Devotional 20 January 2025
Revelation 2:24-29 ESV “But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. [25] Only hold fast what you have until I come. [26] The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, [27] and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority 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.’
Jesus commends the faithful believers in Thyatira who have resisted false teachings. They have not succumbed to the “deep things of Satan,” likely a reference to deceptive doctrines masquerading as profound truths (1 Timothy 4:1). These believers demonstrate what Jesus taught in John 8:31—true disciples abide in His Word, not the lies of the world.
Jesus reassures them that He does not “lay on you any other burden.” This echoes His earlier promise in Matthew 11:28-30, where He calls His yoke easy and His burden light. The command to “hold fast what you have until I come” underscores the need for perseverance, a theme repeated in Hebrews 10:23, which encourages us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
To the one who overcomes, Jesus promises authority over the nations, reflecting Psalm 2:8-9, where the Messiah is given the nations as His inheritance and rules with a rod of iron. This promise assures us that those who endure will share in Christ’s victory (Romans 8:17). The “morning star” symbolizes the ultimate reward: Jesus Himself, as revealed in Revelation 22:16, where He declares, “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
The closing exhortation, “He who has an ear, let him hear,” emphasizes the urgency of heeding the Spirit’s words. It recalls Jesus’ warning in Matthew 13:9, urging listeners to respond to His teaching with understanding and obedience. This passage challenges us to remain steadfast (1 Corinthians 15:58), discerning (1 John 4:1), and focused on Christ’s promises (Philippians 3:14), knowing that faithfulness will lead to eternal fellowship with Him.
-steve