Issue 1377 – Seven Churches Part 3 – February 22, 2024

This morning, we continue our series by looking at the church of Pergamum (the modern community of Bergama in Turkiye.) 

And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faitheven in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 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.So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 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” Revelation 2:12-17

We see an interpretive clue in the letter’s opening, as with the previous churches. Christ describes Himself as the one having the double-edged sword. He is speaking of the Word of God. The Word condemns, and the Word frees those who will heed it. It brings judgment and freedom.

The Lord is pleased in part with their faithfulness. They are standing firm even amid persecution. One of their members has been killed for his faith (other than this reference, nothing is known about this man). 

They live in Satan’s neighbourhood. There are plenty of possibilities for the name “where Satan lives.” Pergamum was the home to emperor worship. They also worshipped many other “gods,” including Zeus, Bacchus, the snake gods, and various ancient mystery religions from the former Babylonian empire. There was no shortage of false gods to worship; this area had many. Many people worshipped more than one just to be safe.   The title of where “Satan Lives” could be referring to any of these groups or, more likely, to their popularity as a whole. In any event, it was not a “nice Christian neighbourhood.”

The Lord speaks out against their tolerance of evil. They have members in the church who hold to false doctrine and advocate sexual immorality. This was an area run by trade guilds that often had “guild meetings” where foods were routinely sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality the norm. It created great tension for the Christians who wanted to do business; apparently, some in the church were teaching that such things were okay. 

We see a similar thing happen today in many business communities and “social clubs” where business is done over drunken revelry, huge meals and with strippers and prostitutes present and freely available. The norm of such groups is that what happens at meetings stays at meetings, and all are expected to participate. Often, “Christian” men and women participate because it is seen as easier to go along than to speak out.

The urge to compromise can take far subtler forms as well. Lying to make a deal, taking some things home from work for personal use, I’m sure you can think of many situations that this might apply in. The compromises are not always clear-cut but become easier once the lines are crossed.

God is calling His church to speak out against such evil and not to tolerate it within the church. Speaking out against evil always carries some cost. He calls them to repent and turn from their tolerance of and participation in the evil. To speak out would bring economic and social pressures and, in this community, might even bring persecution unto death. Yet God’s Word is the standard they will be judged with. Will they stand for the truth or fall? 

The letter closes with hope. Those who overcome God will give the hidden manna a new name. There will be rewards for those who hold true.

The warning rings true for the church today … how much evil will we tolerate or participate in? Will we stand for the truth or be devoured by Satan?

Until next time, may you stand firm in Jesus.