Blazing Fire

Revelation 2:18

The words above were sent to the congregation of Thyatira. The letter to this congregation is direct and bold. The love and faith, their steadfast perseverance are virtues they excel in. At the same time, God wants them to know that he also has something against them: “But I have this against you: you are forgiving that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is seducing my loving servants. She is teaching that it is permissible to indulge in sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” verse 20. (TPT) Further down in the chapter God makes it clear that “I am the one who thoroughly searches the most secret thought and the innermost being.” verse 23 (TPT)

I love these verses mostly because God begins with letting this congregation, and all his people, know that his eyes are blazing and his feet are like burnished brass. He knows every motive and thought that passes through our brains! His feet are hot for purpose and love towards us, nothing holds him back, nothing!

Burnished brass is forged in flames; it is a symbol of judgment. He searches all things and gives to each one what their works deserve. For those that do not adhere to the teachings of evil He tells us to “cling tightly to all that you have until I appear. To everyone who is victorious and continues to do my works to the very end I will give you authority over the nations to shepherd them with a royal scepter.” verse25 (TPT)

I think we have often made the mistake of reading Revelation and thinking it does not necessarily apply to us as a modern church. These letters were written to churches of long ago, and clearly they needed correction! Of course, God has not changed. He is still the One with blazing eyes of fire, and feet like burnished brass. He is still the One that searches our most secret thought and innermost being. He is still the One that bids us to cling tightly to all that we have, to claim our victory, and to shepherd the nations. He is still the One! So what about us? Have we become a tolerant church? Jezebel is a symbol of the spirit of tolerance and compromise, basically it is the teaching that God’s children can sin and not experience any consequences. The sin of compromise, and of being tolerant of sin. God waits for the church today to repent, but sadly not everyone does that, therefore falling into this position.

I know, it sounds harsh, and not that fun to talk about. Yet, true. In verse 26, there is a promise: “ I will give the morning star to the one who experiences victory. So the one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is presently saying to all the churches.” (TPT) Okay, so this is big, the morning star! What is that? In the footnotes it says this: “Christ shares with every conqueror his own rank before the Father, and we will participate in his eternal reign.” When we are steadfast, ALL of us as his Bride, we are conquerors, and with that high privilege we will stand before the Father with Christ the Son, and participate in life eternal. Forever! Until then we cling tightly, living a life that is victorious and we continue to do the works he has set before us, in return we will have the authority over nations and execute that power of God within us to shepherd nations.

I’m wondering what your nation is? Your family. Your work. Your country. For some of us the nation we hold is worldwide, for others it is very small. Are we taking the authority God has given us over the nation that belongs to us? Are we allowing him to look through us with his blazing eyes and to walk upon the ground we tread with feet of fire? Are we allowing him to guard our hearts against the tolerance and compromise that so easily can creep in? Are we rightfully and humbly accepting the morning star and shepherding the nations before us? Only you can answer these questions for yourself. Today I pray that my heart and the hearts of his Bride will remain open to who God is and to his blazing fire.

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