The Church of Thyatira - That Woman Jezebel

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Etrie. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:13] Be blessed. The seven churches of Asia. The first church was the Desirous Church, the Church of Ephesus.

[0:26] It's a church that maintained its loyalty to Christ. He said, I know your works.

[0:40] Revelations 2.2. I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear with those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and are founded to be liars.

[0:54] They were doctrinally very solid. Doctrinally. But their problem was, their loyalty to Christ was okay. But their problem was their love.

[1:08] Their love had grown cold. So they were called to repent. And then the second church, which was the Church of Smyrna, was the suffering church.

[1:19] The persecuted church. The precious, precious church. Their loyalty was tested and proven to be true.

[1:33] So the Church of Smyrna was tested and proven to be true. Then we come to the Church of Pergamos. Their loyalty said, there are some who, I know you still hold my name.

[1:49] And my faith, verse 13, that you hold fast to my name and not deny my faith. So their loyalty to Christ was still intact.

[1:59] So the first church of Ephesus kept their loyalty bowed. They had a problem with their love. The Church of Smyrna had their loyalty even tested and found to be genuine and true.

[2:11] The Church of Pergamos had their loyalty, but they lost moral passion. So immorality had come in and infiltrated the church for the church to become worldly.

[2:28] So they were a worldly church. But the problem of the Church of Titeria was not just have become worldly. They have endorsed worldliness and celebrating anniversaries of marriage with the world.

[2:44] It has gone to another level. The churches Jesus wrote to, you can categorize them into two.

[2:56] The first category is the church that didn't have anything negative to be said about it, which is the church. One is the Church of Smyrna and the other one is Church of Philadelphia.

[3:08] The other five, so two and five, you can categorize them into actually two sections. So first section is categorized into two and five. Two of them were faultless.

[3:20] Jesus didn't have anything to say about them. And five of them, there was something Jesus had to say, something that was not right with them. And then the other section you can categorize it is the three and four.

[3:34] The first three, which is, you know, remember the first three churches? Number one? I can't hear. Number one? Two? Three? Pergamos.

[3:45] Those first three churches have all passed. We may feel their impact, their influences in the modern day church, but they are non-existent.

[3:56] These seven churches span the time Jesus left and went to heaven, so the time is coming again. So these churches that I've said it before, that Jesus is addressing, where even though they were local churches at particular places, they were prophetic, because the book of Revelation is a prophecy.

[4:15] So they were prophetic statement to the entire body of Christ, the entire church from the time Jesus left and the time he was coming back. Now, three of those churches, their season have passed.

[4:27] So three of those churches, the church of Ephesus, the church of Smyrna, and the church of Pergamos, their season have passed. Why? Their season have passed because none of these churches had Jesus telling them that when I return.

[4:40] Now, the other four, you find out, when Jesus was speaking to them, he said, on my return, yeah, I know, about the church of Smyrna, which he just said, I come quickly, I will give when I come.

[4:53] That is not the second coming. It's just talking about the one we took last week. He said, I'll come and fight against you with the sword of my mouth, the church of Pergamos. That is not the second coming.

[5:06] But the other ones, as you find, Jesus said, when I return, I am coming back. So the rest of the four churches will still be at large, will still be in existence by the second coming of Christ.

[5:20] Does that make sense? So, I want us to go a little bit into the church of, actually, today we are dealing with the church of Titeria. Titeria means, the Greek word Titeria means sacrifice of perfume or unceasing sacrifice.

[5:36] Sacrifice of perfume, unceasing sacrifice. Before we go to the church, all right, let's read Revelation chapter 2.

[5:47] Let's read Revelation chapter 2, verse 18. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you.

[6:17] Because you allow that woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality and each thing sacrificed to idols.

[6:31] I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality and she did not repent. Indeed, I will cast her into the sick bed and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation unless they repent of their deeds.

[6:50] I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds and the hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

[7:03] Verse 24. Verse 24. Now, to you I say, and to the rest in Titeria, as many as do not have the doctrine, as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no burden, but hold fast what you have till I come.

[7:32] 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.

[7:44] They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessel, as I also have received from my father. And I will give him the morning star.

[7:56] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. This is loaded. That's the longest letter. Out of all the seven letters written, this is the longest one.

[8:10] Let's just indulge ourselves in the scripture and go to Revelation chapter 17. And then we are reading from verse 1 to 6. And then I'll come back to the... The original text.

[8:24] Revelation chapter 17, verse 1 and 2. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, Come, I will show you the judgment of the great hallowed, who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication.

[8:45] And the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with wine of her fornication. The wine of her fornication. So he carried me in the Spirit into the wilderness.

[8:59] And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

[9:11] The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet. Let's all say purple and scarlet. And adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her head a golden cap full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.

[9:29] And on her forehead is written a name. Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of haloths and of the abominations of the earth.

[9:48] I saw the six. I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

[10:04] Here ends the reading of God. Wow. This is interesting. All right.

[10:15] So we go back to the church of Tichia. I really want to talk about that woman Jezebel. That woman Jezebel. Let's all say that woman Jezebel.

[10:29] Say it again. Say that woman Jezebel. That woman Jezebel. That woman Jezebel. Yeah. Some of you are dining with her already.

[10:44] Some of you are eating her delicacies. And some of you are feasting on her voluptuous look.

[11:03] Look. That woman have victimized many in the church. Committed fornication with saints.

[11:20] Taught God's servants to commit fornication. Some of us. You need to hear this message because some of you have entered into some severe partnership with Jezebel and you have to repent.

[11:42] He said, I gave her time to repent. I gave her time to repent. But she wouldn't do it. Repent of her libidinousness.

[11:55] Mm-hmm. Some of us have been overtaken by libidinousness. Libidinous situations. Christ Jesus.

[12:07] Llewdness. Lascaviousness. Licentious debauchery. All right.

[12:25] Let's get into the text. Now. It said, to the angel of the church in Titeria. Say Titeria. Say Titeria. Titeria.

[12:36] Titeria is a very small city. All the seven cities is the smallest. And it wasn't too significant in the in that at that time in the Asia minor region.

[12:52] But it was quite near to Pegamos because Pegamos was the Roman capital of Asia at that time. So it was before Pegamos.

[13:05] Sorry. It was next to Pegamos. So just in case they wanted to attack Pegamos. Titeria was built as a city to shield Pegamos. So you have to engage Titeria in battle before you get to Pegamos.

[13:19] and so because Pegamos was a very important city. And so you have to engage Titeria in battle. Every now and then Titeria was built to be destroyed and rebuilt to be destroyed and rebuilt to be destroyed and rebuilt because there will always be battles.

[13:35] So before you finish with Titeria Pegamos will prepare and come and deal with you. And so Titeria was like a shield side yeah side plate.

[13:47] So but Titeria was kind of a very interesting had become interestingly a busy had become a busy commercial city.

[14:07] And but it was mainly known for its it had a particular dye DYE which you will find in a lot of other places.

[14:18] It was unique to Titeria. And the dye was developed they had a particular purple dye that was developed it was made up of some special roots of some trees roots and a combination of roots and a seashell type of fish you combine called I think the seashell is called Mirax.

[14:41] so you combine them and they they were producing a special purple dye so it was known for purple and the purple dye so if you want any special purple dye you have to be in Titeria and so they had different type of dye industries and business industries and people had to travel to that is why Titeria was mentioned in the book of Acts chapter 16 verse 14 a lady called Lydia so now a certain woman named Lydia had us she was a seller of what from where the city of Titeria Lydia was we didn't see in the scriptures in Acts where the message was preached but Lydia was the first person to be saved on the European soil Lydia and she was a business woman who used to sell purple and those times that would tell you she was very successful purple seller because because

[15:50] Titeria was known for purple and trade now they had so because of that they had deep wash this is very important they had different trade unions a lot of different different types of trade unions and guilds so for you to be any successful business person in Titeria you had to be part of one of the unions or more of the unions you can you can't trade without being part of the unions it's necessary you can't practice law in this country without being part of being called to the bar you can't practice in the finance industry as a company without being part of a body especially a professional body so in those days you had to be part of the guilds you had to be part of the trade unions but unfortunately it wasn't like in our days where you have to separate religion from business no in those days when they had their trade union meetings which was regular every week different meetings when they had their trade union meetings it was characterized with licentious debauchers in other ways you are talking about immoral senseless obscene

[17:18] I say seriously freedom of any form of sexual pursuit characterized the meetings and idolatry so you can't imagine when you become a christian then it was going to be a problem for you if you become a christian so there are christians like lydia who were purple sellers who were traced men and traced women and now began to have problems joining joining the union because when you join the union it was almost like you joined a cult in certain parts of the west of the west and around the world you can't rise to certain prominence if you don't join some secret cults or secret societies as they may call it because when you get into certain levels of international business or national governments in our world in our times not everybody but most of them you have to if you get into certain levels certain heights in

[18:23] Hollywood you have to be part of something so it was very common so some of you you can rise in certain areas and so in Tachira it was common you had to be part of the guilds but all the guilds were into occult occultism and fetishism and idolatry was high and all the idolatries went as well with debauchy as I said earlier on the lewdness and all kinds of obscenity unbelievable obscenity to the highest level pursue animalistic desires to the highest level just free freedom without restraint freedom do anything that kind of most of these cults come with that and so they had to be doing that so you become born again and now you can't really so it began to affect their income it began to affect their job prospects and most and most of these companies or the organizations the businesses the professional world and the professional life their career didn't really want anything from them apart so all it requires watch this it happens to most of us let me write

[19:50] I wrote this down I need to read it for you this is a good one the most subtle challenge to faith the most subtle challenge to faith does not usually originate in the public places like the theaters and the cinemas but in the daily places where we can so where we earn the money that we need to live most the the the most subtle challenge to our faith comes at the daily place where you earn your money where to live and it was very strong in the time of Tachira and it's becoming stronger in our times now it's becoming stronger and stronger so you have to be part of a guilt or something in other not to in other to be able not to struggle what the traits the professions all deployments in our lives need is not our soul but our scale remember this what the traits the professions and all deployments in our life what it needs is not your soul but your scale not your worship but your hard work so as long as you can work hard whether it's against your worship life traits don't care whether it goes contrary to your soul so that's why many people have given their souls they have pursued financial peace financial renumeration financial benefits through their skills so you go to school to earn get more skills so you can pursue because the traits that's all they look for your skills but in pursuit of money through your skills sometimes you end up losing your own soul that's what

[21:48] Jesus said what does a man gain if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul and so we Christians must always bring everything in balance don't work so hard that you can't go to church before you relocate think about your worship excuse me before you relocate think about the impact it will have on your worship don't just think about the impact it's going to have on your pocket you are relocated you have got a salary that is going to be paying you four times what you currently earn in North Korea or in Saudi Arabia or in Afghanistan and you are thinking of taking it and you have not even considered is there a church where I can be fed me and my family you are taking all your children your family moving them to an area because it is bringing more money but you compromise on your worship Christians wake up life is not just earning don't pursue earning at the expense of your soul it will bite you it will surely bite you go go go go and our souls become so famished and we try and use pleasure to take care of our soul but pleasure alone actually when you pursue hedonism just pleasure enjoy anything you want the wildness when you pursue it it leaves you more empty that's why the church needs to rise up and point people away from worldly pursuits so bear that in mind okay

[23:31] I'll come I'll visit this again but let's look at the text again Revelation chapter 2 said to the angel of the church in Titeria write these things say the son of God let's all say the son of God please say it again say the son of God these things say the son of God John 1 34 Bible talks about how John said I saw him and I have seen I have seen and testified that he is the son of God John 5 25 Jesus himself from his own mouth he said most assuredly I say to you the hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the son of God and those who hear will live so this is from Jesus own mouth that he the son of God Revelation chapter 22 sorry chapter 2 verse 18 he said to the church of Titeria write these things say the son of God now this is the only place in the book of Revelation where Jesus describes himself as the son of God now actually this is he saying himself that I'm the son of God tell the Muslim people who want who think they understand the Bible more that Jesus never said from his own mouth that he's the son of God he did he did in a lot of other places but I don't have time that's not that time

[25:00] Jesus said this is he what he he said these things say the son of God now when he was revealing himself in the chapter 1 the vision John said I saw one like the son of man the son of man which connotes care chapter 1 verse 12 which connotes care which connotes intercession he intercedes I turn and I saw verse 13 among the god one like the son of man the son of man connotes the high priestly role he connotes care he connotes forgiveness he connotes intercession he intercedes on our behalf he identifies with us but son of God connotes deity superiority above everything judgment the one who is interceding is now going to be the prosecutor the one who is protecting and covering is now going to be the one to fight the problem here the Titerian church was going to have which they had not realized is Jesus said

[26:13] I am going to fight you the fight was not going to come from outside it's going to come from inside our Lord himself is going to fight the church it's very interesting I'm going to fight the church as he said to the church of Pegamos so here one he said that the son of God and then look at the description it says that Revelation chapter 2 verse 18 this he who has eyes like flame of fire what a description the flame of fire is piercing eyes like laser beams targeted on you scanning you and searching you to burn things in your life to dig judgment Revelation chapter 19 the same way he described himself I think in the verse 15 I think Revelation 19 15 so now the mouth is out of his mouth went to sharp edge sword that with it verse 12 yeah his eyes were like flames of fire and on his head were many crowns he had a name which no one so his eyes were like flames of fire so here when he appeared he was sending the letter to the church of

[27:37] Tite here he says that this is this this says the son of God he who has the eyes whose eyes are like fire and his feet like fine brass do you know what the fine brass was for for crashing and trembling down he's coming to crash things fine brass revelations chapter 19 verse I think 15 and 16 revelations chapter 19 verse yes he said and in the middle talk about and he himself will rule them with a rod iron he himself treks the wine press and the fierceness and the wrath of the mighty God so he treks the wine press to trest things down the feet of brass now can you imagine someone is writing a letter and describes himself this way that's a serious one in Daniel chapter 10 verse 6 Daniel saw this figure he saw this personality a very scary personality

[28:40] Daniel 10 6 he says that his face like the appearance of lightning his eyes like torches of fire this is a serious one now when he was coming to talk to Titeria I said this is I'm coming like such a person his eyes were like torches of fire his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color and the sound of his words like the voice of multitude he appeared to when he came to address of Titeria he told them this is he the son of God he who has the fire the eyes like the flames of fire and feet like brass this is what I'm saying you better listen because it's not going to be pleasant for you at all Titeria the next verse I know your works oh this is the bit I like say I know your works I know your works I love your service your faith and patience and your patience some translations use the word perseverance faith love always will produce work faith will produce perseverance they always go together love will always produce work if you love

[30:04] God it will show your labor so your love will always produce labor work your works your deeds of love so your love if you genuinely love God we have to we will see it in what you do your work will always your love will always produce works works service ministry is a function of love do you love God show it show it by your ministry the easier when I used to teach class 301 discovering your ministry definition of ministry I used to give was meeting needs with love ministry to minister is to meet needs with love so if you have love you will minister if you have love you will minister you know when you love people you find it easy to serve them how many of you know that this thing says verse 19

[31:15] I know your works love service faith and your patience and ask for your works the last are more than the first they are increasing in works they are increasing maybe they are even having serious church growth more than the church of Ephesus more than the other church they are breaking through so you can tell they have some faith I know your faith I know your works I know your love first the other place Ephesus it didn't mean their love was an issue but these people they had love and it was even looking like their love for the things of God I know your works your love your service your faith and your patience and ask for your works the last are more than the first you are doing good stuff but the 20 is there let's read the 20 together it's worrying let's go everybody let's go interesting the problem is nevertheless

[32:35] I have something against you what again we are growing we are doing more outrages we are moving people from the streets to the church they stop their gun crime we are we are helping the homeless you know we are doing a lot of service we are doing all that what again you have something oh Jesus he said you have allowed the word allow the Greek word sounds like e eo eo eo eo it's like you are eo you are eo that woman Jezebel the eo means to permit the eo means to to tolerate so King James give me a King James King James

[33:36] King James you thou sufferest you know the woman Jezebel give us an IV I'll show you that you have tolerated tolerate you tolerate that woman eo means to allow somebody without restrictions to do what they want to do you are liberty to do it you can go anywhere you want in the house stay anywhere turn on the lights anytime you want you have allowed her you have given her free movement you have tolerated her you should what you should have been intolerant of you have tolerated because she will bring money and it's not just tolerating her presence you have tolerated her and this is the you wonder how the church can go that far to allow somebody you want to know about

[34:42] Jezebel I think you should find out about this no that person in the Bible is not called Jezebel but Jesus normally calls people by their character so her mannerism what was happening this is Jezebel at work who is this Jezebel Jezebel was in the Old Testament the wife of Ahab the daughter of one Sidonian king called Ithbao that is far in the Old Testament first kings first kings he was there in first she was there in first kings chapter 19 verse 2 let's go from chapter 16 verse 31 first king 16 31 look look at it from the text and it came to pass as though it had been a travel thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Naboth that he took as wife

[35:43] Jezebel the daughter of Abel king of the Sidonians that's Jezebel that's where and he went and sell Baal and Jezebel came to live in Israel she was married to Ahab and she introduced Baal worship false worship and sexual immorality amongst them and because she was married to the king she had her way to do anything she wanted and cause the anger the wrath of God to come against Israel God turned the heart of Israel against God to follow other idols Jezebel chapter 19 verse 1 and 2 Jezebel met Elijah after Elijah killed and Jezebel had professional prophets she was paying can't imagine this man this woman was living in Israel and had employed prophets and she was paying them salary and they were leading in idol worship and

[36:44] Elijah the whole Israel was turned away from God Elijah came he said you guys you are killing the prophets so they killed God's prophets and Elijah thought he was the only one left and he came so you guys you are worshiping Baal but today we have to that's what is called the context on Mount Kamel and he said that if Baal is God worship him and if Jehovah is God worship him and let's call verse 24 of 1st John chapter 18 Bible says then you call on the name of your God and I call on the name of the Lord and the God who answers by fire he is God so there was a context that these four gods who have come to Israel how long will you falter between two opinions make up your mind if God if Baal is God worship him if the

[37:44] Lord is God worship him that's how it just between waver or falter between two opinions so he brought the context and he said okay let the false prophets bring their give us altar give me an altar give him an altar let him sacrifice a bull let them sacrifice bull and let's not put fire on it and let's call on the name of our God the God who answered by fire let him be God why because Jezebel has paid them off and they were brought in full into Israel and so when you call on the God of fire the Bible says verse I think 34 or 35 the Bible says that at the end of the evening Elijah called and fire came down and consumed everything and he said arrest all the prophets of Baal and kill them so chapter 19 verse 1 so her husband the king went home and told her this woman is powerful and Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and also how he executed all the prophets with the sword he killed my prophets can't imagine the king couldn't do anything he had to go

[38:55] I'm going to tell my wife I'm going to tell my wife Elijah I'm going to tell my wife he went I went and told mom can I he said yes what is it why are you not happy at all he said Elijah you call fire from heaven because the first prophets your first prophets couldn't call he has killed all of them do you know what the woman said look at the verse Jezebel sent messengers to Elijah and said so let the ghost do to me and more so if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow I'm giving you 24 hours if you are still alive may the ghost kill me yeah and you know what this prophet who could call fire from heaven he would flee Jezebel 20 miles of town and when he saw that he arose and ran for his life and went to

[39:57] Beersheba which belonged to Judah and left his servant there and then he continued and then he went further into the mountains he went for his life but he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under the broom tree and prayed and said watch this said it's enough lord take my life prophet the whole nation bowed down and said god is god the lord is god because of one prayer of elijah jezebel said you 24 hours he ran away two hours or two days journey and then left his servant there and then went one 24 hour but the woman said by 24 hours he ran and now when he arrived he met god said god take away my life i've had enough they have killed all your prophets i'm the only one alive take my life that's where god said i'm knowing somebody to take your office jezebel don't joke with jezebel she brought such evil in israel and brought such lasciviousness licentiousness nudity people were messing up sexual immorality and adultery was easy everywhere everywhere if there's not a brothel there is a sex shop if not a sex shop there is a fetish place idol where you go for it so it's everywhere so sometimes you're walking in town and it just they stare you up you don't know which one you choose and most of the service providers in those places they were well groomed with all kinds of special spices dedicated to idols so when you go they are burning incense to one god burning by the time you leave you feel like this church isn't even true

[42:03] Jezebel Jezebel time will not permit me I would have shown you her end how she ended dogs ate her up and licked her blood according to 2nd Kings chapter 9 verse you can write it down but we are not reading it verse 33 verse dogs licked her blood ate her by the time the dogs have finished her already but look at 1st Kings chapter 21 verse 23 someone screamed Jezebel Jezebel why can't you say scream Jezebel Jezebel Jezebel is not a reflection of it's not about the sex okay did you hear that it's not about her sex male or female no it's not that it's the personality that's what it more is about and concerning

[43:04] Jezebel the Lord also spoke saying the dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezebel interesting look at verse 25 verse 25 but there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to the weakness in the sight of the Lord because Jezebel his wife stared him up look at the next verse verse 26 be careful who you call your girlfriend your boyfriend your husband your wife before you made them husband and wife and he behaved very abominably in following idols according to all that the Amorites has done whom the Lord had cast out before the children God has cleared these people because of idols and has given it to you how come you have allowed Jezebel to not introduce you to even worse versions of it Jezebel now watch this I'm about to say something in the early church women were not allowed to teach women were not allowed to teach according to first Timothy women were not allowed to teach even in first century

[44:15] Christianity or first century life women were like in Saudi Arabia you know you are now so women know but the Revelation chapter 2 verse 20 says that you permitted Jezebel even naturally normally they don't do it nevertheless I have a few things because you have permitted that woman Jezebel who calls herself prophetess to teach and seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality a lot of sins bring the judgment and the wrath of God but sexual immorality is wilder maybe you never know it's wilder you can engage in sexual immoralities and think God will just look and say oh I understand it's your libido I understand it's your libido you'll be fine I understand that is what that is what the agnostics teach and they teach libertinism you are free to do because for human nature you can't control it it doesn't matter how much you try you'll still be struggling how many of you know that so they teach that you know you can't agnostics they teach that you don't have to bother just enjoy do anything and God understands just like grace you are saved by grace so grace will cover you just do it enjoy your life because you've tried at least you go to church don't you you've tried you've been going to church so do it

[45:56] Jezebel and she came in the puppet so like when we've come to church after praise and worship then Jezebel comes to stand there and you remember the working conditions for Christians in Tithera you remember Jezebel tells them that's okay this is just business how would you live go ahead enjoy it don't confuse it enjoy it when you come to church it's okay so make money it's about money you are there to make money you are not there to worship so if they are bringing first God and you have to sleep with your boss and sleep with your colleagues to get promotion or go into some secret cult to get promotion what's wrong you are there for money if that's what you bring the money Jezebel started teaching these things so he took away he made them she made them dishonor or disobey the instructions of Christ she came with contrary instructions have sex enjoy your life follow idols and still come to church so now do you know the church that they had in Ticheria a church that was celebrating when they met after church people were saying oh how was it last week oh this one was better than my wife you know and it was normal the pastor himself would be sharing his own in fact there was one pastor in Ticheria there was one pastor in Ticheria he tattooed on his arm he tattooed peccator peccator means that faulty tattooed

[47:31] I'm just faulty and so I'm enjoying my life and so it was okay to be in church to be messing up until we start to walk pure with God and stop Jezebel from influencing and teaching us we will miss God and we can't influence our generation we can't make an impact in this generation and let me tell you other religions are fast on the move in our times they are taking over everywhere and Christians are weaker and weaker because Christians are weak in the absence of purity it's not absence of more people because look he said your numbers are growing your works have grown but you are still weak in influence I can't work anything through you and he says they had the longest of letters because they allowed Jezebel to teach and they even went they were taken into the deep things of Satan where did this come from when the church started in the church of Ephesus it was just a church that was lacking love then in the church of Smyna the synagogue of Satan was there now and then in the church of Pergamos now the throne they were now around there so synagogue of Satan was there then throne of Satan the territory of Satan now they have entered the deep things of Satan because of

[48:52] Jezebel they have entered verse 24 they have entered the depths of Satan because of dead woman Jezebel let me let me conclude by throwing a bit more light on that woman say that woman who is this woman is she amongst us where is she how can we identify her where is she can I show you where she is my time is up can I show you where she is I show you where she is I will show you where Jezebel is Jezebel has been revealed by Jesus himself Jesus spoke about Jezebel but he didn't mention her name he spoke about her in the book of Matthew chapter 13 verse 34 sorry 33 Matthew 13 verse 33 hey this is amazing this is amazing can we all read it out together please loud no no let's very loud let's go wait wait whoever took it's OK it's OK who took who took who took a woman the kingdom of heaven watch this well you hear the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of heaven starts from when Jesus came he said the kingdom of heaven is a hand so after the millennium the kingdom of God most of the scriptures is always part of the kingdom of heaven is always the kingdom of heaven is part of the kingdom of God so the church is the kingdom of heaven

[50:20] OK Jesus said, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. When Jesus came and died, the kingdom of God is now with us. We, the church, are the kingdom of heaven. But it is not the full picture of the kingdom of heaven because after everything, when everything is said and done, in fact, during the millennium, it is going to be the full manifestation of the kingdom.

[50:41] That's why they asked, at what time are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? So the kingdom of heaven, and Jesus said the kingdom of heaven. Anytime you say the kingdom of heaven, most of the time you're talking about the church. He said the church, the kingdom of heaven, watch this.

[50:53] It's like, it's the kingdom of heaven is like living. Yeast, you know yeast. Wrong doctrine. I taught you the other time. Wrong doctrine. Yeast. Evil doctrine. Watch this.

[51:04] Which a woman took and hid. It was hidden in three measures of meal till it was all living. They put it in three.

[51:15] The meal, usually in the Bible, meal stands for Jesus. God created us to have life by eating. So in the garden of Eden, the tree of life. I taught you last week, the tree of life. When they left Egypt, before they left Egypt, he said, use the blood, but eat the meat.

[51:29] And then when they were in the wilderness, he gave them manna. When they got to Cana land, in fact, one of the descriptions of the land of Cana is, it flows with milk and honey. What do you do with milk and honey? It's for eating. And he said, the kingdom of God is like this meal that has been given to us to be eaten.

[51:43] A woman managed to take yeast. Yeast is something you put into flour or you put into meal to make it more soft, easy, under taste, enjoyable.

[51:56] Okay? So in our attempt to make church appealing to the world, we are beginning to lose what we are supposed to stand for. So the pastor cannot tell you, get out of your boyfriend's house. Don't be sleeping there.

[52:07] He can't say it because we don't want to offend you. The pastor cannot say, stop beating your wife. The pastor cannot say, stop stealing. The pastor cannot say, stop changing figures because he's afraid you will not give time.

[52:18] Go to hell with your money. We have to say it because we shouldn't be afraid of teaching people the true word of God. Other than that, we are putting yeast. When you purchase, when you put yeast, yeast makes it acceptable.

[52:31] So you don't offend your hearers. In spite of what God is saying, don't say it like that. You offend us. You offend in the hearers.

[52:42] You can't say that any other religion outside of Jesus is Satan worship. You can't say that. You can't say that. You offend us. You offend us.

[52:54] So pastors are forced to put yeast in the meal which is Christ. So it can be acceptable for everybody to receive.

[53:05] By so doing, we have watered and down the whole thing has turned into something else. So who is this Jezebel? Who took yeast and put it in the fire meal?

[53:17] Who is this Jezebel? He's the same person. He's the one in Matthew chapter 13. She's the one in 13. She's the same person in Revelation 2.20 that we just read.

[53:30] And she's the same person we read about in Revelation 17. The first scripture we read. The great Babylon has fallen. The great Harlot who has committed fornication with the saints.

[53:41] The great Harlot is the same woman. The same woman. Who is this woman? In the Bible, the woman usually stands for a church. So you think Jezebel is somebody in the church?

[53:54] No, Jezebel is actually a type of a church. Jezebel. A type of a church that has put yeast. In the meal we serve.

[54:05] And now allowing people to follow idolatry. But they are still worshipping. Idolatry is not only when you have the gods. You have images.

[54:17] But where your heart is the things that you are pursuing. And that's why I could have the audacity. Listen to me brothers and sisters. The audacity to say I have a problem when a believer, your biggest dream is to just get more money.

[54:29] It's idolatry. Something has got in your heart. Your heart is after something. Not Jesus. A believer should live for Christ. But if we don't teach this thing, we are putting yeast in the meal.

[54:45] And killing people. So causing them to commit fornication. Without conviction. Fornication. Fornication. Without conviction.

[54:56] I mean fornication. Without conviction. How? By the time church is finishing, you should feel like God helped me to change my ways.

[55:12] You should feel like I want to get closer to you. Because you've come to church. When the church was born, they were coming. Unbelievers were infiltrating. God stopped it. Now the problem of the church is not the attacks of the haters from inside.

[55:27] Jezebel has now come to teach. And now we are celebrating the mess. We have become apostates. God has been kicked out of the church. That's a Jezebel church. May God help us.

[55:42] May God help us. May God. May God. May God. May God. Other than that, we can't affect this nation. Say, the people who changed this nation were people who saved the Romans.

[55:56] They saved the Romans. That's the only thing that changed. Our good ways can't change a nation. Our niceness can't change a nation. Our poshness can't change a nation.

[56:08] Nothing Christianity offers can change a nation apart from the pure Christ. Let's stop all these games. Immoral games.

[56:20] Games of immorality. Living in bad, living all kinds of filthy lives. And we all came with it. And we say, oh God understands.

[56:30] God, that's what? He said, I'm coming to fight you very soon with the sword of my mouth. Let's stop these games. Pastors. Pastors.

[56:43] Pastors. Oh man of God. Oh man of God. But thou, oh man of God, according to 1 Timothy 6, verse 12. But thou, oh man of God, flee these things and fight the good fight of faith.

[56:58] Lay hold on eternal life where until you are caught and profess a good profession. Fight the good fight of faith. Verse 11 says, flee these things, thou man of God.

[57:10] But you, oh man of God, flee these things. Do you know what verse 10 says? Verse 10 says that the love of man is for, verse 10, for the love of man is the root of all evil for which some having strayed from their faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

[57:27] Look at the next verse. But as for you, man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness, fight the good fight of faith.

[57:37] Lay hold on eternal life. That is the man of God. That is the Christian's message. Don't let us live like worldly people. You are saved for goodness sake. You are saved. You are born again.

[57:50] You are not just a church goer. You are born again. You are saved. Bound for heaven. A child of God. Who a child of God? Jezebel.

[58:00] Amen. That woman called Jezebel. That woman Jesus was speaking from heaven. He said, that woman that's we can hold to continue his threat against Jezebel. That woman called Jezebel.

[58:14] That woman called Jezebel. Say, that woman called Jezebel. That woman called Jezebel. Oh, man. Did somebody receive something? We thank God for using this sermon, Reverend Dr. David Entry to share this awesome word.

[58:32] If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at charis.org. Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Charis Ministries.

[58:49] Stay blessed. Thank you.