Revelation 2:12-17

As we read through the churches in Revelation, there are pieces of each church in our own. If Jesus were to write us a letter, what would he say?

Pergamum was a church that was challenged to be in the world, but not of the world.

How can we be part of the prayer of Jesus:

John 17:15–16 NIV

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

When we are surrounded by the world’s temptations, how do we

Remain true in faith.

Pergamum was one of the leading cities in Asia—along with Ephesus and Smyrna—the cities rivaled each other in what they had accomplished.

All three were on the western side of what is now Turkey. Pergamum was not a port city like the other two, but it had other things that made it an important city.

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There were three major items that Pergamum was known for:

The Acropolis—Temples to Athena, Zeus, Dionysus, and Imperial Cult

Healing Center of Aesclepius—the Mayo Clinic of It’s Day

Library—200,000 volumes, 2nd only to Alexandria, ancient libraries.

It was a city of pagan gods and a city of learning and progress.

There is no mention of Pergamum, except in Revelation. It was a church that was likely started after Pentecost—maybe some Jewish believers returning to the city. Also, this was an area that was affected by the ministry of Paul—we don’t know if he was specifically there, but it is possible, and maybe some of his companions visited there.

As we open the letter, we start with the categories again:

Christ Title

Commendation

Complaint

Correction

Consequence

The Christ title of Jesus is that he is the double edged sword.

Revelation 2:12 NIV

“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.

Revelation 1:16 NIV

In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

This signifies Jesus’ title as a judge.

It not only mentions that it is a sword, but what kind of sword. It was a rhomphia—a menacing weapon. Two handed and hooked.

Image is repeated in

Revelation 2:16 NIV

Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Everything in between he will judge.

This is the place where Satan has his throne, but people have remained faithful. (Vs. 13)

They are commended for their faithfulness, that led to at least one person to die for their faith—Antipas (ps. 14)

In my notes, the legend says that Antipas may have been martyred by a particularly barbaric method called the “brazen bull.”

It was a device that the person who was to be executed was placed inside. A fire was lit underneath and the person was roasted from the inside. It is thought that some of these devices would be fitted with special tubes and pipes so that when the person began to scream in agony, it would sound like an enraged bull.

There were so many temples to pagan gods. The throne of Zeus, the chief god, the mountain that looked like a throne.

So, Jesus’ title is the one with the two-sided sword—he is the judge.

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The people are commended for their past faithfulness, even willingness to be martyred for their faith.

What is the complaint?

Jesus was reminding them not to....

Don’t get cozy with sin.

In vs. 14, Jesus accuses them of holding the teaching of Balaam. We can read about Balaam in . He was a prophet for hire, asked to curse the Israelites as they passed by the kingdom of Moab where Balak was king. Balaam promised to curse Israel, but due to God’s intervention, Balaam could only bless Israel.

The most famous story is when Balaam was on his way to curse Israel, but an angel of the Lord blocked the path. His donkey could see the angel, but Baalam couldn’t. Balaam beat the donkey three times, and then God enabled the donkey to speak, asking why he was being beaten. Then God opens Balaam’s eyes and he sees what the donkey had saved him from.

We read later that Balaam was killed in battle by the Israelites in

The association with Balaam is that as a false prophet, not only did he want to curse israel, but to see them fail, to forsake God, and to eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

Add this to the charges of the church in Ephesus—the mention of the Nicolaitans—people who distorted the work of Jesus and the meaning of grace—telling the people that everything was permissible because the sacrifice of Jesus covered all.

The Christians who lived in Pergamum and received and accepted the truth of the Gospel. They had defended and held to the truth.

But did they get complacent? Maybe the old ways of doing thing were hard to let go of.

One of the most difficult things of coming to the Christian faith later in life is being able to discern what you need to leave behind and what you can hold on to. I’m reminded of the Catholic mission in Zuni, AZ. A beautiful chapel, but then decorated by a Zuni artist with all the Zuni gods. I think of people from different cultures who are presented with gospel and the story of Jesus is appealing to them. Instead of leaving the past practices behind, they believe that they can just add their faith in Jesus to everything else like a religious buffet line—Christianity helps me here. Buddhism helps me there, etc.

Don’t cozy up to sin. We always have to be vigilant, guided by God’s Word.

Our faith, if not actively practiced and developed can erode. There is no cruise control on faith.

Every single one of us has been confronted with choices where there are connections between our faith and the choices we can make.

Sometimes we have said no, even though it meant that we would experience some personal loss—giving up a promotion because we would have to do something against our conscience. Supporting a business or company whose values contradict our own. Recreation that causes us to lesson our commitment.

We aren’t allowed to live in a bunker, either. All creation belongs to God. While all has been touched by sin, we are to be salt and light in this creation. Yet, we are to always discern. Always be vigilant.

It’s hard work, but it is work that we are called by God to do.

If we remain faithful, then we are..

Fed, remembered, and saved.

Revelation 2:17 NIV

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

We don’t

If the problem was people eating food sacrificed to idols and participating in those meals, Jesus promises his own food. As God fed Israel in the wilderness with manna, Jesus would feed his people the spiritual food to feed their souls. This food is hidden only in the way that it can only be available to those who put their faith in Jesus. So we will be fed.

We will also be remembered. The white stone is not a monument or a big rock, but small stone, maybe even a precious jewel.

The meaning isn’t clear, but there are many suggestions:

jewels on the garments of high priests had the names of the tribes of Israel engraved on them. Now it includes our names.

stones used to vote on a person’s guilt—black for guilt, white for innocence

stone with the name of Christ put on the foreheads of believers—alluded to later in Revelation (3:12, 14:1, 22:4)

The comfort is that we are named.

Remain true in faith. Be on your guard and do not become comfortable with sin. We will be spiritually fed and Christ will remember our names.