Letter to Pergamum

The Church in Pergamum is faithful and has held fast to Jesus, even when faced with persecution and death.

1. "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." - Revelation 2:13

   1. Satan's throne – Pergamon had a massive altar that was famous in the ancient world along with several temples dedicated to different gods.

      1. Zeus – the king of the gods and the father of the other gods.

      2. Asclepius - a destination for healing pilgrimage

         1. ritual baths

         2. dream healing

         3. sleeping in snakes

      3. Athena – the goddess of wisdom

      4. Demeter – the goddess of the harvest

      5. The Imperial Cult – the temple to Caesar on the top of the mountain.

         1. Caesar is lord and savior.

      6. Dionysus – the god of wine, excess, and revelry

         1. the patron god of Pergamum

         2. worshipped at nightly symposia (frats but worse)

         3. seasonal orgies and revelries

         4. the times of ritual madness

Jesus contends that though they hold fast to Him, they are beginning to compromise themselves by adopting the culture and teaching the heresies that permit such compromises.

1. "'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans." - Revelation 2:14-15

   1. The Teaching of Balaam (Numbers 22-24)

      1. Balaam was a prophet in the land of Moab, and though he was not one of the children of Israel, he knew the name of the LORD.

         1. "[Balaam] said to [the representatives of Balak, the king of Moab], "Spend the night here, and I will bring word back to you as the LORD (YHVH) may speak to me." And the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam. Then God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?" Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me, 'Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt [the Israelites] and they cover the surface of the land; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them out.'" God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed." So Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak's leaders, "Go back to your land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."" - Numbers 22:8-13

            1. Balaam nails it and proves that He knows the LORD even though it would be (socially speaking) better for him to fake it.

      2. Balaam starts to compromise when Balak doubles down.

         1. "Then Balak again sent leaders, more numerous and more distinguished than the former. They came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, 'Let nothing, I beg you, hinder you from coming to me; for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me.'" Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God." - Numbers 22:15-18

            1. Nailed it again!

            2. And this is the end of the story and Balaam remained faithful and... oh, nope, this is where it turns...

         2. ""Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will speak to me."" - Numbers 22:19

            1. This seems so subtle and as though there is no problem, but Balaam should know better. He already has all the answer he needs in regards to the “Israel situation” but he's beginning to try and find a way around it.

               • Inviting hospitality to those who are still trying to break the LORD's command.

               • Seeing “what else” he might be able to do for these honored guests who hate the LORD's people.

      3. God permits Balaam to compromise, but then demonstrates that He is opposed to what Balaam is doing.

         1. "God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do." So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab. But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. ... When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick. And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now." The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?" And he said, "No." Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground. The angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way was contrary to me. "But the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let her live." Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back." But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I tell you." So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak." - Numbers 22:20-22, 27-35

            1. We see that God will permit that which He is opposed to, but there is now the threat of consequences.

            2. We see that Balaam still wants to obey God and that God is still willing to use, and trust, Balaam.

            3. Balaam is reminded multiple times that he is not to say anything other than what God says. It's almost as if God is highlighting a very strict need for obedience.

         2. Three times Balak prepares sacrifices for Balaam and Balaam goes to hear what the LORD will say and three times Balaam blesses Israel. Each time Balak thinks that if they change the location it might change the outcome, proving that he does not want to follow the LORD's command. (Numbers 24).

            1. Though Balaam blesses Israel each time instead of cursing them (faithful) something happens that the text doesn't cover. By the time we get to Numbers 31 we find Moses saying that Balaam had counseled the kings of Midian to trick Israel into cheating on God with the lesser god, Baal-Peor, resulting in a plague:

               • ""Behold, these [Midianite women] caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD." - Numbers 31:16

            2. According to rabbinic tradition, when Balaam was unable to curse Israel he advised Balak, to tempt the Hebrew nation to worship Baal-peor by having ritual sex with the women of Midian.

   2. The New Testament uses this imagery to illustrate how terrible it is when, once you have known the LORD, you return to the toxins of the world.

      1. "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. ... Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. ... These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage. But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts." These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." - Jude 1:3-4, 11-13, 16-25

         1. 2 Peter also has verses about this and the terrible state of those who:

            1. “after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first." - 2 Peter 2:20

               • But this one also talks about vomit and it's almost Sarah's birthday, so we'll skip that.

   3. The Nicolaitan Heresy, once again described by Irenaeus...

      1. “The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.” - Irenaeus, Against Heresies

         1. The consensus seems to be that Nicolas was one of those appointed as deacon of the church who gradually fell into immorality and justified his sins as the “liberty” we have in Christ.

   4. In contrast, the true freedom in Christ:

      1. "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained." - Philippians 3:7-16

2. In Essence, “You have been holding on so well, but you have some people in your midst who are poisoning you by focusing on what you think you can 'get away with' instead of what you gain when you sever your ties to your compromises.”

   1. Doing something evil unintentionally is never something we, as those who have forgiven by God for all things, should be worried about. We've been forgiven all things in Christ.

   2. Doing something evil intentionally isn't putting you at risk of being unforgiven, it's damaging your soul and breaking your connection to love and ability to experience love.

The Church in Pergamum must change their mind about their toleration of these cultural influences. If they do not, the consequence of their compromise and their avoiding confrontation will be a judgment and a confrontation that will not go well for them/their people.

1. "'Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth." - Revelation 2:16

   1. This time the admonition is simply to repent, though there will be repercussions.

   2. Repenting will mean that the church in Pergamum has to call their compromises bad and say that their “liberty” was actually licentiousness.

   3. This is particularly intense for the teachers, since teaching is such a particular focus of this passage. It will involve a very public repentance for them, since we are responsible for what our teaching does.

      1. "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment." - James 3:1

         1. Teaching is not only being intentional about your beliefs, it is also intentionally impacting others, for, as James goes on to explain, we are shaped by the words and ideas that flow through us.

2. Essentially, “If you do not make your judgments now and correct your thinking and teaching, then the judgment that is coming will surprise you, and though you call My Name, you will not be with Me.”

   1. ""Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "So then, you will know them by their fruits. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" - Matthew 7:15-23

      1. Again, this is not about legalism, but it is instead about motivation. The false are motivated by a desire to be validated, powerful, or influential or to simply just be important, to gain resources or to belong. Those who know Jesus are instead motivated by a love and a desire to be with Him and, in doing so, love His leadership and teaching.

Consequences included above.

Jesus wants to reward them with favor, prestige, wealth, and belonging in His Kingdom.

1. "'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.'" - Revelation 2:17

   1. Hidden Manna – symbolism of sustenance and provision that God has for His people.

      1. Also, a jar of manna was “hidden” inside the Ark of the Covenant as a testimony of covenant. So this could also symbolize their priesthood to God in the midst of a city with so many priests.

   2. A White Stone – White stones were traditionally granted to the victors in athletic games. Anyone who had a stone could use it like a VIP pass that granted them access to symposiums, feasts, celebrations, events, and gave them free things from merchants and traders.

      1. In a town run by cultural deities and competing priesthoods, the followers of Jesus were the bottom rung, but Jesus is promising them importance, favor, belonging, acceptance and reward in the age to come if they won't compromise their faith to seek it now.

   3. A Secret Name – He's always been the One who delights in intimacy in the secret place.

      1. ""When you pray, you are not to be like those actors; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." - Matthew 6:5-6