Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
Revelation 2:22-23 (ESV)
The church at Thyatira was doing well. Except for one thing. They were tolerant of Jezebel, who was teaching people to practice sexual immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols.
Jezebel had been King Ahab’s wife, who was largely responsible for the proliferation of Baal worship in Israel. The mention of Jezebel here is likely not to an individual named Jezebel. Instead, her name is used to represent the sin that was being introduced in the church and the one(s) responsible for it.
Jesus was going to punish her and all her children. They were going to be thrown into great tribulation and death. Jesus would purge this sin from His church. And it would not be pleasant.
A Warning
Then Jesus said that He is the one who searches our minds and hearts and gives according to our deeds. This is a warning. We are judged, not just on our outward actions. But also on our thoughts, motives, and attitudes. It is not enough to be clean on the outside, like the Pharisees. We also need to clean the inside (Matt. 23:25-26).
I might be able to hide what is within me from other people. And sometimes even from myself. But God is not fooled. He knows me better than I know myself.
Does my heart and mind belong to God? Or to Jezebel, the spirit of this world? Jezebel and her children were a part of the church at Thyatira. But that alone was not going to protect them from Jesus’ judgment. He can distinguish the wolves embedded among the sheep.
Jesus’ message to the faithful at Thyatira was one of intolerance. Don’t tolerate Jezebel’s influence within the church. Be faithful, conquer, and then experience the Lord’s reward (Rev. 2:24-29).
