Tues.’s Devo - Thyatira and Sardis

Read: Amos 4:1-6:14; Revelation 2:18-3:6; Psalm 130:1-8; Proverbs 29:21-22
God explained all the ways he had used to call his people back to him. He gave them famine, drought, blight, mildew, and plagues, yet they continued oppressing the poor and crushing the needy. God gave them over to worship their idols and sin.
Judgment was coming for sure but God was still giving them one more chance to repent before it came. He gave them a vivid picture of what judgment would look like and let them know that their wealth would not be able to spare them from it.
In Revelation, God described the fourth church, Thyatira. It is known as the “Papal Church” and ruled from 590-1517. These days were also called the “Dark Ages” when the churches light was almost snuffed out. Muslim armies were trying to take over the world, so kingdoms were in constant war and confusion. Because of all the invasions, education was greatly affected and illiteracy became widespread. This made it easy for the people to be deceived. The papacy became owned by wealthy Roman families who assassinated any pope that opposed them and appointed ones that would do what they wanted.
The church became divided between the Orthodox Church of the East and the Catholic church in the West. The church organized charity and education but their doctrine was based on law and philosophy. Morality declined. Thiritira was commended for her deeds, their love for mankind (the church built hospitals and cared for the poor), and their faith. Some of the faithful during this time were John Wycliffe and John Huss. They were burned at the stake for trying to translate the Bible into the language of the common people.
The next church was Sardis which was the “Dead Church Reformed”. Sardis means “escaping ones” which represent the ones that came out of slumber and awoke to truth. God used Martin Luther to wake up the church to the truth that “the just shall live by faith, not by works.” He sparked the Protestant Reformation. Many denominations began during this time as men rose up to preach new doctrines out of God’s Word. They brought the simplicity of the gospel to the common people.
God commended the ones who had not fallen to the apostate doctrine of the popes but had kept their hearts pure. They will be dressed in white and their names will remain forever in the Book of Life.
Lord, may we walk in the light and truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.