Introduction
Chapters 2-3 of the Book of Revelation contain the missionary letters to the 7 Congregations of Asia Minor at the time of the apostle John. However, the Bible is relevant at all times and those letters have had at least two different meanings in different eras. The Revelation of John is a prophetic/apocalyptic book and because of that, the letters also tell about the development stages of the Messianic Communities, in the past, in the present and even until the end of the 1000-year peace period that lies ahead of us.
When we look at the Congregations in John's time and after, and how the places are named, it all tells us that Elohim has planned everything.
The content of the letters corresponds to the conditions that existed in these seven churches during the time of the apostle John, as well as the stages of development, such as apostasy and returning to apostolic teachings, which have occurred throughout history in numerous revival movements that profess Messianic belief or Christianity and in their independent local Congregations.
Processing of the topic
Let's study from Revelation chapter 2 and only the missionary letter to the Congregation in Thyatira.
Letter to the Congregation in Thyatira
>>18 "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following: "This is the solemn pronouncement of the Son of Elohim, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame and whose feet are like (A) polished bronze:
19 'I know your deeds: your love, faith, service, and steadfast endurance. In fact, your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones. 20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
21 I have given her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, and those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds.
23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease, and then all the Congregations will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve.
24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching (who have not learned the so-called "deep secrets of Satan"), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you. 25 However, hold on to what you have until I come.
26 And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations - 27 he will rule them with an iron rod and like clay jars he will break them to pieces, 28 just as I have received the right to rule (B) from my Father - and I will give him the morning star. 29 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the Congregations.'"<<
(A) Translated by G. Lamsa at the end of verse 18 "...whose feet are like the fine brass of Lebanon..."
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Verse 18: Here Yeshua introduces himself as the Son of Elohim. It was because of that testimony that He was sentenced to death at the trial of Israel's Supreme Religious Council, the Sanhedrin. We read those verses in Mark. 14:61-64:
>>61 But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest questioned him, "Are you the HaMashiach, the Son of the Blessed One?" 62 "I am, (C)" said Yeshua, "and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven." 63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "Why do we still need witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?" They all condemned him as deserving death.<<
(C) 'I Am' is one of Elohim's proper names. See Exodus 3:14
His outward signs correspond to Him who appeared to Daniel, Dan.10:5-6
>>5 I looked up and saw a man clothed in linen; around his waist was a belt made of gold from Upaz. 6 His body resembled yellow jasper, and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches; his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.<<
Verse 19: Yeshua praised the Congregation for no less than six different things, which were: works, love, faith, service, patience, and more works to come than before, because he also sees everything about our future!
Verses 20-23: Yeshua reprimands the Congregation for tolerating a harlot who claimed to be a prophetess and taught, misleading other members of the congregation, to fornicate and eat food sacrificed to idols. Yeshua said that he gave that Jezebel time to repent, but she didn't want to obey, and she didn't want to give up her fornication.
Yeshua said that He will punish Jezebel with sickness and those who committed adultery with her with great tribulation unless they repent and give up their deeds. In addition, Yeshua said that he would mercilessly kill the children of Jezebel, giving a warning example to other Congregations as well, regarding this time as well!
Verses 24-25: Yeshua promises to protect those members of the srk who do not have that Jezebel heresy, i.e. those who have not come to know, as they themselves said: the depths of Satan. They are not given another burden, but are told to keep what they have until Yeshua comes.
Verses 26-29: Finally, Yeshua promises only to the overcomers, who take heed of His works to the end, the power to rule over the Gentiles and the power to shepherd them with a rod of iron, as He Himself has overcome and received that power from the Father.
In addition, Yeshua promised to give them the "morning star", by which He apparently meant to give them great brightness and the power of light, because the morning star is a symbol of light and brightness in the symbolism of the Bible, which, like the morning star, represents the dawn of a new day.
The star also refers to royalty. Some suggest that the morning star refers to Yeshua giving himself to them, because in Rev. 22:16 Yeshua is presented as a "bright morning star". So not 'just' as a morning star. I do not agree with that explanation because Paul clearly teaches that we belong to the Messiah and he belongs to YHWH Elohim! He teaches about heavenly ownership as follows: 1 Cor. 3:21-23.
Also in the Gospel of John, Yeshua prays to the Father to give his chosen ones the same glory that he has, so that we may be perfectly one with Him, the Father and one another, just as he is perfectly one with the Father: John 17:20-24
>>20 "I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony, 21 that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.
22 The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one - 23 I in them and you in me - that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.
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Yeshua ended his message also to the Congregation of Thyatira, urging them, like all previous and later members of the Congregations, to have their ears open and their hearts ready to receive the message that the Holy Spirit tells the churches! We too will do well if we learn from these letters and reach out according to their teachings as individuals and as Congregations!
Briefly about the Congregation in Thyatira
It was located about 50 km southeast of Pergamos and was the smallest of all those 7 churches in Asia Minor, but its problems were far-reaching right up to these times!
Also refers to the period 606-1517 - That is, the "Middle Ages", which was the time when the Catholic Church was established.
§ Thyatira means: "Daughter of Tyrus, ruling woman"
§ Description of Yeshua: "Son of Elohim, with eyes like a flame of fire and feet like polished brass"
Pluses and minuses:
+ Deeds / + Love / + Faith / + Spirit of service / + Patience / + Last comes more abundant deeds
- Heresies of Jezebel / - Statues in churches / - Immorality / - Idols, later as a result the worship of the Virgin Mary *) and other people as saints.
*) According to the NT, after giving birth to Yeshua (according to Mark 6:13), Mary gave birth to at least six other children, so she cannot be an eternal virgin! The claim that Joosef was previously married and those other children were from that union is unfounded.
Songs suitable for the topic
The Narrow Way
Bride of the New City
Goodness of God
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