The Jezebel Church

The Jezebel “teaches and deceives My slaves” (or “servants,” Gk doulos). Her doctrine was attractive and seductive. At first blush it seemed insightful, deep, perceptive. She had a way of opening the Scriptures that were new and exciting. Her teachings promised freedom. They promised prosperity. They promised life. They promised to exalt Jesus, but in actuality they dethroned Jesus. She claimed to have the truth, but she peddled a lie. God’s standard was perverted, and God’s Son removed from His preeminence (Col 1:18). The church must never lose sight of the fact that doctrine matters. Theology matters. Truth matters. We must continually be on guard. Truth is too easily compromised, at which point it is lost.

The Jezebel taught and deceived God’s servants to do two things: commit sexual immorality and participate in pagan idolatry. Robert Mounce is helpful in putting this in historical context. It is striking how twenty-first century it sounds! He writes,

One thing we can state with a sense of confidence: the problem in Thyatira centered on the guilds. For persons to maintain their livelihood, some connection, indeed membership, in the guilds was a virtual necessity. For Christians the problem was that this mandated participation in the guild feasts, which themselves involved “meat offered to idols,” since the patron gods of the guilds were always worshiped at the feasts. At times this could also involve immorality. The extent to which these feasts degenerated into debauchery is questionable, and many have argued that “commit adultery” here is an OT metaphor for idolatry. . . . However, it is more likely a reference to immoral practices (though the noun form in 2:21 probably does have this figurative meaning). Whenever Christians refused to participate in the feasts because such participation would compromise their faith, they faced the anger of the pagan populace, and it had economic repercussions if they lost their jobs. Thus while at Pergamum it was a life-threatening situation, at Thyatira the problem was more economic and social. Jezebel probably “taught” that there was nothing wrong with a Christian taking part in the guild feasts and celebrations, for it was merely civil. Since idols were nothing, Christians would not destroy their faith by participating. (Revelation, 156–57)

Jezebel said it is fine to compartmentalize your sacred and secular worlds. The thought was, “If you are going to survive in this dog-eat-dog world, you will have to make some allowances. On occasions you will have to compromise your convictions. It won’t hurt anything. Jesus understands. He never expected that following Him could be bad for business. And remember, you are free in Christ!” Of course, she was wrong. These compromises in belief and behavior set the Lord Jesus against His own church.

Sexual immorality and acts of idolatry, in any culture, are a big deal to God. God calls us to holiness, not harlotry. He calls us to purity, not spiritual prostitution. God calls us to spiritual fidelity, not spiritual adultery. God calls us to follow Him, not follow the world (see 1 John 2:15-17).

When the church looks like the world, you have a sick church. When the church acts like the world, you have an impotent church. When the church plays with the world, you have an unfaithful church.

REVELATION 21:21-25

Our God is a good Father. He is a perfect Father. He will not allow His children to walk a path of destruction without intervening. With loving but firm discipline, He will get in our business. He will get involved in our lives and community up close and personal (see Heb 12:5-13). Five aspects of God’s discipline for Thyatira are noted. They are instructive.

Jesus gave the Jezebel “time to repent.” However, “she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality.” Our Lord gave her time to change her evil ways. She said no.

The Savior’s discipline is always wrapped in grace, love, and mercy. Twice we see the word repent, meaning “a change of mind that results in a change of action.” Our Lord gave her time, she said no, and now judgment falls. She will have no occasion to question the justice of God’s judgment. Jeremiah promises it (Jer 17:10). Paul promises it (Rom 2:6). Jesus promises it too (Matt 16:27).

“Look!” Announcing His sentence, Jesus declares, “I will throw her into a sickbed [along with] those who commit adultery with her.” “Great tribulation” will be their lot unless they “repent” (this is the third time He has called them to do so). The imagery is vivid and striking. Sickbed may refer to actual disease and illness (see 1 Cor 11:27-29). If so, the suffering will be intense for her and her followers. The Message says, “I’m about to lay her low, along with her partners, as they play their sex-and-religion games.” MacArthur, however, makes a distinction between the judgment on the Jezebel and her followers. He says,

In light of the finality of Jezebel’s refusal to repent, it is more likely that the bed refers to death and hell—the ultimate resting place for those who refuse to repent. Divine judgment was about to fall not only on Jezebel, but also on those who commit adultery with her. The Lord threatens to cast them into great tribulation—not the eschatological tribulation described in Revelation 4–19, but distress or trouble. Since these were the sinning Christians who had believed her lies, the Lord does not threaten to send them to hell as He did the false prophetess. He promises to bring them severe chastening—possibly even physical death (see 1 Cor 11:30; 1 John 5:16)—unless they repent of her deeds. (Revelation 1–11, 102)

In either case, the Lord’s judgment will be certain and sure, intense and painful.

Jesus declares, “I will kill her children with the plague.” The Message paraphrases this sentence as, “The bastard offspring of their idol-whoring I’ll kill.” One hardly knows how to respond to these words. “Her children” speaks of her spiritual offspring, those who share her nature, her DNA. In all likelihood John sees the Jezebel and her children as lost and unregenerate. To kill means to turn them over to the destruction and death they are pursing and deserve. It is to sin away their day of grace and hope. Ladd is helpful in pointing out the difference between “those who commit adultery with her” and “her children”:

The text distinguishes between those who join in adultery with the prophetess and those who are called her children. The punishment of the latter is much more severe than the former: death. Apparently John intends us to distinguish between those who are still struggling with the problem of how to be loyal to Christ and at the same time to adapt fully to the business and social mores about them, and those who have unreservedly committed themselves to the teaching of the false prophetess. (Commentary, 52)

When God takes out Jezebel and her children, “all the churches will know.” And what will they know? “I am the One who examines minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works.” This statement expounds on the fairness of God’s judgment but intensifies it. It echoes Jeremiah 17:10, but also 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 7:9; Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 11:20; and 20:12. MacArthur notes the phrase “offers confirmation of Christ’s deity, since it is used in the Old Testament in reference to God” (Revelation 1–11, 102). Divine discernment peers into their souls seeing them for who they really are. Actions and motives are exposed to His piercing gaze. Jezebel and her clan may fool others, but they do not fool Christ, “whose eyes are like a fiery flame” (2:18).

Hope is not lost for this church. There are still some in Thyatira who “do not hold this teaching,” who have no knowledge (experiential knowledge is in view) of “the deep things of Satan—as they say.” The deep things of Satan may be Jezebel’s actual claim, though it is more likely a sarcastic caricature of their libertine claims (see 2:9). Claiming to go deep in the things of God and adding to the simple gospel, they were actually propagating the doctrine of demons and the wisdom of Satan. Mounce, however, believes there may have been something of an actual claim. He says,

“knowing Satan’s deep secrets” is a reference to the view that in order to appreciate fully the grace of God one must plumb the depths of evil. Later Gnosticism [the view that matter is evil and spirit is good] boasted that it was precisely by entering into the stronghold of Satan that believers could learn the limits of his power and emerge victorious. (Revelation, 89)

Either way, Jezebel claims she could lead the church into the “deeper life,” into greater depths of spiritual understanding and experience. She offered a “Jesus plus” theology. However, what she actually gave them was the deeper lie of Satan, spiritual ignorance, and a “no Jesus” theology. In contrast Jesus says, “Stay with Me and I will put on you no other burden. Stay with Me. Don’t follow the seduction of Satan, the doctrine of demons.” Jesus says, “Hold on [imperative] to what you have until I come.”

Holding on to Jesus, the gospel, and biblical truth would not be easy. Satan, Jezebel, and her children will continue to try to steal those precious things from you. So don’t let go. Stay where you are. You have Jesus, and He is all you need.

REVELATION 2:26-29

We need to “never let go” of Jesus and the gospel. To hold on is to experience true victory; to fail will spell certain defeat. Overcomers, the “victorious,” the conquerors, keep Christ’s works (NIV, “will”) to the end. Perseverance is proof of our profession (Matt 24:13). To those who endure, persevere, Jesus promises a twofold encouragement.

Leon Morris says, “The Christian life is not a battle but a campaign” (St. John, 74). To the victor Jesus says, “I will give him authority over the nations.” Christ honors His faithful disciples by allowing them to co-reign with Him in fulfillment of the messianic Psalm 2. This is a reference to His millennial kingdom (20:1-6) and possibly the eternal state (21:24). Believers will serve under Christ, sitting on thrones (see Matt 19:28; Rev 20:4), jointly exercising His gracious, firm, and sovereign authority. Jesus “received this from [His] Father.” He now shares it with His subjects.

He will give us “the morning star.” This is Christ Himself, as 22:16 makes clear (Mounce, Revelation, 90–91). In the end we get what we started with: we get Jesus! Our Lord promises us Himself in all His fullness and glory. What more could we dream of or hope for? Listen, those of you who have ears to hear. The Spirit is talking to all the churches. We all need this reminder. We all need to hold on to this hope.

Jesus Christ is the same “yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). The gospel is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God’s Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Lord’s holiness is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

False teachers are always adding to or subtracting from God’s truth. John says to stay with the teaching you have in Christ. Adrian Rogers was right to say, “Some may preach the gospel of Jesus Christ better, but no one can preach a better gospel.” I believe he is right. So would the apostle John. Stay with Jesus and the gospel.