Revelation 2:12-17
The
Text
Rev 2:14 "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
Rev 2:15 "Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Rev 2:16 'Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
Rev 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it." '
Pray
Intro
√ Format of the letter
Recall that each message follows a general format that will help us to discern the message of the Revelation. So, we’ll follow the same format that we have with the previous churches.
√ The church in Pergamos
In our continuing study of the Revelation, the next church which Jesus turns his attention to is the church in Pergamos or as some of your Bibles may read…
"the compromising church."
As we'll discover in our study, this church received the same commendation for their faithfulness to Jesus as did the church in Smyrna.
However, unlike the church in Smyrna, this church had some things going on which Jesus was not happy about at all!
In short, this was a church with a great foundation, yet they had drifted in their doctrine and allowed false teaching into their church.op
Thus, it was a church that was compromised in their testimony and witness for Jesus.
Ap. Compromise makes for a weak testimony
We've been called to be different than the World. When Christians behave like the people of the world, then our witness is ineffective.
Don't let compromise into your life!
Greeting (vs. 12a)
Rev 2:12a "And
to the angel of the church in Pergamos write…
√ The city of Pergamos
Pergamos, or Pergamum was located north and inland from Ephesus and Symrna the first two churches we looked at.
• It was a wealthy and beautiful city
• Home to the royal family of Attilia (ancient king of Pergamos/Antolia)
• Parchment was first made here.
• University town - library with 200,000 volumes (later moved to Egypt by Mark Antony) - Springdale Public Library has ~ 110,000; Rogers 75,000.
• Religious center containing many temples and sites of worship for the many gods of the Greeks, Romans and Asians - a real spiritual smorgasbord!
In the midst of this city was a little Christian church.
Description (vs. 12b)
Rev 2:12b 'These
things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:
√ Description
You remember that the description of Jesus comes from chapter 1 and is used here to remind the church of some characteristic of His Nature that they had forgotten.
For encouragement, or for correction.
Here we find Jesus reminding the believers in Pergamos that He is the One…
"who has the sharp two-edged sword"
Recall that the sword is symbolic of the Word of God. Note vs. 16 where Jesus says He will fight with the...
“...sword of My mouth.”
So it’s the Word of God that is pictured here.
The word used for “sword” refers to a long spear-like sword and is said to be...
“...sharp & two-edged”
...which reminds us, and the church of Pergamos, that the Word of God has a double-edged characteristic, that is it can cut two ways.
On the one hand the Word of God is able to cut lose the chains of sin for those who receive it.
While on the other hand, the same Word of God, brings condemnation and judgement upon those who refuse to accept the Word of Salvation.
So the Word of God is at the same time both an instrument of salvation and of death even as a sword can have two edges.
√ The interpretation
What we have here in this description of Jesus is a symbolic picture of Him as the divine Judge.
Reminds us that Jesus will judge everyone at the end of the age.
It will be His Word like a sharp two-edged sword that separates those who go into eternal blessing with Him, from those who go to eternal suffering in the Lake of Fire.
Jesus speaks of this judgement in John 12:48…
“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."
The church of Pergamos needed to be reminded that there are only two kinds of people in this world..
…saved and unsaved - there is no middle ground and there can be no compromise possible between the two.
Ap. Reminds us that the lost need to hear the message of salvation!
A church that has compromised the Word of Truth is a church that has lost her passion for the unsaved.
Ex. The World Counsel of Churches
Those "Christian" denominations involved have abandoned the exclusive claim of Jesus to be the "one Way" to heaven. The problem then is that they are no longer concerned for the souls of others because they've bought into the lie that…
"All paths lead to God"
…thus, condemning the lost to hell!
So, Jesus wanted to remind the believers in Pergamos that they needed to be faithful to preach the whole counsel of God…
…the Word of Life, and the Word of Judgement!
Commendation (vs. 13)
Rev 2:13 "I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
√ Commendation
Commends them for remaining faithful during difficult times in a difficult place. Note that Jesus says…
“I know where you live” - “where Satan’s throne is.”
Hey - that’s great! Wouldn’t you like to live there! What a brochure that would make for the chamber of commerce…
Great economy
Best schools in the country
Low cost of living
…and oh, yeah, Satan has chosen this city for his earthly throne!
Might not make the 50 best places to raise your family!
We're not sure specifically what Jesus was speaking of when He said....
“where Satan’s throne is.”
...that is, we don't know if He was speaking of a physical location, or a place of spiritual dominion?
However, we have a clue in that one of the major temples in Pergamos was the temple of “Asklepios” - a pagan god who’s image was the likeness of a huge serpent.
Ex. Asklepios - Greek god of healing - describe Temple healing practice!
Satan of course in the Bible is often referred to, or depicted as a serpent...
Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"
And…
Rev 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
So Jesus may had this temple in mind when He said that Pergamos was the home of Satan's throne…
…which would be both a physical location (Temple of Asklepios) and a place of spiritual dominion.
√ The significance
The significance here is that Jesus acknowledged that Satan occupied a position of power in Pergamos.
That is, this little church lived in and ministered in the front yard of Satan’s home!
You can imagine how difficult that would be!
Opposition to the Gospel message
Oppression of the saints
Warfare against the church
Yet, with all of that the believers in Pergamos had remained faithful to Jesus in a city where it was very unpopular to live for Him.
√ Note the nature of their faithfulness vs. 13...
“you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you,”
Apparently the persecution in Pergamos had become very severe - even to the point of death. Yet, to the credit of this church the believers did not abandon their faith.
Note the object of their faith...
“you hold fast to My name...”
“did not deny My faith...”
The reference to “My name” & “My faith” indicates a special loyalty and faith to the Person of Jesus Christ over and above all the false gods of the city.
That is, the Christians in Pergamos believed that Jesus alone is worthy of worship and that He alone is truly God.
In a city filled with different religions and concepts of God, or gods, that didn’t sit well with the local pagan population.
They weren’t happy that the Christians didn’t acknowledge their gods or their religion as equally valid.
That unbending stand bought the wrath of the city upon the church.
Ap. We face a very similar environment today in our world. The popular cry in our day is for “tolerance”.
Tolerance toward one another in regards to...
Personal liberty
Religious views and practice
Life style choices
We’re taught to embrace all people and to accept their worldview as equally valid with the Christian worldview without any regard as to whether it's true or not.
Perhaps you’ve heard someone say....
“It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you believe in something.”
The question I want to ask is...
“What about Truth!”
And the answer I always get is that truth is subjective!
But to the Christian, and more importantly to God, Truth is not subjective, it is objective and it is unchanging and it is embodied in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Well, that’s not popular today, and it wasn’t popular 2000 years ago in Pergamos.
Isn't it interesting that all those tolerant people suddenly become very intolerant when they discover that you are unwilling to accept their god as an equal to yours!
So persecution comes.
√ Persecution in Pergamos
Jesus mentions one Christian, Antipas, who was killed for his unyielding faith in Jesus.
Interesting thing to me is that we have no information at all about this man except for what Jesus tells us here in the Revelation.
His life and death seem to have been missed, or ignored, by both the Christian and secular historian.
Who was he? His name
means…
"Against all"
…which may indicate that he stood alone against the powers of darkness and was faithful unto death.
However, he was apparently not esteemed by the people of Pergamos.
Perhaps he was a slave, or a person of such low estate that no one really cared if he lived of died.
One might wonder if anyone gave him a decent burial?
But look at this - Jesus didn’t miss him! Jesus makes special note of Antipas!
in His final communication to Mankind - Jesus takes note of this “faceless” man.
Ap. Jesus knows your sacrifice
I take great comfort in that truth, that a person could live his/her whole life and be counted as insignificant by the world, and yet be esteemed highly by Jesus Christ!
Most of us will never be famous this side of glory!
When we die we won’t have funeral like Princess Di, or Mother Teresa. It will be a small simple affair attended by family and a few friends. You might even get a couple of paragraphs in the Morning News.
The world will hardly notice.
Oh - but if you’ve lived a life faithful to Jesus - He will take note!
He knows the number of the hairs on your head - He knows every sacrifice you've made for Him in your private and public life.
So I encourage you this morning - seek the praise of Jesus and be faithful to what He’s called you to do.
He notices!
Close
√ Compromise
Is your Christian witness compromised in any way?
By what you say, or don't say?
By what you do, or don't do?
Remember, the Lord has given us the very words of life to communicate with the lost. Don't beat people up with God's Word, but don't soft-peddle it either.
Simply speak the Truth in love.
If you find compromise in your life this morning ask the Lord to strengthen you to stand faithful as did Antipas, even if you have to stand alone.