We heard a wonderful recommendation: “I know thy works, charity, faith, and patience.” But we also heard of a very serious warning: “Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee.” There was an openness to the world, especially to idolatry and sexual sins. It is remarkable, however, that the Lord is so patient with us. We read that he gave Jezebel, the woman who led the congregation of Thyatira into such heinous sins, time to repent. “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.” The Lord showed Himself patience with Adam and Eve, with Cain, with the people of Israel, with David, with Samson, yes with everybody… In the Old Testament, we read the wonderful word “longsuffering.” The Lord declares about Himself in Exodus 34:6-7, “The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” We read the same Hebrew word in Joel 2:13, translated as “slow to anger.” “Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” But there is no repentance with Jezebel, “and she repented not.” But if there is no repentance, the Lord will come with His righteous judgments. We read, ”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.” But we hear the same thing in Exodus 34:8. The Lord reveals that He is a gracious, longsuffering, and good-doing God (see above). But he doesn’t stop there. He continues, “And that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” Let us take the words of the Lord seriously. Let us repent before the Lord comes with His judgments, and our iniquity will continue in the next generations. What a solemn warning and encouragement to seek the Lord.