In Revelation 3:9, Jesus promises that a time will come when the Jews who are persecuting them will bow at their feet. He says, “Behold, I will cause those from the synagogue of Satan, who are calling themselves Jews and…
Teaching the Seven Letters of Revelation, Part 6a: The Philadelphia Letter and the Key of David
Overview of the Philadelphia Letter The Philadelphia letter provides a marked contrast to the noticeable trajectory of decline that one observes in the progression from Pergamum to Thyatira to Sardis. Her letter corresponds to the letter to Smyrna in terms…
Celebrating the Passover with Your Family during Easter Week
Several years ago, when my kids were small, I heard about the idea of celebrating the Passover with your family on the Thursday night before Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I thought this was a good idea and wanted to…
Teaching the Seven Letters of Revelation, Part 5c (Sardis Letter): What Does Jesus Mean by the Promise Not to Erase a Person’s Name from the Book of Life?
The promise of white garments is also the first element of Jesus’ promise to the conquerors. Revelation 3:5 says, “The one who conquers will thus clothe himself in white garments and I will certainly not erase his name from the…
Teaching the Seven Letters of Revelation, Part 5b: Those at Sardis Who Have Not Defiled Their Garments
What Does Jesus Mean by “Defiled Their Garments”? In Revelation 3:4, Jesus commends those who are exceptions to his criticism of the Sardis church. He says, “But you have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments,…
Teaching the Seven Letters of Revelation, Part 5a: The Sardis Letter and the Coming of Jesus
Overview of the Sardis Letter The Pergamum and Thyatira churches are struggling to maintain their doctrinal purity in the midst of stumbling blocks from false teachers and the prophetess Jezebel. In spite of the damaging effects of false teaching, Christ…
What Every Seminary Student Needs to Find at Church: A Tribute to June and David
In an ideal world, seminary students would be able to find more mature Christians who could invest in them and help them to learn to work with people. I was in seminary in Louisville from 1992 to 1997 at Southern…
Teaching the Seven Letters of Revelation, Part 4c: The Reward for the Conquerors in the Thyatira Letter
Teaching the Seven Letters of Revelation, Part 4c: The Reward for the Conquerors in the Thyatira Letter Those who have rejected Jezebel’s teaching deserve no other “burden” (2:24). However, Jesus does exhort them to persevere until his coming and places…
Teaching the Seven Letters of Revelation, Part 4b: Who Is Jezebel and What Is She Teaching?
What Is Jezebel’s Sexual Immorality or Harlotry? In Revelation 2:20, Jesus highlights the glaring weakness of the church at Thyatira. Revelation 2:20 says, “But I have against you that you are tolerating the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,…
Teaching the Seven Letters of Revelation, Part 4a: Why Is Jezebel’s Teaching So Attractive?
Overview of the Thyatira Letter’s Message: Beware of the Teaching of Jezebel In this first post, I will provide a brief overview of the Thyatira letter and its message. The problems at Thyatira are an intensification of the problems at…