiblical rites to the gift, such as penance.1 Herein rests the Catholic dilemma, for any “work sacrament” derived from our own works, and not from that of an inner Christ, is apart from the gift of God’s Grace.

When it comes to faith, just because a person is involved in works, doesn’t automatically mean that they’re intentionally working for their salvation. Surely many Catholics have rightfully participated in the faith to the best of their ability and knowledge. Still, the traditions and rituals that reflect the last works are to be discarded.

Notwithstanding2 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. 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 the hearts; and I will give unto you according to your works. (Rev. 20-23)

Mistakenly, it has been thought that Jezebel, who teaches and seduces God’s servants, represents an actual woman in Church history. However, this is not so. Adding to our insight is the fact that the wrath of God is yet to come for the living of this world, which is very much a part of Jezebel’s coming punishment in the Great Tribulation. Therefore, Jezebel and those who commit adultery with her in this message don’t represent a literal woman and her cronies in Church history, but again, especially the ruling system within the Roman Church, and those who blindly follow her into the Great Tribulation.3

In the coming Tribulation, Christ will search the reins and hearts of Thyatira in judgment, her very seat of emotions. Above all else, He will disclose if faith exists in their hearts, or merely a system of “last works.” The repercussion of the unrepentant receiving according to their works, instead of receiving according to Christ’s works, is an awesome warning. Suitably, to be cast into a bed with Jezebel is to be cast into another place of rest apart from Christ. In more expressive terms, Jezebel’s bed is a bed of unrest, in which, it is impossible for faith to be a defense, much less save anyone.

Of those who go into that bed, many will be killed in the Great Tribulation: “And I will kill her children with death.” Unless they “repent of their deeds” byrepenting from their works for salvation, and their deeds of supremacy over others. And so, the probability of “all the churches” knowing that Thyatira’scoming judgment is the judgment of God, is, indeed, very good!

Like Catholics, Protestants who hold works contrary to that of faith, will also be on perilous ground in the Tribulation. Now many might think that they scorn the future system of Jezebel within the Catholic Church, even hating the idea of working for their salvation. But they very well could be her Protestant children. The very Protestant children who, in the name of discipleship, laud every possible control over the lives of their subordinates, and some even teaching Christians to be under the Law of God.

Jezebel, “which calleth herself a prophetess,” is so in the sense that Papal Rome will claim to speak for God in the Tribulation, but will not. Overall, the Eastern Rite Churches don’t fully accept the Primacy of the Pope, but they sure share in Rome’s multiple traditional works. Actually, the rituals of the Eastern Church far exceed that of the Western Church: “more than the first.”

But unto you I say,4 and unto the rest in Thyatira,5 as many as have not this doctrine,6 and have not known the depths of Satan,7 as they speak;8 I will put upon you no other burden. But that which you have already, hold fast till I come. (Rev. 2:20-23)

Christ puts no other burden upon the faithful of modern Thyatira, or burden of works upon them, but to hold on to what they have already, which is theirgenuine faith and love. In finality, Christ says, “Hold fast till I come,” which words are so similar to Philadelphia’s message: “hold that fast which thou hast.” In effect, the allegiant of Thyatira are not to apostate in the coming Great Apostasy, and this, among other things, by denying the deity of the Son of God by accepting the Antichrist: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ . . . He is antichrist. . .” (1 John 2:22).

As the faithful of historical Thyatira knew, special divine knowledge, or Gnosticism, can’t be successfully added to the saving of the soul; “as they speak,” or again, as Jezebel teaches. Today, faithful Catholics know that the Lord is the vine and that they are the branches. And despite the many traditions and rituals within the Church, the faithful hold an intimate trust in Christ as their Lord, while counting traditions for what they are. Shocking as it may seem to some, there are uncountable Catholics in both the East and West who have a real faith relationship with Jesus!

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 into shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Rev. 3:26-29)

Christ’s reward to the faithful of Thyatira is the gift of the Morning Star, or the privilege of being with Him and all the saints at the dawn of That Day upon the Second Coming. Then, the faithful of this message will be given a rod of iron to rule the nations. Meaning, as Rome once ruled the nations with absolute authority, so will the faithful of Thyatira when Christ takes His rightful Throne of David. The underlying point here is this: As the Father freely accepted the Son (Psa. 2:7-9), and so rewarded Him with authority over the nations, so will Christ accept those who overcome by simple faith, rewarding them with the rod of iron to rule the nations.

The points that identify Thyatira as primarily the Eastern Church are as follows. First, according to some biblical expositors, Thyatira means “sacrifice of labor,” or the continual sacrifice, which are the works of tradition that never cease. Again, Thyatira’s traditional works are far more than they were at first, far exceeding the first works of faith and love.

Second, iron is symbolic of Rome,9 and this, the faithful of Thyatira, who keep Christ’s works “unto the end,” will wield. Third, Thyatira’s allegiance is unquestionably to a mother in this letter, and Rome is the only ruling mother10 having any gravity in Church that has remained “unto the end”!

Fourth, Christ is the Morning Star, even the Morning Star who comes from the east to vanquish Jezebel’s system at the Second Coming. Fifth, the Roman Church alone birthed the Eastern Church as their firstborn daughter. Thus, it is no coincidence that the message to Thyatira chiefly addresses the Eastern Church.

Christ says to the faithful of this message, “hold fast” to the principle of genuine faith that works by godly indwelt love (my works); and keep denying the depths of Satan by not giving credence to religious “works” for salvation or status. Indeed, instead of being Jezebel’s favorite daughter, Eastern Catholics are to find favor with their rightful Mother, God’s Grace. Those who aren’t Catholic, but partake of Thyatira’s letter because of trying to earn salvation, or because of lording authority over others in discipleship, can also repent. Likewise, those guilty of the many works of Balaam can repent from their abuses of religion for sale.

Christ, the Morning Star, mentioned in this letter, will come from the east with all His saints. The same saints who are as the voice of many waters: “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from THE WAY OF THE EAST: and his voice was like the noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory” (Ezek. 43:2). In sum, Thyatira isn’t to linger in That Night, putting off her redemption until Tribulation’s end at the morning. Rather, she is to take her part in the Second Coming with the Bright and Morning Star upon the dawn of That Day. And that is why she is to watch:

My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they which watch for the morning (Psa. 130:6)!

3 Note: The Lord gave Jezebel space to repent from her fornication, but “she repented not.” The Greek renders that it wasn’t Jezebel’s will to repent.

6 Those who have not followed salvation by works, meaning the Doctrines of Balaam and Jezebel.

7 The depths of Satan are the counterfeits of God’s immeasurable knowledge of genuine faith disguised in the many traditions and works of men.

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