Читать книгу A Brief Commentary on the Apocalypse - Sylvester Bliss - Страница 13

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“And to the messenger of the congregation in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass: I know thy works, and love, and faith, and service, and thy patience, and thy works; and thy last works to be greater than the first. Notwithstanding, I have something against thee, because [pg 041] thou allowest thy woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat idol sacrifices. And I gave her time to repent, and she would not repent of her fornication. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and those, who commit adultery with her, into great affliction, unless they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the congregations will know that I am he, who searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, As many as have not this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as (they say;) I will not put on you another burden: but what ye have, hold fast till I come. And he, who overcometh, and keepeth my works to the end, to him, I will give power over the nations: (and he will rule them with a rod of iron; like the vessels of a potter they will be dashed in pieces:) even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning-star. He, who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the congregations”—Rev. 2:18–29.

In commending the general piety of this church, they are censured for permitting a woman to teach false doctrines among them. The church is not only made responsible for what it teaches, but also for what it suffers others to teach. In this particular the church in Thyatira appears in contrast with the church in Ephesus. The doctrines which this wicked woman taught appear to be similar to those of the Nicolaitanes, p. 34. She is probably called Jezebel, from her being a woman of power and influence, like the wife of Ahab, who “did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord: whom Jezebel his wife stirred up,” 1 Kings 21:25.

They who had not fallen into those depths [pg 042] of Satan, and should continue faithful to the end, were to have “power over the nations.” “The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him,” Dan. 7:18, 27. “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel,” Ps. 2:8, 9. “To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all the saints. Praise ye the Lord,” Ib. 149:7, 9.

To receive the morning star, is to receive Christ, who testifieth of himself. “I am … the bright and morning star,” Rev. 22:16. We are commanded to take heed to the “sure word of prophecy … as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts,” 2 Pet. 1:19. As “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (19:10), those who refuse to consider the revelation he has given of things which shortly after began to come to pass, and which must now be verging towards their [pg 043] consummation, may fail of becoming illuminated by the day-star in their hearts.

Says Gibbon: “The God of Mahomet, without a rival or a Son, is invoked in the mosques of Thyatira and Pergamos.”