Revelation 2:18-29

Jesus said to the angel of the church of Thyatira:

I know your deeds, your love, faith, service, and perseverance, and that your deeds are even better than at first, but I have this against you – you tolerate the woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess, who leads His servants astray and causes them to commit acts of immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses. Those who commit adultery with her will be thrown into great tribulation unless they repent. I will kill her followers, and all the churches will know that I search minds and hearts, and I will give to each according to their works. But those of you who do not know the deep things of Satan, as they call him, I will place no other burden on you. Hold fast until I come. Those who overcome and keep My deeds until the end will be given authority over the nations. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

     In I and II Kings, Jezebel was King Ahab’s wife. She was greedy and devious, conspired to commit murder, and led him to worship other gods. The Jezebel mentioned in Revelation may symbolize the behavior of King Ahab’s Jezebel. In any case, it’s obvious that in our time, people have not only tolerated, but also accepted immoral behavior as the norm. If we hold fast to God’s word, we will have the privilege of spending eternity with Christ. 

            Have our churches tolerated and even accepted immorality? Churches are supposed to accept the sinner but not the sin. Many do just that. However, other churches are actually beginning to accept sin without expecting repentance. This is not sound doctrine. The bible says to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. God expects repentance. God cannot be changed. He cannot be bullied into accepting immoral social conventions just because society has been. Politicians may acquiesce due to the loud cries of dissenters, but God will not be budged. If you have any interest in your life after this one, if you have any interest in how you will spend your eternity, don’t expect God to justify your sin just because society has.  

            Psalm 2 tells us that nations are in an uproar, that the rulers take counsel against the Lord, but He who sits in the heavens laughs. He scoffs at them, but then He will speak to them in anger and terrify them in fury. He says to the kings and judges of the earth to take warning, to worship Him with reverence, to do homage to the Son that He not become angry, for His wrath may soon be kindled.

            Unbelievers love to act as if they know all about Jesus. They like to say that Jesus taught tolerance and love. They are wrong. Jesus is love, and He is forgiving, but He will reject those who reject Him. He will come back and destroy that which is evil, for which He has no tolerance. Many believe that will be soon, so don’t waste the little time you have left.