Matthew 25:31-32
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."
The surviving faithful sheep who have been separated out from the goats will rule in God's kingdom with a rod of iron.
Revelation 2:26-29
"To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, to them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star! Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches."
Are your listening?
Do you understand?
What did they overcome?
If we look at the full context of Revelation chapter two, we can discern from that prophecy that the Bride of Christ must not permit Jezebel to teach or seduce the bridegroom's servants into committing fornication. There must be no permission given for the eating of foods sacrificed unto her idols. These church people must not allow opportunities to remain for the temptation of the saints by the wicked spirits of Babylon.
In the Old Testament, Jezebel was the daughter of Ithobaal I of Tyre and the wife of Ahab, King of Israel, according to the Book of Kings. Remember when we studied about these people? Remember the fate of Tyre? Completely destroyed by God, never to become a great city again.
Here in the end times prophecy the prophet John is referring to the spirit of Jezebel. The actual Jezebel lived and died in the time of Elijah and Elisha. So, this reference is about a spiritual entity.
So, what is Jezebel attempting to teach?
Ignorance is darkness and teaching is the light that eliminates the darkness of ignorance. Heresy however is negative teaching; it teaches rebellion against the commands of God. And the fruit of heresy is called the works of the flesh. Jezebel was teaching the works of the flesh and the worship of her idols.
Galatians 25:19-25
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Jezebel is being allowed to seduce The Kings servants into committing fornication with her idols and in her flesh. Fornication, in its truest sense, is an unholy association between two people. It is about both spiritually forbidden interactions and the matters of the flesh. A person like this, a person caught up in these deceptions is like an animal who has no understanding...
Psalm 49:20
"Mankind, with all his wealth and assets but without understanding, is like the animals that perish."
Understand this, foods sacrificed to idols are the harmful teachings of the heretic. Teachings that promote rebellion against Christ. The tolerance and affirmations of these polluted foods (knowledge), opens the gates for the demonic fornications to overcome the saints. These foods (teachings) are like the pot of stew Esau took from Jacob in exchange for his birthright. They compromise and allow these foods in and end up compromising their eternal lives.
What about the rod of iron?
In Proverbs 26:3 it is written, "A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back."
The rod in the hands of our God is a tool of correction. The fool represents a lack of understanding and discipline.
Think back about Nebuchadnezzar. God called this pagan king his servant. And Nebuchadnezzar refused to abide by God's commands. And so, he was beaten with a rod and sent off into the wilderness to live like the animal that he was. For seven years he lived under that correction. Seven years of perfecting. Seven years to learn obedience.
The rod in the hands of the wicked stands as a symbol of the ruling authorities. With this rod they afflict innocent people. By their authority they are mistreating the godly and misleading many.
Psalm 125:3
"The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong."
So, how does Jezebel do this wickedness. How is it that the churches of the saints are being misled by her rod?
Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered, "It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"
The iron rod is the Word of God that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 25:33
"He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left."
And he separates them according to their beliefs about that Word, and furthermore he rewards or punishes them accordingly. According to their deeds. According to the seeds they sowed. According to the food they cultivated. According to the soils in which they planted it. According to the recipes by which they prepared it. And finally, according to the ones to which they gave this spiritual food.
You see, that food is either The Word of God, or the spirit of error. And eternal responsibility hangs in the balance for those who serve other gods and other teachings.
The only one who can free us from this spirit of Jezebel is Jesus. Both groups are going out into the world teaching. Both wear cloaks and all the vestments of their religion. And both wear an embroidered "J" on their cloaks that represents their chosen deity.
"J" for Jezebel or "J" for Jesus.
Which are you wearing?
Who's your superhero?