John's messages to the church and the new Jezebel
A sceptical
Bible reading – Revelation
Chapter Two
The Seven churches
of Asia Minor are now addressed in turn by John at
the dictation of Christ.
To the church at Ephesus.
Jesus tells them that they’ve done well overall in getting
rid of sinners and smiting false teachers, but regrettably, they are still not
quite getting with the programme, so, with no specific charges of gross
spiritual misconduct stated in example, they are all told in no uncertain terms
to repent and change quickly before Christ removes their candle from its
candelabra and gives their guardian angel other duties, as Christ turns his
back on them.
This is a very
different behaviour from Jesus to what we saw in the Gospels. He sounds more like an Old
Testament patriarch, threatening fire and brimstone. His warning to Ephesus
reads like a school report where credit is given for good deeds, followed by
the line, ‘must try harder,’ though with an arbitrary threat to expel them from
school if they don’t book up their ideas pronto.
To the
church at Smyrna.
This church fares
considerably better, as Jesus is sympathetic to the suffering they have endured,) having suffered
himself in the events leading to his pre-resurrection death). Jesus can’t
resist a few hostile comments against the Jews of Smyrna. He calls them
‘blasphemous, and members of the ‘synagogue of Satan’. (Verse 9). Such comments
would fuel many pogroms and a great deal of anti-Semitism in the centuries to
follow. Thanks Jesus.
As they have suffered great injustices with humility,
Smyrnans will be spared the worst of the suffering in the imminent apocalypse.
To the
church at Pergamum.
A similar fate
awaits these as befell Ephesus. They are praised for all they have done well
right up to the lines explaining that they are doomed to fall Here at least
there are specific allegations being made though,
including a toleration of Baalam, and Baal worship (with Baal enduring into the
early Christian era). People have dared to dine in the presence of idolatrous
statues to such false gods. Idol worship and fornication. Again,
the Church is offered in thinly veiled threats, a chance to repent and survive
the worst horrors of the looming doomsday activities to come.
The smiting by Christ that will descend on Pergamum will
spare the righteous, who will receive manna, bread from Heaven, and a secret
new identity name. This proposed ID change, a sort of divine Witness protection
program move, has led many modern evangelical ‘born again’ Christian churches
to re-baptise followers and give them new names, usually naming them after
biblical characters. All that derives from this verse (17).
The new name in Revelation isn’t however to be shared with all as
a Norman gets converted and suddenly proudly announces that he is now to be
known to all and sundry as Abraham or John. The name is revealed only to its
bearer who will find it written on a white stone.
To the
Church at Thyatira
A similar future
awaits these to that facing Smyrna. Those to be punished face quite specific
charges. They have tolerated the activities and antics of a notorious harlot
calling herself Jezebel, after
the notorious Baal worshipping queen character from the Book of Kings in the
Old Testament. Jesus plans an extraordinary and for him, somewhat out of
character entrapment exercise, where the new Jezebel will be set up in a bed
(brothel), so Christ can see and judge badly on whoever dares make use of her
services.
The guilty ones caught soliciting the new Jezebel (not to
be confused with the later Whore of Babylon) will have a last opportunity to
repent and if not taking that opportunity, they will come to suffer greatly.
Any offspring produced by the new Jezebel in her duty to
Christ (in which she seems to be unaware of him being her brothel keeper and
pimp at all) will be murdered off on Jesus’ instructions or by his own personal
hand. (Verse 23). Those not tempted by the new Jezebel will be considered
blessed and safe from divine retribution. They will become rulers of new
nations (though presumably not for long given the World is scheduled for
demolition).
The new Jezebel
passages here are astonishing and I wasn’t quite sure if I had read them
correctly for some time. The Jesus who was so supportive to prostitute Mary Magdalene now makes use of a prostitute to be
able to judge anyone daring to go to her and pay her for what she does to or
with him or her. Jesus then punishes the wretched lady’s offspring for her
indiscretions. This is a far cry from the meek and mild pacifist seen turning
the other cheek in the Gospels.
The fate of the remaining three Turkish churches is taken
up in Revelations chapter three.
Arthur Chappell
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