Thyatira is located in Asia Minor and borders Mysia on the north and Lydia on the south. Thyatira, which in Greek means daughter, was named in 290 B.C. by King Seleucus I Nicator whose daughter had been born. Thyatira was a trading town that was famous for its dyeing and was a center of the indigo trade. Among the city's ruins have been found inscriptions relating to Thyatira's guild of dyers. There are more guilds known to have been in the city than in any other place in Asia Minor. During his second missionary journey the apostle Paul traveled to Philippi. On a Sabbath day he meets a woman named Lydia, from Thyatira, who is praying near a river. Lydia is a seller of purple (either of the dye or cloth dyed in this color). She listens to Paul's preaching and becomes so convicted in God's way of life that she, along with her entire household, are baptized (likely on the Holy Day known as Pentecost): "And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, 'If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.' " (Acts 16:13-15)
Thyatira is the fourth of 7 churches of Revelation evaluated by God in Revelation 3 and 4: "These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. "Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 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. "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. But hold fast what you have till I come. "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations: He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels: as I also have received from My Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 2:18-29, NKJV).
The original Jezebel of the Bible was the wife of King Ahab, who ruled Israel from 874 to 853 B.C. She encouraged and led her husband to do great evil and to lead others to sin. She personally threaten to kill Elijah the prophet. | 