Revelation Chapter 2

As we look at these seven letters in the book of Revelation, it is helpful to remember two things about them: First, they are a picture of seven kinds of churches that you find in any age, in any period of history. Every church in the world today will fall into one or more of these categories of churches. The second thing is the prophetic nature of these letters. They are a preview of the entire age of the church, falling into seven periods, from the first coming of our Lord to his second appearing.  (Ray Stedman)

We can see the characteristics good and bad in these seven churches.  We also can see the good and bad characteristics in our own lives by what Jesus is saying to these churches. (Greg Mason)

(Rev 2:1-7) The Church at Ephesus

To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: (1)

The first letter is addressed to the angel or messenger of the church of Ephesus. The Greek word aggelos, which has been transliterated in the English word angel, is frequently used in the Bible of angels, and this seems to be its principal use as noted by Arndt and Gingrich. However, it is often used also of men in Greek literature as a whole, and in several instances this word referred to human messengers in the Bible (Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:24, 27; 9:52). It is properly understood here as referring to human messengers to these seven churches. These messengers were probably the pastors of these churches or prophets through whom the message was to be delivered to the congregation. (John Walvoord)

Ephesus was the capital city of a Roman province in Asia. Ephesus was a significant center of trade, located near a harbor at the mouth of the Cayster River in western Asia Minor. The city lay in a long, fertile valley. Major roads connected Ephesus to all the other significant cities in Asia Minor.
Ephesus was known for its amphitheater, the largest in the world, designed to hold up to 50,000 spectators. Ephesus was also the location of the great temple of Artemis, or Diana, built in 550 BC. This temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was “425 ft. long and 220 ft. wide; each of its 127 pillars which supported the roof of its colonnade was 60 ft. high” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). Much Ephesian industry was related to this temple. Craftsmen sold shrines and household images of the goddess that worshipers could take with them on long journeys. The Ephesians were proud of their religious heritage and its accompanying legends (Acts 19:35). (Got Questions)

"He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lamp stands says these things: (1)

Christ is introduced in the message to Ephesus as the One who “holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.” This portrayal of Christ corresponding to that given early in the first chapter of Revelation is a symbolic presentation of the fact that Christ holds the messengers of these churches in His right hand, a place of sovereign protection as well as divine authority over them. The word for “hold” (Gr., kraton) means “to hold authoritatively.” The messengers, therefore, are held in divine protection and under divine control. Earlier, John had written of the security of the believer in the hands of an Almighty God in John 10:28-29: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” The same truth is presented symbolically in this vision of Christ. (John Walvoord)

"I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can't tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.  You have perseverance and have endured for my name's sake, and have not grown weary. (2-3)

Believers in the days of Ephesus could not bear those who were evil. In our day, discipline in the church is almost at an end. In many quarters, anyone is welcome to full participation in all church privileges, particularly if they have a good bank account. In the beginning it was very different. That little Ephesian assembly said, “We don’t want numbers if they are not holy numbers. We don’t want growth at the expense of holiness.” More than that, they were loyal to the truth. They tried those who claimed to be apostles, and if they found they were deceivers they refused them as liars. They did not say, “Oh well, you know Dr. So-and-so comes with such good recommendations. He is such a lovely man and so cultured. Though he doesn’t happen to believe in the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, or His atonement, etc., he has so many good qualities that we mustn’t be hard on him.” The early church would have said, “Are you a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ?” and put a few serious questions to him. If he was not what he professed to be, they soon unmasked him and refused his unholy ministry. But in these days teachers can deny almost any truth of Scripture, and the professing church never knows the difference. Oh, for more of the zeal and piety of early days! (Ironside)

In verse three we learn that these saints were suffering for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus. Their suffering was not for the name of any denomination or special theories. It was suffering for Christ’s sake. For His Name’s sake they bore trial and endured persecution. (Ironside)

But I have this against you, that you left your first love (4)

Now we can see that this is a church in serious trouble. Despite all the commendable things, there is something seriously wrong. Our Lord puts it in one brief phrase, "You have abandoned your first love." That is the problem. So serious is that that he says, "If you do not correct it, I will remove your lampstand." This indicates this is a very serious matter. The removal of the lampstand does not mean that the individual members of the church would be lost or condemned to hell. What it means is the church would lose its ability to shed the light of truth. The light from this church would stop shining. They would become a church with no influence or impact spiritually upon the community around. They would be busy doing religious, but entirely irrelevant, things. They would still be working, still orthodox, but inconsequential, with no light, no impact.

What causes that condition? Our Lord says it is because they left their first love. They abandoned it. When we ask, "What is first love?" the answer is almost obvious. It is the love you felt for Jesus when you first came to know him. It is that wonderful sense of discovery that he loved you, and had delivered you, and freed you from your sins. Your heart went out to him in gratitude and thanksgiving; you had eyes for no one but him. Watch a couple who have fallen in love. Note how they have eyes only for each other. How spacy they are! Talk to them, and they do not even hear you. They are only thinking of the wonder of each other. So it is with a Christian when he first comes to Christ. His heart is filled with gratitude. What an amazing thing it is to him that he has been forgiven! He can hardly believe it. This is why new Christians often break into tears when they give their testimony. I have seen strong men break down completely and are unable to tell their story because it means so much that Jesus has come into their heart. Their home, their family is different. They are forgiven of their sins. The love of Christ seems almost incredible to them.

That is first love. But gradually there comes an almost imperceptible shift of focus. We get busy, and what we do for Christ begins to loom more and more unimportant to us. Gradually our position, our status, the longing for approval by others, begins to take first place. We go on doing the same things but not from the same drive or motive. We drift into the loss of first love. (Ray Stedman)

Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works (5)

The three R's: "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen." Remember that love that you once had? "Repent." Then Repeat. "Do the first works." Come back to that first work of love. It is first above everything else. Do your first works over again, those works motivated and prompted by love. To most of the churches Jesus said, "Repent." There is the necessity of repentance in most churches. There were only two to whom He didn't have to say "Repent." (Chuck Smith)

. . . or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lamp stand out of its place, unless you repent. (5)

Unless there was a repentance, a return to that first love, Jesus would remove the candlestick from its place. Where was its place? In the presence of Christ, for He walked in the midst of the candlesticks. Jesus is saying, "I will not stay around a loveless church." This is a very solemn consideration. Unfortunately, as we look at the church today - so filled with factions, fighting, and divisions - in many cases the candlestick has been removed from its place. You go to church but you don't feel the presence and the power of Jesus Christ. Instead, you feel the factions and all the pressures and strain. Jesus said, "I won't stay around a loveless church." (Chuck Smith)

But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (6)

"Nicolaitans" comes from two Greek words: nikao and laos meaning "establishing a priesthood over a laity." The church of Ephesus hated that establishment of a spiritual hierarchy. Jesus said, "Which I also hate." Why? Because, in our minds, it suddenly puts some men closer to God than others. God doesn't want anyone to feel far from Him. He wants every man to feel close to Him. God doesn't want you to feel that you have to go through someone to get to Him. He wants you to come directly to Him in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus has opened the door to God for every man alike, and He doesn't want anyone to stand in your way of coming to Him. (Chuck Smith)

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. (7)

He who has an ear: This qualifies everyone – or at least everyone who will listen. This letter was not only written to the church at Ephesus in the Apostle John’s day. It is written to us, and to all Christians throughout the centuries. (David Guzik)

To him who overcomes (7)

Jesus made this promise to him who overcomes – but what does this overcomer overcome? We usually think of overcoming in dramatic terms of overcoming sin and in spiritual warfare, but here Jesus seems to speak of overcoming of their coldness of heart and lack of love marked by leaving their first love. (David Guzik)

I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God. (7)

The promise for these overcomers was a return to Eden, a restoration, and eternal life. This was meant first in the eternal sense of making it to heaven, which was no small promise to a church threatened with the removal of Jesus’ presence. It is also meant in the sense of seeing the effects of the curse rolled back in our own lives though walking in Jesus’ redeeming love.

Originally, the word Paradise meant “a garden of delight.” Eventually, it came to mean “the place where God lives.” Where God is, that is Paradise! (David Guzik)

(Rev 2:8-11) The Church at Smyrna

"To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: (8)

Smyrna was also a port city about thirty-five miles north of Ephesus. It survives today as Ismir, in Turkey. Polycarp, a convert of John, later served as pastor there until his martyrdom in about A.D. 155. (Henry Morris)

Smyrna was a wealthy, sophisticated, beautiful, and politically astute city. She had always managed to align herself with all the correct political parties of Rome. Smyrna was one of the first cities in the region to build a temple to the emperor of Rome, thus it became a center of worship of the emperor. This was a source of civic pride to them, but the deification of Caesar was a disaster for the Christians of the city and of the empire. Everybody was required to declare at least once a year, "Caesar is lord." Christians, of course, who had Christ as their Lord refused to do so. Relentless persecution was their lot as a result. (Steve Zeisler)

 "The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things: (8)

In introducing Himself to this church, the Lord Jesus said that He was the First and the Last, the One who has always existed and who continues to live throughout all eternity. Though He was God, in entering the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth He became the God-man. The purpose of His coming into the world was to purchase man's redemption, to provide atonement for man's sin, and to open up the new and living way of approach to God through His shed blood. At the appointed time He walked into the jaws of death, allowing the Roman authorities to seize Him and nail Him to the cross. He died in our stead, shedding His blood for our redemption. Being God in human form, He arose from the dead, bringing life and immortality to light through the Gospel. He therefore told this church that He had died, but that He came to life again, never to see corruption. (David Cooper)

"I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (9)

The Christians of Smyrna knew poverty because they were robbed and fired from jobs in persecution for the gospel. Early Christians joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven (Hebrews 10:34). This kind of economic persecution was one important reason why Christians were poor in Smyrna. Even today, this is a common form of persecution against Christians. (David Guzik)

These must have been Gentile converts of the Judaizers, who were trying to impose Judaism, with its law and priesthood, on Christianity. Just as men claiming to be apostles, who were not, were disturbing the church at Ephesus, so at Smyrna men claiming to have become Jews, who were not, were plaguing the church there. These two groups of heretics were beginning a corruption of Christianity which would eventually pervade the church for a thousand years, imposing an imagined apostolic succession and continuing priesthood, both of which would subjugate the ordinary people in the churches in a “Nicolaitan” hierarchy. As the false apostles were ministers of Satan (II Corinthians 11:13-15), so these false Jews had become—unknowingly perhaps—a synagogue of Satan. (Henry Morris)

 Don't be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer.  Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days.  Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life. (10)

A sizeable Jewish community in the city was committed to going along with Rome. Remember the evil alliance at the time of Christ between the Roman hierarchy and the Jewish authorities who combined together to put the Messiah to death. Many of the Jews wanted to be accepted in the Roman Empire and thereby lose their status as a minority community, and one of the ways they did it effectively in Smyrna and other places was by persecuting another minority, the Christians. Evidently that was what this church in Smyrna was facing. They suffered because of their commitment to Christ and their refusal to sell out to the secular powers. Some years later, Polycarp, one of the great martyrs of the faith, was executed at Smyrna. Threatened with death if he did not worship Caesar, he simply said," Eighty-six years I have served him and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" The Jews of Smyrna were among those who energetically gathered wood for the fire that led to Polycarp's death.

Consider two other issues the Lord raises for the Smyrnans: fear and testing (v. 10). At times our dread of something we are anticipating makes us want to give up before the situation ever comes upon us. We are tempted to sell out before the test is even applied. Here the Lord is reminding the church at Smyrna that he is in control of everything, and that fear itself is the enemy they have to deal with. He is in control. He can sustain them when the hour of testing comes, so do not be overtaken with fear, he tells them. (Steve Zeisler)

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.  He who overcomes won't be harmed by the second death. (11)

He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. There is a double negative in the Greek "not at all be injured." The saints may have to bow their heads to those who execute the first death-who "kill the body"; but over these, we read, "the second death hath no authority" (Revelation 20:6). No real believer is coming into judgment. See John 5:24, R. V. Believers' works will be examined, but not as sin: that is gone forever, borne on the cross! Hebrews 9:28 (William Newell)

(Rev 2:12-17) The Church at Pergamum

"To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write: (12)

Pergamum, 45 miles north of Smyrna, was an ancient and prominent city of western Asia Minor (Mysia area). Bergama, Turkey today covers part of the ancient site below the acropolis of the ancient city. Pergamum was a beautiful city built on terraces. (Grant Richison)

"He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things: (12)

Jesus depicts Himself with a different title for each church. Each title is relevant to that church. The title for the Lord Jesus to Pergamum is one of a judge. Jesus judged his people when they engage in evil. His truth will slay this evil. (Grant Richison)

"I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is.  You hold firmly to my name, and didn't deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (13)

Pergamum was an important place in the religion of several false gods. In that religion, people gave honour to the images of snakes. Genesis 3:1-15 describes Satan (the devil) as a snake.

Of course, an image is only a model of something. When people give honour to an image, really they are giving honour to an evil spirit (1 Corinthians 10:19-20). So, really, the inhabitants of Pergamum were giving honour to the devil; they were serving Satan. Satan ruled Pergamum.

In a city where people followed such an evil religion, of course, many people hated the Christians. They could recognise that the Christians’ God was the enemy of their gods. They opposed the Christians because the Christians refused to give honour to their images.

In such circumstances, the Christians saw that they must trust God completely. As they depended on God, they became strong and bold. They did not lose their courage even when their enemies killed Antipas. In all his troubles, Antipas had remained loyal to God. Christ calls Antipas: ‘my loyal witness’. In other words, Antipas had declared the truth about God; he had spoken about what God had done for him. Probably, that was why his enemies killed him.

Satan’s power in this world is real. We see his power in every evil thing that happens in the world, but especially in the actions of wicked rulers. However, Christ has defeated Satan’s power (Hebrews 2:14). At the present time, we wait for God to carry out his judgement against Satan. God has allowed this time so that people can turn to him (2 Peter 3:9). However, at the future time that God has chosen, God’s judgement against Satan is certain (20:2-3; 20:10).  (Keith Simons)

But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. (14)

So, the doctrine of Balaam was the introduction of idolatry to the people of God. And it was at this time in church history that they began to introduce representations of Jesus and Mary and of the Apostles and Saints and Moses and so forth. They began to introduce the arts and statues and so forth within the churches and it became part of the church structure, the introduction of idols in the worship of God, the doctrine of Balaam, worshipping God in unprescribed ways.

Jesus said, "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth"( John 4:24). Someone said, "Hey, I go to the beach and I worship God at the beach." I believe you. I do too. "I go to the mountains and I worship God in the mountains." I do too. You see, God is a Spirit. They that worship Him, worship Him in Spirit and in truth, and we don't have to confine ourselves to a building to worship God, nor should we. We worship God everywhere. "God is a Spirit."

Now God has prescribed how we are to worship Him. To try and worship Him in an unprescribed way is a spiritual fornication in a sense.  (Chuck Smith)

So also you likewise have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (15)

And so, we find that in this period of church history there began to be the establishment of the professional ministry, the priesthood, the ruling over the laity. (Chuck Smith)

Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. (16) 

There is just one specific command that Christ gives to this church - “ repent .” As we said, the word “repent” means to change your thinking right now. He did not tell them to move away from this satanic city. He did not tell them to isolate themselves from all unbelievers. He did not tell them to try and change their satanic city by protests. What He does tell this church to do is to repent; that is, they were immediately to change their thinking concerning the false teaching in the church that promoted idolatry and immorality. There was still time for these people in this church to repent. This is grace. God did not immediately strike them down like He did the Israelites, but He does command them to immediately repent. There are times when we don’t need to pray about something, we need to just change our thinking and act. This was one of those times for the people in this church of Pergamum. (David Thompson)

Warning to repent. In this abrupt command, Christ issued a sharp word to the church at Pergamos and their modern counterparts: “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” Even though many in the church at Pergamos had been faithful and one of their number had died as a martyr to the faith, it was nevertheless true that the evil character of those things which were invading the church was so serious in the mind of Christ that it involved fighting against them with the sword of His mouth. There is no alternative to continued impurity and compromise with the truth except that of divine judgment. The apostasy which is seen in its early stage in the church at Pergamos has its culmination in the future apostate church in Revelation 17 which is ultimately brought into divine judgment by Christ the Head of the church. (John Walvoord)

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.  To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it. (17)

In those days, a white stone was put into a vessel by a judge to vote acquittal for a person on trial. It was also used like a “ticket” to gain admission to a feast. Both would certainly apply to the believer in a spiritual sense: he has been declared righteous through faith in Christ, and he feasts with Christ today (Rev. 3:20) and will feast with Him in glory (Rev. 19:6–9).  (Wiersbe)

(Rev 2:18-29) The Church at Thyatira

"To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: (18)

Thyatira was located about 35 miles southeast of Pergamum. It was a very small city, but a busy commercial center. It was on a major road of the Roman Empire, and, because of this, many trade unions had settled in this city. Everyone who worked there was a member of one or more trades. There were carpenters, dyers, sellers of goods, tent makers, etc. In the church at Philippi, which the Apostle Paul began, there was a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, who came from Thyatira.  (Ray Stedman)

"The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things: (18)

Notice that he uses, for the first and only time in the book of Revelation, the title the "Son of God." There are people who claim that Jesus never said that he was the Son of God, but here is one of several places in the New Testament where he makes that claim very clearly. This means, of course, that he is stressing his deity. As the Son of God he has "eyes like blazing fire," eyes that can pierce the facades, the disguises, the postures and pretensions of his people and get right to the heart of what they are doing. He has feet "like burnished bronze" which can trample sin under foot and severely punish that which is wrong, if need be. Both are needed in the church at Thyatira. It is the most corrupt of the seven churches that are presented here.  (Ray Stedman)

"I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. (19)

But there were some good things going on in this church. Our Lord tells us what they are. "I know your deeds [i.e., your works], your love and faith, your service and your perseverance." Those are related. Love leads to service; faith leads to perseverance. If you love God, you will serve his people. You cannot help it. It is the sign that you love that you are willing to serve. And if you have faith you will persevere; you will understand that God is in control and things will work out according to his purpose. You keep at your work; you do not quit. So here was a church that had many people that loved God and served his people. They had faith in his word, and they persevered. They helped many, and they kept it up. As others then got involved, the church grew. So the deeds, or the works, of the church were far more when this letter was written than when it first began.

That is the way a church grows. If you and I had been there at Thyatira, we would have been greatly impressed by this church. It was a busy, bustling, active church with some wonderful people in it who obviously manifested love and faith, concern and care for others. It must have seemed a very attractive church. But now the blazing eyes and the burning feet go into action. We begin to learn deeper facts about the church.  (Ray Stedman)

But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess.  She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.  I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. (20-21)

Jezebel had been the pagan queen of Israel in the days of Elijah (II Kings 9:22); she introduced Baal worship into Israel (I Kings 16:30-33). A similar seductress in the Thyatiran church had somehow obtained a position of leadership in the church . . . Her anti-nomian teachings (that is, teachings “against law,” purportedly giving license to sin as one pleased), given with the claim that she had the gift of prophecy, had led the church into gross immorality while simultaneously manifesting love, faith and good works (Revelation 2:19). This church is typical of many churches since then that profess spirituality and “love” while downgrading doctrine and separation.  (Henry Morris)

Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works.  I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts.  I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.  But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don't have this teaching, who don't know what some call 'the deep things of Satan,' to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.  Nevertheless, hold that which you have firmly until I come. (22-25)

It is a terrible thing when God’s people are not loyal to him. His love for them is as a husband’s love for his wife should be (Ephesians 5:25-27). He loves them very much; they should be loyal to him.

A certain woman in the church at Thyatira was telling church members that they should carry out wrong and evil acts. She urged them to do whatever they desired to do. She persuaded them not to be loyal to their husbands or wives; they carried out sex acts which are against God’s law. Also, she persuaded them to eat meat that other people had offered to false gods. A person who gives honour to a false god is not loyal to the real God.

That woman refused to change her behaviour and to return to God. So, Christ declared that he would make a judgement against her. Revelation 2:22-23 may describe her actual punishment, but it may contain word-pictures.

A bed can be a word-picture for wrong sex acts (Proverbs 7:16-17). Here, however, the bed is a word-picture for illness. That too may be a word-picture to show that she would become weak; in other words, she would lose her power over people.

Wrong sex acts are a frequent word-picture in the Bible for people who are not loyal to God. All the people who were not loyal to God in this matter needed to return to him. They must confess their evil deeds to him and they must stop this wrong behaviour. Otherwise, God would allow them to suffer great troubles. 1 Corinthians 5:5 explains the purpose of such troubles. These troubles can give a person the opportunity to return to God. That person’s body will suffer because of these troubles, but God wants to save the person’s spirit.

We can understand that the devil tempts people to do wrong things. God wants people to confess their evil deeds to him so that he can forgive them (1 John 1:9). However, these Christians were not merely following their own desires to do wrong. They actually believed that it was right to do these things (1 Corinthians 10:23). People were actually teaching them that they should do such things (verse 20). These people even considered themselves holy people whom the Spirit led.

Christ said that some people called these things: ‘the deep things of Satan’. ‘Deep things’ means secrets and mysteries. Paul said that the Holy Spirit teaches ‘the deep things of God’ to God’s people (1 Corinthians 2:10). However, the Christians who were doing these evil things wanted to know the deep things of Satan. Like Adam and Eve, they wanted knowledge of both good and evil things (Genesis 3:5-6).

Perhaps these Christians imagined that they could do these evil things safely. Perhaps they thought that such behaviour would not damage their relationship with God. Perhaps they even believed that they were showing Christ’s power over the devil.

If they really thought these things, they were very wrong and very foolish. Their actions offended God. They were acting in a very dangerous manner. It is wrong to act in a foolish manner in order to test whether God will protect you (1 Corinthians 10:9). Paul urged Christians to avoid completely these kinds of evil behaviour (1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 10:14). (Keith Simons)

He who overcomes, and who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.  He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father: and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. (26-29)
He who overcomes: Even when there is the immoral and idolatrous influence of a Jezebel, Christians can overcome and keep Jesus’ works until the end. We must not become overly discouraged at immorality and idolatry around us, even among Christians. God’s work will still go on through His overcomers.

Jesus promised that His people will reign with Him. Here, there is a special promise to those who overcome the threat of immorality and idolatry. To them, Jesus offered a share in His own kingdom.

He shall rule them with a rod of iron: This quotation from Psalm 2 speaks of the authority of the Messiah when He rules over the earth. In that day, righteousness will be enforced, and those who rebel against Jesus will be dashed to pieces like a clay pot hit with an iron bar. Jesus includes this here to give hope to the faithful Christians of Thyatira, who felt overwhelmed by the immorality and idolatry all around them. Jesus reminds them, “You’re on My winning team.”

I will give him the morning star: Jesus offered them a reward greater than the kingdom. He offered them the reward of Himself, because He is the Morning Star (Revelation 22:16).

He who has an ear: This is a letter that applies to everyone. It applies to those who are like Jezebel, who lead others into sin. It applies to those who follow the teaching of a Jezebel, and follow others into sin. It applies to those who permit a Jezebel to work her wickedness. Finally, it applies to the faithful who must hold fast.

(David Guzik)