Wed.’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 denounces first the leaders of Israel referring to them as female cows. They were effeminate oppressors of the poor and needy who flaunted their wealth at their expense. The worshipped their golden calves at both Bethel and Gilgal only imitating true worship. God had tried to get their attention over through lack, plagues, fire and other natural signs yet they ignored them.
They will not win in battle but go into exile because of their injustice to one another. They oppressed the righteous and took bribes and deprived the poor of justice in the courts of law. Their only hope is to repent and do good instead of evil. Their end will be sorrowful.
It will not go well for the one who wants the end to come; they don’t understand how bad that day will be. It will not go well for the one who was complacent and felt secure in his self. His false security will be breached and he will have to face the truth of his sins. God was going to stir up a nation against the and they will oppress them like they had oppressed their own and worse.
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. Thyatira 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.