Revelation 2:12-17
Notes
Transcript
Appetiser
Appetiser
As we saw in our Family Talk, the Tabernacle, and later the Temple was a very important place; from there, God spoke from heaven on earth. The worship and message of the One True God would ring out from here.
We’ve also seen that the church is referred to as lampstands. So the church takes up this function of the tabernacle now. It emits a distinct, holy light—Jesus Christ, the Light of the World shines from among us. As long as we function as the lampstand, we are Heaven on Earth.
But Pergamum was in danger of colouring the bright light it was emitting. Like all churches, it was being attacked by “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). And “we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:2) Nor of his ultimate desire.
Main Course
Main Course
Satan wants to wrest the Church from Christ, v13-15
Satan wants to wrest the Church from Christ, v13-15
His purpose
Satan wants to be worshipped instead of God. This is clear from his third temptation of Jesus, Luke 4:5-7
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.’
He rules in this world by moving people, even people in power to carry out his will: “where Satan has his throne … where Satan lives.” Pergamum prided itself on being protector of the emperor cult and the worship of the traditional Roman gods, as well as other deities. Satan had his following in Pergamum.
He failed to trip Jesus up, unlike his success with Adam. So like in the Garden, he goes for the Man’s wife. He wants God’s people to sin, because sin is an affront on God Himself.
His tactics
Persecution—failed in the case of Pergamum, v13
Simultaneously, he was doing this in Smyrna, 2:10.
In the very centre of Satan-worship, he failed to secure the worship of the church. This is what we must pray for the persecuted church.
Penetration—his current efforts in the church there, v14-15.
The background to this is in Numbers 25:1-3
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them.
This follows after Balak, the Moabite king invited Balaam to curse Israel. That plan was frustrated by God, and the prophet ended up blessing Israel. So outright attack did not succeed. Balaam found another way to attack God’s people, v14b. We know it was Balaam who did this because of the witness of Numbers 31:16
‘They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people.
The teaching of the Nicolaitans probably follows the same pattern, though I think it’s perhaps a different false religion. In Pergamum:
Probably the idea was that in this way they may reach the pagan culture better: “The false teachers were arguing that believers could have closer relationships with pagan culture, institutions, and religion than John thought proper. This is the significance of the expression “to eat things sacrificed to idols and to fornicate,”” (Beale) “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14)
This also eased the pressure of society on the Christians: “In particular, what may be included are trade guild festivals involving celebration of patron deities through feasts and sometimes immoral activities. Refusal to participate in such activities could result in economic and social ostracism (cf. 1 Pet. 3:11–21). Therefore, there was much pressure to compromise. And just as Israel was influenced to fornicate both sexually and spiritually, the same was true of Christians in Pergamum.” (Beale)
But what was really beginning to happen was that the pure and distinctive witness of the church was beginning to crumble through the “some” among them whom they tolerated.
Implications: 2 Corinthians 11:3 warns us:
But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the snake’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Satan targets the “some among you” to reach the whole “you”, the church.
He goes after their mind, their thinking. Notice the stress on “the teaching”! “Did God really say” (Genesis 3:1)
“You’re so narrow!”
“That’s just your interpretation.”
“Can we not find some common ground here?”
Please know that there is a religion, or let’s call it a world-view (which is another word for the same in my opinion) behind everything that the media outlets, music, books, films convey, and what our children are taught in schools. This is “the teaching of Balaam … the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” (notice the singulars!). We must be on our guard, and not think like the world on any matter. It troubles me when Christians uncritically swallow what is fed to us on race theories, climate issues, human rights issues, social issues, scientific claims, sexual issues, ethical issues of all kinds. Romans 12:1-2 teaches us:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The sin they commit is the result of his seduction. When the church thinks like the world, it will soon begin behaving like the world.
It is the elders and church, not the sinning individuals, whom the Lord rebukes: “I have a few things against you”. Why?
Unchallenged individuals: “there are some among you who hold to … you also have those who hold to”. It is likely that the church’s preaching was faithful, but unfaithful individuals were allowed to stay and influence. In other words, there was no church discipline exercised. Victorinus: “under the pretext of mercy, you would corrupt others.” Guilt by association permits sin and falsehood to remain acceptable.
A mixed message is unworthy of Christ, “the faithful witness” (1:5). Cf. “Antipas, my faithful witness”. The church should be like this faithful man.
Christ purifies His Church, v12, 16
Christ purifies His Church, v12, 16
He comes with the sword, v12 cf. 1:16. The sword represents His Word: “the sword of my mouth”, v16
He calls His people to repent, v16a
Teaching—“to the angel...”, cf. Titus 1:9, 10-11
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
Instructive teaching
Corrective teaching
Church discipline cf. Matthew 18:17; Titus 3:10
If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.
This serves the overall good of the church.
This serves the potential good of the sinner.
He wages war against the idolaters, v16b
Christ promises blessing for the victorious, v17
Christ promises blessing for the victorious, v17
Satan’s throne is pretence and temporary; the real authority and power lies with Christ: “I will give...”
“To the one who is victorious”—how can we overcome the seduction of the world? By faith, 1 John 5:4-5
for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
The blessing portrayed
“the hidden manna”—hidden, as it is unseen as “the tree of life”. Jesus is the bread of life, and
He sustains those daily who are His. He gives you daily vigour if you only will seek Him. Do you want to be faithful? Keep coming to Christ for your daily bread.
there is a Messianic banquet in store for those who overcome the world. The marriage supper of the lamb, in the new world—let that spur you on to reject “the food sacrificed to idols”, the acceptance and love of the world.
“a white stone with a new name written on it”
I think this is the best explanation for this: the name is “Christian”. This word expresses our belonging to Christ. As we shall see in Revelation, God’s people have God’s name written on them (e.g. 14:1), as the High Priest wore on his forehead: “HOLY TO THE LORD” (Exodus 28:36)
This name is “known only to the one who receives it”, known not intellectually, for Satan knows God’s name. But known personally, as Jesus taught in Matthew 11:27
‘All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Pudding
Pudding
So today Christ comes to purify His people. May we be found among the faithful. Today, you can return to Him. Today, you can be strengthened by Him.
