The Seven Churches: The Church in Thyatira

To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.  I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.  Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess.  By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.  So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.  I will strike her children dead.  Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.  Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on to what you have until I come.  To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations - 'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery' - just as I have received authority from my Father.  I will also give him the morning star.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  -Jesus in Revelation 2:18-29

The churches up until now were all churches of early Christianity, with a fair amount of overlap among them.  This church, the church in Thyatira, is the last of the early churches, but also the first of the late churches.  This is the church that connects ancient Christianity with modern Christianity.  Its commonly known as the Roman Catholic Church, but also includes the Eastern Orthodox churches.  The time period in which the Roman Catholic Church was most dominate was from around AD500 to around AD1500, or from the rise of the papacy to the Reformation.  You can see, by studying church history, that the Roman Catholic Church has always been keen on good works, and they do a good many of them.  You'll also notice that during the dark ages (the beginning of this church age) the church was doing less than after the middle ages (the latter part of the church age).  The church progressively has done more and more, and that is worthy of commendation.  Jesus also commends them for their love and faith, which is something much less obvious from our vantage point, but I trust that its true.

There is one major problem with the Roman Catholic Church though, and that is the Vatican.  The woman Jezebel, that Jesus speaks of, is the Vatican, or possibly the office of Pope.  Either way, whether its the papacy or the Vatican, its basically the same entity.  There is no doubt that this Jezebel is a figurative representation, since the literal Jezebel was long dead when this was written, and she never lived anywhere near the city of Thyatira.  Its also quite telling that Catholics refer to the Vatican as "Mother Church" and the Pope as the "Holy See".  Notice that Jesus uses a female form of a false prophet to describe it.  And look at the things that Jezebel leads God's servants into by her teaching.  Its practically common knowledge that the problems in Roman Catholicism are idolatry and sexual immorality, as well as false teachings.  Consider also where the Vatican has taken up residence.  With the previous church, and Revelation 17:9, we discovered that Rome is where Satan lives and has his throne (Revelation 2:13).  In short, Rome is a tool on earth for Satan.  So its no surprise that this false prophetess, the Vatican, has taken up residence in Rome.  It also could be speculated that this Jezebel has some connection with the prostitute woman in Revelation 17.  Its clear from this letter and Revelation 17, that both Jezebel and the prostitute woman have many children by adulteries.  They could be one in the same.

The latter part of this letter is directed to those "who do not hold to her teaching".  I believe, in general, this is anyone, either throughout the church period or now, that has not taken the Vatican's teachings to heart.  Specifically, it could be the Eastern Orthodox Church.  Its clear that Eastern Orthodox are practically the same as Roman Catholics, but without the Roman part.  They might be, more specifically, who Jesus is talking to in the latter part of the letter, but that's a speculation.  Basically, its simply anyone who does not hold to the false teachings of the Vatican.