Rev. 2- 242 Notes

(Revelation 2:12-17) The Church in Pergamos

HOST: ANSWERS ARE IN BLUE

Host: Have someone in your group read Revelation 2:12-17.

Pergamos

this is in church history the period of 312- 600AD.

Interesting that they church before this time period was persecuted by the Roman empire. When Constantine came into power and made Christianity the state religion, you had many priest and people from false religions convert and become baptized in order to avoid persecution from the state. They brought with them many of the practices, traditions and habits of these false religions with them and mixed it into Christianity.

They result was a disaster spiritually speaking. During the centuries to follow, we see many wickedness and abuse of power because of the mixing of practices and beliefs.

interesting that the persecuted church did not lose it’s fire and passion for God, but it was the compromising church that lost its fire and it’s power.

today you have the same thing. While Christianity is no longer the state religion, you have a shift in the Nations beliefs, you have many who are compromising because of fear of persecution from the state and from the culture. And what you have is many in the church who have compromised their beliefs and moral standard in order to not be offensive, cancelled or rejected.

Why does Jesus introduce Himself as has the sharp two-edged sword?

● The sword represents the Word of God, something this church had gotten

away from. Heb. 4:17

the two things that stood out to me here is the fact that God sees all things and that God will judge all things.

God sees all things & will Judge all things

2 Cor. 5:9-10

9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Ecc. 12:13-14

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Insight

A. In both of these verses there is an understanding of a few things.

1. God sees all things.

-God sees all things whether good of bad, if it is done in public or in secret. There is nothing that is done in this life that is outside of the view of God.

2. God will judge all things

- We will stand before God one day and all of our works will be presented before God. The things that we have done in public and the things done in secret. The things done in His name and the things done in my name or for my sake.

B. Our Understanding should lead to Results

- In both of these verses there is a goal in mind because of the reality of God seeing all things and of God judging all things, The Goal is that it should causes me to live in a way that pleases God.

there is a correction should be made in our lives light of the knowledge that God sees all things and God Judges all things. This is what you see here as Jesus both describes the reality that He sees all things and the warning judgement of what He sees.

(13) “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.”

Can anyone describe the spiritual condition of the city of Pergamos?

What was Jesus referring to by saying where Satan’s throne is?

● Pergamos was a pagan city filled with pagan religions and pagan temples

erected to Dionysus (god of vegetation), Aesculapius (god of healing /serpent

on pole insignia), Athena (goddess of war), Zeus (god of the sky)

● Satan’s throne was most likely a reference to Zeus’s altar, or a temple erected

to Caesar.- More than likely referring to Satan’s stronghold in the City due to the idolatrous worship

What was Jesus referring to in v. 13 when He said:

#1 “I know your works”

#2 “You hold fast to My name”

#3 “did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful

martyr, who was killed among you,”

● Even though they lived in a center of paganism, many in the church continued

serving the Lord and doing the work that God had called them to do.

- there was a remnant of believers who were faithful to the Lord

● Many held fast to Jesus’ name – which means they refused to deny Jesus,

boldly living out their faith at a time when persecution was extreme, as seen in

the example of Antipas.

How can we relate this to our own lives as Christians living in America?

What challenges would we face today serving the Lord or representing His

name? In v. 14-15 Jesus calls out those in the church that are in the wrong.

- In todays culture there is a push to affirm the ideologies of the world. To go along with the current cultures way of thinking and way of behaving.

- The push is no longer just tolerate it, but affirm it. Approve what I believe or you will find persecution or be cancelled. There are consequences we may face if we stand up to the culture.

- The consequences of taking a stand at times can be difficult and can cause us to bend our convictions. The fear of losing a job, of being cancelled, of being labeled as intolerant etc.

-

“There are those who hold the doctrine of Balaam & those who hold the doctrine

of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate”

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What is the doctrine of Balaam?

During Israel’s wilderness wandering in Numbers 22-24, Balaam was hired by

Balak (king of Moab) to pronounce a curse on the nation of Israel. Balaam

tried to curse Israel, but failed on three attempts.

Unable to curse Israel, Balaam

conceived a plan to have the women of Moab entice the men of Israel. It worked,

and the men of Israel entered into mixed marriages with pagan Moabite women.

They were no longer separated to the Lord, but were now defiled with idolatrous

women and immoral practices, and became idolatrous themselves. They knew God

forbid this, but they COMPROMISED just the same, and God judged them for it.

Results

1. Their fear of God diminished.

2. Their reverence for God’s Word weakened.

3. COMPROMISE SET IN, and they got to a place where they became open

to embracing immoral practices that God forbids. The very things they once

renounced, they now embraced, just like the pagan cultures around them.

Tolerate - to allow or permit negatively, by not preventing; not to restrain; as, to tolerate opinions or practices.

- Speaks of allowing something in our lives because we do not prevent it or do not do anything to restrain it.

- “The tolerating of evil things in our lives will lead to the accepting and adopting of these evil things which will lead to the practicing of these evil things.”

- This is the progression or road map of how compromise works.

- Lance

“ It doesn’t take long for a practice of compromise to become a pattern of compromise”.

C. S LEWIS- The Screwtape letters

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,...Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.”

What is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans?

Most scholars believe it was a doctrine that many of the leaders imposed on the

church. It was a doctrine that minimized the Word of God, and mixed it with

worldly philosophies. The Nicolaitans COMPROMISED God’s Word. This created

a leadership that lorded over the people and brought in worldly practices that Jesus

said He hates.

What compromise can we identify in the church in America today?

Compromises of the Church today

A. Questioning the validity and authority of God’s word

B. Accepting of certain sins to be socially acceptable in order to be non- offensive

C. Tolerating worldly things

- Music, tv programs, movies etc.

Insight

Notice the progression of these 3 things. We can say we stand even as the remnant on the first thing. We would never question God’s word. The second issue is more where people struggle and where it is in our culture we are trying to navigate thru. But we can see it and stay away from it.

The last one to “tolerate” is the difficult one. This happens when we are alone and no one is watching. And often times it does not look evil or bad up front.

Solomon’s Progress- 1 Kings 11

1. The people were warned of Intermarrying with other people

2. Solomon Loved foreign women- something else had his affections

3. Solomon married foreign women – the lines began to be crossed

4. Solomon clung to these women – he couldn’t let go

5. Solomon built altars for the false gods

6. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord

7. Solomon offered incense on these altars

8. Solomon’s heart was turned from the Lord.

What struggles can we face personally with compromise?

● Have someone read 2 Peter 2, then point out anything that relates to this

discussion on compromise.

COMPROMISE in the Christian life can be lethal. Compromise is routed in

selfish, impure motives. It lets go of what’s moral, and gravitates towards the

immoral.

Compromise surrenders truth to a lie. Like anything that erodes, it starts

slowly, silently, but it subtly eats away at truth. Compromise allows falsehood to

strangle the truth, ultimately destroying it, and corruption sets in.

Compromise

Corrupts hearing…as deafening slowly sets in towards Biblical truth.

Corrupts seeing…. as the eyes become more attracted to the lies.

Corrupts feelings:

1. The compromising Christian develops supportive feelings for immoral things,

while developing intolerant feelings towards those who line their lives up with

God’s Word.

2. Their corrupt feelings cause them to care more about offending the immoral

than offending the God who saved them.

We are facing a culture that is working to have us compromise our moral standards to affirm their ideologies. They would push for “cultural conformity”.

Daniel

_- Daniel was a man who faced a culture that was trying to redefine his identity. To reprogram if you will, his identity. Yet he was a man who purposed in his heart to “not be defiled” by the world.

What to do about compromise: Have someone read v. 16-17 again.

What does it mean to repent here?

“Repent” means to turn 180 degrees.

● Turn from what has become a stumbling block to the church = the

compromising and tolerating sinful immoral practices among your church.

● Turn from idolatry = Turn from those pagan practices – sexual immorality

that defines the world around you – practices you have allowed into the

church.

● Turn from subjugating the people to Satan’s authority by allowing false

teachers to bring in their heresy and lead people astray by adopting their

unbiblical lies.

What is meant by Jesus’ warning: repent or I will come to you quickly and will

fight against them with the sword of My mouth

● It’s speaking of the present judgment that comes to a church when it is

disobedient to the Word of God.

What is this Hidden manna that Jesus offers?

Hidden manna speaks of the spiritual food that is found in fellowship with

Christ and His Word.

Just as Israel received manna from heaven in the

wilderness to sustain them, replacing the onions and garlic of Egypt…So too for

those true believers who overcome compromise. They will receive from the

bread of life (Jesus Himself).

What is this white stone - with a new name written on it that Jesus offers?

In their courts of law, being given a white stone is thought to represent acquittal…

The black stone represents condemnation. Also in ancient times, white stones were

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given to people (with their names written on them) as invitations to special

banquets. = an open invitation to his wedding feast (19:9).