The Unfaithful Church

v.12

Pergamum

60 miles north of Smyrna.

Was the first city of Asia to support openly the imperial cult. Observance of this worship became a test of loyalty to Rome. To support this they had a temple to the divine Augustus and the goddess Roma.

Pergamum was also the center of worship for Asclepius, the serpent-god of healing, and was famed for its college of medical priests.

There was an acropolis about a thousand feet high upon which there were many pagan temples to pagan deities with an alter to Zeus crowning the acropolis.

Two-edged sword

In Rev 1:16 John speaks of Jesus having a sharp two edged sword coming from His mouth.

In this instance the sword is the word of judgement on a church which has grown lax in it’s attitude toward pagan practices.

v.13

Satan’s Throne

This could be the worship of Asclepius, the serpent-god of healing.

It most likely was due to Pergamum being the center of the imperial cult which was becoming an increasing danger to the Christian church.

Hold Fast

The believers of Pergamum had come out of paganism and there was probably a desire to revert back to escape persecution.

Antipas

A faithful believer, we don’t know if he was martyred by mobs or by government officials but he was killed because he remained faithful.

v.14

Balaam

Balaam was hired by Balak to curse the people of Israel, but he couldn’t. So instead he told Balak how to make Israel bring the wrath of God upon themselves.

Numbers 25:1-3, Numbers 31:16

Numbers 25:1–3 ESV

1 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

Numbers 31:16 ESV

16 Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.

Balaam got the Moabites to lure the Israelites away into practicing idol worship.

Through the allure of it “not being a big deal” and other temptations. They walked away from the one true God and worshipped others.

Food sacrificed to idols

This doesn't necessarily mean that it was the meat that was bought in the market place that had previously been sacrificed, but probably refers to temple feasts.

Sexual immorality

The attitude in Pergamum was a culture that had a lax attitude towards sexual promiscuity and had many temple prostitutes.

v.15

Nicolaitans

Not much given, but it suggests that some viewed them as another denomination or a sect of Christianity. Jesus is emphasizing that they are not.

This was a group that seems to be promoting the same practices of Moab.

Your going back to your idolatrous ways and believing that it is okay.

1 Corinthians 10:21 ESV

21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

You cannot synchronize and mix them.

Culture and God will be at odds many times.

The church must not join in with the vile practices of the world but must stand in contrast to it.

I believe that one reason why the church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is becasue the world has so much influence over the church. -Charles Spurgeon

I we want to make a difference in this world, we cannot trying to look like this world with some Jesus sprinkled on top. We need to stand strong for the gospel, knowing that we don’t look like this world becasue we don’t belong to this world.

v.16

Repent

Ephesus was called to repent of being unloving. Pergamum is to open to the synchronization of the culture in with the people.

They were lax and tolerant.

If not I will come soon

Probably not the second coming of Jesus. But a statement showing that he will come in judgement if they don’t repent.