Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: ROBERT@kontu.utu.fi (Robert W. Johnson) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Rev. 2:18-22 Message-ID: Date: 13 Mar 91 08:09:41 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 104 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In a series of articles I am going to present the entire Church history as phrophezied in Revelation 2:1-3:22. These verses phrophezy concerning the first Church to the last Church before the Lord returns. If you would like a list of references on Church history please send me a note. Note: This posting is very long. It will be divided into seven parts (there are epistles to seven Churches.) Each part will consist of one or more subparts. Part IV of VII - Subpart 1 of 3 of Part IV CHAPTER 2 III. "THE THINGS WHICH ARE" -- THE SEVEN LOCAL CHURCHES 2:1-3:22 C. Church in Thyatira -- the Church in Apostasy 2:18-29 18 And to the (1)messanger of the church in (2a)Thyatira write: These things says the (b)Son of God, Who has (3c)eyes as a flame of fire, and (d)feet like shining brass: (1) Gk. angel. (2) "Thyatira" in Greek means "sacrifice of perfume," or "unceasing sacrifice." As a sign, the church in Thyatira prefigures the Roman catholic Church, which was fully formed as the apostate church by the establishment of the universal papal system in the latter part of the sixth century. This apostate church is full of sacrifices, as demonstrated in the unceasing mass. (3) Gk. His eyes. In dealing with the worldly church, the church in Pergamos, the Lord referred to Himself as the One Who has the sharp two-edged sword. In dealing with this apostate church, the church in Thyatira, He refers to Himself as the One Who has "eyes as a flame of fire, and feet like shining brass." The worldly church requires the dealing of His smiting and killing word, whereas the apostate church needs the judging of His searching eyes and treading feet. (a) Acts 16:14 (b) John 1:34; 5:25; heb. 1:2 (c) rev. 1:14 (d) Rev. 1:15 19 I (a)know your (1b)works and love and faith and service and endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. (1) The apostate catholic Church has many works and services. Her works in the last days are more than in the past. (a) Rev. 2:2 (b) rev. 2:2 20 But I have this (a)against you, that you tolerate the (1)woman (b)Jezebel, who (2)calls herself a prphetess, and she (3c)teaches and leads My slaves astray to commit (4d)fornication and to eat (4e)idol sacrifices. (1) The woman here is the same one prophesied by the Lord in Matthew 13:33, who added leaven (signifying evil, heretical, and pagan things) into the fine flour (signifying Christ as the meal offering for the satisfation of God and man). this woman is the great prostitute of Revelation 17, who mixes abominations with the divine things. the pagan wife of Ahab, Jezebel, was a type of this apostate church. (See Ref. 20(b).) (2) Gk. says. (3) The church in Pergamos had the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, and these are continued in the apostate church. Furthermore, the catholic Church herself teaches, casuing her people to listen to her rather than to the Holy Word of God. Her adherents are all drugged by her heretical, religious teaching, not caring for Christ as their life and life supply, as indicated by the tree of life and the hidden manna promised by the Lord to the churches in Ephesus and pergamos (Rev. 2:7, 17). (4) The apostate church is filled with all manner of fornication and idolatry, both spiritual and physical. Even she hereself in chapter 17 is called the great prostitute. (a) Rev. 2:4 (b) 1 Kings 16:31; 19:1-2; 21:23, 25-26; 2 Kings 9:7 (c) Rev. 2:14-15 (d) Rev. 2:14; 14:8; 17:1-2, 4; 18:3, 9 (e) Rev. 2:14; 1 Kings 16:31-33; 18:19; 21:26 21 And I gave her time to that she might (a)repent, and she is (b)not willing to repent of her fornication. (a) Rev. 2:5 (b) Rev. 9:20-21; 16:9, 11 22 Behold, I will cast her into a (1)bed, and those who commit (a)adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works; (1) A bed is normally used for sleep or rest, and abnormally for sickness. The Lord indicates here that the apostate church is incurably sick and will remain so until her final judgment. (a) Rev. 17:2; 18:3, 9 ----- Robert W. Johnson Computer center, The University of Turku, Turku Finland robert@kontu.utu.fi (InterNet) robert@firien.bitnet (BITNET) The preceeding is my opinion and may not express the opinion of my employer and furthermore has nothing to do with my employment.