The Revelation of Jesus Christ
John to the seven churches
Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
“Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, … to Pergamum…
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
“Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.
20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Christ, our risen Lord and Savior holds in His right hand the angels of the churches. Christ, our returning Lord and Savior stands in the presence of His golden churches – the believers to be taken-up along with those who have gone before us.
Yet each letter to the churches is specific to a group of believers: praise for faithfulness and call to continued faith. For not all who say, “Lord, lord,” will be taken-up. Not all who say, “Lord, lord,” will stand as a light of witness as a lampstand on His right. For some will be separated to the King’s left and He will say of those who did not glimmer with the light of Jesus, “I never knew you.”
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. – Matthew 25:46 KJV
Therefore: The warnings for the seven churches are addressed to the saints of every generation until the last.
You with ears to hear, let the scripture of Revelation speak to your eternal soul.
Pergamon’s strategic location along both land and sea trading routes contributed to its prosperity. Pilgrims from all over the Mediterranean region would flock to the city to engage in commerce or to visit the famous Ascelpion, a center of medical treatments.
Perched atop a windswept mountain along the Turkish coastline and gazing proudly—almost defiantly—over the azure Aegean Sea sit the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Pergamon.
The modern visitor approaches the site from the steep and winding road that leads from the modern Turkish city of Bergama just a few miles away. Upon reaching the ruins, the commanding panoramic view from Pergamon’s 1,000-foot-high perch makes it easy to understand how this city once dominated the entire region.
Antipas, a Christian bishop of Pergamum, was believed to have been martyred here at the end of the first century A.D., around the time when many scholars believe the Book of Revelation was composed. The execution of their bishop certainly would not have endeared the city to its Christian inhabitants, and the Biblical reference to the city is reflective of the general tension between Christian and pagan communities at the end of the first century A.D. – 7/16/2013 article excerpt- Sarah Yeomans
Revelation 2:12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
Mention of this “sword” occurs only once outside of Revelation. It is a very large sword.
properly a long Thracian javelin, also a kind of long sword wont to be worn on the right shoulder
Simeon, after having dedicated the baby Jesus said: “For my eyes have seen Your salvation .” – Luke 2:30
Then Simeon turned to Mary and also prophesied: “yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also…” – Luke 2:35a
13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Persecution of first century Christians, familiar to us by fictional accounts of actual incidents in Rome, were common throughout the Roman Empire.
The martyrdom could have taken place at this famous pagan temple or in their large amphitheater.
Pergamum or Pergamos is just one city where Christians were persecuted and killed for cruel sport. (Ephesus, as you may recall from Paul’s later letters, is another.)
14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent.
John 15:19 [The words of Jesus:]
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Jesus expects the church to be different from the world. We are NOT like the worshipers of idols and unbelievers.
Christ reveals through John “some there who hold the teaching of Balaam.”
Do you recall the donkey speaking to the Prophet to preserve his life from the sword of the angel?
Numbers 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand…
IF a Prophet of God may risk execution for disobedience, surely a Christian in a faithful church may also be warned for standing too close to sin.
Once again the issues are idol worship, sexual immorality, and false teaching.
Has anything changed from these temptations up to this 21st century, dear faithful believer?
Yet, be encouraged that our All-Powerful risen and returning Lord may wield a large sword in your defense against the world, IF you remain faithful.
* In verse 15:
- 1. Notice that the church in Ephesus hated the “deeds” of the Nicolatians (2:6)
- 2. Now in this church in Pergamos, (the infiltrated church), it has become “doctrine” = teachings!
- 3. Ephesus hated their deeds as the Lord hated their deeds. Now Pergamos allows what God hates!
- a) The Lord has always hated when anyone “lords” over His people but Himself!!
Revelation 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Repent! But IF NOT, come I to you without delay, indeed to war against the same with the edge of the sword of my mouth. {see concordance}
* Verse 16:
1. Repentance is not mere “I’m sorry!” It must be a change of heart and actions!
2. If we, as the Lord messengers and servants, do not admonish and stand for the truth, HE WILL!!!
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
* b) A white stone with a new name!
(1) No one knows for sure what this allude to but there used to be a custom of voting for an accused criminal with a black and a white stone.
(2) If the white stones outnumbered, the criminal was set free!
(3) Through our faith in Jesus as Lord as Savior, the white stone has been cast, we have been set free!!
(a) And along with that freedom as slaves to this world, we have been given our FATHER’S name! It will be written in the Lamb’ Book of Life!!!
NEXT: Thyatira
Why do christians so easily return to our chains of addictions to the sins of our worldly past? — a life of slavery? — before Christ Jesus freed us by His Blood of the Cross?