At the Sunday evening service I regularly attend, we have been studying Revelation. We've jumped around a bit, and tonight we hit the church at Thyatira - Revelation 2:18-29. Here's the part that struck me the most:

'But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:20)

The speaker tonight did a good job of talking about our own personal responsibility to recognize when leaders are leading us astray, and to know the Word enough to see the false teachings. But I think there's even more to be seen in Jesus' rebuke for this church, and more responsibility that we have.

I completely agree that we absolutely must know the Word so as not to be led astray. But I also am struck by the word "tolerate" in verse 20 - the church tolerated Jezebel (or a Jezebel-like person, or the spirit of Jezebel) in their midst. It seems to me possible that not all of the church was led astray by Jezebel (Jesus says she led "My bond-servants," but He doesn't say "she led you" - I could be wrong, of course). And if so, then He seems to be rebuking the church for knowing that she was there and her influence was causing people to sin, and yet they did not expell her and her influence. They tolerated this evil influence amongst them and allowed it to corrupt their brothers and sisters around them.

Have you ever seen what seems to be a purely unclean influence in your local congregation? Do they seem powerful, manipulative, frightening to confront? Welcome to Jezebel. But ignoring her presence does not make her go away, nor does it avoid some kind of huge scene within the church. Instead, ignoring this spirit/attitude simpy allows it to continue in its work, influences others to sin through its apparent 'leadership' within the body of Christ.

I have met a couple of people through my life who embody the spirit of Jezebel (I'm not saying they are possessed, I am saying that they have the characteristics of this Old Testament woman) - they are most often in leadership in the church, and any other leaders who see that person's destructive influence often feel completely powerless to fight against it, for fear of it 'taking out' the entire local church as that person is cast out. In other words, that person, through manipulation of all kinds, has the potential power to destroy the church.

My question as a church leader is this: should we then allow it, to save the pain and devestation that this woman could bring?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

It is a question with more than one possible answer. Jezebel was leading beloved children of the Lord into sin. Jezebel does lead beloved children of the Lord into sin. Sin separates us from being in good relationship with God. Sin leads to death.

What we must do is PROTECT THE BODY.

Is there a Jezebel amongst your body? There might not be. Praise the Lord, and may He continue to protect you. If there is, do not tolerate her (or him - I use "her" for simplicity and to represent Jezebel herself, or the spirit of Jezebel). Seek the Lord for wisdom to deal with her, and pray for Him to take her out from your midst. In Revelation she did not want to repent. She only wanted to wreak havok. Get rid of her.

God, grant us great wisdom and favour, and protect your body from the infusion of the spirit of Jezebel into our leadership. Where she exists, open our eyes and reveal to us Your great wisdom and discernment; show us where people may be redeemed, and where we must expell the evil from among us. Purify us, protect us, keep us from sin.

Let Your kingdom come.



"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them--I place no other burden on you. Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' (Revelation 2:18-29)