A. The Wickedness of Pergamum
The city of Pergamum was so wicked that Jesus said Satan’s throne was there and that he made it his home (verse 13). Satan rules and lives wherever people will let him. When God created man He gave this world to him to have dominion over it, but because Adam and Eve gave in to Satan’s lies and obeyed Satan instead of God, man forfeited his dominion to Satan. Now, as a result, this earth is the domain of Satan. He lives and rules here. He is called the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), the ruler of this world (John 12:31), andthe prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2). This rule of Satan is manifest on a smaller scale in Pergamum.
1. A Center of Idolatrous Practices. This city was a center for the worship of pagangods, and all the wickedness that went along with that. Men and women would worship in their temples by having sexual intercourse with the male and female prostitutes who were called priests and priestesses. They would also partake in the animal sacrifices that were given. The meat was usually sold in the temple meat market, and people would buy this meat to eat. Paul tells us there is nothing wrong with the meat itself but to partake involved too many problems (1 Cor. 8:4-10; 10:18-21, 27-29). Those who came out of idolatry found it difficult to eat of this meat without defiling their conscience. But some in the church in Pergamum were openly going to the temple not only to eat of the sacrifices, but to partake in the sexual immorality that was part of the pagan worship.
To worship idols is to worship demons according to both Old and New Testaments (1 Cor. 10:19-20). The images themselves are nothing but wood or stone, or metal such as gold, silver or bronze, but in fact there are evil spirits under Satan’s control, called demons or devils, who are behind these idols and influence those who worship them. These demons are fallen angels like Satan (2 Pet. 2:4). They are called angels of the Devil (Rev. 12:7-9). Idolatry is a work of the Devil. Except for the Christians in Pergamum, the city was totally under the influence of the Devil.
2. False Teachings. Some in the church espoused the teachings of the Nicolaitans. In Acts 20:28-31 Paul warned the elders of the church in Ephesus against false teachers who were coming soon. Some would sneak into the church from outside while others would come from among the leaders in the church. One of these false teachers was a man called Nicolaius. His followers were known as Nicolaitans. He taught that it was permissible to commit fornication and worship idols. This is also called the doctrine of Balaam. Balaam was a Gentile prophet of God who went wrong because he loved money too much. He tried to curse the Israelites in the wilderness because Balak, king of Moab, offered him money.
The teaching of Balaam caused Israel to sin and incur God’s wrath. The Israelites were traveling in the wilderness, and wanted to go through Moab to get to the promised land. Balak was afraid of the Israelites and wanted them stopped. You can read the whole story in Num. 22 - 25. When God would not allow Balaam to curse Israel, he quit trying, but he still coveted the money, so he taught Balak how he could get the Israelites to curse themselves. Balak could send in Moabite women to seduce them to have sex, and to worship their idols. This would make God angry, and He would punish them.
The plan worked; God became angry with His people (Num. 25:1-3 and 31:16). As a result, those who practice the things done by some in the church in Pergamum are said to be following after the teaching of Balaam (read 2 Pet. 2:15 and Jude 1:11). Not all the members of the church in Pergamum were faithful, for some were following this false doctrine. What was going to happen to them?
B. The Two-edged Sword
1. The Power of the Sword. Here is where the two-edged sword of verse 16 comes in. Pergamum was the capital of the province of Asia, and the governor of Pergamum was the only one in all Asia who held “the power of the sword.” This means that he had the power to decide whether men lived or died. But it is Jesus who holds the two-edged sword. He is the one who has the power to give life as well as to take it, and the life that He gives is eternal life.
The temple of Dionysus was in this city. This god was able, supposedly, to give eternal life. This could be attained (again supposedly) by the worshipers eating of the raw meat of the sacrificed animals, and by becoming drunk. In this drunken state one was supposed to be united with Dionysus. Jesus wants the Christians in Pergamum to know that only He has the power to give eternal life.
2. The Church in Pergamum to be Pruned. In effect Jesus says “knock it off or be cut off!” Repent! In other words, stop doing these things and start living lives that are pure and righteous. If you don’t, then the sword of His mouth will cut you off. To be cut off from the church and from Christ, means to be cut off from eternal life.
This sword, in fact, is the word of God (see Eph. 6:17 and Heb. 4:12). God can do powerful things by just speaking since He has all power. He said, “Let there be light,” and it happened. He spoke and the worlds sprang into existence. Just let the governor of Pergamum try doing that with his sword! Jesus spoke and demons came out of people. Evil spirits tremble at His word. When Peter spoke the word of God, Ananias, the liar, fell down dead. When Jesus returns, His word will call down judgment and destruction on all the forces of evil (see Rev. 19:11-21, especially verse 15). If I were doing the things some in the church in Pergamum were doing, I would be afraid of the sword of His mouth.
C. Rewards for Repentance and Faithfulness
1. Jesus to Feed Them with Hidden Manna. This is the spiritual food that gives life to the soul. One of the temples in this important city was that of Demeter, the goddess of grain. She was supposed to be the source of bread and other food. Christ wants the church there to know that He is the source of the food for the spirit, here called manna, a figure taken from the manna that was given by God to the Israelites to eat in the wilderness. God, not Demeter, is the real provider of grain, but God can also provide us with the bread of life. That bread is Jesus Himself (John 6:27-35).
2. A White Stone. A white stone is a symbol of acceptance and approval. When a person applied for membership in some important group, or when he was on trial, the ones doing the judging would place stones in a container or in the hand of the one being judged. A black stone meant rejection or a verdict of guilty. A white stone meant acquittal or acceptance. Jesus draws on this custom by using the white stone as a symbol of His approval.
There may be another meaning to the white stone in this letter. Another temple in Pergamum was the temple of Aesculapius, the god of healing. He is the one who is associated with medical doctors. When this temple was uncovered by archaeologists, in front of the temple were many large blocks of white stone upon which those who believed themselves healed by Aesculapius had carved their names and listed the nature of their healing. Jesus may have been saying, “I am going to give you a similar stone and write on it your new name.” He wanted them to know that He is the source of healing, not the pagan god Aesculapius. They alone would know the name Jesus would give them. This stone is the symbol of their testimony to the fact that they have become a new creature in Christ. He has not only given them healing, He has given them a new name and life everlasting.
D. Applicable to Us Also
“He who has an ear, let him hear.” Do I need to explain how this letter could apply to all of us? Just put yourself in the place of the members of this church. Are you one who is faithful, like Antipas? Or are you one who yields to the pressures of society around you to conform to its ways? Idolatry is more than just bowing to images made of wood, stone or metal. Paul says that covetousness (lusting after money or things) is idolatry (Col. 3:5). We are guilty of idolatry when we put anything or anyone ahead of God. Immoral sexual acts are as wrong today as they were then. Society says they are all right, but God does not bend to the whims of society. Destruction came upon the Israelites in the wilderness when they yielded to the Moabite women (1 Cor. 10:6-11). Paul said what happened to them are examples for us. The sword from the mouth of Christ is just as sharp and effective today as it was then.
To go to another article on Revelation, click on one of the following links:
, , Pergamum, , , ,
