HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON

We now turn to the encouragement offered to the overcomer in the assembly at Thyatira. In this assembly there was a for­midable mix of spiritual tyranny. It was exercised through Jezebel-like methods designed to mislead, cajole and suppress believers, forcing them to deny the truth. Added to this were all the attractiveness and subtleties of satanic mysteries avail­able only to the inner circle, i.e., the initiated.

Jezebel, in her day, left nothing undone in seeking to eradi­cate the worship of Jehovah, and persecuted His servants with such venom that even Elijah fled. She used the power of her position of authority to ruthlessly crush and trample on all those who stood in her way.

The long history of Christendom has produced individu­als who were prepared to use similar methods, often over periods of time, in order to gain religious ends and to remove any opposition or non-conformity. As a result, true believers and God’s truth always suffered and many perished, unwill­ing to submit to the will of men. These are the methods of unregenerate men but never of God.

So, the promise to those who may be similarly oppressed is this: that, in conjunction with God’s Son and in Kingdom days yet to be brought in, they, and not their persecutors, will hold the power that will keep the world subject to the rule of God. Psalm 2 is God’s open declaration of this reversal of things and contains an irrevocable commitment to Christ and His coming world dominion. We will all have a part in this long awaited recogni­tion and enthronement of God’s rightful and true King.

It is in the light of this that we may be called to pass through the tyranny and oppression of some who would seem to act as lord’s over God’s heritage and brow-beat the saints into a submission of fear and conformity to their pattern of things, 1 Pet. 5. 3; cf. the example of 3 John 9, 10. These are car­nal and worldly means and we are to seek the needed grace to stand firm to Christ’s word, confront the evil, whilst faithfully serving Him looking forward to another day with its rewards when He comes to reign.