Revelation 2, these letters to the churches were vital back then. They went through, we looked at great persecution. There were 10 major persecutions that most historians write about, under 10 Roman emperors, and it was awful. They say the dust, the dirt in the Roman Colosseum is the bones of Christians that were thrown to the lions and so forth. We read that in Hebrews 11.

So these letters were so vital back then and they're even more vital now, though the persecution is not the same, not nearly as severe, thank God. Now these are the last days and verse one of chapter one, verse one says, write these things which must shortly come to pass. You see that? And then verse 19, write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are, that was 2000 years ago, that are. and the things which shall be hereafter shortly. So most of this has already taken place.

We are in the very last of the last days. I did not bring it up Sunday about the message of signs of Christ coming, but he made one very clear evidence when he said, when this gospel is preached throughout the world, then. The end. And there's never been a time in the history of the world to where the gospel has actually reached every single corner of the earth. It is now.

So these are the very last of the last days. Second Timothy three, you read that and you need to read it over and over again. Perilous times. It just describes our day to a T. Proud, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, lovers of selves, number one.

2 Timothy 4, that day shall not come except there be a falling away first. You've got to fall away from the truth. You don't fall away from error. So the truth goes out, and then there's an apostasy. We're living in a day. Turn away their ears from the truth.

These are the last days, and these letters to us are so vital. And remember, every letter ends this way, verse 29. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Lord, give us ears to hear, an ear, an ear, one ear to listen to him.

The Lord, after the parable of the sower in Luke's account, he says he cried out. He didn't cry out very often, did he? That last day, the great day of the feast, he says he cried, if any man thirsts. Well, after the parable of the sower, which you know is that the sower went forth to sow the seed and some fell on the wayside and some on thorny ground. And that's the preaching of the word. And the Lord, after he ended that, said, he cried out, he that hath the ears, let him hear.

So. And we read in Hebrews. Let us get more earnest to you. So much more as you see the day approaching. I hope these messages seem more and more urgent. They are. I'm alarmed that the Lord's not sending new births. We've got young people I'm very concerned about. The Lord is at the door. We've got unsafe spouses.

So, let us give earnest heed and let me be more earnest in preaching than when I began. He said to the church here, your latter works were greater than your first works. Let it be so with us. Let us be more concerned now than when we first heard gospel.

Because the time is short. You wanna hear a good message? Listen to Brother David Edmondson's message on redeeming the time. Did you hear what I said? I don't recommend many messages. Hear that message on redeeming the time. David Edmondson. So, we need to hear the truth. A day when people are turning away their ears. We need to hear the warnings.

A day when Satan, right in the middle of his Great deception, and the scripture talks about that in Revelation 12. He puts him in the world, and woe unto the inhabitants of the earth. He comes down to see the whole world. You've read it. Woe unto the inhabitants of the earth.

Oh, we need to heed the warnings and move with fear like Noah, don't we? We need to fear like Noah and this gospel be like that ark and where we want our children in that ark more than any thing on earth. Ain't that right? We need to hear the promises and lay hold. Everything else is a lie. Lay hold and keep, don't hold fast. Be thou faithful unto death, he said to the Ephesians, wasn't it? Be thou faithful unto death. I want to die in faith, don't you? I don't look forward to preaching your funerals, but I hope you're sitting in that pew before I do.

And now go. Oh Lord, keep us. Hold fast. That's the title. Hold fast till I come. Hang on. Verse 18, this is where we begin. The angel of the church in Thyatira write, These things sayeth the Son of God. This is not man's word, is it? This is God's word. We know it. We know it, son. God, in sundry times, spake unto the fathers by the prophets. Yes, he did. No scriptures of any private interpretation. Holy men spake as they were moved of God. You know that, don't you? Do you know where that is? You need to know where that is. So you can tell people that say, that's not the Word of God. Yes, it is. It says right here in 2 Peter 1. Well, God has spoken unto us by His Son.

Look at Hebrews 10 again. Look back there at Hebrews 10. Hebrews, I remind you, is a summary of the whole Old Testament. It's going back over. We didn't read in Hebrews 10, we read in Hebrews 3. We read 1 Corinthians 10. Hebrews 10. But Hebrews is a summary of the whole Old Testament using the sons of Jacob as our example. Look at verse 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith. We all profess to believe Christ, don't we?

And I want to be like our Lord who witnessed a good profession before Pilate. I want to be a good witness of him, but I want it to be more than a profession. I want it to be a possession, not you. Let us hold fast the profession as who we believe, what we believe without wavering for he is faithful to promise. Not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together for any reason, for anyone. And we read in chapter 3, so much more as you see the day approaching. As the matter of some is, sadly. But exhorting one another. So much more as you see the day approaching.

If you see the context, if we sin willfully, what does that mean? It means to leave the gospels with it. That's what that means. That's the context there. The will of God is that you be in his church with his people, worshiping God, hearing his word, exhorting his people. That's the will of God. You're looking for the will of God. That's the will of God.

And we're to edify one another. We're to strive together for the faith of the gospel. We're to encourage one another, exhort one another. We're not gathering, we're scattering. If we're not uniting, we're dividing, okay? If we're not praising and complimenting, we're murmuring and complaining. Let's don't do that. So exhort one another.

If we sin willfully, after we receive the knowledge of the truth, Oh, there's a fearful looking for the judgment, fiery indignation of God. So these things say it, the son of God, this is his word back to our text. Son of God has spoken. We've heard his voice.

We ought to be like, Oh, Ephraim. What have I to do anymore with idols? I've heard him. Right? Hosea, the last, the 11th. What have I to do anymore with idols? What have I to do with anybody or anything else? I've heard him. So that's why Paul said, I don't want to know anything or be taken up with anything or do anything or think about anything else, but Christ and him crucified and his people.

That's where I'm headed. I have a desire to depart and be with the Lord, which is far better. They said, but to remain here is for you, didn't they? Same with us, same with them. These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire. Isn't that wonderful? This is surely speaking of his word. In Hebrews 4, 12, I love, don't you love this? The word of God is quick. Powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. Remember that?

The last letter. It goes out of his mouth. Piercing to the dividing asunder your soul and spirit, divides, separates God's family from the earthly family, the true family, sheep from the goat. It's the joints and the marrow, something so join that birth that only the word of God can separate you from it. A discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart look right through you, eyes of flame fire.

I'm glad. Aren't you? Aren't you glad the Lord took his word and bored a hole in your heart and sent the arrow of his, the Lord's arrows are sharp in the hearts of his enemies. And I was one of them. And he sent an arrow. Thank you. Faithful to the wounds of my friend. And that word that burns up the dross and on along we could go, go back to, our text, and his feet like fine brass.

In chapter 1, he gives all of these descriptions of himself, which he gives again to each church. But it says in Revelation 1 15, his feet were like fine brass as if they burned in a furnace. Why are his feet like fine brass as if they burned in a furnace? Well, the first mention of feet of brass is the labor of brass in the tabernacle. that all the priests would wash their hands before they went into the holy hole. Don't we need Christ, the water of life, to wash us from our sin? Feet of brass.

But then I have to think about Daniel. There were three Hebrew children in a fiery furnace. And the old King Nebuchadnezzar said, We cast three men in the midst of that fire. And they said, that's right, O King. He said, I see four. Loose. Weren't they bound? But they're loose. They're just walking around unhurt. They have no hurt.

The former of the fourth is like the son of God. because our Lord went through the furnace. That's why his feet are like brass burned in a furnace. And listen to this, we read in 1 Corinthians 10 about no temptation taking us, but such is common. And listen to our Lord's blessed promise to all those going through these fiery trials.

You listen to it. He said that, I love it. My favorite chapter. He said, fear not old Jacob. I made you, I formed you, I redeemed you, I've called you by name. When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you. Through the rivers, they'll not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, thou shalt not be burned. Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. I am the Lord, thy God.

Those three, I remind you, those three children came out of that furnace, Panani, Mashiel, and Azariah. They came out of that furnace. Why? Because there was a fourth man in there. He didn't come out. He stayed in there. But he was not cut soon. He's got feet like brass.

Isn't that wonderful? How many people in the world have heard that? You hear it all the time. It's common. You hear it all the time. Back to our tape. I know thy works in charity and service and faith and patience. Thy works to last more than the first. I know thy work.

Again, I remind you of our Lord, what he said in Hebrews six. He said, God is not unrighteous to forget your, not misquoted. He's not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you've showed toward his name and that you've ministered to the saints and do minister. And Paul went on to say, we desire every one of you to show the same diligence. Our Lord is not unrighteous. He acknowledges every work done in his name. Everything down to a glass of water. Which is more important in the eyes of God, in the kingdom of God? Me preaching this gospel or John Davis bringing me this glass of water? Which is more important? Who's greatest in the kingdom of heaven? He said, this will receive a prophet's reward. It's the same. It's for the same reason. It's for the same cause, isn't it? We're laborers together.

Paul said, who is Paul? Who is Apollo? Who is Cephas? Who are these fellows? None of these fellows died for you. They're just the mouth. John was the hand to bring the water. Some of you say, well, I'm just a little toe. That's okay. Right now, as I speak, my little toe is infected. And it's hurting bad. And it won't go away. Rob, I want you to do something about it. It won't quit. I need that little toe. I can't hardly walk without it. No one is more important than anybody else. And the body remembers one of another, right? Right? He's least in the kingdom. It's great. blasphemy first, and so on. The Lord is not unrighteous, you see.

Someone once said that if two angels were sent to earth to work for their Lord, and one was sent to sweep the streets, and one was sent to govern a kingdom, they said they wouldn't argue about who got what. Both were honorable as unto the Lord. What difference does it make? Somebody's got to do both, don't they?

He said, I know your works and charity, love. The Lord knows the love of his people. Why? Well, he put it there. He knows, doesn't he? You know, the love of God. You've been given a love of the truth. Some people haven't been given a love of the truth. And it will eventually be made known.

Seriously, if you can leave the gospel, if you can leave your brethren warm, before you're going through a heavy trial, what did you say, preacher? Repeat that 1 Corinthians 10. Repeat that again. You'll make a way to escape. That's right. Patience. Trial of your faith, work with patience. That's where it comes from.

Waiting on the Lord. And we're waiting on the Lord, aren't we? We're waiting on Him to come. And last Sunday, and that's the last of this book, he says, I come quickly. Doesn't it? Surely I come quickly. Everybody says, amen. Even so, come Lord Jim. But we got some people don't know him. And we want them to be in the kingdom to know. So that's why this is urgent. He said, I come quickly. All right.

Notwithstanding verse 20. And he said that your works, the last are more than the first. They should be, shouldn't they? We ought to be more, the older we get, and the nearer to going to be with our Lord, we ought to be more earnest about this than we were in the very beginning. And it's so, like in this life, you know, you're born, you grow up, and you're enthused, and you go through this world, and the world kind of gets a hold of you, and you're making money, and you forsake a lot of things and people, don't you? Same way spiritually sometimes. But in the end, we ought to be more devoted and consecrated and faithful and diligent now than ever.

Isn't that right? And he commended that church as they were. Notwithstanding, verse 20, I have a few things against them. You know, our Lord knows everything about us. A few things? Isn't he merciful? Integration, I have a few things against you. If you know yourself, can you find anything commendable in yourself? The older you get, the more light you have, the more darkness you see in yourself, the more sin you see in yourself. And you don't think there's anything commendable about you. You certainly don't think you're better than you were. Do you? No, you don't.

But the Lord says, I got, I got a few things. A few things. He's so merciful, gracious, kind. And now these, let's read verses 20 through 23. Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach to seduce my servant, to commit fornication, to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication. She repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulations, except they repent of their deed. And I will kill her children with death.

And all the churches shall know I am he which searcheth the reins and the hearts, and I'll give unto every one of you according to your worth. Now, there's no doubt, and if you've read these scriptures, you read chapter 17, chapter 18, The whole book of Revelation is about false religion throughout the world, isn't it?

In the last days, has there ever been a time of such unbelievable, I can't think of a better word, unbelievable blasphemy in the name of God and the name of Jesus Christ. Just when you think it can't get worse, you read a sign, you think, You think, surely the Lord's coming soon. How much longer is he going to put up with this? Right? You know what so does. You're nodding your head because you see it.

All these other places are full of it. They don't see that. They're right in the midst of it. Satan see in his grip, under his captivity. Yes, they are. Every single writer whom I have any confidence in, the old writers, Manton and Flavel and Gill and Bunyan, they all agree wholeheartedly that Jezebel represents Roman Catholicism. Woman, Mary, they worship Mary. They say they don't, they say they don't, but they do.

Hail Mary, mother of God, pray for us poor sinners. That's horrible blasphemy. But people pray that, doctors and lawyers and politicians, and calls herself a prophetess. The scripture calls false religion the great whore, and that's what he gives the picture of there, a bed.

Turn with me to Proverbs 7, go to Proverbs 7. I'll not go to Revelation 17 and 18. I hope you read that. You can read it on your own later. But Proverbs 7, this is such a picture of modern false religion. And our Lord warned, our Lord himself warned that many false prophets shall arise and go out in the world. And John, remember all through John's epistle, he said, even now there are many anti-Christ. And that was 2000 years ago. How much more now in the latter days? But this Jezebel calls herself a prophetess, she's teaching and leading in religion. Today's religion is run by and led by and taught by women, isn't it? And it's acceptable, isn't it? It's acceptable, it's becoming the norm, isn't it? It's the last day. Look at Proverb 7. Verse six, I looked out my window of my house, looked through my casement, beheld simple ones.

And I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, passing through the street near her corner. That is this deceitful woman, Harlot. He went to the way to her house. And you see him by the droves going to these places. In the twilight, in the evening, in the black, in the dark night, they're in darkness. Behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, subtle of heart, very deceptive, very subtle, very sneaky. Who's behind this? Satan, with all his subtlety. She's loud, got a lot to say. Stubborn, you can't convince her. Her feet abide not in her house. Religion goes door to door. Now she's without nail in the streets, lieth in wait at every corner.

Verse 13, so she caught him and kissed him. How does she get this simpleton, kissed him? Faithful to the wounds of a friend, scripture said. Can you quote the rest of it? The kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Satan, when he deceived, who did Satan deceive? A woman. And that's why God said women cannot speak. Because deceived was deceived. How did he deceive her?

He had a smile. He was good looking. Good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the sinful. A little innuendo, a little question, a little suggestion. Did God really say that? He didn't mean that. Judas, how did Judas betray our Lord? Again. Let the righteous smite me. We ain't even smitten now. We need our hearts broken, not sabbed, broken. Hmm. Read on.

She said, I have peace offerings. Who has a peace offering? What's your peace with God? Did you make your peace with God? You've made your decision. Now God is at peace with you. Oh no, that's subtlety of Satan. Christ has the one peace offering he made forever for his people. Have paid my vow. No, Christ is the one paid my vow.

Read on. I've decked, verse 60, I've decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, fine linen of Egypt, that's the world. I've perfumed my bed with myrrh and aloes and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love. Love, love, love, love, love, love. It's all just love. Love, love, love.

You won't know anything about the love of God until you think he hates me. You know what? How could God love me? You hate yourself, and you hate every false way. There's hate when God reveals himself. Yes, there's hate, holy hatred. Read on. He said, the good man's gone. He's taken a long journey. Verse 21, with her fair speech, she caused him to yield with flattering of her lips. That's religion. Go back. Go back to our text. And you know it's so, don't you? That's religion today.

That's how they get droves of people and vast crowds of people. Tell them smooth things. That's what our Lord said in Jeremiah. He said, this is a wonderful and terrible thing that's happened to my people. The prophets prophesied lies and the people loved to have it said. Because the truth offends. our flesh. The truth offends man. The truth is offensive. Truth gives all the glory to God. And man wants some of that glory. God's got to break our proud hearts and our God-hating will. But religion is a flatterer. What about this The prophetess that teaches and seduces. Where does the scripture say that a woman's not to teach and preach?

Where does it say it? You need to know. So that you can answer, because it's prevalent, isn't it? It's the rule now, it's not the exception. 1 Corinthians 14, turn down, 1 Corinthians 14. You need to know these places, people. Yes, you do. 1 Corinthians 14, 11434. 11434. 11434. That's how I memorize it. 11434. 1 Corinthians 14, 34.

Let your women keep silence in the churches. Have it? that your women keep silence in the church. It's not permitted for them to speak. What does that say? That's what it says. They're commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. If they will learn anything, let them ask their husband at home. How could a woman be a pastor if she has to ask her husband? It's a shame for women to speak in the church. Is that what it said?

2 Timothy 1, 2 Timothy 1, 2. 2 Tim 1, 2. 2 Timothy chapter 1, look over here. 2 Timothy chapter 1. You need to be able to answer people when I ask you these things. 1 Timothy, I'm sorry. 1 Tim 2, 1, 2. 1 Timothy 2. You have it? 1 Timothy 2, verse 12, verse 11.

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. I suffer not a woman to teach, nor do you suffer authority over the man to be in silence. Is that enough? Why is it that way? Why are women not permitted to speak in a church? We only need one reason. Because God said so. And we shouldn't have to explain anything.

When they argued with Paul in Romans 9, John, remember they argued about God's will? Well, who can resist his will if God's will is sovereign? Who can resist his will if God's will is going to be done? And he said, who do you reply against God? Shall the thing form say to him that form it? You can't do that. Shall the clay say to the potter you can't do that? That's our only answer we need to give. But there is a reason.

Because Eve was deceived. And so everything from that, what happened in the garden, everything in society between men and women, everything the way men and women are came from Adam and Eve. You understand that? That's where it all came from. And also Eve is a picture of the church and Adam is the head.

He's Christ. Those disciples didn't preach what Christ was standing there. No. So, and this is just clear evidence. We're in the last days. It's the norm. Jezebel's everywhere preaching. I said that on the radio one day. That woman came on right before us. I said, I don't care. I really don't care. I wish somebody'd hear that, don't you? And the Lord, look, eat things sacrificed unto idols. And he said that back in, to the Pergamos, things sacrificed to idols. Let me just say this about that. And you can, 1 Corinthians 10 deals with that.

We don't take part of, we don't buy and purchase anything that we know is going to false religion. Don't do it. If you know for a fact, all right, you walk up to Walmart and there's a table sitting there and it's a women's Methodist missionary society trying to take up money for what, don't you dare buy their cookies. Is that too simple? The Lord's acre sale. Don't you dare go there. A flea market for God. Oh, man. Don't you dare. You don't need any of that junk anyway. Seriously, don't be caught in the middle of that. Don't do it. Don't support that in any way.

Now, if you buy something at the store and you go home and find out, oh, no, this was made by the Amish. Eat it anyway. That's what 1 Corinthians 10 deals with. Now you've read it. But if somebody says, we're taking up money for this and that, don't you dare take part of that. Good opportunity to witness to it.

And God is so good, verse 21, he said, I gave her space to repent of her fornication. God telleth every man everywhere to repent and believe, doesn't he? Without excuse, but what does she do? Mm-mm, I'll repent not. Well, I'll cast her into a bed and those that come in adultery with her and great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds, I'll kill her children.

All the converts of false religion will die the second day. All the converts, false religion, Satan's seed, unless you're born again. That's why Christ said to Nicodemus, who was a religious man, but lost, you must be born again. He said of some, you're of your father, the devil. How many preachers say that? You won't hear any of them do that.

I'm the Lord, he said, verse 23, I like this. All the churches will know. Churches know that I look right through them. And he gives us this discernment through his word to see right through all this. See right through Satan's tactic. We have on the whole armor of God wherewith we can resist the wiles of the devil. Yes, we do. What is it? Right here. Ephesians 6.

I'll give every one of you according to your works. That's Matthew 7, where they said, we did many wonderful works in thy name, okay? Do you want to receive for what you've done, John Cheesley Jr., or do you want to receive for what Christ has done for you? You know the difference, don't you? The wages of sin is one thing, death. The gift of God's eternal life through where? Jesus Christ our Lord. You know that. And all of our righteousness and our works are filthy rags to us. We're not saved by works of our right, no sir. And we don't even acknowledge them anymore.

But under the rest, I love this. Under the rest, at Thyatira, I say this, and many have not this doctrine, that you don't bow to this, you don't believe this, you're not caught up in this, the depths of Satan. Boy, God's wisdom is deep, but Satan's knowledge of human nature and his deception is deep also. He's a master of manipulating human beings. Eve was deceived. Beware of any man, especially a woman, who thinks they can teach the Bible. I'm telling you, beware. Who wants to, beware. Moses said, don't call me, call Aaron. Didn't he? Jeremiah said, I can't speak, I'm a child. Didn't he?

Paul had to encourage Timothy, don't be shy. Don't be ashamed of the gospel. The people God calls, they don't feel fit or able and it's not something they're wanting. Beware. He says in verse 24, if you've not known the depths of Satan, Have you not been caught up in his wiles and tricks?

I'll put on you none of the burden. That is the pressing weight of these things. I'll lift that burden and lift it. Burdens are lifted at Calvary. That's where they're lifted. Now, verse 25, in closing, that which you have already, hold fast till I come.

What do you have? What do we have here? Well, it's not something that appeals to the world because they're not beating the path to our door. Huh? What do we have? One thing. The gospel. Is that not so? Please tell me. You know it's so. That's all we do, isn't it? Isn't it? That's all we do. That's the one thing we do.

When you tell me what the one thing needfully is, Can you tell me the one thing they're doing in glory right now? I think we've got the right thing. I think this is like the church of Thyatira. What we have, brothers and sisters, hold fast till I come. That which you have already. You know the Lord said, he that hath, I'll give him more. He that hath not, I'm going to take away what he thinks he has. You know what that is.

He that overcometh. What overcomes? What is it that overcomes? Faith. Looking to Christ. Hearing His Word. Overcomes this world. Overcomes Satan. He that keepeth my works, keepeth His works. His works. His works. The works of the Lord are sought out of all them that fear Him and love Him. I had five psalms I was going to read about His works. His works. His works. We don't talk about our works. We're ashamed of our works. God commends them, but we're ashamed of them. We talk about his work, don't we? Let's talk about his works. Oh, works of the Lord. Works of, ah, I could go on and on with that. To him will I give power over the nation, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. Like vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers. even as I received my father. What is the power of God? What is the rod of iron? It's the gospel. That's form two, isn't it?

Power, we have no power. Boy, women love this term. We're empowering women today. I'm trying to make you weak in yourself. to be completely and utterly hopeless, a weaker vessel. I want you to be totally without strength, without hope, without help in yourself, no power at all in you. That's what I want for you, Helen Canterbury. You know why? Because then you'll look to Christ your strength and not to yourself. And you won't take any glory for anything. Power, we have the power of God. This is the only power of God, the gospel. And it's gonna break this world into shivers and break our heart into shivering, thank God.

And I'll give him, verse 28, the morning star, the sunshine, him that wait for him, look for him when the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wing. Now, did you hear all that? Yeah, they're wonderful. The words of commendation. What about the words of warning? They need them. Either have an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Okay, stand with me.