End Time Study--Pt.5

The next church in our study of the end times, that is reflected in the church today, is the church of Thyatira, the corrupt church (Rev.2:18-29). Jesus, as with the other letters to the churches, begins by pointing out the commendable things about this church. He acknowledges that they do have a love for God and each other. He lifts them up by referring to their faith in Jesus for salvation resulting in good works such as aiding the poor. They persevered while under persecutions and afflictions and continued in good works. Jesus recognizes that they have not only retained what they had received at first but they also grew in grace, faith and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Yet with all this good they had issues in their ranks that needed to be addressed; namely, they allowed a woman with a Jezebel spirit, who called herself a prophetess, to teach in their services. This resulted in the people of the church being lead into spiritual adultery and a lackadaisical attitude toward sin.

As the church enters the last of the last days she too will have many good works for which she is to be commended. However, this end-time church shall also have in it a spirit of Jezebel. As Jesus uses the name Jezebel He is referring to a spirit of manipulation. He gives it the name Jezebel because she was the ideal personification of a person controlled by a spirit of manipulation to be found in scripture. So when the name Jezebel is used when referring to someone it means that the person's character is likened to that of Jezebel, a manipulator.

Jezebel was an idol worshipper who induced her weak husband, Ahab, into her idol worship. She manipulated him to establish idol worship throughout his kingdom instead of the worship of the true God Jehovah. The name Jezebel implies one that is highly persuasive, gifted and artful. He is characterized as being determined and firm in the accomplishments of his purpose. One with a Jezebel spirit will even proudly flaunt his power to manipulate. The name here in verse twenty of chapter two is applied to a person who is capable of exerting a wide and persuasive influence over others. He is one who has talents of a high order. One who is a thorough advocate of error. He is unscrupulous in the means by which he employs for accomplishing his end. He has his way at any cost.

This was the condition of the church at Thyatira. There was a woman there who corrupted the true religion and harassed the followers of Christ in that city. And so it is in the end time church. Those under the influence of a Jezebel spirit, a spirit of manipulation (found in both male and female), will rise to positions of power and influence in the church. Whether they be found in the pulpit or the pew, they will corrupt the church. They will replace the gospel with a watered-down compromise version of the truth. They will replace the emphasis of prayer and the leading of the Spirit with programs and the plans of man. They, like Saul of Tarsus before his conversion, will believe themselves to be doing the will of God while all along they are deceived and deceiving others.

This Jezebel of Thyatira went so far as to call herself a prophetess. She actually thought that she was speaking on behalf of God to reveal His plan, purpose, will and design for His people, while all along she was deceived. She was instructing others in an erroneous understanding of Biblical truths. She manipulated the servants of God, His ministers, in order to pervert their religion. She promoted a spirit of the religion of man instead of the true religion of Christ.

The true religion of the Bible has nearly disappeared from our churches in these last days. It has been replaced by the humanistic religion of the world's mindset. The modern religion does not call for repentance. It flaunts its right to determine right from wrong based on man's intelligence, emotions and feelings. There are no absolutes. The Bible is open to whatever interpretation the one reading it determines. Even when in error one will persuade others that they have no right to tell them they are wrong.

This spirit of manipulation is not only in the church today, but it is growing. We have many self-appointed prophets, prophetesses, apostles, teachers, bishops, etc. Our televisions are full of "ministers" with big titles and full of the spirit of Jezebel. I heard one recently call herself Bishop, Apostle, Prophetess, Pastor, Doctor, Reverend so and so. I thought this woman needed a reality check. How could one address an envelope to her, for that BIG donation, when a standard envelope would not be large enough to print her titles on? Plus, how can one person fill all these offices and titles? I believe someone has a pride issue.

I often admonish people that if they are going to seek any of the nine manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit they should seek the gift of discernment. The followers of Christ need to discern what spirit is speaking when someone is preaching, teaching or giving a word of prophecy, wisdom or knowledge. Many false prophets, teachers, preachers, etc., have been sown into the church, the weeds with the wheat (Matt.13), the goats with the sheep (Matt.25). The only way of not being deceived is by the gift of discernment, knowledge of the scriptures and a father-child relationship with God, through prayer. Remember, there will be a great falling away from the truth in the end times and for this to happen there must be a deception that so resembles the true church that even the very elect may be deceived (Mark 13:22).

But even those who are controlled by the spirit of Jezebel have the mercy and grace of God extended to them. Even the false prophetess of Thyatira, as well as Jezebel of the Old Testament, were given a season of time in which they could repent. With Jezebel of the Old Testament, God sent a prophet to pronounce a severe judgement upon her and Ahab. Ahab showed tokens of repentance so God put off the punishment which also spared Jezebel temporarily. Thus, God gave Jezebel a space of time to repent, but instead of repenting she seduced even her sons into the same sin. She had no remorse for her actions. She was content to continue in her manipulative ways and her relentless attack upon those who stood for truth. She refused to see her wrong and to repent. Her punishment was declared in verses twenty-two and twenty- three. "Indeed I will cast her into a sick bed---I will kill her children." Ahaziah, one of Jezebel's sons, followed his mother's teachings. He fell from a terrace and became bedridden in great pain. Jezebel's other sons, along with her husband Ahab and his seventy sons, were slain by God's hand.

And so it will be to the Thyatira end-time church. God will bring His judgements and expose the spirit of manipulation and the sins of the church. Those who have been lead away from truth by the spirit of manipulation into spiritual adultery will pay a price. For these reason I believe many in the church today are afflicted, diseased, suffering and being tortured in their souls. They have followed the deceived and no longer follow truth. The Lord searches the innermost being and heart of man and He allows punishment to come to those who break His laws of purity. If our hearts are set on Him then we shall receive the rewards of power and the morning star. To those who overcome shall power be given to confute, confound and conquer the false doctrines and the powers of darkness. We become the rod of iron, Jesus' scepter, the instrument He uses for destroying false doctrines, false teachings and false teachers by exposing them.

As end-time overcomers we will destroy, pull down and break to pieces the works of the devil. We will operate in the same power that was given unto Jesus by the Father(Matt.28:18). This power is given only to the overcoming church. The one who will cast out the Jezebel spirit and sin. We then shall receive the Morning Star. Jesus said, "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star" (Rev.22:16). We get to be with Jesus for eternity. Aren't you glad to be living in the most exciting times for the church---the end times?