So we're at the homestretch of chapter 2, unbelievably. Less than 35, so we've spent a lot of time in chapter 1. And some of these churches, like in Thyatira, we have to slow down a little bit. And just to remind you, Just to remind you, and we might, maybe we'll finish, because there's not a lot to say from what has already been said unless you have questions prior, from the verses previous. Remember that when we look at these churches in chapters two and three, we have four perspectives that we want to keep in mind, and I say this for the sake of those who missed some of those lessons, that we should look at these historically. These are local churches that actually existed. Thyatira does still exist today, not under that name, but the city in which Thyatira actually existed is in Turkey today. in Asia Minor. It is the city called Akisar. If I can remember how to spell it, I think it's A-K-H-I-S-A-R. Akisar. And so there is actually a church there today. A handful of Bible-believing evangelical grace Christians that are there, there's a lot of orthodoxy—Russian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox—and though we might not see the differences between those different—oh, and Roman Catholic Western Orthodox. Roman Catholic there as well. And though we might not see the difference between them, you say Eastern Orthodox to someone who's Russian Orthodox and they will tell you how different they are from Eastern or Greek. And so thank the Lord that here in the Nilchik, many with a Russian Orthodox background have been saved by God's grace and are biblical Christians. So we're grateful for that. So we look at it from a historical perspective. These actually existed. We take it from an ecclesiastical perspective. In other words, though these are words to specific churches, all the churches should take heed. He who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. So every one of those seven churches should give heed as well as Every other church that's not an Asian minor. We know the Macedonian churches, if they get a copy of this letter, they should take heed as well. The churches in Greece should take heed. The churches, and in fact, all the churches of Jesus Christ the last 2,000 years, that includes Calvary Baptist Church in Enelchik, Alaska. We should take heed what the Spirit says to the churches. We should take this personally as individual saints because every message to every church of these seven churches in Asia Minor, it says, to he who hath an ear. He who has an ear, let him hear. So we're responsible for this. And then we should take it prophetically. Again, when I say prophetically, we look at it from what the book of Revelation specifically says. It says the revelation, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And though there may be forth telling things in this writing, in these 22 chapters of things that may be yet future, because the gospel is yet future, your salvation isn't over yet. Romans 8 tells you that. Your salvation is complete when the Lord returns, and we become recipients of the second resurrection. And so there is, your salvation continues to be ongoing. Not that you'll lose your salvation, because if Jesus has saved you, how could you be unsaved? His work is an eternal work, not a temporal work. You have everlasting life, not temporary life, if the Lord has indeed saved you. But prophetically, it reveals the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of his churches, and that is... I hope I didn't say something wrong, Lord. Did anybody see that? The lights went out. prophetically, it reveals the Lord Jesus Christ because that's what we've been looking at since lesson one. This book is about the Lord Jesus as every book in the 66 books that we know of our Christian Bible, Old Testament, New Testament is about the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the revelation or the apocalypse of Jesus Christ. That's what this book is about. to stray by an emphasis that detracts from exalting Christ is going to make you err. It will be an error. I promise you, anything that distracts us from the Lord Jesus Christ is idolatry in some way, shape, or form, and it is error. It is sin. So, let's see, we left off, where we pick up is verse 24, isn't it? So, let me read verse 24 in the, I know what it is, don't tell me, English Standard Version. Verse 24 says, but to the rest of you in Thyatira who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan. To you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden." What a loving and blessed Lord we have in verse 24. Let me read verse 25 also. Only hold fast what you have until I come. And so here we'll have an insight. We have an insight actually to this if you will, this Jezebelian adultery that was going on. The most heinous thing, as we talked about last week, the most heinous thing about it was that it caused them to commit spiritual idolatry, a perversion of that which God created for good. And it caused them to, it caused them to, in their practice of this doctrine, in their practical application of the doctrines therein, we suspect, and many of the commentators do as well, it caused them to commit actual physical adultery and fornication. You know, and that is, you know, and what we remember, I'm just reminding you what we covered. Some folks weren't here last week. Of what we covered concerning that that as bad as adultery, an impure relationship, and anytime we think of, in America, when we think of adultery, we think automatically of someone who's unfaithful to their wife. But adultery in its basic premise is impurity. It's taking what God has created for good and perverting it ever so slightly. And that is adultery. That's why we have the word unadulterated, meaning pure. Now that it's adulterated, it's impure. And the physical manifestation of this stuff, that's not as bad as what is spiritual. The spiritual is worse. To commit spiritual adultery, to be unfaithful to Christ, who suffered and died for us, that should be unspeakable. And yet we cast that off as if it's nothing. And then look at the physical. The physical is only a visible representation of that which is more heinous, which is the spiritual adultery and the spiritual fornication. But the insight we get from verse 24, does anyone recognize the insight we get from it? Let's see, I gotta look at my King James Version. I'll read it in the King James as Brother Wyatt had read the King James. But unto you I say, unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak, I will put upon you none other burden. Did you catch that? In the King James Version it says the depths of Satan. In the English Standard Version it says the deep things of Satan. it gives us another insight, which we didn't cover last week. The insight into this Jezebelian, this cult that has a prophetess with a lot of the, and Jezebel, remember, we actually covered that a couple, two weeks ago, or a few weeks ago, that Jezebel was not a prophet. But when we go through 1 Kings chapter 12, starting with 1st Kings chapter 18 and we went to 2nd Kings chapter 9 and we saw all these earmarks of what Jezebel had done several commentators suggest that she had those characteristics. Though Jezebel wasn't a prophetess, this prophetess is given this kind of name so that we could understand some of the things that she did, like Naboth's vineyard and causing him to be having false witnesses brought up against him. And we looked at that as being, you know, that's what happened to Christ, false witnesses were brought in. However, she has those characteristics. But in verse 24 where it says, the depths of Satan or the deep things of Satan, what makes this so insidious in this church is its subtlety. Satan doesn't come with great opposition, does he? Satan comes subtly. You know, the serpent was, Genesis chapter three, the serpent in the field was more subtle than all the other creatures. And speaking of, So this subtlety that we have, it reminds us of 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 14 to 15. You don't have to turn there, I have it on my notes. And no wonder for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. So these deep things of Satan, they're very subtle and that's what makes it so insidious. They come on as a form of righteousness and this is why Thyatira was so infected by this. But here's the blessing of our Lord. He says, I'll put no other burden upon you except to believe and to trust in Him. to believe and trust in him. I'll put no burden upon you. It reminds us of Matthew chapter 11 verses 28 through 30, right? Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, Jesus said, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. I am gentle and lowly in spirit or in heart. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. It's a light burden. You don't have to be, and you know, as I was mentioning the Thyatira, all those Orthodox churches that are there. And I keep on mentioning this, the difference between us and every other religion in the world, including those Orthodox Christians and the Christians of Orthodoxy and Christian cults. Every one of them justifies themselves before God by what they do. Our justification, as Romans 8 says, who is it that justifies? God justifies. This was Job's sin at the end. He attempted to, Eliud says that he's attempting to justify himself. In other words, he didn't say those exact words, but he was justifying himself before God. We don't have the wherewithal to justify ourselves. We never did. Even as spirit-filled Christians we can't justify ourselves because there's enough corruptions in our mortal flesh that spoil it, that stain it. The only one that can justify is God. He's the only one. Jesus Christ is the only one that can justify, and he justified us by his death upon the cross. His suffering God's wrath when he was at his weakest point physically. The most intimate, walked most intimately with God the Father more than any man and more than every man combined. And then when he suffered God's infinite and eternal wrath on the cross, No one can say in that day, even in that day, that it wasn't enough. God will reveal it for what it is to every eye. And those who have rejected Christ will suffer the torments of their own sin for all eternity because of the rejection of this, of the treasure of heaven. So from this verse, we received insights, but we also see another, just another encouragement. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, Christ. His burden alone. What must we do to do the works of God? John chapter six, verses 28 and 29. Believe in him in whom he has sent. and that will change our lives and therefore works will spring forth from that in a response to love. We love because he first loved us. And earlier than that in 1 John 4, God is love. So he encourages us to hold fast until he comes again. Though that is going on, Those things are going on, and they're probably, more than likely, going on in a fever pitch today. More than likely. I don't see all of it. My view is, you know, very local. I do see some of the news, but there's a lot of this that's going on all over the place. Much more than it was just in Thyatira, I suspect. Some of you that are a little bit more traveled than me, like Brother Ray, he's probably seen that all over, probably seen it plenty in China. Verses 26 and 27, it says, the one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. Verse 27, and he will rule them with a rod of iron as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father." Jesus here to the church in Thyatira points us back to Matthew 11, verse 18, just before he ascended into heaven when he said, all authority is given unto me by my Father. He has every authority of God. He is God who became man. He is the God-man. But as far as now his crucifixion and resurrection, it's given because it notes to us the delegation of authority. So that responsibility can be set in its appropriate place. That's really what we have. Everything that we have is a response. And now because we're saved, we have the ability to respond appropriately. Responsibility, I guess is how some people will, probably your dad has used that term. Responsibility. Now that God has saved me, I have the ability to respond. Whereas before, before the Lord saved me, who did I serve? I didn't serve the same person you served. You served self. I didn't serve you, I served self. I didn't serve Jesus, I served self. Now, the cost of discipleship is this, denying self. to follow Christ, to serve him, and we serve him by serving others. Because that's what he did. Remember Luke 17.10, and I love the King James version of it where it says, we did what was our duty to do. We're unprofitable servants. English Standard Version and some of the other versions says unworthy. And unworthy is right. We're unworthy servants. And we did what it was our duty to do. But I like unprofitable because it reminds me that when Jesus came, it profited him nothing to save you, to save me, to save us. It profited him nothing. He gained nothing out of it. He's eternal God, right? So he didn't do it for his benefit. Or because, well, you know, I got eternity hanging here in the midst of everything and I don't have anything better to do. So why don't I save these knuckleheads that sinned? No. Sin came. In the providence and sovereignty of God, the point out that even in the garden with the perfect man, the perfect woman in the perfect environment. With fellowship with Jehovah God. will be deceived, will dishonor God, will disobey and bring about death, apart from Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the plan before God said, Yehi Or, light be. So Jesus promises to the overcomers and to the conquerors his own delegated authority over the nations as in Matthew 28 verse 18. So he gives that to the church, Thyatira has that to the faithful believers in Thyatira, which tells us that we have the same thing. As it's delegated to the father, from the father to the son, the son delegates it to his beloved bride. And that's why my wife when I'm awake and discipline my children because she has delegated authority. They know that it's coming from me. Right, Rachel? Likewise, when we see the discipline of that delegated authority, we don't puff ourselves up to say that we have it. It's Christ who has it. That's the Spirit ministering to us. It's Christ's authority. That's why, remember the sons of Sceva, or Sceva, however you pronounce it. I think it's Sceva. The seven sons of Sceva who were Jewish exorcists. And they say, in the name of Jesus Christ, whom Paul preaches. They had no authority. They were trying to rob that authority. Paul had authority, but the sons of Sceva didn't have authority. In the name of Jesus Christ, whom Paul preaches, they didn't have a relationship with Christ. So, let's see. Oh, and we're reminded to notice that everything that the Lord says, He compounds, or excuse me, He supplements by words to show us that kind of authority. And He takes us back to, if you'll turn with me to Psalm chapter two, we'll look at verses eight and nine. The Holy Spirit has told us that David wrote this psalm, because it was quoted by the apostles early on in the book of Acts, even though it has no inscription from David. Let's see, verses... Yeah, 8 and 9. Who has the King James Version would like to read that? Sister B. Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. There you go. Thank you, Sister B. And verses 8 and 9 in the English Standard Version say, Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. And so we see in chapter 2, verses 26 and 27 again, in the English Standard Version of Revelation 2, the one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. And verse 27, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earth and pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my father. We see a great deal of spiritual power here. Is it manifested physically, untemporarily, and in our sight? Well, it could be. But more importantly, there is a spiritual battle that's going on because we're told in two places Ephesians 6 and also in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 verses 3 through 5 that our warfare is spiritual and not carnal. And that in 2nd Corinthians 5 we walk by faith and not by sight. And so we think about what Christ has done on the cross. This is fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. We think about Him ruling and reigning now. Will this take place when He returns? I'm sure that, yeah, He'll break the nations with a rod of iron and we'll actually see that, but it's He who is doing it. Meanwhile, we are doing so through prayer and trust in Him. Likewise, because when we look at the Lord Jesus, even through his earthly ministry, he did nothing to overcome the Roman Empire. This was the purpose for him coming, was to go to the cross, even when he stood before the representative of Caesar when he was crucified. and so forth. In fact, you might even consider that that's probably what Judas wanted to do is to overcome the Roman Empire. He was the, I guess, the Old Testament Israel version of the Christian Nationalists. Let's get the ball rolling. Let's betray him to make him a martyr and so we could get this yoke of Rome thrown off of us. And he's not the only one that was kind of thinking like that, even after the Lord Jesus was crucified, before the Holy Spirit fell upon the 120 at the Temple Mount on the day of Pentecost. You remember that the 10 days before that, they said, are you going to restore Israel? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel at this time? There was a spiritual thing that was going on. So verses 28 and 29 of Revelation chapter two. And I will give him the morning star. And remember that's in the context of those who overcome, those who are conquerors in the English Standard Version or the overcomers or the one who overcometh in the King James Version. It says, and I will give him the morning star. Verse 29, he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He's going to give the morning star. The reward our Lord Jesus promises is himself. It is only in Jesus that we may be overcomers and conquerors in the first place. Sorry about that typo. I see that it says in conquerors. Be overcomers and conquerors. I guess this is what I should have typed. It's only in Christ that we can be overcomers in the first place. And he gives us that in order to overcome. We are overcoming because we've already have the morning star. But he gives us more of himself. You can take whatever interpretation you'd like. I believe it's more of himself. The closer we get to Christ, the more we see of Christ. That's just a basic, even natural principle. The more I know my wife, the more I know of my wife. And the more I love her. But this is the thought, this is why I was thinking about that. The more she knows me, that shows grace. You know, that's the reason why I asked my wife to marry me. And sadly, she, it's not because of vanity, because she looks like Popeye, her eyes swollen. It's actually painful. She got into something that was very dusty and it got into her eye. And so she's not, that's why she's not here today. And I do miss her whenever she's not sitting there. But I asked my wife, some of you already know this, I asked my wife to marry me before I knew her for 30 days because at the time, even though I'm a Christian and I wanted a godly wife, I was thinking, I better ask her quick because if she gets to know me more, she might say no. And she said, yes. And sometimes I wonder, you know, I wake up in the morning and I look over and I think, Lord, she knows me more than she did 34, 35 years ago when I asked her to marry me. And we've been married for 34 years and she's still with me. So that's all of you, Lord, that's all of grace because, I feel like I've only improved this much by your grace. I've only become this much better. But you know, that's how it is for us, right? The closer we get to the Lord, the more we see the corruptions of flesh and the sins that 40 years ago, the things that I committed as sin 40 years ago, I just kind of, I didn't even think about. Tiny little things. Now I'm set off by almost anything. The illumination of Christ's presence. Oh Lord, thank you for your grace. Thank you so much. So he gives us the morning star. How do I know this is the Lord Jesus? Because all of them are. Every promise is the Lord Jesus. You're never to depart from his strength, Ephesians 6.10. Put on, finally my brethren, Put on the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His might, not your might in His name. Put on the power of His might. Revelation 22 verse 16. Actually, it uses the word, uses the term esteraton proanon. or pro-anon actually. Astera ton pro-anon, which is morning star. Astera means star, pro-anon means morning. It's, you know, the first of the day. And in chapter 22 verse 16, and there could be no mistake here, that when he says this, Revelation 22 verse 16, I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright and morning star. Now, he does say it differently because he says the bright and morning star. It's conjugated a little differently in the Greek. He uses ha-asterer, ha-lampros, ha-proenos. So, it is the morning star and morning proenos is after and it's defining the star. But it's also, it uses the word lampros, which is like a lamp, but that's where we get our word lamp from, this Greek word lamp, the illumination of it. And because it's at the end, the revelation of Jesus Christ in the 22 chapters now, we know more of his character, more of his grace, more of his goodness, more of his holiness, more of his judgment, because he is a holy God. And that he's going to bring it all about. The fullness of our salvation, also the fullness of the consummation of all things. Because there is judgment also mentioned in the book of Revelation. It gives us a fuller picture of the gospel. It's not just the here and now, but it's also, it does include the there and then. Because the coming of the Lord is a part and parcel of the truth of the gospel. We all have that expectation. And so the nearer we get to his coming, the nearer we get to his person, the more lampros in Greek, the more illumination. That's another interpretation of that word in Greek. If I haven't misrepresented it, is that how you understand that word, brother? It brings us more illumination of Christ. We're getting closer to him. He is the bright and morning star. He's not a dim one. And it's the first of the day. It's the first of the morning. He brings to us his truth that we can start our day with. And as we grow in him, he gives us the morning star. So we have the morning star. Thyatira had the morning star. That's why they were able to stay faithful in the midst of this very subtle seduction in this cult worship. of this prophetess whom was given a word that was recognizable among the churches, Jezebel. Brother Ray. You know Thyatira of course is mentioned in Acts chapter 16 where the Apostle Paul, I'll just read this here, it says a woman named Lydia was listening. She was a seller of purple fabrics from the city of Thyatira and a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. you know, this is the beginning of the gospel spreading in Europe. She's the first convert to Europe, and you know, it's kind of, it's interesting, because John obviously has to be aware of the fact that Paul reached into Thyatira, and then, you know, the contrast between Lydia being such a faithful worshiper of God, and then all this idolatrous stuff. And of course, when you look at John's explanation of, you know, where it says, you know, he that overcometh and keepeth my word, well, she was completely, to the Greek, you know, when it says that she, let's see if I can see this here, yeah, where it says the Lord opened up her, respond to the things, that word, it's like she completely sold out responds to the gospel and remains faithful. So Thyatira, you know, with Lydia, it's just a beautiful example of God's faithfulness through her life. Absolutely, brother, I appreciate that. Appreciate that, yes, in Acts chapter 16, Lydia. In fact, while we were doing the study, and I don't think, if I haven't misremembered, I don't think I brought up Acts 16 at all in my past talking about Thyatira. But every time I read this portion, there used to be this old, sadly, he's on to dementia. He's got some, He's suffering from dementia, but one of the elders that was in my last church at Sovereign Grace Baptist in Anniston, Alabama, he used to quote scripture. It was like warm butter on a hot roll. You just, you know who it is, Rachel, yeah. But he sometimes, often he would pray, not just sometimes. This is why I would think of him. He would, when we were praying concerning evangelism, if we're going to go out and minister, and knock on doors or just share the gospel at Walmart or someplace like that, in a Walmart parking lot, he would say, open up their hearts like Lydia of old. You remember how Jimmy used to, he would pray that almost, he'd pray that many, many times. And as I read through Thyatira, knowing Thyatira is where Lydia, the seller of purple, was, that I'm reminded of my brother Jimmy. And sad that he's, you know, even while we were still there eight years ago, you know, dementia had taken its toll on the brother. But anyhow, that's where we, we've ended chapter two. Wow. Any questions or comments? Any questions or comments? All right. Well, you'll have plenty of time for some fellowship next door. I should have brought some fish because I had some hanging. I should have brought some fresh dry fish, but I can still go get it because I think I have time. Let's pray. Our most blessed and gracious God and Father in Jesus name. We thank you for the lessons that you've taught us in Revelation. We thank you for the lesson especially that we see in the church at Thyatira. And we ask that Lord that you'll continue to reveal to us insights from your Holy Word that our eyes and our focus, our attention, our spiritual eyes may be upon Jesus. And that by your grace we would not turn to the left or to the right, that we may keep our focus upon Him, that He may be exalted, that you may be glorified, Heavenly Father. We love you and thank you so much for this opportunity to study your Word in Jesus' name and for His sake. Amen.