Revelation 3:4 “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
We arrive at the deplorable spiritual state of the church in Sardis. The Lord attests that there are only a few in Sardis that have not defiled their garments; that is, conducted themselves carnally. Jude says of such people, “But others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh,” Jude 23.
Revelation 3b Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
This language hearkens back to Matthew’s Gospel. There our Lord informed the apostles, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming,” Matthew 24:42. He also specifically says to the apostles, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect,” Matthew 24:44.
Revelation 3:3a "Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.
Verse 3 merely continues the Lord’s dialogue from the previous verse. Sardis is cautioned to be watchful, to strengthen the things that remain, and that their current works are not perfect before God.
Revelation 3:2 “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.
The Lord issues a solemn warning: the disciples are to be watchful. In other words, now that attention has been directed to the source of the church’s issues, amend them at once. Vigilance is required, and more than a little humility.
Revelation 3:1b “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
Five times now the Lord has told the church that He knows their works. Scripture states, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account,” Hebrews 4:13. David writes in the Psalms, “You know my sitting down and rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether,” Psalm 139:2-4.
Revelation 3:1a “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars:
The Lord turns His attention to Sardis and reveals Himself thusly: as He who has the seven Spirits and the seven stars. We know that the seven stars represent the seven angels Jesus is currently addressing, Revelation 1:20. He also refers to the seven Spirits, seen later before God’s throne, Revelation 4:5.
I write today, asking my fellow believers in Christ to lift up an acquaintance of mine in prayer. Her name is Kim, and she is having a number of issues right now in her life, which is causing all manner of havoc for her. She is having trouble focusing on work because of personal and family issues, and it is causing her thoughts to spiral into a bad place.
Revelation 2:29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The Lord Jesus Christ instructs believers to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches. Not just these seven Asiatic churches, but every church of every age from the onset of Pentecost to the last day when the Rapture occurs and the church ceases.
Revelation 2:28 “and I will give him the morning star.
This is an interesting verse because of the language Jesus uses to describe Himself. He told overcomers that they will sit on His throne reigning over the nations with Him, and then they will likewise receive the morning star. So, what is the morning star?
Revelation 2:26 “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations–[27] ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like a potter’s vessels’--
The overcoming promise does appear to have a secondary requirement attached apart from merely being an overcomer. The Lord wanted to stress that keeping His works until the end was vital to achieve this particular blessing.
Revelation 2:25 “But hold fast what you have till I come.
To properly exegete this verse, we must move a little further ahead, quoting Revelation 3:11. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Further context helps us understand what is being said by our Lord when He warns the church of Thyatira to hold fast.
Revelation 2:24 “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not hold this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.
The doctrine in question that our Lord refers to is Jezebel’s doctrine. Whether she was a disciple of Balaam, or a follower of the Nicolaitans, she successfully seduced believers and cultivated a sect of adherents to her perverted doctrine of idolatry and sexual deviance as a form of worship.
Revelation 2:23 “I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
The ESV renders this verse’s beginning as, “and I will strike her children dead.” The RSV translates the verse identically to the ESV. The NIV, with the exception of the article, “and,” renders it likewise.
Revelation 2:21 “And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. [22] Indeed I will cast her into a sick-bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
Three times we encounter the term, “repent,” in this passage. Twice Jesus uses it toward Jezebel. He first gave her time to repent of her sins, but she refused. Peter wrote, “and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation,” 2 Peter 3:15.
Revelation 2:20 “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
There is a distinct similarity here in what Thyatira is experiencing and what Pergamos likewise experienced, Revelation 2:14. In Pergamos this was referred to as the doctrine of Balaam. Balaam, a false prophet (perhaps formerly a true prophet?) taught Balak and Moab to seduce Israel by sexual immorality and idolatry.
Revelation 2:19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
As always, our Lord begins by commending Thyatira for the things they are doing correctly. We are also developing a pattern. Jesus our Lord begins with each church–for good or for bead–by telling them that He knows their works.
Revelation 2:18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:
Our Lord moves on to the fourth of the seven churches: Thyatira. There was Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, and now Thyatira. To keep something of a tally, Ephesus was addressed in 11 verses, Smyrna in a fleet 4, Pergamos in 6, and Thyatira–who is discussed for the remainder of the chapter–will occupy 12 verses.
Revelation 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden mana to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’
We come now to the third time our Lord says that he who has an ear (whoever is actually listening) let him hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to His churches. Yes, Christ is speaking, but as we read in chapter one, John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. The Holy Spirit provides the inspiration for men to pen Scripture, 2 Peter 1:21.
Revelation 2:16 “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
As we have addressed before, the term “repent,” does not mean to do penance; it means to change your mind. It is most famously found in Acts chapter 2, when Peter speaks to the Jewish audience about what they had done to Jesus. He addresses them several times, “Men of Judea,” Acts 2:14. “Men of Israel,” Acts 2:22. “Men and brethren (referring to his fellow Jews),” Acts 2:29. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know…” Acts 2:36.
Revelation 2:15 “Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
The church of Pergamos errs twice; the first error was tolerating the doctrine of Balaam in their own church. Ephesus tested apostles and found them to be false, by implication rejecting them for their heretical teachings.
