Revelation 2:22

22 lo, I will cast her into a couch, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation -- if they may not repent of their works,

Revelation 2:22 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 2:22

Behold, I will cast her into a bed
Of sickness and languishing; and which denotes the sickly, pining, and languishing state of the church of Rome, as a just retaliation for her bed of luxury and deliciousness, adultery and idolatry, she had indulged herself in; this was threatened, and was yet to come, and began at the time of the Reformation, signified by the next church state; and, ever since, the whore of Rome has been visibly sickening and decaying. The Alexandrian copy reads, "into a prison":

and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation:
the kings of the earth, and their subjects, who have joined in the idolatries and corruptions of the Romish church, ( Revelation 17:2 ) ( 18:3 ) , which may be understood either of that distress and uneasiness the Reformation in some countries gave them; or those outward troubles, wars, and desolations they have been since attended with, particularly the empire of Germany; which has been in great tribulation, formerly by the Turks, and of late by internal broils among themselves, and by the armies of other princes entering into it; or it may regard that eternal vengeance that will be recompensed to all such persons:

except they repent of their deeds;
their spiritual fornication or idolatry, and all the abominations the members of that apostate church are guilty of. There seems to be an allusion in this verse to Ahaziah and Joram, sons of Ahab and Jezebel, who followed their mother's idolatrous practices, and were cast upon a bed of sickness, ( 2 Kings 1:2 ) ( 8:29 ) .

Revelation 2:22 In-Context

20 `But I have against thee a few things: That thou dost suffer the woman Jezebel, who is calling herself a prophetess, to teach, and to lead astray, my servants to commit whoredom, and idol-sacrifices to eat;

21 and I did give to her a time that she might reform from her whoredom, and she did not reform;

22 lo, I will cast her into a couch, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation -- if they may not repent of their works,

23 and her children I will kill in death, and know shall all the assemblies that I am he who is searching reins and hearts; and I will give to you -- to each -- according to your works.

24 `And to you I say, and to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, and who did not know the depths of the Adversary, as they say; I will not put upon you other burden;