REVELATION 2:18-29
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(2:20-21) Church—Backsliding—Teaching, False: there is the complaint. The complaint immediately arouses our in-
terest, for the name Jezebel is used. The church is charged with allowing a Jezebel to teach in the church. This means
two things.
1. The church was tolerating a false prophetess to teach within the church. Note that she called herself a prophetess.
She claimed that God had called and gifted her to teach and proclaim the truth. Therefore, the church appointed her as a
teacher and gave her the right to teach within the church.
2. The church was tolerating false teaching, seduction, fornication, and idolatry. This is exactly what is said in the
verse.
a. First, Jezebel, the false teacher, was actually teaching in the church. Contrary to Christ and the Word of
God, the church was allowing her to spread her false teaching.
b. Second, Jezebel, the false teacher, was being allowed to seduce the Lord’s servants. She was arguing,
presenting reasonable arguments, deceiving, misleading, and beguiling the servants and followers of the
Lord. And the church was allowing it.
c. Third, Jezebel, the false teacher, was seducing the believers to commit fornication, that is, all manner of
immoral acts. How could such teaching be allowed within the church? By a very insidious teaching, and
note: the teaching has continued on down through the centuries, so much so that it now infiltrates many
churches. She was teaching...
• that believers could not separate themselves from the world, not entirely, not without becoming
exclusive and snobbish.
• that believers needed to be sensible in dealing with the world and its functions: they needed to be
participating in some of the world’s functions in order to be friendly, keep their jobs, secure
promotions, help their businesses, keep from being considered fanatical, and win the lost.
• that believers could reach the world more easily by associating and fellowshipping with the world.
• that if a person really worshipped God, he would be acceptable to God even if he did not know
about Jesus Christ; that Jesus Christ is not the only way to God; that He is not the only Savior.
• that believers should attend the social functions of neighbors and fellow workers and not be
exclusive and separatists.
Remember: Thyatira was renown for its trade guilds or unions. They were the center of much of the
city’s social and business life. Therefore, if believers did not attend these, there was a possibility that it
might affect their employment and relationships with their neighbors. The argument of the false teacher,
Jezebel, had a strong appeal. It would take a strong minded minister and teacher to proclaim a life of
separation in such a situation.
What happened, of course, was that many of the socials became drunken and immoral parties.
Believers who were present were attracted to the opposite sex and caught up in the immoral affairs just like
everyone else. Believers were having immoral affairs, committing fornication.
Naturally the believers did not want to be misfits, so they would be sociable and drink and dance and
participate in the activities of their neighbors. The end result was bound to happen: believers were caught
up in the drunken immorality of the world. They had normal human desires just like all human beings;
therefore, they were attracted to the opposite sex and some became involved in immoral affairs, committing
adultery. Remember why: all because of the false teaching of Jezebel that believers must not separate
themselves from the world, that they must be sensible and reasonable and not cut themselves out of the
necessary business functions, socials, and pleasures of the world.
d. Fourth, Jezebel, the false teacher, was seducing believers to commit idolatry. Some of the functions of the
trade guilds and unions were usually held in the temple precincts of false gods. Sometimes the socials
involved a simple thank-offering to the god, much like our offering of thanks at meals. The very first piece
of meat was laid upon the altar to the god. Then the rest of the meat was served to the guests. Some of the
believers were participating in these functions, actually participating in the functions that gave thanks to
false gods.
Thought 1. Remember what idolatry is. An idol is anything that a person puts first in his life, anything that con-
sumes a peson’s mind, heart, soul, and body. An idol is that to which a person gives himself. Therefore, an idol can
be...
• a job • pleasure • self
• money • sports • sex
• position • business • knowledge
• possessions • family • power
Some church members were apparently putting their jobs and social acceptance before God. They were attend-
ing the social functions to be socially acceptable and to secure their jobs and to prosper in the world. But the inevit-
able happened: they were influenced by the world and caught up in the compromise of the world. All because of
some Jezebel, some false teacher in the church.
Note that Jesus Christ had given this false teacher, this Jezebel, a period to repent. This means that she knew
down deep within her heart that she was teaching contrary to God’s Word. But she refused to change; she refused to
repent.
“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (Jn.15:19).
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