Balaam and Jezebel?
My apologies for missing yesterday’s post and in posting this a bit later that normal.
What I want to do today is show you how the Old Testament is the key for understanding Revelation.
Yesterday’s Reading (day 04 of 30): Revelation 2:12-17.
Today’s Reading (day 05 of 30): Revelation 2:18-29.
(Remember, there are no readings on weekends.)
At the beginning of Revelation there is a brief message from Jesus to each of the seven churches to whom John is sending his vision.
In both Pergamum and Thyatira, Jesus warns the churches to stop having contact with false teachers, whom he calls “Balaam” in Pergamum and “Jezebel” in Thyatira.
Balaam was an enemy prophet of Israel who tried to lead the Children of Israel astray as they made their way into the Promised Land; Jezebel was a wicked pagan queen of an Israelite king who had God’s prophets murdered. The names are meant to show the Christians in Pergamum and Thyatira that the people they are listening to are false teachers.
The connection with the Old Testament makes the warnings obvious, but if you don’t know those Old Testament stories, you’ll miss the point. The entire rest of Revelation does the same thing constantly—uses Old Testament imagery to “reveal” the truth about history.
A few more points:
“Satan’s throne” in Pergamum refers to the pagan worship that was happening there, either of the imperial cult (worship of the emperor) or of Greek religion (worship of Zeus the Savior).
We don’t know who the Nicolaitans are, other than some kind of false sect.
In the Old Testament, idolatry is often described as sexual immorality—committing adultery on God. So, it’s not clear in Thyatira if “Jezebel” is literally encouraging sexual immorality or just figuratively doing so because she is encoring idolatry. Either way, it’s a problem. The punishment that Jesus is sending on her and her followers is some kind of sickness or pestilence.
These are harsh messages because the truth matters. But, they are also an opportunity for repentance and an invitation of grace—it’s not too late for the wayward Christians in Pergamum and Thyatira to turn back.
The same goes for every one one of us, and every one one we’ll see today—as long as we are breathing, it’s not too late for any of us.
What falsehood do you need to turn from today?
How can you help someone else turn from falsehood today?