The seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are divided into two groups. The first three have disappeared, but the last four are still with us today. They will continue until the second coming of the Lord Jesus.
With Thyatira, there is the prophecy, “Until I come.” Revelation 2:25 says, “Nevertheless what you have hold fast until I come.” This shows us that the church in Thyatira will continue until the Lord’s coming. The church in Sardis will continue until the Lord’s coming as well. Revelation 3:3 says, “Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and keep it and repent. If therefore you will not watch, I will come as a thief, and you shall by no means know at what hour I will come upon you.” This tells us that the church in Sardis will continue until the Lord Jesus’ second coming. The church in Philadelphia will continue until the Lord’s second coming because verse 11 says, “I come quickly; hold fast what you have that no one take your crown.” The church in Laodicea is the final church on earth. Verse 21 says, “He who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.” This church is the final one and will naturally remain until the Lord Jesus’ second coming. The first three churches did not receive any promise of the Lord’s coming, but the last four all received a promise of the Lord’s coming. They will surely remain until the Lord Jesus comes again.
Today we will consider these four churches carefully before the Lord. This will show us the pathway we should take as children of God. If there are four different kinds of churches on earth today and if all of them continue until the Lord comes again, what kind of attitude should a child of God have in regards to these churches? We must choose carefully from among these four churches. If we choose a church which is not well pleasing to the Lord and which the Lord condemns, we will suffer a great loss before the Lord. This is why we have to spend some time to look at the last four churches.
The fourth church is Thyatira. After the Caesar of Rome accepted Christianity as the state religion, he promoted Christianity and propped it up with his political power. Prior to this, the Roman Empire exercised its political power to suppress Christianity. Then it began to exercise its political power to support Christianity. Consequently, Christianity was not only married to the world but even exalted above the world. One meaning of the name Thyatira is “a high tower.” The church has now become a high tower in the world, one that is seen, respected, and worshipped.
All Bible readers agree that the church in Thyatira signifies the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church is a union of the church with the world. The result is that the church is elevated in the world. One intrinsic problem with this is that a prophetess is produced out of this union. This woman is called Jezebel, who assumes the role of a teacher among God’s servants. The church is turned over to her rule and control. The problem of the Roman Catholic Church is the problem described in the fourth parable in Matthew 13, where a woman takes the leaven and hides three measures of meal in it. In the Bible this woman signifies the Roman Catholic Church.
What does this woman do? Revelation 2:20 says, “But I have something against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, she who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and leads My slaves astray to commit fornication and to eat idol sacrifices.” Jezebel has two chief sins: One is fornication, and the other is eating sacrifices offered to idols. These two are sins that are worthy of excommunication. The Lord rebuked the teachings of Jezebel.
Verses 21 through 23 say, “And I gave her time that she might repent, and she is not willing to repent of her fornication. Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works; and her children I will kill with death; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the inward parts and the hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your works.” The church in Thyatira and the teachings of Jezebel have two characteristics: One is fornication, and the other is idol worship. In the Bible fornication means mixture. For a man to be in a mixture means that he is involved in fornication. Here we see that the Roman Catholic Church is mixed up with the world.