The purpose of doctrine is to please God. not to show off to people. how many Bible verses you can memorize. Or um how many how Uh much you and talk about godly things. That's not the purpose of doctrine.
Things taught or things not taught lead to things done or things not done. It's very serious. Doctrine should have something to do with it. Wrong thinking leads to wrong living. Right thinking leads to right living and doctrine is where we get that from.
You're listening to Cross-Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Revelation. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross-reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. And now here's Pastor Rick with the conclusion of his study called Diatira, Love Counterfeited, as he teaches through Revelation chapter 2.
I fear Antichrist agendas. And I don't mind saying it. It is part of salting the earth. I am transphobic. I am homophobic.
I am Islamophobic. I am also communist phobic. I am thief-phobic. I am okraphic. I've seen what these activists do when they advance, not the okra people.
They're really okay. They just haven't figured it out that they don't like what they said they like. You know People will fight you over food. You gotta be careful. It's like you you know Anyway, coming back to this.
the fanatical, hateful behaviors They're indecent, they're intolerant, they're violent, they're destructive enough. to be afraid of what they do. Yeah, I couldn't be out there with a sign telling people that abortion is a sin and it's wrong. Because once they try to, some little old lady will come try to grab my sign from her, and I'm going to punch her out. And that won't look good for anybody.
I'll go to jail. I mean, there's just certain Christians and people can do this, they're built for it. And some of us are just not. We just get in the flesh too quickly over certain things. It's just the thought of giving them the satisfaction.
of doing that. Uh is have you watched when they Electrify that people try to steal the Trump signs and they electrify them. I mean, it's so satisfying. I mean, it's just, I love it. Anyway.
Because we want to see evil dealt with.
So he says that woman Jezebel. One of the worst people in the Bible. The majority texts, now, we have our. I can't we don't have time to go into it, but There are ancient manuscripts. that read Uh Your wife Jezebel.
And that's that they had joined. They had, you know, entered into this covenant with her. And that would not be accurate or inaccurate, I should say. Jezebel was a striking figure of speech, chosen by the Lord. Replet with Old Testament significance, because there's nothing good about her.
She is one of the most disliked people. In Scripture. Certainly in the Old Testament, Herodias the The wife of Herod that asked for the head of John the Baptist, she's just as hateful, but there's not as much information about her. There doesn't need to be. King Ahab married this Phoenician princess, and together the two plunged the Israelites into idolatry and sorcery.
We could call her a monster.
So if you have someone, male or female, in a church, Preaching Satan's things, you have a monster. That's what you have.
something that you should not be comfortable with. that is going to do you harm. Only thing this monster is not dealt with under the blanket. She, this Jezebel, represents imported evil because Ahab, again, brought her into the northern kingdom from. The Phoenicians.
It is a church catastrophe when these things are permitted. It was a catastrophe in Israel. I don't know, something close to the saying. I don't fear strong men as much as. I fear when strong men allow weak men to make the decisions.
And that's what you have here. You had strong believers in this church. But they allowed the weak ones to make decisions. You know, we we want to keep the peace. If you're going to be an effective Christian, you're going to have to keep some chips on your shoulders for several things.
Things where you've drawn the line and say I am not tolerating that. Because if you don't, then you'll look to appease. And appeasement It's fine when you're trying to pick out a restaurant. But it's not fine when it comes to the Scripture and serving the Lord. Ahab That king found types of Ahab in this church Who allowed her to gain this momentum and evil influence and bring the flame of the Lord's eyes with brass feet upon them?
Hell Used her big fat mouth to deliver its message, and he still does stuff like this. He doesn't care if you're Male or female. If you're going to deliver his message for him, he's going to use you. She was getting away with killing the church as Jezebel was getting away with killing the Israelites who worshiped Jehovah.
So, you have two demons in this church at work: the teacher of lies. and the fools that advocated those teachings. We'll go back to Jezebel II in ancient Israel You had a comical moment with two prophets, two men of God, Elijah the great prophet, and Obadiah. And Elijah, of course, would call fire down on people and they would die. And so he was he was feared by many.
Well, Elijah starts this trouble with Jezebel and Ahab, and he goes off into the wilderness. The drought comes, and there's a big problem.
Meanwhile, Jezebel is persecuting the righteous. And Obadiah worked in her administration. And while he worked there, he was saving the prophets, hiding them in caves, bringing them food. He risked his life for the righteous. And then Elijah shows up.
Tell the king Elijah's here. And Obadiah says, wait one minute. Yeah, you tell me that, I go tell him, and then you go, who knows where? And then I'm stuck, and you're gonna kill me. Because he really hates you, Elijah.
So, as they go back and forth, Obadiah begins to tell the great prophet. The things that he's been doing, and there's a note of frustration. Like, I've been here cleaning up this house, doing these dishes, and you've been out gallivanting. It's kind of that attitude. He's saying, you know, you've been who knows where, but I've been stuck.
around Jezebel and Ahab, risking my life, and here you are, Elijah's here.
Well, they get it straightened out and it works well. But it's just a cute moment in scripture, it's worth reading.
Well what in Scripture is not worth reading?
Well, Leviticus chapter no, we're kidding. Who calls herself a prophetess? They always do. They're always self-appointed teachers. They've read more books than you, therefore they deserve a platform.
God disagreed. We can hear her double down. As the popes insisted, I am the vicar of Christ. I am the authority. It's for the good of the empire.
It's for the good of Christendom. Cult leaders do the same. 1 Timothy 4, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. And so, who calls herself a prophetess to teach, you will know them by their fruits. And she's teaching sexual immorality.
to teach. There's that barrel of ink they gave her to publish her lies with. That's the pulpit they gave her, James 3. This wisdom, you young Christians, if you haven't been understanding and following me, you'll understand this. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
It feels good. But it's not right. Sexual immorality. to indulge Is acceptable even if it goes against the prophets and the apostles. She was an instructor of instructor, not a.
of depravity. Look at that. You go to the college, you can go to the universities and you can take courses in depravity nowadays. They have them. Verse 21.
And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
Well, this is the grace, not tolerance of God. This is patience of God, but not permission from Him. Hosea in that northern kingdom That was about to end He writes to them, he says, they do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness.
Now their own deeds have surrounded them. They are before my face. God says, I'm on this. Thy attire was not seduced, Elements in Thyatira had gone rogue. They decided we're just gonna do what we like, what's good for us.
And we're going to use you Christians to do it, and it still happens. of her sexual immorality. She was unmoved by good sermons. When she got to this church, there were good sermons, but they didn't impress her enough to have her repent and turn away. Jezebel went beyond mixing.
Into Israel. Idolatry. She sought to kill true worshipers, as mentioned with Obadiah hiding the prophets of God. And she did not repent. Evil was preferred.
Hell's ticket holders have no desire to repent. You come across a human being that has no desire. to get right with God Knowing that their behavior is unacceptable, you have a ticket holder for hell in front of you. Zephaniah the prophet speaking about the beloved Jerusalem. He says she has not obeyed his voice.
She's not received correction. She has not trusted Jehovah. She's not drawn near to God. Is that not powerful? How we miss these kinds of verses because we're too busy memorizing verses from other books of the Bible, which is good.
But then look at this gem in the little prophecy of Zephaniah. She's not obeyed his voice. She has not received correction. That's the impenitence. She has not trusted Jehovah.
She has not drawn near to God. May it never be said of you. May it never be said of me. Lost yearnings for obedience. confirm separation from the Holy Spirit.
When you no longer care to obey, You're in deep trouble. And the severity of the Lord's threats says it all. Verse twenty two Indeed, I will cast her into a sick bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. Is the Lord constantly trying to fix this with them? Gives them a say-so in their eternal destination.
You have no say-so in your first birth. You have a big one. as to being born again or not.
Well, indeed I will cast her into her sick bed. That means the Lord is going to meet her on her own turf. And he's gonna beat her. He's gonna win. Um Thrash in that sense.
The sick bed was the bed where the sexual immorality goes with. There's a connection there. And so She would end up sick and not recover. I believe it has something to do both with her physical illness. and her spiritual destination.
Into the Great Tribulation. This would include the Great Tribulation, prophetically speaking. Apostate churchgoers will not be raptured. Just because you're a churchgoer does not mean you have a ticket to be raptured. What Do you believe about Jesus Christ?
is where it will begin to be decided whether or not you will be left behind or not. And he says unless they repent.
Well, repentance is not only for lost souls. But for impenitent churchgoers. There's the way to Get out of this mess. Desire obedience. desire to be in fellowship with God.
Some refuse to repent when given space. Verse 21, I gave her space to repent. She did not. Even the church and administration of church disciplines, we give space to repent. We all should as Christians, but people will oftentimes refuse or abuse that.
Certain believers in this church did not succumb. We'll get to that in verse 24. But first, back to the punishments, verse 23: I will kill her children with death. And all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. and I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Well, I will kill her. That got everybody's attention when it was read out loud. In the personal pronoun, I, God saying this, I'm hands-on this.
Now sinners may resist the ways of God. But they can't resist his wrath. Just because you don't believe it doesn't mean it's going to go away. Hosea chapter 5, again, see the connections are so easy with Hosea because you're dealing with apostasy, and that's what Hosea was dealing with. Unfaithfulness.
They have dealt treacherously with Jehovah.
Well they have begotten pagan children.
Now, a new moon shall devour them and their heritage. And he's saying That idol worship, that new moon festival stuff you've been worshiping. That's going to indict you. and you will not escape the wrath of God for doing these things. Her children, now not literal, not little children, but those enthralled with her gibberish.
Adherents, converts. That's who he is saying now. He is saying to the ones that believe that stuff. He's going to deal with them with death. That's what it says here in verse 23.
What sort of people? was this that merited a divine hit. It's like, I'm taking them out, and I don't mean to dinner. I mean, this is incredible lessons, just the severity of God and what He thinks about these things. Not only is Israel the apple of God's eye, the church is also.
When Paul was persecuting the church, Jesus said, you're persecuting me.
Well, we go on, and we want to read a verse that closes up, but we don't have time. 1 Kings 21:25.
Sort of sums up. the behavior of Jezebel and Ahab. All this points to extreme seriousness. When it comes to doctrinal purity, doctrinal purity is possible. Physical purity, not so.
We're going to stumble, we're going to mess up from time to time. But understanding the truths of God, it is possible. The plan of salvation is 100% understandable. And no one can say, well, that's a deep, deep... Doctrine, I can't understand.
Oh yeah, you can. You may get tripped up with Jeremiah's I mean, Nehemiah's, you know, 70th week and all that, Daniel's seventieth week, and Nehemiah, how that plays out. You may get a little confused with that, but it's not an essential doctrine. But there are essential doctrines and they can be known. The lack of concern for truth in so many churches is their downfall.
He continues: All the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. Maybe this is why a lot of churches avoid verse-by-verse teaching. They don't want to face these truths from scripture in public. These would be witnesses. But they're not.
All the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and the hearts. God will have His witnesses. But these in Thyatira who are impenitent will not benefit from it.
Now we now come to verse 24.
Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira. As many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say. I will put on you no other burden. I like the sarcasm in this verse. Not Uh now to you, I say.
And to the rest in thiatar.
So it's addressing those who are not attending her Bible studies, certainly not agreeing what's being spoken and the behavior that comes out of it.
So he moves from the guilty to the innocent. He is concerned about the faithful. Because he knows they won't remain faithful. If they're not careful. Because when Satan targets you, it's a big fight.
As many as do not have this doctrine. As in the days of historical Jezebel, when I mentioned Obadiah, he didn't share in Jezebel's doctrines, nor did the prophets that he hid. 1 Kings 18 is where that is. And the doctrine, the purpose of doctrine is to please God. not to show off to people.
How many Bible verses you can memorize? Or um how many how Uh much you can and talk about godly things. That's not the purpose of doctrine. Things taught or things not taught lead to things done or things not done. It's very serious.
Doctrine should have something to do with it. Wrong thinking leads to wrong living. Right thinking leads to right living, and doctrine is where we get that from. who have not known the depths of Satan.
Now, the only depth that Satan has is the abyss of darkness, but this is sarcasm. calling their deep insights Uh satanic Knowledge from hell. Satan hates their guts, and they're not going to say, she's not saying, I'm teaching what Satan, she's not saying that. But the righteous were recognizing it. And that's when he says, as they say.
There were those who were saying this is from the depths of hell. And Christ is saying, that's right. It is from the depths of hell. As they say, sarcasm. Jezebel's dupes claim to be learning the deep things.
Likely some Gnosticism thrown in there with that, because that was prevalent in those days. And so Jesus smirks with divine indignation. Yep, deep things of Satan, just like the righteous are saying.
So, he continues, I will put on you no other burden. He's going to tell them, just be faithful. The book of Revelation magnifies details without adding doctrines. I can't think of a new doctrine in the Revelation. The doctrines have been set.
And Revelation, of course, comes along and applies these things and opens up details about other things that have already been introduced. And so Christ is not saying, I'm giving you a new doctrine. He's saying verse 25. But hold fast that disjunctive but connects it with what has already been said. I will put on you no burden, but hold fast what you have till I come.
Stick to the Scripture. We don't have time to read Colossians 2 verses 8 through 10. We actually you can start at verse 6 through 10. As every Christian should make an attempt To be very familiar with that passage of Scripture, verse 26: And he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.
Well, in verse 27, we're going to come back to that power over the nations. But to keep off the minefield, to keep out of the riptide, that is to overcome. How do you do that? Stop craving more information than what the scripture allows, because then you want your ears tickled. Then you start believing all sorts of wacky things and you say, but I could feel it in my heart.
That is sensual. And if it contradicts scripture, it's demonic.
So this happens. You speak to the Mormons, they tell you how they feel things. Oh gosh, the whole thing is wrong. Deadly doctrines latch on to carnal cravings, and they overcame him. By the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.
And then he put it into action because they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11, verse 27. He shall rule them with a rod of iron, he shall dash to pieces and they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels. as I also have received from my Father. There's actually a lot here, but we know we're running out of time, so I've got to speak a little bit faster, New Yorkes.
See? The Greek word rule there is translated elsewhere as pastor. It is a pastoral word. The meeting has to do with feeding the sheep. And it is the same Greek word used in John 21, 16, where Jesus said, Tend my sheep.
And in Acts 20, 28, when Paul met with the pastors of Ephesus and said, you know, spoke to them as shepherds of the flock of God. 1 Peter 5:2, he mentions them as shepherds of the flock. That same Greek word translated here, rule, is actually a pastoral word.
So the teaching of verse 27 is it is the rod of the shepherd's weapon. That is going to be used. It was an iron-tipped club that they used against predators. It is consistent. It's uh parallels.
in the Hebrew in the Old Testament. It is the shepherd's rod of iron. And being that pottery was a major industry in Thyatira, it had a pretty poignant image there for the people. You see these pots getting shattered. It's like shooting bottles of liquid.
It's a lot of fun. Anyway. Psalm 2 verse 9. Is a messianic psalm Do you know the church it a He's applying that verse to the church. The meek shall inherit the earth.
The saints shall judge Israel. 1 Corinthians 6, 2, do you not know that the saints will judge the world? He continues, Do you not know that we shall judge angels? That belongs to, of course, When Christ Establishes his kingdom. Verse twenty-eight.
And I will give him the morning star. That's Jesus himself. Revelation 22, 16, I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. He's quoting this from Numbers 24, 7, Balaam's prophecy. Christ-like nature.
Untouched by evil, that's what awaits the righteous. Verse 29: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Pay attention. And so I'll close with this verse. 2 Corinthians 6 verse 7.
By the word of truth, by the power of God. by the armor of righteousness. on the right hand and on the left. A lot to enjoy in that one verse from 2 Corinthians 6, verse 7. This has been Cross-Reference Radio with Pastor Rick Gaston.
This program is a radio outreach of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Pastor Rick has been teaching through the book of Revelation, but if you're interested in learning about a different book of the Bible, we have hundreds of past episodes available to listen to on demand. Just visit us online at crossreferenceradio.com and you'll find an archive of Pastor Rick's past teachings. While you're there, you can also find links to follow our program on your favorite podcast app, as well as links to get connected with us on Facebook and YouTube. There's also an interviews tab where you can learn more about Pastor Rick's heart for ministry.
Well, we hope you'll join us next time here on Cross Reference Radio. Yeah.
