THYATIRA
(Currently Akhisar - Revelation 2:18-29, Acts 16:14)
The
ancient city of Thyatira is located approximately 80 Kms to the north-east
of Smyrna (Izmir) and lies mostly under the current city of Akhisar. Only
the temple of Apollo, an ancient church and a collonaded road remained till
today.
The city
was founded by Lydians and named as Pelopio. Selucus Nicator, one of the
generals of Alexander the Great, took over the control of the city in the
3rd century B.C. and changed its name to Thyatira. During the following
centuries Pergamum became the ruler of the city. It was lying on a very flat
land and was very hard to defend.
Apollo
was the most influencial god of Thyatira.
After 100
B.C. the Roman influence was very apparent. The earliest settlers of the
city were the Jews. There was a large colony of Jewish settlers known to be
living in the city throughout the centuries.
In his
letter to the church and the Christian citizens of Thyatira, St.John was
writing :
"Revelation (2:18)
To
the angel of the church in Thyatira write :
This is the message from the Son
of God, whose eyes blaze like fire, whose feet shine like polished brass.
(2:19) I know what you do. I
know your love, your faithfulness, your service, and your patience. I know
that you are doing more now than you did at first. (2:20) But
this is what I have against you : you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls
herself a messenger of God. By her teaching she misleads my servants into
practicing sexual immortality and eating food that has been offered to
idols. (2:21) I have her time to
repent of her sins, but she does not want to turn from her immortality.
(2:22) And so I will throw her
on a bed where she and those who committed adultery with her will suffer
terribly. I will do this now unless they repent of the wicked things they
did with her. (2:23) I will also
kill her followers, and then all the churches will know that I am the one
who knows everyone's thoughts and wishes. I will repay each one of you
according to what he has done. (2:24) But
the rest of you in Thyatira have not followed this evil teaching; you have
not learned what the others call 'the deep secrets of Satan.' I say to you
that I will not put any other burden on you. (2:25) But
until I come, you must hold firmly to what you have. (2:26-28) To
those who win the victory, who continue to the end to do what I want, I will
give the same authority that I received from my Father : I will give them
authority over the nations, to rule them with and iron rod and to break thm
to pieces like clay pots. I will also give them the morning star. (2:29) If
you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!"
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