12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
The Lord confronts this church with the idea of the ‘sharp two-edged sword’ which went out of his mouth (1:16) which is the word of God (Heb.4:12). This is very significant for this church because of the false doctrines and lying tongue of the enemy they need the word of God to operate in their hearts effectually dividing the soul and spirit and the thoughts and intents of the hearts (1 Thes.2:13). False doctrines try the hearts of men whether they will turn to the right hand or to the left (Dt.13:1-3, Prv.4:26-7, 2 Ki.22:2). The imbalances in one’s heart between soul and spirit could sway them to believe this lie or that. The devil is assaulting this church from multiple angles and they need the Lord’s sword working in their hearts.
13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
The Lord was aware of their works but also significantly that they dwelt where Satan’s seat is; where Lucifer himself dwells in authority. Not just his angels but Satan himself. Sometimes the devil’s angels are referred to by his name (Mk.3:23, Rom.16:20, 2 Cor.2:11, 1 Cor.7:5). We know from scripture that Satan walks about in heaven and also the earth seeking whom he may, whom he is permitted to devour (1 Pet.5:8, Job 1:8, 2:2, Lk.22:3,Rev.12:8-9). However, his seat is here in Pergamos. We are not sure why exactly; if this is where he always has resided, or if he moves his seat of operations from time to time or why he has a seat of dwelling at all. We know from Rev.17 (and Dan.10) that the devil has managed to control 6 empires (related to the holy city and people) and offered Jesus the ownership of the 6th head, the Roman Empire. “And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.” (Lk.4:5-6) The devil is the god and prince of this world (2 Cor.4:4, Jn.12:31,14:30, 16:11) and the whole world lieth in wickedness (1 Jn.5:19). However, since the church was founded by Christ and the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Mt.16:18), they “have turned the world upside down” (Ac.17:6) wrestling against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph.6:12) Casting down imaginations and false doctrines and preaching the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ (2Cor.10:5, Mt.28:19-20, Mk.16:15-17). And by praying for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (1 Tim.2:1-2). The church is slowly working out that which Christ accomplished on the cross by his death and resurrection (Jn.12:31, Col.2:14-5,Rom.16:20, 2 Cor.10:4-5). We might suspect that the church slowly destroyed Satan’s grip on the Roman empire, the 6th head (Rev.17:10) and the remaining heads of the dragon will appear only after “he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2 Thes.2:7)
John indicated that the sixth head (Rome) still was in Rev.17 and yet Satan’s seat was in Pergamos at this same time. Perhaps there is some spiritual reason he has place for his seat here that does not exist any where else on the earth. Is his seat still here to this day? Are there powers of the air or forces or dimensional windows we are not aware of? (Eph.2:2, Dan.11:38) We see powerful devils controlling regions at certain times (Dan.10:13, 20) and we see a desire that these spirits have to haunt certain regions (Mk.5:10, Rev.18:2, Mt.12:43). We are not privy to spiritual battles going on in heavenly places against the angels of God (only hints as in Dan.10), but they will be brought to a finish in Rev.12:7-9 in the middle of the tribulation period.
But this church was not to be concerned that Satan himself dwelt there since the greater one dwelt in them, yea “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 Jn.4:4). Jesus empowered his people to cast out devils by the Spirit of God (Mt.10:8, 12:28,Mk.16:17) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Lk.10:19) This church knew this and were strong in the Lord and the power of his might (Eph.6:10), they held fast Jesus’ name and had not denied the faith of Christ. Even with the spectacle the devil made of faithful Antipas who was known of God and was strong doing exploits (Dan.11:32) choosing martyrdom and a crown of life rather than the pleasures of sin for a season (Heb.11:25). This did not turn these faithful believers. However, the devil has other devices he has purposed against them.
14-15 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
The enemy will corrode men from the inside through doctrines of devils and seducing spirits and words that eat away as a canker worm (1 Tim.4:1, 2 Tim.2:17). When Balaam found that he could not curse God’s people for money (Num.22-25), yet he was greedy and wanted Balak’s riches (Jd.11, 2 Pt.2:15-16), he conceived an idea. Since he could not curse the people of God, he must make them abominable in God’s sight and the fastest way to do this is to involve them in fornication. This worked with a mathematical and scientific precision. The Moabites sent in their daughters as whores to inflame the lusts of Israel and introduce them to their gods. Where strong men would not normally allow themselves to be drawn into such idolatry, when a beautiful girl entices them it becomes exponentially more difficult to extricate themselves and many wise and strong men have been slain by her (Prv.7:26, 1 Kin.11:1-8, Jdg.16). The devil has used the power of beauty of the woman from the beginning (Gen.3, Song.6:5) as do marketers of practically any merchandise anywhere in these days.
When God’s people begin to compromise with the beauty of the whorish woman whose heart is snares and nets (Ecc.7:26, Prv.6:25-6, 7:9-27), they will begin to compromise their spiritual integrity. They will overlook things that might interfere with the gratifying of their lusts and their pride. Their standards will decline, they will permit questionable behaviors, they will not rebuke when it is needed or stand against what God instructs them to. Their watchmen will not sound the alarm for fear of disrupting such an attractive friendship. Eventually they will begin to change their view of God from his self-revelation in the bible and they will make their own conception of him in their hearts (Ezk.14:3). A version of God that is more tolerable to their situation and sympathetic to their sin (Rom.1:18-32). And of course, compromise is very lucrative in an age that continues heaping teachers together to satisfy their itching ears (2 Tim.4:1-4). There is no lack of false teachers making merchandise of the churches in all forms of communication (2 Pt.2:1-3). These perverse disputers having eyes full of covetousness shall entice through false doctrines teaching that gain is godliness snaring those giving ear into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition (1 Tim.6:3-11). Then the inscripturated revelation God has given, to them becomes open to compromise, to various interpretations, to other people’s ideas and images of God. Until those who reject and love not Jesus Christ who is the image of the invisible God in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Col.1:15, 19 2:9, 1 Jn.2:23, 1 Tim.3:16, 1 Cor.16:22) are considered our spiritual brothers who worship ‘the same God as we’. God’s people who used to cast down the idolatry of the wicked now begin to say their god is the same as our God just a few different ideas or negotiable variations open to discussion or modification. God’s clear words may have a different meaning now and we must open the door wider to allow a broader more encompassing philosophy of how God is even really known. Do we know from God’s revelation of himself or is it impossible for revelation since knowing is a function of the mind of man arranging brute facts in experience (Kant)? ‘Obviously’, they boast, ‘we can only know things in varying degrees of probability and without apodictic certainty’ (see synthetic vs analytic distinctions) ‘so friendship is to be preferred over risking enmity by casting down their idolatry and philosophies since we can’t know anything with certainty, for we should love and not judge as the highest virtue’. Until they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. (Num.25:2-3)
The other doctrine which is of the Nicolaitanes is from another angle of attack. We addressed their deeds (v6) now we will consider their doctrines. Where those following Balaam’s doctrine loosen the bands of holiness, the Nicolaitanes dominate the church lording over them, so they must create rules and regulations to monitor and control every aspect of the believer’s daily life. Who can forget the Pharisees of Christ’s day who when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. (Mk.7:1-4) But the Nicolaitanes bind the believer’s conscience further and further under condemnation to control them. They would tell them to be subject to ordinances as what they eat and drink, observing holy days (Col.2:20), wear certain garments, neglect the body, touch not, taste not, handle not (Col.2:21-3, Mt.23:5), pay tithes (yes definitely that! Mt.23:23,Dt.26:12), observe days and months and times and years (Gal.4:10, Col.2:16), forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from meats (1 Tim.4:3). Their mindset is like that of the occultists as they teach that by ‘abnegating his will through these practices of holy obedience his will has become enormously strong, so strong that none of his natural instincts, desires, or habits can intrude. He has freed his will of all these inhibitions’. It is a works-based salvation that is not the gospel of Jesus Christ by his grace through our faith (Gal.1:6-9)
The Balaamites loosen the neck tie until they look disheveled and unkempt where the Nicolaitanes tighten the tie until it chokes you (not to endorse neck ties here). It is interesting that the Lord mentioned the sharp sword with two edges as the word of God divides the soul and spirit for this is exactly the issue here. Those controlled by their own imbalanced soul will tend towards Balaam and those whose imbalanced spirit controls them tend towards the Nicolaitanes. The Balaamites turn the grace of God into lasciviousness and use liberty for an occasion to the flesh (Gal.5:13, Jd.1:4) where the Nicolaitanes spy out your liberty in Christ to bring you into bondage (Gal.2:4). The former leads to worldliness and universal salvation, from no fruits of righteousness to no faith required, to no hell or eternal damnation. Where the latter leads to legalism, micromanaging and oppression and salvation by works. The former ranges from doctrines of ‘easy believism’, ‘once saved always saved’ to teaching that Christians sin almost continually to where they can’t be expected to be holy. Where the latter believe you can be saved and lost on a daily basis (no chastening of the Father- Heb.12) and that a true Christian might sin from time to time but only small insignificant sins and probably not really sins only unintentional mistakes. The Balaamites allow anything except holiness unto the LORD and will tolerate everything except Christ alone for salvation. The Nicolatanes interfere forcibly with the conscience and will of others through guilt manipulation, deceit, cruel mocking, coercion, force, and carnal threats.
These things should not be tolerated in the church. Paul stated when they confronted men with these errors, "To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” (Gal.2:5) John threated to deal with these excesses, “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth” (3 Jn.1:10) Paul would deliver men unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor.5:5, 1 Tim.1:20) and instruct the churches to purge out this old leaven of wickedness from their midst (1 Cor.5:8-13). The church of Pergamos should have been plucking up and rooting out and casting away. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. (Jer.48:10)
16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Here again we see the Lord’s warning in terms of his coming but these terms could also be transferred in a figure should he tarry (see notes on 2:5). The reminder is as before with Ephesus, ‘I will come unto thee quickly’ but that he would fight ‘against them’ with the sword of his mouth. Fighting with the sword of his mouth is a phrase initially referencing the 2nd coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation (Rev.19:15, 21, Isa.11:4, 2 Thess.2:8). These heretics would face judgment from Christ himself after the Lord catches away his faithful who love his appearing. If the Lord did not tarry here, then the rapture of the church would be the final dividing between this church and those holding these doctrines who would be cast into great tribulation (v22) and swept away in the wrath to come. The space to repent would be gone and sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thess.5:3, Lk.21:34-6)
But when we transfer these things in a figure as we discussed under v5, should the Lord tarry and they not repent he would kill these sinners himself. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death… (Psa.7:11-13). If they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. (Job 36:12). If the Lord fights against men with the sword of his mouth or the spirit of his mouth (2 Thes.2:8) then with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked (Isa.11:4) and he shall be broken without hand (Dan.8:25). In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. (Job 34:20-21)
The admonition is of the same nature as Rev.3:3- If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. John taught us in his 1st Epistle, “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. (1 Jn.2:26-8) When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Pt.5:4) But if we allow ourselves to be misled by not closely following the Spirit teaching us, we will suffer terrific shame at the judgment seat of Christ as we lose crowns and rewards (Rev.3:11, 2 Jn.1:8, Col.2:4, 8, 18, 1 Cor.3:14-15). If the Lord comes quickly unto us and we are not fully ready the shame of our nakedness will appear; we will walk naked, and they see our shame (Rev.3:18, 16:15). Pergamos is called to repent of this cowardice and inaction. Do not tolerate this thing that Christ hates in his church (Jer.48:10).
17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Here again this is written to all the churches, to the overcomers. The Lord offers the promise to eat of the hidden manna. Manna was the “angels’ food” and the “corn of heaven” or the “bread from heaven”. (Psa.78:23-25, Jn.6:31) It “was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (Ex.16:31,Num.11:7). Honey must be a taste of heaven, which is exceedingly sweet (Rev.10:9-10,Psa.19:10, 119:103). The Lord told Moses to instruct Aaron “Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.” (Ex.16:33, Heb.9:4) Perhaps this hidden manna (for the hidden man 1 Pt.3:4 when a man is hidden Prv.28:12) is laid up in the ark of heaven (Rev.11:19) which manna the Lord would multiply to us. The Lord fed them with manna to grant the children of Israel a revelation in the wilderness (Dt.8:3, 16). This promise as with the tree of life are blessings from eating and tasting of goodness. The ability to taste is a blessing from God as is the sweetness of food and feasting the Lord grants. Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. (Neh.9:20)
We also have the promise of a white stone with our new name written in it. It is not unusual for the Lord to give his people a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. (Isa.62:2, Gen 32:28, Mt.16:16-8) Peter received his name upon his confession of the revelation that Christ is Son of the Living God. Israel received his new name upon prevailing against the angel. This new name which the Lord will give us will be alone for each one that receives it, a special name between our Lord and us. The name will be upon a white stone perhaps as our raiment it will be white and glistering (Lk.9:29, Rv.3:4-5). Many commentators conclude that the Lord is following a Roman tradition by granting us a white stone of acquittal in a favorable trial. This seems unlikely since if we are in heaven we are justified and would not need to prove this to anyone. This writer finds it difficult to imagine the Lord making a heavenly pattern after a pagan practice (Ex.25:40, Heb.8:5). So, what could this white stone be? How big is it and what is to be done with it? We know the church is “as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house” (1 pt.2:5) and that the new Jerusalem has 12 foundations having the names of the 12 apostles (Rev.21:14). Could the white stones be in the construction of that great city? Or perhaps it will be worn on the garments as the priests (Rev.5:10) bore the names of the children of Israel on the breastplate (Ex.28:29). The holy Jerusalem which is above is completed (Gal.4:26, Jn.14:2, Rev.21:10) however this stone is promised yet to be given to him that will overcome. Perhaps it is to be worn on his white raiment (Rev.3:4-5,18).
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