Revelation 2:18-29: a reflection

18“To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: “The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things: 19“I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. 20But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22Behold, I will throw her and those who commit adultery with her into a bed of great oppression, unless they repent of her works. 23I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira—as many as don’t have this teaching, who don’t know what some call ‘the deep things of Satan’—to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you. 25Nevertheless, hold that which you have firmly until I come. 26He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. 27He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots, as I also have received of my Father; 28and I will give him the morning star. 29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

In the message to Thyatira, Christ gives a striking commendation: he knows their works, their love, faith, service, and patient endurance, and that their last works are more than the first, that they were growing, not declining, in love and service. I know your works, Christ says, your love, faith, service, and patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. Unlike some who lose their first love and decline, the believers in Thyatira were increasing: their latter works were more than their earlier ones; they were growing in love, faith, and service, not slipping backward. Though Christ had other serious matters to address with them, this growth in love and service he commended. This shows the good of growing, not declining, in love and service. Grow in love and service; let your latter works exceed the first. Christ commends increasing, not declining, in love and service. It is good to grow in love and faith over time, not slip backward. Let your love and service increase rather than fade.

Notice what Christ commends here: growth. He knew the works of the believers in Thyatira, their love, faith, service, and endurance; and he noted, with commendation, that their last works were more than the first, that they had grown, increasing in love and service over time rather than declining. This is worth pausing over, especially in contrast to those who lose their first love and slip backward. The Christian life is meant to be one of growth: growing in love for God and others, growing in faith, growing in service and good works, so that our latter works exceed our earlier ones. We can, over time, either grow or decline in these things; either increase in love and service, or let them fade and slip backward. Christ commends the growth: that our love, faith, and service should be increasing, more now than before, deepening and expanding over time. This is a goal to seek and a mark of a healthy Christian life. Rather than coasting, plateauing, or declining in our love and service, we do well to be growing, so that our latter works exceed our first, our love deepening, our service increasing, our faith strengthening over the years. We do well to seek such growth in love and service, that our latter works may exceed our first. Seek to grow in love and service, so your latter works exceed the first. Christ commends increasing, not declining, in love and faith. Do not coast or decline; let your love and service grow over time. Aim for a life whose latter works exceed its earlier ones.

That is worth taking to heart, for it is good to grow, not decline, in love and service, so that our latter works exceed our first, as Christ commended the believers in Thyatira for their increasing works. We can coast, plateau, or decline in our love and service over time; but Christ commended those whose last works were more than the first, growing in love and service. Growth is the goal. Do not coast or decline in your love and service; seek to grow, that your latter works may exceed your first, your love deepening and service increasing. Seek to grow in love, faith, and service, so that your latter works exceed your first, rather than coasting or declining over time, as Christ commended the believers in Thyatira, saying he knew their works, their love, faith, service, and patient endurance, and that their last works were more than the first; for unlike some who lose their first love and decline, the believers in Thyatira were increasing, their latter works more than their earlier ones, growing in love and service rather than slipping backward, which Christ commended even though he had other serious matters to address with them, and this is worth pausing over, since the Christian life is meant to be one of growth, growing in love for God and others, in faith, and in service, so that our latter works exceed our earlier ones, and we can over time either grow or decline in these things, either increasing in love and service or letting them fade and slip backward, so that Christ commends the growth, that our love, faith, and service should be increasing and deepening over time, which is a goal to seek and a mark of a healthy Christian life, so that rather than coasting, plateauing, or declining we do well to be growing, our latter works exceeding our first, our love deepening and service increasing over the years.

Lord Jesus, in the message to Thyatira, you give a striking commendation: you know their works, their love, faith, service, and patient endurance, and that their last works are more than the first, that they were growing, not declining, in love and service. I know your works, you say, your love, faith, service, and patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. Unlike some who lose their first love and decline, the believers in Thyatira were increasing: their latter works were more than their earlier ones; they were growing in love, faith, and service, not slipping backward. Though you had other serious matters to address with them, this growth in love and service you commended. Show me what you commend here: growth. You knew their works, their love, faith, service, and endurance; and you noted, with commendation, that their last works were more than the first, that they had grown over time rather than declining. This is worth pausing over, especially in contrast to those who lose their first love and slip backward. The Christian life is meant to be one of growth: growing in love for you and others, growing in faith, growing in service, so that my latter works exceed my earlier ones. I can, over time, either grow or decline in these things; either increase in love and service, or let them fade. You commend the growth: that my love, faith, and service should be increasing, more now than before, deepening over time. This is a goal to seek and a mark of a healthy Christian life. Take that to my heart, for it is good to grow, not decline, in love and service. Keep me from coasting, plateauing, or declining in my love and service; help me seek to grow, Lord, so that my latter works exceed my first, my love deepening, my service increasing, and my faith strengthening over the years, that you may find in me an increasing, not a fading, love and service.