An inland town which had none of the wealth or splendour of the others. But it was a centre for the production of purple dye, from the madder roots which grew there. So Lydia over in Philippi. (Was she the founder of the church?)
Archaeologists have found that the city abounded in trade guilds. Like Trades Unions - you could only get a job if you belonged to one. But they had a pagan religious basis, and included was a draught of wine as grace, and meat from the altar. Drunkenness and immorality were common.
Could a Christian be a part of this?
John said, "No!"
So Tertullian, to Christians who made their living in the idol business - painters, sculptors etc. "We have to live," they said. Tertullian replied, "Must you?"
That was the early Christian spirit: no compromise.
But the Church in Thyatira was divided on the issue.
This "Jezebel of a woman." The reference is to the Elijah story; she corrupted Israel's life by bringing in the worship of the Baal fertility cult.
It may not be that immorality was specifically commended; rather it was recommended you go to the Trade Guild meetings but abstain there from excesses. Would that present too great a temptation to the weak?
Or was there a Gnostic heresy at work? They taught that you had "to know the deep things." This could be interpreted as a need to plumb the depths of moral depravity so as better to value virtue. The body was inherently sinful, the spirit inherently pure - so what you did in the body was of no consequence so long as your intentions were good. But this was to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. It was to explore the deep things, not of God, but of Satan.
God gave them time to repent. He does. It is an old problem: Why does God allow wicked men to go on unpunished? Answer: To give them time to repent - as He gave you! It is part of the general answer to the problem of evil and suffering in this life.
The judgment
A punishment to fit the crime: they were "sick" - let them finish on a sick bed. This is the nature of judgment in the Bible: God gives us up to the power over us of the sins we love. "Will give you as works deserve." (v. 23)
We cannot deceive the Lord in this - His eyes are like a flame of fire (v. 18), He searches mind and heart (intellect and emotions). The wheels of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small. We must think right and feel right.
Hold fast what you have! When the tide runs fast against you, you have to swim hard to stay in the same place ... and it may be enough!
In any case, their latter works exceed the first.
True of us?
Love, faith, service, patient endurance - in small things as well as large.
Who overcomes in this world will rule in the next.
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