REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 2.12b

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

 

LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES

 

CHAPTER 2

 

Outline

1.  The Addressee – To whom the letter is addressed (2:12)

2.  The Address – To where the letter is addressed (2:12)

3.   The Addresser – From whom the letter is addressed (2:12)

4. The Approval – The acclamation of good qualities (2:13)

5.  The Accusation – The presentation of bad qualities (2:14-15)

6.  The Appeal – The application to change (2:16)

7.  The Advice – The recommendation to change (2:17)

 

 

3. The Addresser – From whom the letter is addressed (2:12)

(Verse 12)

 

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith He which hath the sharp sword with two edges.

 

Review

Roman Emperor Constantine declared an edict of toleration, thereby allowing the Church to be married to the world. In doing so, the mass of people was swept over by all the mystery cults. Thus, they became incorporated into Christianity. The mixture of Church and State had tremendous appeal throughout the Roman Empire, especially to the Roman army. This new blending eventually filtered down to the poorer classes.

1.   The Addressee – The Church of Pergamum, representative of the Pergamos Age where a mixed marriage between Christianity and worldliness was manifested and maintained.

 

2.  The Address – The city of Pergamum: The capital city of the Roman province in Asia Minor where Greek and Roman culture commingled.

 

 

3. The Addresser – From whom the letter is addressed

 

He which hath the sharp sword with two edges

The Person dictating this letter to the Apostle John identifies Himself by one of His characteristics taken from Revelation Chapter 1.

Revelation 1:16 - Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.

1.  Sharp – represents judgment

2.   Sword – is the Word of God

3. Two edges – the double-edged character of the Word of God is the embodiment of absolute truth in God’s Word, never a dull edge.

 

a.  Edge #1 – Justice and salvation in truth

b.  Edge #2 - Justice and judgment in truth

__One edge separates man from sin

__The other edge separates man from eternity

 

Hebrews 4:12 - For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

a.  In Chapter 1 the Word of God proceeds out of His mouth - calling sinners to repentance                          

 

b.  In Chapter 2 the Word of God is sharp - symbolizing the judgment of those who reject the truth

 

This is the total picture of Christ as a judge having the ultimate authority to execute the death penalty. The sword He is wielding is not short, but an acidus gladius – a six-foot Roman battle sword. Notice, its usage in Chapter 19 - when Christ comes down from Heaven on a white horse:

Revelation 19:15 - And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

 

Question

 What does Christ do with the sword?

 

Answer

Smite the nations.

 

 

4. The Approval – The acclamation of good qualities (2:13)

(Verse 13)

 

I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat (Throne) is: and thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was My faithful martyr (witness), who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

 

1.   I Know - Jesus knows with complete knowledge, showing His omniscience (having the capacity to know everything there is to know with comprehensive awareness, understanding, and perception).

 

2. I know your works – Jesus knows the toil in their lives. God sees what we do for Him.

 

3.  I know where you live – They lived where Satan’s seat or throne was.

 

4.   They held fast (remained true) to His name – Amid Satan's throne (where Satan rules), the majority of Christians at Pergamos remained true to Jesus Christ and…

 

 

5. Did not deny His Faith – This directly relates to holding true to the Christian faith. Recall, Peter denied Christ three times – They did not...

 

6.  Even in those days when my faithful martyr (witness) Antipas was slain among you - They remained true despite this.

 

7.  Satan’s Seat or Throne – It is interesting, two times in this passage the Lord reveals Satan’s throne is seated in Pergamum.

 

When Constantine sat on the golden throne in Pergamum, he presided as the acknowledged head of the Christian Church bearing the title of Pontifex Maximus (Latin: greatest pontiff or bishop). He was considered the high priest of the heathen. This title was later applied to the Pope in Rome. However, the seat of Satan and satanic power contemporaneously epitomized the religious character of the city.

 

Antipas

There is little known about Antipas other than what is recorded here, the only place in the Bible. Ancient ecclesiastical history also furnishes no account of this person. The word Anti means against, pas – all: Against all is the connotation of his name. Jesus informs he was a faithful martyr or witness slain for his faith.

 

Even though the Pergamos Age was representative of an age of non-persecution, Antipas is mentioned as an example of a person who just did not claim to be a Christian, but one who assented and remained faithful to the Gospel and the name of Jesus. By deduction Antipas:

1.  Stood against all heresy and unsound doctrine

2.   Stood against all sin and immorality

3. Stood against all evil forces

4.   Did not compromise

5.  Did not deny the name of Christ

6.  Did not deny the faith

7. Withstood persecution, even unto death

 

Antipas denied himself, took up his cross, and followed Jesus (cf. Luke 9:23; Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34). For someone completely unknown, he is observed by God as a faithful martyr or witness. Thus, he is memorialized in the Bible as a great man.

 

 

(Verse 14)

 

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them (among you) that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

(Verse 15)

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

 

Among the positive commendations, a few bad things were being taught and filtered among them that upset Jesus. Paul likens this corruption to bread dough:

1 Corinthians 5:6 - Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

 

Jesus Christ hates as well as He loves. In our walk, we need to be careful not to indulge in the things He hates. The Church at Pergamos had a problem with two false doctrines:

1.  Baalism pervaded the Church

2.  Nicolaitism also permeated

 

In this passage, the main outcomes of the Balaam heresy and that of the Nicolaitanes were:

1. Eating things sacrificed to idols

2. Committing fornication

 

Doctrine: (Latin: doctrina from doceo meaning, to teach). Teachings evolved into principles or a belief system (distinguished from the opinion) that was established as truth and set into religious law (dogma).

 

Sound Doctrine

The key to the Christian Church is the authority of Scripture. The Word of God is total, absolute, inspired, infallible, and inerrant.

Proverbs 30:5 - Every Word of God is pure.

 

2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

 

Reminder: To recognize false doctrine, one must first know true doctrine. Therefore, by diligently studying the Word of God and hearing what the Holy Spirit (the Comforter Jesus promised) is saying and teaching you. Your job is to study His Word.

John 14:16, 26; 16:13 - And I (Jesus) will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter [Paraklētos:  (Greek) Intercessor, Advocate, Counselor, Helper, i.e. The Holy Spirit] that He may abide with you for ever…But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you…Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth…and He will shew you things to come.

 

The Holy Spirit is your Teacher and will enable you with spiritual discernment, i.e., the separation of truth from non-truth. This is called Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth (spiritual discernment).

2 Timothy 2:15 – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

Prayer is essential to discernment. Once gained, in-depth learning is obtained from proven God-appointed men. God gives believers certain gifts, some the gift of teaching by the empowering of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:7, 11-12 - But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ… And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers…For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

 

For those who remain at level one and do not grow into spiritual maturity, the writer of Hebrews recommends:

Hebrews 5:12 - You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's Word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food (NLT).

 

2 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap (seek) to themselves (false) teachers, having itching ears (out of curiosity, seek to hear something new for their own desires).

 

Paul stated,

Acts 20:27 - For I didn't shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God (WEB).

 

Titus declared,

Titus 1:9 - He must hold firm to the trustworthy Word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it (ESV).

 

Now, once you are learned - no appeal is to be made to human authority, but like the Bereans (cf. Acts 17:11) - search the SCRIPTURES daily whether these things are so.

1 John 2:27 - Now as for you, the anointing that you received from Him resides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as It has taught you, you reside in Him.

 

Therefore, there is a balance between what the Spirit of God and His elect teach. The principle: Always be discerning.

 

Baalism

The false God Baal has an extensive history in the Bible. Throughout the ages, he took on many forms, shapes, derivatives, meanings, and titles. The word means master or lord. Its ending el counterfeits EL, the Strong One, denoting God as the Creator.

 

Many false versions most likely originated at the Tower of Babel (confusion). It was one of the Canaanite gods associated with agriculture. Initially, the Canaanites would evoke or worship this god for the need for rain.

 

Cultures, such as the Philistines, usually changed their name and their counterparts became notorious in Mythology. Baal eventually morphed into the national god of Babylon, Marduk, simply called Bel. Eventually, its real name surfaces as Beelzebub (cf. Luke 11:15), and in Revelation chapter 9, Abaddon (Hebrew) or Apollyon (Greek), the destroyer, that is Satan.

Revelation 9:7 - And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

 

Contrasted to the Mosaic Law, Baalism is a false and counterfeit religion. The corrupted practice of worshipping creation (nature worship) rather than the Creator evolved into occultism and mysticism mingled with harlotry, sexual license, deviation, and cult prostitution. By the time it reached Babylon, child sacrifice and cannibalism were incorporated into its rituals (read Jeremiah 19:1-13).

 

Pergamos embraced its idolatrous doctrines of immorality, fornication, and eating things sacrificed to idols. All this filtered into the church and church doctrine, which God abhorred. Does environmentalism have hints of Baalism today? 

 

In our next lesson, we will meet a biblical character named Balaam.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.  What does the two-edged sword represent?

2.  What are the reasons Christ is writing to this church?

3.  What is the meaning of the word doctrine?

4.  Who was Antipas?

5.  Explain sound doctrine.

6. What two doctrines entered into Pergamos?

7.   Describe some aspects of Baalism.

 

 

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