Revelation Study 5 Pergamum/Thyatira

PART 3

The Message to the Church in Pergamum

Pergamum was Rome’s capital in the province of Asia, the seat of Rome’s power in Asia, it was a cultural center and it was also the leading religious center of Asia. It boasted temples and shrines to Zeus, Athena, Dionysus (the patron god of the city which was devoted to total depravity, festival w raw meat, lots of wine, and rampant sexual immorality. This was the hub of pagan idolatry and sexual immorality), and Asclepius (the god of healing and a hospital there, Asclepion. All who received healing they would put your name on a white stone to display for all to see. The symbol was a staff with 2 snakes wrapped around it) and a 40’ altar to Zeus on a hilltop overlooking the city, the Acropolis. Pergamum was the first city to erect a temple to Augustus Caesar on this highest hilltop, and it had three temples, so it was the core of the imperial cult. Because this was the capital in Asia and the seat of Rome’s power Pergamum was considered the Potesti Gladi, or the power of the sword which empowered this city to make decisions or rulings with the authority of Caesar.

Revelation 2:12–17 ESV“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. “ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Sharp two-edged sword—this is the symbol or Roman might and justice, the Thracian broadsword, and here it is protruding from Jesus mouth. It is not the might of the Roman empire, their rule by the sword that has brought Pax Romana, Roman Peace, but only true peace and justice is through Jesus Christ who rules by the might of His Word. He will ultimately bring true justice.

The sword is also symbolic of the Word of God and Truth. Dwell where Satan has his throne—an allusion to the first temple to Augustus, to the altar to Zeus, or to the city’s symbol of a snake and its god of healing, Asclepius. Could also be that Rome’s this was Rome’s political capital in Asia.

Two positives amidst their pagan surroundings, what were they?

Held fast to Jesus’ name-held firmly to Jesus as Lord and God, Savior, not Domitian

Did not deny faith in Him-they did not renounce faith in Jesus.

They didn’t cave in to the lure of the Roman empire. They didn’t proclaim one thing, faith in Jesus and then live as if that claim has no bearing on how they live. This is a problem in today’s world. Compromise, claim to be a Christian, but a life that looks as worldly as a non-believer.

So, they were strong in their witness, their profession of faith in Jesus, even in the days of Antipas, Jesus’ faithful witness, martyred for his witness.

But, I have a few things against you, they are?

Some in the church hold the teaching of Balaam—Numbers 25 and leading the Israelites astray. Their tolerance for false teachers. This is the opposite scenario than the Ephesian church. Both scenarios are not good, incomplete. Dionysus and her pagan festival.

Some hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans—tolerance for false teachers.

In both cases we have someone whose intent is to lead the people of God astray and they use seduction to entice them into idolatry and sexual immorality. Maybe saying participating in the imperial cult and trade guild banquets was harmless, the Dionysian festival. But in God’s eyes this constitutes idolatry. The agreeing with societal norms even though they contradict Biblical truth, we deal with the same today.

How many churches are light on truth, they’d rather create an environment for the people and center their service on worship?

How many people would profess to be a Christian, understand doctrines of Christ, and yet they permit or allow false teaching or even prescribe to it, as in abortion or homosexuality among others?

How many are trying to secure salvation while ultimately pursuing their pleasures, caring more for their own good time rather than the lost and dying world around them?

Is this love that does this? Is it tolerance? Is it a lack of truth? Repent or I will come and wage war with those who teach, and possibly embrace, these false teachings with the sword of His mouth, His words will judge and cut. The church needs to deal with this, if they don’t Jesus’ will come.

He will come to judge with the Truth, His Word is Truth, and it will cut to the core. Do we know truth and know the Truth?

Revelation 2:17 ESVHe who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Revelation 14:1 ESVThen I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

Revelation 22:4 ESVThey will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

The white stones were probably the stones given to victors and members for admittance into feasts, but could also carry the idea of innocence because a black stone meant guilty and white was innocent, and also white is purity or clean. Or the white stone given to one who has been healed. The best that I heard or read was the white stone dedicated to a healed person by Asclepius with their named inscribed on it. Jesus is the true healer of our soul.

The name is uncertain, except that it is given to us by Jesus and we alone will know it. It might communicate

Acceptance, we are His and He gives us this new name.

Significance, named as His and pure, clean, righteous.

Security, we are His, never to not be, forever.

PART 4

The Message to the Church in Thyatira

Thyatira by far is the smallest of the Church cities. It was a military outpost and very blue collar, unlike Smyrna which was all about wealth and position. Many trade guilds with a lot of laborers here, industrial workers and each trade had a “god” associated with it. The largest was workers in bronze, specializing in burnished bronze. The worship of Thyatira was of the god Tyrimnos, he was the son of Zeus, but not a major player in the realm of Greek gods. The presence of a Jewish prophetess Simbate, that operated as a Sybil shrine, oracles, minor league oracles, dealt in pagan witchcraft, a big proponent of Roman labor force, and steeped in pagan idolatry and sexual immorality.

Psalm 2 ESV

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Revelation 2:18–29 ESV“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Words of the Son of God—first time Jesus calls Himself this here in Revelation. O.T reference to Psalm 2.

Eyes like flames of fire—Daniel chapter 10, people of God have to persevere through persecution, burnished bronze

Works, love, faith, service, and patient endurance or perseverance—hardworking blue collar town persecuted for not participating in the cult worship of Caesar. Praised for the works, doing more than at first, opposite of Ephesus. But...

Tolerate Jezebel—Simbate possibly or an influential woman in the church. Jezebel was the original woman of negative influence leading Israel astray. Asherah high priestess married to Israel King Ahab. Worship of Asherah centered around cult prostitutes and sexual immorality. She battled with Elijah, and was ultimately cast out of a window and fell to her death. All her children were then struck dead, see

Misleads into sexual immorality—guild feasts, a god for each, pagan practices of food dedicated to these false gods and also immoral practices. Spiritual and sexual immorality, the one usually leads to the other.

Bed of suffering—cline a guild couch, where sexual immorality would take place, this bed. Progressive, sick, suffering, death, but with repentance always an option.

those who practice with her—those influenced by her, but possibly not as devoted or a full fledged follower of hers??

strike her children dead—Jezebel’s children were struck dead. Is this literally her children, or more likely her followers. Some Christians who are partaking, they can repent, others are true devoted followers of Simbathe and they have had chances to repent and won’t.

I am He who searches hearts and minds—Psalm 129, Jeremiah 17,

Satans deep secrets—oracles witchcraft, oracles channeled the god Apollo, god of the underworld

Iron scepter—guilds, iron workers, Psalm 2 written about Jesus, Son of God in intro

Dash to pieces like pottery—Psalm 2 the Son of God who will reign

Morning star—son of Domitian, goddess Venus?

Jesus holds the stars—refers from Numbers 24 oracle of Balaam, known for leading Israel astray into sexual immorality and food sacrificed to Idols. What John is trying to warn us about.

Revelation 2:26–28 ESVThe one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.

Revelation 19:15 ESVFrom his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Revelation 22:16 ESV“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”