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00:00:00 All the other names.
00:00:21 Let them all fade away.
00:00:25 Let them all fade away.
00:00:30 There is no name like the name.
00:00:35 The name of Jesus.
00:00:40 There's something about that name.
00:00:46 You all ready for the word?
00:00:48 I want you to lock this date in, July 2nd.
00:00:51 I believe that's the first Sunday in July.
00:00:57 I'm going to start a new message that Sunday.
00:01:01 And I encourage everyone to be here and tune in for this message because it's a critical
00:01:08 message regarding the future of this ministry.
00:01:14 And you all need to hear it so you can decide what part you're going to play.
00:01:26 But it's going to deal with a couple things, but ultimately the vision and mission of Crenshaw
00:01:34 Christian Center in the hour we live in today.
00:01:39 How many of you know visions can remain the same, but missions may change?
00:01:45 Missions may change.
00:01:47 But we have four more churches to talk about in this message.
00:01:54 And so church number four, the church at Thyatira, we're going to get back to our message.
00:01:59 The church is closed.
00:02:01 Christ's final words and make your way to Revelation chapter two, verse 18.
00:02:12 Revelation 2, 18, that's where we will begin.
00:02:19 And let's see what the Lord is telling us, ultimately telling the church.
00:02:28 Remember John was to write to the angel of the church, that word angel can imply pastor.
00:02:35 So it appears that the pastor or the elder of the local church at, for example, Thyatira,
00:02:44 that's what we're about to read now, but Jesus instructed John to write these letters.
00:02:52 And while contextually these letters apply to the specific church John was writing to,
00:02:58 it can apply to the church at large, the church at whole.
00:03:07 These seven churches can represent seven phases of the church.
00:03:11 These seven churches can represent seven types of churches that make up the church of the
00:03:18 Lord Jesus Christ.
00:03:21 When you study these, when you study these churches out, you realize of the seven, we
00:03:25 only want to be like two.
00:03:29 There's only two we want to be like, and we already read about one of them.
00:03:32 We'll read about one on another Sunday, but the church we're going to read about today,
00:03:37 we don't want to be like this church.
00:03:44 Verse 18, "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 'These things says the
00:03:48 Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire and His feet like fine brass, I know your
00:03:56 works.'"
00:03:57 I would not want to be a church where Jesus opens up telling me about all of the good
00:04:04 things we're doing and then smacks me right in the mouth with what He's not pleased with.
00:04:13 "Look, I know your works.
00:04:18 I know your love.
00:04:21 I know your service.
00:04:24 I know your faith and I know your patience," which means I know your what?
00:04:31 I know your endurance, which means I know what?
00:04:35 I know your perseverance.
00:04:38 I know, Jesus says.
00:04:40 And then look at what He says next.
00:04:42 He says, "And as for your works," that's the first thing He mentioned.
00:04:45 He said, "I know your works."
00:04:47 And now He ends it with, "Oh, and by the way, regarding your works," what does He say here?
00:04:51 He says, "The last are," what?
00:04:54 "More than the first."
00:04:56 So as far as works are concerned, I mean, this sounds like a model church.
00:05:02 To where your deeds, as you progress in the faith, your deeds become more than what they
00:05:08 were in the beginning.
00:05:11 Don't we all want to aim for that?
00:05:13 Don't we all want to strive for that?
00:05:15 That when I entered into this thing, I started off doing some good works, but as I progressed
00:05:21 in my faith, the works became more abundant and exponential.
00:05:27 Yeah, we're called to do good works and we're called to walk in them.
00:05:34 So He says, "As for your works, the last are more than the first," verse 20.
00:05:37 "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman," Jezebel.
00:05:54 Oh, Jeze is back.
00:06:02 You allow that woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, but really she's a witch.
00:06:12 Jezebel is a witch.
00:06:14 Jezebel, and I've shared this with you before, Jezebel has been wrongfully accused, or that
00:06:26 title has been incorrectly ascribed to women who behave in a certain way.
00:06:36 And so it's just assumed, you know, if there's that woman in the church who's trying to get
00:06:43 husband's attention, Jezebel.
00:06:46 But see, Jezebel, Jezebel wasn't, she wasn't a whore like that.
00:06:56 Not in the way that many, many, many, many define Jezebel as this, this, this whore who
00:07:04 just lays with all kinds of men.
00:07:05 Actually no, Jezebel was faithful to her husband.
00:07:09 So that's not what a Jezebel is.
00:07:13 Jezebels are manipulators.
00:07:17 As a matter of fact, I discovered a word last night I'd never in my life heard before when
00:07:26 looking up in Strong's Concordance in the Greek here regarding the definition of this
00:07:34 woman Jezebel.
00:07:35 Now, we all know there was an actual Jezebel in the old covenant, and we'll read a few
00:07:40 things about her so we can understand what Jesus is talking about when he's writing to
00:07:44 this specific church saying, "You allow that Jezebel or that Jezebel like, that one like
00:07:52 Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess, you allow her to whatever he's getting ready to
00:07:57 say next."
00:07:59 You'll see how the original Jezebel clearly influenced all the Jezebels to follow.
00:08:05 And so one of the words describing her, I've never…so if I mispronounce this word, some
00:08:11 of you wordsmiths, you PhDs in etymology, forgive me if I butcher this word, but one
00:08:20 of the definitions for Jezebel is a "termagant woman."
00:08:26 Anyone ever heard that word before?
00:08:29 Did I say it right?
00:08:30 That termagant.
00:08:31 T-E-R-M-A-G-A-N-T.
00:08:32 I have never heard this word before, but here's what it means.
00:08:37 A termagant woman is an overbearing woman.
00:08:43 Not only is she an overbearing woman, she's a harsh-tempered and violent woman.
00:08:51 That's what Jezebel was.
00:08:54 And I have to ask myself the question, how did Jezebel get in the church?
00:09:02 How did this overbearing, violent, harsh-tempered woman make her way in the church to influence
00:09:14 male leadership and women under her, women around her?
00:09:23 How'd she get in here?
00:09:30 Verse 20, "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you because you allowed that woman
00:09:33 Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit sexual
00:09:40 immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols."
00:09:46 The doctrine of Jezebel is very similar to Balaam, to entice God's people to have spiritual
00:09:57 intercourse with gods and practices of gods that are not God.
00:10:06 He says what?
00:10:07 He says, "You allow Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants
00:10:14 to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols."
00:10:18 Watch this, Jesus says, "And I gave her time to repent."
00:10:26 I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality and she did not repent.
00:10:31 "Indeed, I will cast her into a sickbed and those who commit adultery with her into great
00:10:38 tribulation unless they repent, unless they repent of their deeds.
00:10:48 And I'll kill her children with death."
00:10:50 What's he saying here?
00:10:51 Because that's harsh.
00:10:52 But he's not talking about Jezebel's natural offspring.
00:10:58 He's talking about her spiritual offspring, who she teaches, who she seduces.
00:11:03 They become her children.
00:11:05 They become her pupils.
00:11:06 He says, "I gave her time to repent and she refused to."
00:11:10 You need to know this, Jezebel will not repent.
00:11:18 Those influenced by the spirit of Jezebel have hope to repent.
00:11:23 But you want to know how Jezebel ended?
00:11:28 She got thrown out of the window of the top of the tower, King Jehu.
00:11:33 It's a bad dude.
00:11:37 Jehu was coming with his company of soldiers and they could see him from the tower walls.
00:11:44 And I'm summarizing the report was, "A commotion is coming."
00:11:50 And Jehu walks in, said, "That woman right there, throw her down."
00:11:55 Jezebel got tossed, her body cracked and crumbled on the ground, and then the dogs finished
00:12:01 her off.
00:12:02 That's Jezebel's end every time.
00:12:06 And that's why, writing to the church, Jesus says, "I gave her time to repent, but she
00:12:10 didn't."
00:12:11 But you who follow her, who have been taught by her or seduced by her, you still have time
00:12:16 to repent.
00:12:18 If you don't, your end will be like hers.
00:12:25 Verse 23, "I'll kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am
00:12:29 he who searches the minds and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to
00:12:35 your works."
00:12:38 According to your works.
00:12:39 He's writing to the church.
00:12:40 Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for the
00:12:44 deeds done in the body, the works done in the body.
00:12:48 When did I do any kind of deed or work in the body?
00:12:52 When I was on the earth.
00:12:54 Because when I'm on the earth is when I'm in the body.
00:12:59 So Paul writes to us in 2 Corinthians 5.10 that we all must stand before the bema or
00:13:04 the reward bench to give an account for the deeds done in the body.
00:13:09 Watch this, whether good or bad.
00:13:13 Now let me share some encouragement with you.
00:13:17 If you're at the judgment seat of Christ, you're in.
00:13:23 You're in.
00:13:24 If you're at the bema, if you're at the reward bench, you're in.
00:13:28 Now of course, I don't want to be one standing at the judgment seat of Christ with a long
00:13:35 list of rebukes from my Savior.
00:13:38 I'll pass on that.
00:13:39 So whatever I can fix here in the body, I'm going to fix here in the body.
00:13:49 Because even as a grown man, I was scared when my daddy had to check me.
00:13:53 I sure as heck don't want to stand before Christ and be checked by him.
00:13:59 So I'd rather be one to the best of my ability.
00:14:03 I'd rather be one who when I stand before the judgment seat of Christ, I'm only giving
00:14:08 an account for the good deeds I did in this body when I was on this earth.
00:14:15 And I hope you would follow suit.
00:14:16 Look at what he says, "I'll give to each one of you according to your works."
00:14:22 But notice that when Jesus is writing to these churches, he keeps writing, "He who overcomes."
00:14:31 Well in Christ we're overcomers already.
00:14:34 What's he talking about?
00:14:36 Because as the days get closer to the last day, and as the last day gets closer to the
00:14:42 last hour, and as the last hour gets closer to the last second, there are going to be
00:14:46 believers who you saw lift up holy hands.
00:14:50 There are going to be believers who you know were saved.
00:14:54 They're going to depart Jesus.
00:14:55 They're going to abandon him.
00:14:57 They're going to leave the faith.
00:14:59 This is why he writes, "He who overcomes."
00:15:02 Those of us who overcome will not be seduced by the doctrines of this world to abandon
00:15:08 our Savior.
00:15:12 The ones who overcome, we didn't give in.
00:15:17 We stuck with Jesus.
00:15:22 So clearly in this church at Thyatira, there was a woman, and some scholars say it was
00:15:30 the pastor's wife.
00:15:37 When the pastor's wife is Jezebel, we got a serious problem.
00:15:43 Because if you're in a church and the pastor's wife is Jezebel, just know Jezebel's the pastor
00:15:48 at a church.
00:15:52 You can know that for sure.
00:15:55 Because one of Jezebel's most potent weapons is emasculation of her man.
00:16:04 Let's go look and see.
00:16:07 So we can make sure that Fred's not making this stuff up.
00:16:14 You ought to slap Jezebel upside her head.
00:16:19 Look at 1 Kings 16.
00:16:26 And you're going to—watch this—you're going to see the part that Jezebel's man plays and
00:16:32 Jezebel's ploys.
00:16:34 1 Kings, chapter 16.
00:16:43 Look at verse 29.
00:16:48 And it reads, "In the 38th year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri became king
00:16:56 over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years."
00:17:06 We're about to see the woman who birthed the spirit that was wreaking havoc in the church
00:17:12 at Thyatira.
00:17:15 And sadly, in the church today, Jezebel has been allowed to run amok.
00:17:25 Her and Balaam and Nicholas, all of them just doing whatever they want in the Lord's church.
00:17:34 Because shepherds aren't putting their foot down.
00:17:37 Shepherds aren't standing before the people and telling the people what they need to hear.
00:17:43 For the sake of filling up seats, for the sake of large gifts, they just scratch their
00:17:49 itching ears and tell them what they want to hear.
00:17:54 "Oh, I don't want to ruffle any feathers."
00:18:02 Look here in verse 30, 1 Kings 16.
00:18:04 "Now Ahab the son of Omri, he did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were
00:18:09 before him."
00:18:10 I don't even know how you could be a king of Israel or Judah and do evil before the
00:18:18 sight of the Lord, knowing how the Lord gets down.
00:18:22 Verse 31, "And it came to pass as though it had been a trivial thing."
00:18:28 Did you all catch that?
00:18:31 A trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.
00:18:37 In other words, it was what?
00:18:39 This is no big deal.
00:18:42 This is what I do.
00:18:44 Sinning is what I do.
00:18:46 "Ahab said, 'And I'm good at it.'"
00:18:52 Look at this.
00:18:53 It says, "It came to pass as though it had been a trivial thing, a nothing for him to
00:18:59 walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that he took as wife."
00:19:04 Ahab, no, you didn't.
00:19:08 You king of Israel, you took…
00:19:13 You…
00:19:14 Bro, you should have known something was wrong.
00:19:17 Baal is in her name.
00:19:26 You'll notice her name is spelled Jezebel.
00:19:30 Now she was Canaanite and the Canaanites worshiped Baal or the many Baals, Baal or the Baals.
00:19:38 The Baal, that's Babylonian.
00:19:39 The Baal, that's Canaanite.
00:19:42 She was a Canaanite woman.
00:19:43 As a matter of fact, look at what it says.
00:19:44 Look at what it says next.
00:19:46 As a matter of fact, Ahab should have paid attention to the name of her father and should
00:19:54 have walked away knowing this is not a wise decision.
00:19:57 "Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, and he went and served Baal
00:20:05 and worshipped him."
00:20:06 Now, the Sidonians were Phoenicians and the Phoenicians were Canaanites.
00:20:13 And we know who the Canaanites were.
00:20:15 And we know the many different gods the Canaanites worshipped.
00:20:20 We know that the Israelites worshipped the one true God.
00:20:24 And here we have an Ahab, king of Israel, marrying this pagan woman, this pagan woman
00:20:34 of pagan women.
00:20:36 Jezebel, literally, this is what her name means, Baal exalts.
00:20:43 Her name also means Baal is her husband.
00:20:47 Her name also means unchaste.
00:20:49 Bro, you should have known from the beginning.
00:20:54 This is not a good look.
00:20:56 And her father, Ethbaal, meaning with Baal.
00:21:01 I'm with him.
00:21:02 He's with me.
00:21:04 Now, now the word Baal simply means Lord.
00:21:07 It's a Semitic word for Lord in a general context.
00:21:10 It's not really a harmful word, but in a Canaanite pagan worship context, it is a god completely
00:21:18 different than the God of Israel.
00:21:21 And what does it say?
00:21:22 He went and served Baal and worshipped him.
00:21:24 "Then he set up an altar," Ahab, no you didn't, "for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he
00:21:29 had built in Samaria."
00:21:31 You want to know why he did it?
00:21:32 Because his wife wanted it.
00:21:36 And Ahab made a wooden image.
00:21:38 Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who
00:21:43 were before him.
00:21:44 "In his days, Heel of Bethel built Jericho.
00:21:48 He laid his foundation with Abiram, his firstborn, and with his youngest son, Segub, he set up
00:21:54 its gates according to the word of the Lord, which he had spoken through Joshua, the son
00:21:58 of Nun."
00:21:59 And what did Joshua say?
00:22:01 Way back then, Joshua said, "He who rebuilds Jericho will be cursed."
00:22:08 So under Ahab's rule, Jericho's rebuilt.
00:22:12 What does it say?
00:22:13 In his days.
00:22:16 In Ahab's days.
00:22:18 So you're just compounding sin after sin after sin.
00:22:22 Now think about this.
00:22:23 Ahab is the king, Jezebel is his wife.
00:22:27 Bring that relationship over to the church at Thyatira.
00:22:30 There's a high chance that the pastor of that church was married to the Jezebel.
00:22:38 What else does this woman do?
00:22:43 First off, we see that she incites worship of other gods.
00:22:48 Now of course, in today's times, it would be difficult for me to believe that any pastor
00:22:57 who—or one who claims to be a pastor would stand before God's people and try to convince
00:23:02 you to worship another god.
00:23:05 Idolatry is not going to present itself in that manner.
00:23:12 But possibly, it presents itself in the form of covetousness, which the Bible says covetousness
00:23:18 is idolatry.
00:23:21 Because when you covet something, first off, when you covet something, you covet something
00:23:26 that most likely belongs to someone else.
00:23:29 And it's not that you want something like to someone else, you want what the someone
00:23:33 else has.
00:23:34 You want theirs.
00:23:35 I've said it before, when you're coveting, you don't want a wife like to someone, you
00:23:39 want to someone's wife.
00:23:44 When you're coveting, you don't want a house like someone, you want their house.
00:23:47 You want their car.
00:23:48 You want their church.
00:23:49 You want their friends.
00:23:52 Not like, you want theirs.
00:23:54 That's coveting.
00:23:55 The Bible says it's idolatry.
00:23:59 So some pastors, sadly, are presenting things to love other than God.
00:24:06 And that's idolatry.
00:24:08 Because you can't love the world and the things of the world if you do the love of the Father
00:24:12 is not in you.
00:24:14 What happened to Demas?
00:24:15 Paul said, "He abandoned me."
00:24:17 Why?
00:24:18 Because he loves this present world.
00:24:23 That's idolatry.
00:24:26 What else did she do?
00:24:27 You're in 1 Kings, just go over to chapter 18.
00:24:31 Just look at four verses here.
00:24:35 This is what Thyatira was dealing with, the church of Thyatira was dealing with.
00:24:42 Verse 1, it says, "And it came to pass after many days," 1 Kings 18, 1, "that the word
00:24:48 of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, 'Go present yourself to Ahab, and
00:24:53 I'll send rain on the earth.'
00:24:57 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab, and there was a severe famine in Samaria.
00:25:03 And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house.
00:25:08 Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, for so it was while Jezebel massacred the prophets
00:25:15 of the Lord."
00:25:16 You see what Jezebel does?
00:25:19 Now Jezebel in the church won't murder prophets, but she'll emasculate prophets.
00:25:28 And isn't it interesting, the one who calls herself a prophetess massacres prophets of
00:25:33 the Lord.
00:25:35 "For so it was while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord that Obadiah had taken
00:25:41 100 prophets and hidden them fifty to a cave and had fed them with bread and water."
00:25:45 So we see what else Jezebel does.
00:25:48 See the prophet, prophets are seers, they're foretellers, they're divinely inspired speakers.
00:25:57 Jezebel wants to suppress the voice of the prophet.
00:26:00 Jezebel wants to suppress the voice of the prophetess, the true prophetess of God, the
00:26:05 true prophet of God, and place herself in that position so that her word can go forth.
00:26:13 That's the thing about Jezebel, Jezebel, the word of the Lord ain't never came to her.
00:26:23 Look at chapter 19.
00:26:28 Three verses here in chapter 19.
00:26:34 It says, "And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the
00:26:42 prophets with the salt.
00:26:46 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah."
00:26:48 Oh, so Jezebel doesn't mind her own business.
00:26:59 See when that key leadership figure is confiding in his wife and then his wife creates her
00:27:06 own agenda out of what her husband just told her in their bedchamber.
00:27:15 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, "So let the gods do to me and more also, if
00:27:18 I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time."
00:27:23 What's she saying?
00:27:24 Just like I massacred the other prophets, Elijah, I'm going to massacre you.
00:27:28 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life and went to Beersheba, which belongs
00:27:32 to Judah, and left his servant there.
00:27:38 So she threatens the prophets, she massacres the prophets, she lords kingly power over
00:27:44 the prophets or perverted authority over the prophets or the voices of God.
00:27:50 What do you think she was suppressing, this Jezebel-like figure in the church at Thyatira?
00:27:55 What do you think she was suppressing?
00:27:57 What do you think she was preventing from happening in that church based on the way
00:28:02 the original Jezebel behaved?
00:28:05 Look here in chapter 21.
00:28:12 First Kings 21.
00:28:24 You got to see how shady this woman is.
00:28:26 Look at this, verse 1.
00:28:31 First Kings 21.
00:28:32 "And it came to pass after these things that Naboth, the Jezreelite, had a vineyard which
00:28:42 was in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.
00:28:49 So Ahab spoke to him.
00:28:50 He said, 'Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it's
00:28:58 near next to my house, and I'll give you a vineyard better.
00:29:03 Or if it seems good to you, I'll give you its worth of money.'
00:29:07 But Naboth said to Ahab, 'The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of
00:29:10 my fathers to you.'
00:29:13 The answer's no, O evil king.'
00:29:18 So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased."
00:29:21 He's disappointed about this.
00:29:24 Why?
00:29:25 "Because of the word which Naboth, the Jezreelite, had spoken to him.
00:29:31 For he had said, 'I'll not give you the inheritance of my fathers.'
00:29:34 And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food."
00:29:38 He's having a pity party right now.
00:29:41 He's throwing a tantrum.
00:29:45 "Oh, but Ahab's loving wife Jezebel says, 'Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat
00:29:56 no food?'"
00:29:57 And he tells her what happened.
00:29:59 "I spoke to Naboth.
00:30:00 I said, 'Give me the vineyard.
00:30:02 I'll pay you for it.
00:30:04 I'll give you a better one.'
00:30:06 But he said no."
00:30:07 Look at verse 7.
00:30:08 "Jezebel said, his wife said to him, 'You now exercise authority over Israel.'"
00:30:14 In other words, what?
00:30:15 Do what you want.
00:30:16 You're the king.
00:30:17 I mean, do what you want without any honor.
00:30:21 Just do what you want.
00:30:22 You're the king.
00:30:23 She said, "Arise, eat food, let your heart be cheerful."
00:30:27 She said, "I'll give you the vineyard."
00:30:29 Woman, you ain't got nothing to do with this.
00:30:32 But Ahab just…
00:30:33 See, Jezebel really gets her power from her Ahab because he lets her roam about unchecked.
00:30:44 She strokes his ego.
00:30:48 She makes him feel like a man when he's really not one.
00:30:54 And so she then gets her way.
00:30:57 She said, "I'll give you the vineyard."
00:30:58 Look at verse 8.
00:30:59 "She wrote letters in Ahab's name."
00:31:01 Really?
00:31:02 "Seal them with his seal."
00:31:04 Lion whore.
00:31:09 "And sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with
00:31:14 Naboth."
00:31:15 Look what she writes in the letter, saying, "Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth with high
00:31:19 honor among the people and seat two men scoundrels."
00:31:23 Anyone ever heard of that word before?
00:31:25 It means pretty much what you think.
00:31:28 "Seat two men scoundrels before him to bear witness against him saying, 'You've blasphemed
00:31:33 God and the king.'
00:31:36 Then take him out and stone him that he may die."
00:31:41 Watch this.
00:31:42 Ahab, king of Israel, for a brief second is acting like a real king.
00:31:49 He goes to a man, asks him for his vineyard, offers him money or a better vineyard.
00:31:54 The man says, "No, I'm not going to give you my father's inheritance."
00:31:56 And Ahab says, "OK, fine."
00:32:01 But because he's all down and distraught, he tells his wife.
00:32:03 And then look at what his wife does.
00:32:05 She manipulates him.
00:32:07 She manipulates the kingdom.
00:32:09 She writes letters in his name and puts his seal on it.
00:32:14 And then says, "Proclaim a fast and tell Naboth you've blasphemed God and the king and then
00:32:19 kill him."
00:32:20 That's sick.
00:32:22 Look at verse 11.
00:32:23 "So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of this city, did as
00:32:28 Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them.
00:32:33 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth with high honor among the people and two men scoundrels
00:32:39 came in and sat before him.
00:32:41 And the scoundrels witnessed against him, saying, 'Naboth has blasphemed God and the
00:32:47 king.'
00:32:48 And then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stone so that he died."
00:32:52 She murdered an innocent man.
00:32:55 He never blasphemed God.
00:32:56 He never blasphemed the king.
00:33:00 But if Jezebel can see to it that her Ahab gets what he wants, Ahab will see to it that
00:33:05 Jezebel gets what she wants.
00:33:11 And Jezebel and Ahab, that relationship or those examples don't just exist in leadership.
00:33:20 Matter of fact, that spirit is running at very fast and furious levels of speed in this
00:33:31 day and age that we live in.
00:33:34 The emasculation of men is high on the agenda of this world system.
00:33:47 We're living in the day where men don't get to be men.
00:33:52 My goodness, we're living in a day where a man can't innocently give a woman a compliment
00:34:01 without being accused of…
00:34:04 I can't even say your hat looks lovely because it'll be picked apart and somehow some sexual
00:34:14 advancement will be found in that.
00:34:20 We're living in a day, we're living in an age where men are encouraged to be women and
00:34:27 women are encouraged to be men.
00:34:28 I'm not just talking about the letters.
00:34:32 I'm saying men are being encouraged to do things that women should be doing and women
00:34:43 are encouraged to do things that men should be doing.
00:34:52 But that sounds like the devil, doesn't it?
00:34:55 Because he's upside down and he's inside out.
00:34:59 He can't create anything original so he's got to pervert what's already created.
00:35:03 So if God has created an order for anything, he's got to twist it because he can't create
00:35:09 his own order.
00:35:10 He's got to pervert the original order and that's what he's doing.
00:35:16 And you can see Ahab and Jezebel all over the place.
00:35:21 Look at verse 14, "Then they sent to Jezebel saying, 'Naboth has been stoned and is dead.'"
00:35:27 Why did they go to Jezebel?
00:35:28 Why did they go to her?
00:35:30 She's the one who forged letters in her husband's name and his seal.
00:35:34 Why didn't they go to the king?
00:35:36 She made sure it came to her so that she could go tell her king, her husband.
00:35:40 Verse 15, "And it came to pass when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was
00:35:43 dead that Jezebel said to Ahab, 'Arise, take possession of the vineyard.'"
00:35:49 Look at this manipulation as if God blessed him.
00:35:52 "Take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite which he refused to give you
00:35:58 for money for Naboth is not alive but dead."
00:36:00 And so it was that when Ahab heard that he was dead, he got up, went down and took possession
00:36:05 of his vineyard from the plots and schemes of his Jezebel.
00:36:12 So now, what do we have here back in Revelation?
00:36:16 Here, the church at Thyatira, the Lord says, "I know your works.
00:36:22 I know your love, your service, your patience.
00:36:24 As a matter of fact, your works are greater now than they were in the beginning.
00:36:29 But here's what I have against you.
00:36:30 You let Jezebel do whatever she wants."
00:36:37 And nobody's calling her on the carpet.
00:36:43 And so, because Jezebel won't repent, those who have given heed to her still have time
00:36:49 to repent.
00:36:56 Back to Revelation chapter 2, look at verse 24.
00:37:04 It says, "Now to you I say and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine
00:37:10 who have not known the depths of Satan as they say, 'I will put on you no other burden.'"
00:37:15 Listen to what he said again.
00:37:19 "To you I say, to the rest in Thyatira."
00:37:22 That means there are those in Thyatira that were not in agreement with Jezebel's behavior.
00:37:27 They were not in agreement with Jezebel having her way.
00:37:31 There were those in Thyatira that stood against her.
00:37:36 They stood against the spirit of Jezebel and the accompanying spirit of Ahab.
00:37:43 He says, "The rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine who have not known
00:37:47 the depths of Satan as they say, 'I will put on you no other burden.'"
00:37:50 Notice also what Jesus is saying.
00:37:54 Those who know the way of Jezebel, the doctrine of Jezebel, the behavior of Jezebel, they
00:37:59 know the depths of Satan, the depths of Satan.
00:38:07 Look at this next verse.
00:38:09 "Behold fast what you have till I come, and he who," there it is, "he who," what?
00:38:16 He overcomes.
00:38:18 So he's saying those of you in Thyatira, you didn't give heed.
00:38:21 First off, he's talking to those in Thyatira who did give heed to her doctrine and her
00:38:25 ways, but he's giving them time to repent.
00:38:27 You who did not, I put no other burden on you.
00:38:30 He says, "He who overcomes and keeps my works until the end, to him I'll give power over
00:38:36 the nations."
00:38:37 What?
00:38:40 Did I read that correctly?
00:38:43 I want to make sure I'm reading this correctly.
00:38:45 You said if I overcome and I don't give heed to the works of Jezebel, rather I'm keeping
00:38:51 your works, you're going to give me power over the nations?
00:38:59 What are you talking about, Jesus?
00:39:03 Look at verse 27.
00:39:04 "He shall rule them with a rod of iron.
00:39:06 They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels, as I also have received from my Father,
00:39:12 and I'll give him the morning star."
00:39:15 And we know that the true morning star is Jesus.
00:39:21 Lucifer was a chief morning star, but who is the bright and morning star?
00:39:28 Who is the root and offspring of David that is Jesus?
00:39:32 Look at this.
00:39:33 "He shall rule them with a rod of iron.
00:39:35 They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessel."
00:39:39 The potter's vessels.
00:39:40 Look here in the second Psalm.
00:39:43 Let's see if we can focus on, zone in on, put in our crosshairs what Jesus is talking
00:39:54 about here when He says that He will give them power over the nations.
00:40:03 He'll allow them to also rule over the nations.
00:40:08 Look at Psalm 2, find the seventh verse.
00:40:24 And it reads, "I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me.
00:40:30 You are my son, today I have begotten you."
00:40:32 Sounds like our Messiah.
00:40:33 "Ask of me and I'll give you the nations," plural, "for your inheritance, and the ends
00:40:40 of the earth for your possession.
00:40:42 You shall break them with a rod of iron.
00:40:44 You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel."
00:40:48 I just read that in Revelation.
00:40:50 But what's the slight difference?
00:40:52 Here's the slight difference.
00:40:54 This is a prophetic Psalm referring to the Savior in which the Father is saying what?
00:40:59 "I'll give you the nations for your inheritance, and you'll break them with a rod of iron.
00:41:05 You'll dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel," singular.
00:41:09 Notice in Revelation, the one who would receive the nations said, "If we overcome, we too
00:41:14 can rule with them."
00:41:18 We can rule with Him and break them with a rod of iron, dashing them to pieces like the
00:41:24 potter's vessels.
00:41:27 Still this prophetic declaration attributed to our Messiah, the Messiah who receives this
00:41:34 is saying that we who overcome can rule with Him.
00:41:41 Let's keep looking at this.
00:41:42 Go to Revelation chapter 5.
00:41:50 You really need to get a revelation of who you are in Christ.
00:42:00 How many of you know Jesus?
00:42:02 Man, I see a lot of kings.
00:42:07 Kings.
00:42:10 I see kings.
00:42:12 I need you to understand that I see kings.
00:42:16 No queens.
00:42:18 Kings only.
00:42:19 There are kings in this place.
00:42:20 Male or female, doesn't matter, you're king in Christ.
00:42:27 Look at this.
00:42:28 Revelation 5.
00:42:31 And look at verse 8.
00:42:33 Revelation 5, 8.
00:42:35 Let's see if we can really dissect what he's talking about here, this ruling the nations,
00:42:42 ruling with Him.
00:42:43 What is this about?
00:42:44 Look at verse 8 of Revelation 5.
00:42:45 "Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders,
00:42:49 they fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which
00:42:54 are the prayers of the saints.
00:42:57 And they sang a new song."
00:42:59 And here's the song that they sang.
00:43:00 "You're worthy to take the scroll, to open its seals, for you were slain and you've done
00:43:06 what?
00:43:07 What have you done?
00:43:08 You've redeemed us to God by your blood and out of every tribe and tongue and people and
00:43:16 nation and you've made us to be what?
00:43:20 Kings and priests to our God and what shall we do?
00:43:22 We shall reign on the earth."
00:43:29 Did you read what I just read?
00:43:34 You've made us, now this is only for those of us that have been redeemed by His blood.
00:43:40 So if you've been redeemed by His blood, you've been made to be a king and a priest and we
00:43:45 will reign on the earth.
00:43:49 Okay, wait, let's keep going with this.
00:43:54 Look here in Revelation chapter 20.
00:43:59 Yes, don't say no.
00:44:06 Revelation 20, look at verse 1.
00:44:08 When you have it, say I have it.
00:44:13 No, verse 4, go to verse 4.
00:44:16 Revelation 20, verse 4.
00:44:19 John says "and I saw thrones and they sat on them."
00:44:25 Who's the "they"?
00:44:26 I need to know who the "they" are.
00:44:29 John help me out.
00:44:30 I want to know who "they" are.
00:44:33 Who are the "they" that sat on the thrones you saw?
00:44:39 Watch this.
00:44:41 "And I saw thrones and they sat on them and judgment was committed to them."
00:44:47 They were given responsibility to do some judging.
00:44:50 Oh, let's keep reading.
00:44:52 "Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for
00:44:58 the word of God who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his
00:45:03 mark on their foreheads or on their hands and they lived and they reigned with Christ
00:45:11 for how long?
00:45:12 A thousand years."
00:45:16 This sounds like what I read in Revelation 5.
00:45:19 Those who have been redeemed by his blood, he's made them to be kings and priests and
00:45:24 we will reign on the earth.
00:45:27 Now the wording is slightly different here because it's talking about those who didn't
00:45:31 receive the sign or the mark of the beast.
00:45:35 It's talking about those who were martyred but nevertheless they too will reign with
00:45:40 him for a thousand years.
00:45:43 Look at verse 5.
00:45:44 "But the rest of the dead, they didn't live again until the thousand years were finished.
00:45:50 This is the first resurrection."
00:45:52 Oh, if there's a first resurrection, there at least must be a second resurrection.
00:46:01 "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection."
00:46:08 Not the second, but the first.
00:46:11 "Over such the second death has absolutely no power and the second death is the lake
00:46:16 of fire.
00:46:20 They shall be," oh, look at that, "priests of God and of Christ and they shall do," what?
00:46:26 "Reign with him for a thousand years."
00:46:29 Oh, I think the picture's getting clearer.
00:46:34 He tells Thyatira and believers and believers at large, "I'll put no other burden on you.
00:46:46 You continue to overcome and do my works, then I'll give you the nations."
00:46:54 We then read that those who have been redeemed by his blood are made to be kings and priests
00:47:00 and will reign on the earth.
00:47:02 And we also read about those who are martyred, those who were beheaded for not receiving
00:47:06 the mark, they too will reign for a thousand years as priests.
00:47:12 That's the first resurrection and blessed and holy is he who takes part in the first
00:47:17 resurrection.
00:47:18 The lake of fire has no power over you.
00:47:22 Here's what you need to know about the resurrection that is to come.
00:47:26 There is a first resurrection and there is a second resurrection, but you need to understand
00:47:31 that the first resurrection has a part A and a part B.
00:47:38 We going to be in part A. Part A is when the Lord appears.
00:47:48 Let's not forget there's a difference between the Lord appearing and the Lord coming.
00:47:54 And when the Lord appears, it's like a thief in the night.
00:48:01 When the Lord comes, it's a boom in the sky.
00:48:05 Two different things.
00:48:06 When the Lord comes, his feet touch the ground and he wipes out the armies of the adversary.
00:48:13 When the Lord simply appears, he's never setting foot on the ground.
00:48:17 He remains in the air.
00:48:18 We who are alive and remain will by no means precede those who have gone to sleep before
00:48:24 us.
00:48:25 The sleep will get up.
00:48:26 Whoever is left will be changed and will be caught up to meet him in the clouds and then
00:48:32 we'll go to heaven.
00:48:34 That is first resurrection A. That is the first part of the first resurrection.
00:48:42 The second part of the first resurrection are the martyrs who do not give into the agenda
00:48:49 of the beast during the tribulation.
00:48:53 Then later, after a thousand years of reigning, oh, the second resurrection.
00:48:59 And unfortunately, the second resurrection, some of them will make it and some of them
00:49:04 will not.
00:49:06 And even those who make it, they will not have bodies like ours.
00:49:12 This is how we know they will not have bodies like ours.
00:49:15 And this is how you know you want to make sure you take part in the first resurrection.
00:49:22 Because see, we get that upgraded glorified body.
00:49:28 See, that's the body that can't get sick and the body that can't die.
00:49:34 But those who take part in the second resurrection, sadly, they're going to need healing.
00:49:40 This is why the Bible tells us in Revelation 22 that the tree of life will be in the midst
00:49:46 of the city and on this tree will be leaves for the healing of the nations.
00:49:52 Why when there's no more sin, no more devil, no more death and no more hell, why would
00:49:58 anyone still need healing?
00:50:02 Because they took part in the second resurrection.
00:50:06 They had to stand before the great white throne judgment.
00:50:10 And those who stand before the great white throne judgment, there will be a group of
00:50:15 them who make it in and there will be a group of them who make their way to the lake of
00:50:21 fire.
00:50:22 And you and I, whether you're in group A or B, we in A, the second death has no power
00:50:30 over us.
00:50:32 The lake of fire has no power over us.
00:50:36 Now watch this, smack dab in the middle of the judgment seat of Christ, which is where
00:50:42 we would go right now.
00:50:44 If the Lord appeared, we'd go right to the judgment seat of Christ.
00:50:47 Smack dab in the middle of the judgment seat of Christ and the great white throne judgment
00:50:52 is the judgment of the nations.
00:50:57 And anyone who participates in the first resurrection will judge with Jesus the nations.
00:51:05 I'll show it to you right now.
00:51:06 How many of you, how many of you have ever heard the scriptures about the sheep and the
00:51:10 goats?
00:51:12 And you've heard that the sheep will get in and the goats will, you know, they won't be
00:51:16 so fortunate.
00:51:19 Now sadly, and I don't believe it's their aim, but sadly some people have good hearts,
00:51:27 but they butcher the text.
00:51:31 Sadly there are many who have good hearts, but they don't know what they be talking about.
00:51:40 The sheep and the goats have nothing to do with us.
00:51:43 Nothing.
00:51:44 Let me show you.
00:51:48 Go to Matthew.
00:51:49 Go to Matthew, no go to first, go to 1 Corinthians 6.
00:51:54 We can get these two in.
00:51:55 Go to 1 Corinthians 6, so you can see what I see.
00:52:02 1 Corinthians 6, 1.
00:52:05 Alright, how many of you know that you're not supposed to sue your brother in the Lord?
00:52:12 Usually it happens, but you're not supposed to.
00:52:14 We are to be so mature that we can handle anything as believers in the Lord.
00:52:20 So look here, look at verse 1 of 1 Corinthians chapter 6.
00:52:24 He says, "Dare any of you having a matter against another go to law before the unrighteous?"
00:52:30 You don't do that.
00:52:31 You shouldn't have to do that.
00:52:32 Are we not mature enough to settle whatever dispute this is?
00:52:38 But we know that's not always the case.
00:52:41 And God that our salvation doesn't hinge on it.
00:52:44 Look at what he says next.
00:52:45 "You go to law before the righteous and not before the saints?"
00:52:48 Look at verse 2.
00:52:49 "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?"
00:52:52 Uh oh, when's that going to happen?
00:52:56 When will saints judge the world?
00:52:59 When saints judge the nation with the judge.
00:53:02 Let's keep going.
00:53:03 "And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?"
00:53:08 What's he saying?
00:53:09 If you can't handle this small matter, what then will qualify you to judge the nations,
00:53:14 to judge the world?
00:53:15 Look at verse 3.
00:53:17 "Did you not know that we will also," what?
00:53:20 "Judge angels."
00:53:23 How much more things that pertain to this life.
00:53:26 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you not appoint
00:53:29 those who are least esteemed by the church to judge?
00:53:32 I say this to your shame.
00:53:34 It is so that there is not a wise man among you, not even one who will be able to judge
00:53:37 between his brother, not one.
00:53:41 But brother goes to law against brother and before unbelievers, before the world, before
00:53:46 the unrighteous, it ought not occur.
00:53:51 What's the bottom line?
00:53:53 Paul is letting us know there will be a time where we judge the world, where we judge the
00:53:57 nations.
00:53:59 When will we judge the nations?
00:54:01 If you participate in that first resurrection, you will judge the nations because you will
00:54:06 rule the nations with the King of Kings for a thousand years.
00:54:10 That is his earthly millennial reign.
00:54:13 He will set up an earthly kingdom here and that kingdom will last for a thousand years.
00:54:19 Now that—the end of the thousand years is not the end of it.
00:54:21 It's just going to be a thousand years of peace.
00:54:24 It's going to be a thousand years of no devil.
00:54:27 Sin will still exist, but it'll be kept at bay because the devil will be in the bottomless
00:54:32 pit for a thousand years.
00:54:34 Once he's released, he'll gather all of his armies to do what?
00:54:37 To deceive the nations and try to attack the camp of the saints.
00:54:41 It's going to be a setup because when he surrounds the entire city, God's going to rain fire
00:54:45 down on him and his armies.
00:54:50 And we're going to be watching in 3D.
00:54:55 IMAX laser.
00:54:59 Dolby Cinema THX times 10.
00:55:06 Look at this last passage, Matthew 25.
00:55:10 This is where we learn about the sheep and the goats.
00:55:11 But see, the sheep and the goats aren't just talking about the judgment seat of Christ
00:55:16 or even the great white throne judgment.
00:55:18 It's talking about the judgment of the nations and we're going to judge with them.
00:55:22 Matthew 25.
00:55:25 We may not be able to get through all of these scriptures, but we'll shoot for it.
00:55:29 Look at verse 31.
00:55:30 "When the Son of Man comes," not when he appears, but when he comes in his glory, "and all the
00:55:35 holy angels with him."
00:55:37 See, there it is right there.
00:55:39 When he comes, who's coming with him?
00:55:42 Saints and angels.
00:55:47 Saints on white horses, that's us.
00:55:52 We're saints and angels.
00:55:55 He's got an army of redeemed saints and angels.
00:55:59 Oh, the devil is in trouble.
00:56:03 It says, "And then he'll sit on the throne of his glory.
00:56:06 All the nations," oh, there it is.
00:56:08 All the what?
00:56:09 All the what?
00:56:11 All the what?
00:56:12 All the nations will be gathered before him and he'll separate them one from another as
00:56:16 a shepherd divides his sheep from his goats.
00:56:20 Sheep and the goats have nothing to do with disbelievers standing for any kind of judgment
00:56:24 seat.
00:56:25 Sheep and the goats have to do with the judging of the nations.
00:56:29 The part that we play, we judge with him.
00:56:31 We don't get judged.
00:56:32 We also do the judging because we're ruling with him.
00:56:40 Blessed is he who takes part in the first resurrection.
00:56:46 Verse 33, "And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left."
00:56:52 Now paraphrase, he says, "Those of you who," what?
00:56:56 "Those of you who are righteous were the ones who when you saw the Lord, you fed him.
00:57:03 When he was thirsty, you gave him a drink, and when he was in prison, you came to visit
00:57:07 him."
00:57:09 The goats, you're the ones that didn't do it.
00:57:14 Once again, these are the nations.
00:57:16 Why is he judging nations?
00:57:19 Because there will be nations that either commit to him or not during the tribulation.
00:57:24 There will be nations on the winning side and nations on the losing side.
00:57:29 He's going to judge them, and we're going to judge with him.
00:57:35 Sheep on the right, goats on the left, and what's going to happen?
00:57:42 The sheep are the ones who get in.
00:57:44 The goats, what does he say?
00:57:45 "Depart from me into," what?
00:57:49 "Everlasting fire," but here's the saddest part of what he says, and we'll close here.
00:57:55 Saddest part of what he says is, "Depart from me into everlasting fire, prepared for."
00:58:06 What does it mean to prepare something for someone?
00:58:09 That means in advance it was for them and them only.
00:58:15 All right, when you super moms prepare meals for Thanksgiving, did you prepare that meal
00:58:23 for people in the state next to you?
00:58:26 No, you prepared it for your family, all who are coming to your house.
00:58:30 You prepared it for them.
00:58:33 This says that everlasting fire was prepared for the devil and his angels.
00:58:37 It was prepared for the devil and his angels.
00:58:41 It was never prepared for men.
00:58:44 Hellfire was never prepared for mankind, and sadly, there will be mankind in everlasting
00:58:51 fire.
00:58:54 But once again, this was talking about the nations.
00:58:58 You and I, whenever he appears, we're a part of first class.
00:59:07 Need you to understand that.
00:59:08 We have first class seats in the resurrection.
00:59:13 We're the first.
00:59:14 We get called first.
00:59:18 We have access.
00:59:19 We have a clearance that no one else has.
00:59:23 Then the martyrs, they get in with us on the tail end, and then all of us together will
00:59:29 judge nations with Jesus.
00:59:32 When that's done, then it's time for the great white throne judgment.
00:59:36 Sadly, that's not gonna be a high day for everybody.
00:59:41 And even for those who get in, some of them might actually be nervous.
00:59:45 See, that's the thing.
00:59:48 When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we don't have to be nervous.
00:59:50 We're not standing before Jesus wondering if he's gonna say yes, wondering if he's gonna
00:59:55 let us in.
00:59:56 You hear people talking about it all the time.
00:59:58 I hope Peter lets us in the pearly gates.
01:00:01 I don't know who told you Peter even has that job.
01:00:03 He ain't got nothing to do with letting folk in pearly gates.
01:00:07 Nothing.
01:00:09 Peter ain't thinking about pearly gates and letting folk in.
01:00:12 That's not his job.
01:00:13 We'll stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
01:00:15 You know what the Bible tells us?
01:00:16 Death has been perfected in us so that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.
01:00:21 The judgment seat of Christ is a high day for us.
01:00:23 That's a yay day for us.
01:00:25 We're in.
01:00:28 And the martyrs, it's gonna be rough for them on the earth, but it's still gonna be good
01:00:34 for them in the end.
01:00:35 And once again, I'll say it for the last time today, and we will judge the nations.
01:00:40 We will rule with Jesus.
01:00:42 He will be right there judging the world, establishing with Him who the sheep are and
01:00:47 who the goats are.