The faithful members of the Church at Thyatira were embattled from without and within. They had to swear an oath to Caesar in order to join a workers’ guild and be allowed to work in a profession. At the same time, a leader named Jezebel had infiltrated the church. Some members had begun to follow her teaching which condoned joining the guilds. While the compromise made pragmatic sense, making this choice was idolatry that nullified faith in Jesus and the one true God.
Have you experienced a time when you trusted God and strove to follow Him, yet had come to the end of your strength? There have been times when I couldn’t find a stable and safe path forward and when the churches I attended were not Christ centered. This was such a lonely and difficult place to be. While the experience of the people in Thyatira was far worse than anything you or I have likely experienced, we might have experienced the extreme exhaustion these faithful believers were facing.
It’s in this moment that John conveys a beautiful message of hope to the faithful in this church. Jesus recognizes their faithfulness:
“I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.” Revelation 2:19
He does not ask them to do more, but only says this:
“…. I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.” Revelation 2:24-25
What wonderful words! When we are at the end of our strength and unable to go forward, we might still rally if we know Jesus has not forgotten us.
While it may seem that John is telling the faithful they need to just hold on and survive, the promise he gives them conveys a message of hope and much more than mere survival. John continues:
“To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:26-29
At first glance, these promises are confusing. We know that, as humans, we are unable to rule well. Only Jesus can do this faithfully. In fact, we find this description of Jesus in the Psalms:
“…. You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Psalm 2.
What are we to make of the guidance John gives to this church and to all faithful who have reached the limits of their strength? When John tells the Church to hold on to what they already have, he is reminding them that Jesus is their champion. In the account of David and Goliath, Goliath is the champion of the Philistines. David, a precursor of Jesus, is the vanquishing champion of the Jews. John is telling them and us, Jesus, our Champion, has the power to rule over all powers and authorities. He is the one who fights on our behalf. We do not have to win the fight ourselves. We only need to hold onto our faith in Him. The book of Hebrews gives us these words of hope:
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a] Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:2
Application
Are you near exhaustion as you follow Jesus? Have trusted companions proven to be unreliable? Remember that Jesus will never leave or forsake us, and that He goes on before us as our Champion. Let’s remember how dangerous it is to compromise our faith. We can trust God to see us through our times of testing.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I Peter 5:6-8
by Sherry Sommer
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