18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practise sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Once again there is significance in the designation our Lord gives Himself in His address to the Church at Thyatira. The 'eyes like unto a flame of fire' speak of His all-seeing knowledge of the situation there, penetrating to the heart of it, and 'His feet like fine brass' announces the fact that He is coming in judgment. Within the Church at Thyatira there is an evil for which no remedial measures are sufficient. It is one that admits of no correction. Judgment is appointed and so He comes to deal with it. Light is thrown on the nature of the problem in Thyatira when we learn that it was an industrial centre 'with many trade guilds and a highly organised social life'. These trade guilds were as much a 'closed shop' as modern trade unions; it was difficult, if not impossible, to get work without belonging to them. Obviously this would create problems for Christians. Not only so. At the guild meals food was served which had been sacrificed to idols. This Jezabel seems to have been urging on the Christians at Thyatira that association in compromising activities (which would certainly be inevitable in such a situation) was not harmful and could be indulged in without fear. This is an issue that is of the utmost relevance today, and the message of the Scripture is just as unequivocal now as it was then. When business interests (whether in management or labour) clash with Christianity, the issue is clear-cut and plain: we either nail our colours to the mast or deny our Lord. There can be no middle way, no compromise, as this Jezebel suggested. To falter here is to go over to the enemy's side.