esus said to the believers at
Thyatira, "I have a few things against you." That should get one's attention.
Why did He say that? "Because you have suffered [allowed] that woman Jezebel, who
calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to
eat things sacrificed to idols." Rev. 2:20. Who was "that woman Jezebel"
and what did she do that Jesus would have had such contempt toward her?
A SPIRITUAL CONDITION
Jezebel in Thyatira may have been a real person among the
called-out-ones there and may have actually been engaging in sexual immorality. She may
have been actually drawing others into her ways. Such is not out of the question since
adultery goes on in the churches today. It always has. Even so, something far
more engaging, far more spiritually significant, for which the Lord showed contempt, was
going on there.
The "Jezebel spirit" in Thyatira represented a spiritual
condition in the hearts of some of the called-out-ones there. Ahab's Jezebel in the Old
Testament defines what this Jezebel spirit is by her life and reputation. She was
controlling and manipulative and practiced witchcraft and harlotry.
Spiritual harlotry is seeking anything for Self. It is the flesh
hungering to enhance itself. We all have harlot hearts and are easily deceived. When this
idolatrous harlotry is brought into our assembly life as the body of Christ, we have the
Jezebel spirit in operation. Our idolatry and spiritual harlotry may not be so blatant as
hers, but is just as much a hindrance to having an intimate relationship with our Lord.
This Jezebel in Thyatira and this "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (Rev. 17:1-6) represent the same
spiritual condition--idolatry and spiritual harlotry (fornication). Jezebel in Thyatira
taught and seduced the Lord's servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed
to idols. This harlot of Revelation 17 is pictured as the great whore that sat "upon
many waters with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the
inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." She
was "drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of
Jesus."
THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT DEFINED
The Jezebel-harlot spirit is seeking anything for Self.
It is
the idolatry of Self--self-love. Philippians 2:21 reads, "For all seek their own, not
the things which are Jesus Christ's." Whoever seeks his own is into self-love...
self-love is idolatry, and all idolatry is spiritual harlotry. Our sin nature is prone to
self-love and his condition is made worse by the enticement of demonic spirits.
The harlot spirit is present anytime we try to build something in the
flesh for Self. In contrast, the Holy Spirit is present when we set our hearts to build
only for Him and by Him. We deceive ourselves when we think that our great church
building programs are for Him. They are not. They are for Self. Many well-meaning, but
ill-informed Christians try to exploit the Holy Spirit to advance themselves. Many fake
the presence of the Holy Spirit to make their church or their services look good.
This is wrong. We have not been given the Holy Spirit to make the harlot look good.
The Jezebel spirit is further defined by her deeds.
SHE LEADS GOD'S SERVANTS ASTRAY
The Jezebel spirit leads astray God's bond-servants, those who
willingly commit to serving Christ.
The Jezebel of Thyatira led people astray through her doctrine--the
things she taught. The Lord said, "But to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as
many as have not this doctrine [teaching]..." Rev. 2:24. She was violating
their minds and spirituality with false teachings; namely, those teachings that would
exalt Self, especially herself that she might have the rule over them. In this, she was
causing them to eat things sacrificed to idols. The idols in this case was Self. All
idolatry stems from the love of Self.
Through her doctrines she did the same thing Balaam was found guilty of
doing. The use of this expression "eating things sacrificed to idols" links her
to Balaam. Knowing who Balaam was and what he did explained who the Nicolaitans were and
now explains who "that woman Jezebel" was. They all sought something for Self in
order to gain dominance over the people.
Eating things sacrificed to idols is what we do when we allow the old,
arrogant, self-centered, self-promoting man of flesh and sin to rule rather than allowing
the Holy Spirit to rule. It is the lordship of the harlot instead of the lordship of Jesus
Christ.
Some at Thyatira were beguiled by the self-seeking, self-promoting
"doctrine" advanced by "that woman Jezebel." These doctrines later
influenced the rise of the clergy system. It was a system of men's self-seeking traditions
based on power, position, pomp, preeminence, riches, and domination.
Those in the churches today who violate God's sheep in order
to increase themselves in power, position, and domination are, likewise, causing the sheep
to eat things sacrificed to idols--the idols of self-glorification.
SHE INCITES BAAL WORSHIP
It is not coincidental that the woman in Revelation chapter 2 is named
Jezebel, or that the woman in Revelation chapter 17 is called MOTHER OF HARLOTS. There
could be no more perfect picture of all that is an abomination to God than the Jezebel of
1 Kings 16 who married Ahab, king of Israel. As we investigate her life and practices, we
shall surely be convinced that she serves as a symbolic type of the harlot spirit in the church
system that was to come.
Jezebel was a Phoenician princess, the daughter of Ethbaal, King of
Tyre, of the Sidonians. Ahab, King of Israel, married her. The scriptures reads, "And
it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, that he [Ahab] took to wife Jezebel...and went and served Baal, and
worshipped him." 1 Kings 16:31. In this, Ahab "did more to provoke the LORD God
of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him." 1 Kings 16:33.
She led Ahab to worship Baal.
Baal means "possessor" and was the god of the increase of
flocks, crops, and families. It might be defined in present-day terms as
"greed." Baal worship is self-worship and characterized by the love of the
world: the lust for power, position, riches, and domination much like what we see
throughout the history of the church and its system of clergy.
If the Jezebel spirit can succeed in getting God's bond-servants to
worship other gods, to get their eyes off of Jesus and onto themselves, she will have
caused them to commit spiritual fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. She
will have caused them to commit sins that are an abomination to God.
When we lift up this Thing we call church and join people to it,
we turn their hearts away from the one who should be their first and only love, Jesus
Christ.
SHE CONSULTS THE PROPHETS OF BAAL
The Jezebel spirit consults the prophets of Baal. The prophets of Baal
say things that appeal to and entice the desires of the flesh.
Ahab's Jezebel had her own prophets of Baal. She allowed the prophets
of Baal to eat at her table. 1 Kings 18:19. They tickled her ears by telling her what she
wanted to hear. She wanted to hear whatever she thought might bring an increase of power,
control, and grandeur to herself.
Such was the case with Ahab when he joined Jehoshaphat in war against
the king of Syria over Ramoth in Gilead. Jehoshaphat pleaded with Ahab to inquire of the
Lord before they went to battle. Ahab gathered about four hundred of the prophets of Baal,
and they told him to proceed, assuring him that the Lord would deliver him. It was already
in his heart to do this thing, so they told him what he wanted to hear. Jehoshaphat asked,
"Is there not a prophet of the Lord that we might inquire of him?" No doubt Ahab
bristled at this suggestion. Ahab knew the prophet Micaiah but told Jehoshaphat, "I
hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." Nevertheless,
Micaiah was consulted and told Ahab the same thing his lying prophets had told him,
"Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king." Ahab
knew he was not speaking the word of the Lord and commanded him to speak the truth. So he
did. "I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a
shepherd." 2 Chronicles 18:22 adds, "and the LORD has declared disaster against
you." Fascinating! Ahab knew Micaiah was not speaking truth, he knew it was not God's
will to go to battle, but he did it anyway, bringing about his own destruction. 1 Kings
22.
The "Ahabs" in the churches today surround
themselves with "yes" men. They will continue to bow down to their own Baals and
consult with their own prophets of Baal as long as they are addicted to bigger, better,
and more. Bigger, better, and more of anything. Bigger, better, and more of everything.
Bigger church buildings. Better salaries. More members. Greater offerings.
Increased honor, recognition, and reputation. Even when they know this is leading to their
destruction, their insatiable appetite for increase drives them on. They do it anyway.
SHE KILLS THE PROPHETS OF GOD
The Jezebel spirit kills the prophets of God.
Ahab's Jezebel is noted for having killed the prophets of the Lord. 1
Kings 18:4, 13. The Lord avenged the blood of His servants the prophets and the blood of
all the servants of the Lord at the hand of Jezebel (2 Kings 9:7) by anointing Jehu, one
of Ahab's captains, to be the King of Israel and instructing him to kill the house of
Ahab.
Ahab's Jezebel and THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS shared this reputation: they
killed the prophets of God. Revelation 17:6 describes the woman as being "drunken
with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." Revelation
18:24 reads that "in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints and of all
that were slain upon the earth."
Her powers go beyond that of a conniving woman. She was a partner with
the powers of darkness--one to shun, one from whom to run. Elijah had sense enough to know
this. He had won a mighty victory for the Lord on Mount Carmel. Fire came down from heaven
at his petition and consumed the altars of Jezebel's prophets. Then Elijah slew all 450 of
her prophets with the sword at the Brook Kishon. 1 Kings 18:20-40. Such bravery! Such
confidence in God! Then, when "that woman Jezebel" threatened to do to him what
he had done to her prophets, he ran for his life and wisely so. He recognized the depth of
evil in her. He fled a day's journey into the wilderness, sat down under a juniper tree,
and pleaded with the Lord to take his life. 1 Kings 19:1-4.
This spirit in Jezebel was already scheming in Israel during the time
of the Judges when Samson foolishly gave himself to Delilah, a woman in the Valley of
Sorek. She enticed him to give away the secret of his strength, which cost him his
strength, his freedom, his eyesight, and eventually his life. Judg. 16:4-22.
John the Baptist, the prophet, fell victim to this heinous spirit.
Matt. 14:1-12. John had condemned Herod for taking his brother's wife, Herodias. Herod
wanted to put John to death, but feared the multitude who considered John to be a prophet.
On the occasion of Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before his
illustrious birthday crowd. Her performance was so pleasing that Herod foolishly offered
her anything she wished up to half of his kingdom. Her mother wasted no time prompting her
to ask for the head of John. The Bible says that Herod was sorry but had boasted his
pledge in the hearing of all present and could not squirm his way out of it. John's head
fell, and the Jezebel spirit had claimed the life of another prophet of God.
If Jezebel cannot kill the prophet of God outright, she will try to
seduce him into some immoral, illegal, or unscrupulous act in order to derail him. The
story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife is the classic, scriptural example of this. Though he
had been bought as a slave, Joseph found favor with Potiphar, and God blessed Potiphar
because of Joseph's presence in his house. Potiphar entrusted the management of his
household and wealth to Joseph. Potiphar's wife was a different matter. She had sexual
designs on Joseph and tried to entice him into her bedroom. Joseph, being a man of
integrity, refused her enticements. She snared him anyway. She grabbed his garment from
him as he fled from her, took the garment to Potiphar, and falsely accused him of trying
to have sex with her. Though Potiphar imprisoned him, the Jezebel spirit ultimately
failed, for God used Joseph's imprisonment to lead him to his destiny--the seat of high
honor and trust in Pharaoh's house. Gen. 39:7-20.
Proverbs 5:1-8 is a warning to the natural man that applies to the
spiritual man as well. "My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow your ear to my
understanding: That you may regard discretion, and that your lips may keep knowledge. For
the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: but
her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her
steps take hold on hell. Lest you should ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable,
that you cannot know them. Hear me now therefore, O you children, and depart not from the
words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her, and come not near the door of her
house."
The Jezebel spirit in the churches today is no less a threat
to the servants of God. Many true and godly servants of Christ have been spiritually and
emotionally damaged and disfellowshipped from the churches because they sought to
follow the leading of the Holy Spirit against the interest of their rigid denominational
traditions. Additionally, as Bob Hughey points out, "The harlot steals affection,
time, energy, financial resources, and seed away from the bride. Jesus will never give His
seed to the harlot." Just as the physical seed of humans is the sperm; so is the
spiritual seed the word of God. His word is for His bride. We are to receive with meekness
the implanted word, which is able to save our souls. James 1:21b.
SHE DESTROYS THE ROYAL OFFSPRING OF DAVID
This Jezebel spirit is murderous and would try to alter world history.
She stops at nothing to destroy God's inheritance, attempting to kill even the royal
offspring from King David to King Jesus.
Jezebel and Ahab had a daughter named Athaliah who married Jehoram,
king of Judah. After he died, Athaliah's son, Ahaziah, became king in Judah but was killed
by Jehu. When Athaliah saw that her son was dead, she arose, began to kill all the royal
offspring from the house of Judah, seized the throne for herself, and reigned for six
years. She inherited her mother's demon.
Athaliah succeeded in killing all the royal offspring except for Joash.
Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Ahaziah, hid Joash from the other sons who were being
killed. Joash was later crowned king of Judah by the congregation of Levites and chief
fathers of Israel under the leadership of Jehoiada, a priest.
When Athaliah heard the commotion surrounding the crowning ceremony of
Joash, she tore her clothes and shouted, "Treason! Treason!" Johoiada ordered
that she be taken outside the Temple and put to death. 2 Kings 8:25-11:20 or 2 Chron.
22-23.
We realize the magnitude of this historical event when we remember that
Jesus, the Messiah, was to be a descendent of David. 1 Chron. 17:11-12. Had Joash himself
been murdered with the rest of the royal offspring from David, this would have interrupted
that divine lineage.
As we come to the end of the age we find Satan, the real influence that
empowers the Jezebel spirit, once again attempting to destroy the royal offspring of
David. All who are the called, chosen, and faithful (Rev. 17:14) are the malechild of
Revelation 12:1-5 who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron, whom the dragon attempts
to devour. This malechild is a corporate son, bearing the image of the Son, whom the Holy
Spirit will manifest in these last days.
The Jezebel spirit attempts to destroy the spirit of Sonship when it is
preached, perverts the revelation when it comes forth, and holds many people hostage to
the religious systems of men.
SHE SITS AS QUEEN
The Jezebel spirit seeks to position herself as queen.
Ahab's Jezebel ruled surreptitiously. She was the power behind the
throne. The Jezebel spirit historically has been acting in stealth, but the Holy Spirit
reveals that she will actually position herself openly upon the throne just as did
Athaliah. "How much she has glorified herself...for she says in her heart, 'I sit as
a queen.'" Rev. 18:7. It is already coming to pass not only in the church
but in all areas of life; she will sit as queen before the end of the age.
The Jezebel spirit despises the authority of the man. She is driven to
usurp the headship of her husband--taking over what God has given him to do. She answers
for him, makes decisions for him, and manipulates him to get her way. She uses sex,
crying, sulking, conniving, self-pity, and threats to achieve what she wants. This is
vividly illustrated in the next chapter on Naboth.
The Jezebel spirit wants more than anything to rule in the churches
and to rule over God's elect. She targets the leadership when she can. The elders of a
small city fellowship would meet, pray, and agree together on the direction they believed
the Lord was leading. The next time they met, elder John often had reversed his position.
Why? He went home, talked it over with his wife, and if it did not comply with her agenda,
she persuaded him to change his mind. She ruled him; thereby, she controlled most of what
happened in this fellowship through him. He was an Ahab and she was a Jezebel.
Jezebel is driven by ambition and is characterized by the headship of
the woman. The Holy Spirit established God's order for headship through Paul. He wrote,
"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the
woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." 1 Cor. 11:2.
This principle of headship is not a question of citizenship or
greatness. It certainly does not call for abusive behavior on the part of the husband nor
blind obedience on the part of the wife. It is a matter of jurisdiction. It is a
responsibility each man has before his Head, Christ, to properly love and cover his wife.
Coach Bill McCartney spoke profoundly on the NBC Today Show, November 19, 1997, saying,
"Every man's calling is to bring his wife to splendor." A godly man will be a
true shepherd over his household. He will lead, feed, heal, and tend to them.
Women who usurp their coverings of headship open themselves up to
deceiving spirits. 1 Cor. 11:10. Women who become the "power behind the throne"
or in any sense begin to exercise authority over their husbands open themselves up to a
Jezebel spirit. 1 Cor. 2:12-14. The headship of women is out of order and dangerous. It
will lead God's bond-servants astray.
Babylonian-based churches are powered by the secret influences
of Jezebel spirits, and the Ahabs are pawns in their hands. These spirits will be
available and functioning when this harlot church system is in place. This
idolatrous system of self-worship attracts demons like flies to a picnic.
SHE IS CAST DOWN IN A DAY
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS is in contrast to the bride in Revelation 19:7-9.
This counterfeit is the mother of the abominations of the earth. She is an abomination to
the Lord and will be cast down in a day. Her glory already pales with the rising glory of
God's true and holy bride.
A striking similarity exists between Ahab's Jezebel and THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS in how they are terminated.
2 Kings 9:30-33 narrates how Ahab's Jezebel died. Jehu had been
anointed to replace Jehoram as the king of Israel and was given the charge to slay the
whole house of Ahab, including Jezebel. When Jehu came to Jezreel, he found Jezebel
looking through a window. Upon his command, some eunuchs threw her down and some of her
blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses. Jehu trod her under foot. They later
went out to bury her, but the dogs had eaten all of her except her skull, feet, and the
palms of her hands just as Elisha had prophesied. 1 Kings 21:23.
Revelation 18:2 records, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the
great!" Verse 8 reads: "For this reason in one day her plagues will
come..." Verse 10: "Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in
one hour your judgment has come." Verse 17: "...for in one hour such great
wealth has been laid waste!" Verse 21: "and a strong angel took up a stone like
a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, 'Thus will Babylon, the great city,
be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.'"
The second angel said in Revelation 14:8, "Babylon is fallen, is
fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of
her fornication."
Then one of the seven angels in Revelation 17:1-2 said, "Come
here, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who sits upon many waters: with whom
the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have
been made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
Finally, in Revelation 19:1-2, John "heard a great voice of much
people in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the
Lord our God: For true and righteous are His judgments: for He has judged the great whore,
which corrupted the earth with her fornication...'"
This idolatrous system of men's traditions, bundled in this Thing we
call church and typified by the Jezebel spirit is destined to be destroyed.
Revelation 2:21-24 tells the rest of the story. "And I gave her [Jezebel] space to
repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and
them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their
deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the assemblies of called-out-ones
shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts: and I will give unto every one
of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many
as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I
will put upon you none other burden."
The rule of the carnal mind in the church is the Babylonian
captivity of the church. The Nicolaitans are the doorkeepers and Jezebel rules
behind the scenes. She is a black widow spider who weaves her web of seduction and deceit
to trap whom she can.
And so it happened to Naboth. He, too, was caught in her snare.