Given To Everyone According to Their Works Revelation 2:23

John the apostle saw the vision of Jesus in chapter one of “Revelation”, and he began to write to the “seven churches in Asia”. He started with the church located in “Ephesus”, then the “church of Smyrna”, the “church in Pergamos” and the “church in Thyatira” where He told them, “I know your works, and charity, and service, and faith, and your patience, and your works; and the last to be more than the first”, and he added, “Notwithstanding I have a few things against you, because you suffer that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.”. In chapter two and verse twenty-three of Revelation, John shared how Jesus told “the church in Thyratira”, “I will give unto every one of you according to your works” where we read:

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

The verse begins, “And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the reins and hearts:” John began with the words, “and I will kill” which means “and Jesus shall destroy, extinguish and abolish” “her children” or “the church in Thyatira's offspring” “with death” which means “by comprising all the miseries arising from sin as well physical death as the loss of a life consecrated to God and blessed in him on earth which is to be followed by wretchedness in hell”; “and all” which refers to “and each, every, the whole and everyone of” “the churches” or “the assemblies of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting” “shall know” which means “will perceive, understand, have knowledge of and learn” “that I am he” which means “that Jesus exists as the One” “which searches” or “who examines and investigates” “the reins” which refers to “the kidneys or loins and is used of the inmost thoughts, feelings and purposes of the soul” “and hearts” or “the mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes and endeavors”. Because Jesus knew the “soul and mind” of the “church in Thyatira”, He promised to “destroy” any of those who followed after the “idolatry” they observed.

The verse continues, “and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” John added the word, “and I will give unto every one” or “and Jesus will grant, bestow, supply and furnish” “of you” which means “pertaining to the church in Thyatira” “according to” or “down from, throughout and toward” “to your works” which means “the church in Thyatira's business, employment and in that which they are occupied”. Jesus promised the people within the “church in Thyatira” “every one” of them would be “furnished and supplied” “according to” their “function and business” in His Kingdom.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we see the great warning Jesus is giving to the “church in Thyatira”. Not only would Jesus put them “into great tribulation”, but they would also know that Jesus “investigates” their “minds and souls” at the death of their children. Jesus will “judge” and “give” to every person “according to” the works they have done on earth. For those who have received Him as “Savior and Lord”, there shall be great reward. However, those who reject Him shall be “judged” for the “business” they have done on earth. Let all who read this warning to the “church in Thyatira” take heed and examine themselves before Jesus brings judgment upon them.

Next time John writes how Jesus tells the “church of “I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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