Revelation 2:27

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. RULE, [ poimanei (G4165)] - 'rule as a shepherd.' In Psalms 2:9 it is, "Thou shall break them with a rod of iron." The Septuagint, pointing the Hebrew differently, read as Revelation. The English version of Psalms 2:9 (note) is right, as the parallel, "dash in pieces," proves. But the Spirit sanctions the additional thought, that the Lord shall mingle mercy to some with judgment on others: beginning by destroying anti-Christian foes. He shall reign in love over the rest. 'Christ shall rule them with a sceptre of iron, to make them capa...

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...

Verse 27. _HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON_] He shall restrain vice by the _strictest administration of justice_; and those who finally despise the word and rebel shall be _broken_ and destroyed, so as never more to be able to make head against the truth. This seems to refer to the _heathen_ world; and perhaps Constantine the Great may be intended, who, when he overcame Licinius, became the instrument in God's hand of destroying _idolatry_ over the whole Roman empire; and it was so effectually _broken_ as to be ever after like the fragments of an _earthen_ _vessel_, of no use in themselves, and incapable of being ever united to any good purpose....

AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON - There is an allusion here to Psalms 2:9; “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” There is a slight change in the passage, “he shall rule,” instead of “thou shalt break,” in order to adapt the language to the purpose of the speaker here. The allusion in the Psalm is to the Messiah as reigning triumphant over the nations, or subduing them under him; and the idea here, as in the previous verse, is, that his redeemed people will be associated with him in this dominion. To rule with a scepter of iron, is not to rule with a harsh and tyrannical sway, but with power that is firm and invincible. It denotes a government of strength, or one that cannot be successfully opposed; one in which the subjects are effectually subdued. As the ves

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 HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON,.... Either with the Gospel, which is the rod of Christ's strength, and is the power of God unto salvation, and by which the kingdom of Christ is enlarged, and the power of the church of Christ over the antichristian party is increased; or it may design great strictness and severity, with which the man of sin will be used by the saints of the most High, when they shall take away his dominion from him: AS THE VESSELS OF A POTTER SHALL THEY BE BROKEN TO SHIVERS; which may be expressive either of the breaking of rocky hearts in pieces at conversion, and of making souls humble and contrite; or of the irreparable ruin and destruction of antichrist, when the saints shall consume and destroy him: EVEN AS I RECEIVED OF MY FATHER; Christ, as God, has an underived power and government; but, as Mediator, his rule and power over the nations are asked by hi...

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...

THE LETTER TO EPHESUS (Revelation 2:1-7)...