nd earnestly commended for being true even in the midst of
persecution.

But there's something wrong, and it is very serious. It is as wrong and
bad as it can be. There is actually compromise with evil, partnership
with the world in its wickedness. The thing is put in the intensest way
possible by characterizing it as adultery. No stronger language could be
used to tell how He sees the evil they are guilty of. And they are
plainly told that He will fight against them. They have made themselves
His enemy by joining His enemies.

The _Thyatira_ group is reminded of the purity of their Lord, who cannot
stand impurity but searches it relentlessly out, and pursues it to the
death. There's a faithful minority here. Their activity and love and
faith and patience and increasing activity in service are all counted
carefully over and warmly commended.

But the evil here is much worse. It is put into the gravest language.
"Thou sufferest the woman _Jezebel_." This is most significant. There is
no worse character named in the whole Old Testament. She not only
represented the worst adulterous uncleanness in herself, but she was
the national leader energetically fostering unclean idolatrous practices
among the people. Jezebel pulled God's light-holder nation down to the
lowest moral level it ever reached. She brazenly dominated king and
people, and remained stubbornly obstinate to the terrible end.

Christ brings _her_ name in here. Again this is tremendous. No more
terrific parallel could have been made. Here evil characterized as
adulterous has actually come to a place of leadership in the Church.
With great longsuffering time has been given that all this might be
changed, but with Jezebel-like obstinacy it was determined that there
would be no change. And the inevitable result that will surely follow
continued obstinacy will be a great tribulation or deadly persecution.

The _Sardis_ group is told that Christ is the centre of all life and
help, in the control of the Holy Spirit and of the angel messengers.
There is nothing to commend here. There are some who insist on living
true lives, but they are a scanty scattered few, not enough to count.

There are some ragged remnants of good, but even these are sickly and
nearly dead. The Church is well organized, energetic, standing high
among men, but with an utter absence of spiritual life. The personal
lives of most are like dirty garments. And the warning is this: He will
come a