Revelation 2:18

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; THYATIRA - in Lydia, south of Pergamos. Lydia, the purple seller of this city, converted at Philippi, a Macedonian city (with which Thyatira, as being a Macedonian colony, had naturally much contact), was probably the instrument of first carrying the Gospel to her native town. John follows the geographical order; for Thyatira lay a little to the left of the road from Pergamos to Sardis (Strabo, 13:, 4). SON OF GOD ... EYES LIKE ... FIRE ... FEET ARE LIKE FINE BRASS - or 'glowing brass' (resumed from Revelation 1:14). Again, His attributes accord with His address. "Son of God" is, from...

18-29 Even when the Lord knows the works of his people to be wrought in love, faith, zeal, and patience; yet if his eyes, which are as a flame of fire, observe them committing or allowing what is evil, he will rebuke, correct, or punish them. Here is praise of the ministry and people of Thyatira, by One who knew the principles from which they acted. They grew wiser and better. All Christians should earnestly desire that their last works may be their best works. Yet this church connived at some wicked seducers. God is known by the judgments he executes; and by this upon seducers, he shows his certain knowledge of the hearts of men, of their principles, designs, frame, and temper. Encouragement is given to those who kept themselves pure and undefiled. It is dangerous to despise the mystery of God, and as dangerous to receive the mysteries of Satan. Let us beware of the depths of Satan, of...

_The Epistle to the Church at Thyatira._ Verse Revelation 2:18. _THESE THINGS SAITH THE SON OF GOD_] See the notes on Revelation 1:14; Revelation 1:15....

AND UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH - See the notes on Revelation 1:20. THESE THINGS SAITH THE SON OF GOD - This is the first time, in these epistles, that the name of the speaker is referred to. In each other instance there is merely some attribute of the Saviour mentioned. Perhaps the severity of the rebuke contemplated here made it proper that there should be a more impressive reference to the authority of the speaker; and hence he is introduced as the “Son of God.” It is not a reference to him as the “Son of man “the common appellation which he gave to himself when on earth - for that might have suggested his humanity only, and would not have conveyed the same impression in regard to his authority; but it is to himself as sustaining the rank, and having the authority, of the Son of God - one who, therefore, has a

EXPOSITION REVELATION 3:1 _The epistles to the seven Churches. _Once more we have to consider rival interpretations. Of these we may safely set aside all those which make the seven letters to be pictures of _successive periods _in the history of the Church. On the other hand, we may safely deny that the letters are _purely typical, _and relate to nothing definite in history. Rather they are _both historical and typical. _They refer primarily to the actual condition of the several Churches in St. John's own day, and then are intended for the instruction, encouragement, and warning of the Church and the Churches throughout all time. The Catholic Church, or any one of its branches, will at any period find itself reflected in one or other of the seven Churches. For two Churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, there is nothing but

AND UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA WRITE,.... Of the city of Thyatira, Revelation 1:11; a church was formed here very likely by the Apostle Paul; Lydia was a native of this place, who, and her household were converted and baptized by him at Philippi, Acts 16:14; though Epiphanius u seems to grant, what some heretics objected to the authority of this book, that there was no church at Thyatira when this letter was written; however, it is certain, there was one in the "second" century, as the same writer observes, since, as he relates, it was overrun with the Cataphrygian heresy; and in the "fourth" century there was a bishop from Thyatira in the council of Nice; and even in the "eighth" century there was one Esaias a presbyter, who supplied the place of the bishop of Thyatira in another council at

ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

II. THE THINGS WHICH ARE, THE SEVEN CHURCH MESSAGES, AND THEIR PROPHETIC MEANING CHAPTER 2 _ 1. Ephesus: The post-apostolic period (Revelation 2:1)_ 2. Smyrna: The period of persecution (Revelation 2:8) 3. Pergamos: The corruption period (Revelation 2:12) 4. Thyatira: The Romish corruption (Revelation 2:18) The two Chapter s which follow the introductory chapter contain seven messages to seven local churches which were in existence in the province of Asia in the days when the Apostle John was prisoner in the isle of Patmos. The view held by the late Dr. Bullinge

REVELATION 2:1 TO REVELATION 3:22. THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES. These letters are addressed to individual churches, but their messages are intended for the Church as a whole. In every letter there occurs the phrase, He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches....

_THYATIRA_ IS NAMED FIRST IN ACTS, CHAPTER XVI. IT IS PROBABLE THAT LYDIA AND HER HOUSEHOLD FORMED THE NUCLEUS OF THE CHURCH. THE NAME IS NOT MENTIONED AGAIN UNTIL IT APPEARS IN REVELATION. THE CITY WAS SITUATED NEAR PERGAMOS, STILL EXISTS UNDER. NEW NAME, AND CONTAINS ABOUT. THOUSAND HOUSES. THE CHURCH WAS REBUKED IN THE LETTER OF THE LORD, FOR FALLING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF. WOMAN WHOSE LIKENESS TO THE IDOLATROUS QUEEN OF AHAB GIVES HER THE NAME OF JEZEBEL. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN. PROFESSED CHRISTIAN POPULATION. THE SEVEN CHURCHES.--At the time when John wrote there were hundreds of churches in existence. On the Asiatic Continent many had been founded in Judea, Syria, and elsewhere, and in the district of which Ephesus was the commercial metropolis, and which was especially designated as _Asia,_ we know that in the last quarter of the first century there were not only the seven churches...