Pergamos, The Compromising Church
Pergamos was built on a hill 1000 feet above the surrounding countryside, creating a natural fortress. It was a sophisticated city; a center of Greek culture and education, with a 200,000 volume library. But, it was also the city of four cults, and it rivaled Ephesus in its worship of idols.
The city's chief god was Asclepius, whose symbol was a serpent and who was considered the god of healing. People came to Pergamos from all over the world at that time to seek healing from this god.
John, the Lord Jesus' representative, spoke these words to Pergamos: “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’ Revelation 2:12-17
Just as the Romans used their swords for authority and judgment, the Lord Jesus' two-edged sword represents the Lord God's ultimate authority and judgment.
As the center of four idolatrous cults (Zeus, Dionysius, Asclepius and Athena). Pergamos was called the city "where Satan's throne is". Surrounded by worshipers of Satan and the Roman emperor looked at as god, the Believers (or church) at Pergamos refused to renounce their faith in the Lord Jesus, even when Satan's worshipers martyred one of their members, they stood firm against the strong pressures and temptations of that society. It is never easy, but the alternative is deadly. Remember, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:11
It wasn't easy to be a Believer in Pergamos. Believers experienced great pressure to compromise the Lord God's principles and laws. They are the Lord God's laws and principles that we are to obey and live by. I have to share this, nothing is known of Antipas except that he never compromised principles and laws. He was faithful to the Lord Jesus, even though he lived where "Satan lived". Apparently however, some in the church were tolerating those who taught and practiced what the Lord Jesus opposed. To compromise can be defined as a blending of the qualities of two different things or a concession of principles; to cooperate with people as much as you can but avoid any alliance, partnership or participation that can lead to immoral practices. They tolerated sin, compromising their beliefs. There is room for differences of opinion among Believers in some areas, but there is no room for heresy and moral impurity. Your city, community and family might not participate in idol feasts as you know it, but it probably has pornography, sexual immorality, cheating, gossiping and lying. Do not tolerate disobedience to the Word of God by bowing to the pressure to be open-minded.
Believers who aren't focused on the Word of God, compromise. Balak was a king who feared the large number of Israelites traveling through his country. Keep in mind, all the earth belongs to the Lord God. Balak hired Balaam to pronounce a curse on them. At first, Balaam refused, but money was offered to him and he changed his mind. Read Numbers Chapters 22-24
Later, Balaam influenced the Israelites to turn to idols and disobey the Lord God's laws and principles and worship their idols. Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.....They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. Numbers 31:16 2 Peter 2:15 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. Jude 11 NLT The Lord Jesus rebuked the Believers (the Church) for tolerating those who, like Balaam, led the people away from God's principles and laws. They drove them to religious practices and away from the Lord Jesus and His message.
Keep in mind, the sword is the Lord God's judgment against a rebellious nation. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God...And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:15, 21 This includes all forms of disobedience. Remember, the "hidden manna" suggests the spiritual nourishment that those faithful Believers will receive in our Lord and King Jesus.
As the Israelites traveled toward the land of Promise, the Lord God provided manna from heaven for their physical nourishment. So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’”
Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. So when they measured it by omers, (A measure of capacity among the Hebrews; the tenth part of an ephah; a little more than five pints.) he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. Exodus 16:13-18
Jesus is the living bread. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” John 6:51 He provides spiritual nourishment that satisfies our deepest hunger.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’ Revelation 2:17
But I am reminded of the old practice of drawing stones from a bag to choose who stays and who goes--who wins and who loses. If you received the white stone, you were accepted. But if you drew the dark stone, you were rejected. The stones are significant because each will bear the new name of every individual who truly believes in the Lord Jesus the Christ. They are the evidence of that individual accepted by the Lord God and declared worthy to receive eternal life. Keep in mind, a person's name represented his or her character. The Lord God will give us new names and new hearts.
Remember what I often say, "If a person can name you, they will define you."
We must be vigilant and aware of our standing with our Father in the Kingdom. We can be so busy "doing church" that we do not even notice when His Spirit "left the building". We run on our feelings and habits. We are awake, yet spiritually asleep. That is dangerous ground because we are being deceived. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Romans 13:11-14
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
The city's chief god was Asclepius, whose symbol was a serpent and who was considered the god of healing. People came to Pergamos from all over the world at that time to seek healing from this god.
John, the Lord Jesus' representative, spoke these words to Pergamos: “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’ Revelation 2:12-17
Just as the Romans used their swords for authority and judgment, the Lord Jesus' two-edged sword represents the Lord God's ultimate authority and judgment.
As the center of four idolatrous cults (Zeus, Dionysius, Asclepius and Athena). Pergamos was called the city "where Satan's throne is". Surrounded by worshipers of Satan and the Roman emperor looked at as god, the Believers (or church) at Pergamos refused to renounce their faith in the Lord Jesus, even when Satan's worshipers martyred one of their members, they stood firm against the strong pressures and temptations of that society. It is never easy, but the alternative is deadly. Remember, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:11
It wasn't easy to be a Believer in Pergamos. Believers experienced great pressure to compromise the Lord God's principles and laws. They are the Lord God's laws and principles that we are to obey and live by. I have to share this, nothing is known of Antipas except that he never compromised principles and laws. He was faithful to the Lord Jesus, even though he lived where "Satan lived". Apparently however, some in the church were tolerating those who taught and practiced what the Lord Jesus opposed. To compromise can be defined as a blending of the qualities of two different things or a concession of principles; to cooperate with people as much as you can but avoid any alliance, partnership or participation that can lead to immoral practices. They tolerated sin, compromising their beliefs. There is room for differences of opinion among Believers in some areas, but there is no room for heresy and moral impurity. Your city, community and family might not participate in idol feasts as you know it, but it probably has pornography, sexual immorality, cheating, gossiping and lying. Do not tolerate disobedience to the Word of God by bowing to the pressure to be open-minded.
Believers who aren't focused on the Word of God, compromise. Balak was a king who feared the large number of Israelites traveling through his country. Keep in mind, all the earth belongs to the Lord God. Balak hired Balaam to pronounce a curse on them. At first, Balaam refused, but money was offered to him and he changed his mind. Read Numbers Chapters 22-24
Later, Balaam influenced the Israelites to turn to idols and disobey the Lord God's laws and principles and worship their idols. Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.....They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. Numbers 31:16 2 Peter 2:15 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. Jude 11 NLT The Lord Jesus rebuked the Believers (the Church) for tolerating those who, like Balaam, led the people away from God's principles and laws. They drove them to religious practices and away from the Lord Jesus and His message.
Keep in mind, the sword is the Lord God's judgment against a rebellious nation. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God...And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:15, 21 This includes all forms of disobedience. Remember, the "hidden manna" suggests the spiritual nourishment that those faithful Believers will receive in our Lord and King Jesus.
As the Israelites traveled toward the land of Promise, the Lord God provided manna from heaven for their physical nourishment. So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’”
Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. So when they measured it by omers, (A measure of capacity among the Hebrews; the tenth part of an ephah; a little more than five pints.) he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. Exodus 16:13-18
Jesus is the living bread. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” John 6:51 He provides spiritual nourishment that satisfies our deepest hunger.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’ Revelation 2:17
But I am reminded of the old practice of drawing stones from a bag to choose who stays and who goes--who wins and who loses. If you received the white stone, you were accepted. But if you drew the dark stone, you were rejected. The stones are significant because each will bear the new name of every individual who truly believes in the Lord Jesus the Christ. They are the evidence of that individual accepted by the Lord God and declared worthy to receive eternal life. Keep in mind, a person's name represented his or her character. The Lord God will give us new names and new hearts.
Remember what I often say, "If a person can name you, they will define you."
We must be vigilant and aware of our standing with our Father in the Kingdom. We can be so busy "doing church" that we do not even notice when His Spirit "left the building". We run on our feelings and habits. We are awake, yet spiritually asleep. That is dangerous ground because we are being deceived. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Romans 13:11-14
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
