Jesus’ words to the church in Thyatira are among the most severe in the New Testament, and for good reason: the church was not merely under attack from the outside, but was tolerating infiltration from within. The figure of Jezebel—not just a historical person, but a symbol of Babylonian mystery religion—had found a foothold among God’s people. This is not a minor doctrinal error; it is the deliberate seduction of the church into idolatry under the banner of Christianity itself.
“Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her 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 churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” (Revelation 2:20-23)
The church’s tolerance of Jezebel’s teaching was not a neutral act. It resulted in believers being seduced into spiritual fornication and idolatry. This is the fruit of syncretism—the mixing of pagan and Christian practices—which is always presented as harmless but is, in fact, the very strategy of Satan to corrupt the worship of God’s people. The so-called “depths of Satan” are not abstract errors; they are the concrete infiltration of Babylonian mystery religion, dressed up in Christian language and ritual.
History confirms how this infiltration was accomplished. The Roman Catholic Church, by introducing pagan feasts and simply renaming them, led multitudes to believe they were worshipping Christ when, in reality, they were participating in the worship of the Babylonian trinity. The Bible was deliberately locked away from the people, ensuring that the deception would go unchallenged. Statues of pagan deities were recast as Mary and Jesus, and the Pope, assuming the title Pontifex Maximus, became the steward of this counterfeit system. This was not ignorance, but a calculated effort to lead Christians into the worship of a false Christ—Tammuz—under the guise of Christian devotion.
What is lost if this error is accepted? Everything. Justification by faith is replaced by participation in rituals that have their origin in Babylon, not in Christ. Sonship and inheritance are forfeited for a counterfeit system that cannot cleanse the conscience or bring the believer into the liberty of the New Covenant. The finished work of Christ is obscured, and the people of God are left serving an idol while believing they are serving the Lord. This is not a secondary matter; it strikes at the very heart of the gospel.
Yet God, in His mercy, did not leave His people without a witness. He granted space to repent—a period in which the truth could break through the deception. The turning point came with the translation of the Bible into the languages of the people and the rise of literacy. This was not merely a historical development; it was a divinely ordained deliverance. As the Scriptures became accessible, the true nature of the papal system and its Babylonian roots were exposed. The people of God could finally see that the Pope was not the Father and Head of the church, and that the rituals they had been taught to observe were not the faith once delivered to the saints.
This is why the translation of the Bible and the increase in literacy must be recognized as a positive, God-ordained intervention. It shattered the power of deception and enabled the faithful to reject Jezebel’s doctrine. Jesus Himself declares that He searches the hearts and minds, distinguishing between those who have been ensnared and those who have resisted the depths of Satan. To those who have not embraced this doctrine, He places no further burden. But to those who persist, judgment is certain.
Let there be no confusion: the infiltration of Babylonian mystery religion into the church is not a peripheral issue. It is the enemy’s primary strategy to subvert the gospel, rob the saints of their inheritance, and replace the finished work of Christ with a counterfeit. The only safeguard is the Word of God—open, accessible, and believed. Where Scripture is suppressed, deception flourishes; where it is proclaimed, the people of God are set free.
The lesson of Thyatira is not ancient history. It is a warning to every generation: do not tolerate Jezebel. Do not accept a mixture. Hold fast to the gospel of Christ, and let the Word of God expose every counterfeit. For in the end, Jesus will judge—not by outward appearance, but by the reality of what is in the heart. And only those who have rejected the infiltration of Babylon will stand vindicated as true sons and heirs.
