Rev 2:13 | KingComments | STEP | . A new period begins in church history. This period is presented in the church in Pergamum. In Smyrna you have seen the period of the Christian persecutions of the Christians. After that period, a period of rest begins, which starts in the year 313. In that year, the emperor Constantine the Great outwardly converts to Christendom and therefore Christendom becomes state religion. It becomes profitable to be a Christian, for that delivers a job, money and status. Satan changes his strategy from here. In Smyrna he incited pagan rulers to persecution. There he manifested himself “like a roaring lion” ( ). However, his attempts to eradicate Christendom had no effect. In Pergamum he becomes a protector of Christendom and “disguises himself as an angel of light” ( ). He makes sure that the church feels at home in the world so that it goes on focusing on a comfortable residence in the world. But there is Someone Who sees through this deception. That is “the One who has the sharp two-edged sword”, that is the Word of God ( ). Only through the Word of God you will become aware of the deceptions of satan. If satan does not succeed to defeat you through adversity and trials, he will try to make you become unfaithful to your calling as a Christian through luxury and prosperity. He will make his best efforts to cause you to forget that you are connected with Christ in heaven, Who was rejected on earth. But by reading God’s Word and the desire to live up to it, you will remain faithful to your heavenly calling. . The Lord begins by saying that He knows that the church dwells “where Satan’s throne is”. To find yourself where satan’s throne is, is not to be blamed; it is inescapable. But it is indeed to be blamed if you dwell there. ‘To dwell’ has the meaning of feeling at home somewhere, not only reside somewhere, but it includes having all your interests there and being bound to that. But how can the church feel at home on the territory where satan’s throne is, where he rules? Satan is “the ruler of the world” ( ). He rules the world and puts it to his will. The church has been rescued from the world ( ), to be one with the glorified Head in heaven ( ). It is not God’s purpose that Christians get established in the world and feel themselves at home in it. However, because of the deception of satan the church did not hold on to the Head, but has become earthly focused ( ). But still the Lord notices that the church in Pergamum holds on to the basic elements of being a Christian. They have held on to the Name of Christ and have not sworn by the name of Caesar. They also have not given up the faith in Him, the Son of God and the Son of Man, and His redemption work. They have not succumbed under the enmity from the world, which they certainly experienced, in spite of their connection to it. In what has happened to Antipas they could see that the world has not really changed in its nature, regarding its tolerance for a worldly Christianity. Faithfulness to the Name of the Lord will always arouse the hatred of the world. The Lord calls Antipas “My witness, My faithful one”. It is a great tribute to this witness. Antipas means ‘against all’. Even though the mass of people let themselves be tempted to a comfortable Christendom, he continued to go against the grain and testified to his Lord. It is remarkable that the Greek word for witness is martus , which means ‘martyr’. The voice of Antipas could not be silenced except by death. This was also the fate of earlier witnesses, like John the baptist ( ), the prophets ( ) and above all the Lord Jesus ( ). What Christ was to God, Antipas was to Christ. . After the praise, which the Lord still has for this church, He tells them what He has against them. He blames them for being tolerant toward the false teachers in their midst. Their false teaching is called “the teaching of Balaam”. The corruptness of this teaching is the deceptive way of mixing the truth with lie and the children of God with the world. Balaam tempted the Israelites “to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit [acts of] immorality” ( ). It is a major deception of satan, which is also very successful today. You see that everywhere where worldly principles get entry into the church. ‘The teaching of Balaam’ gets entry if you see the church as an organization or company. If you want to make a company prosperous, then structures are to be established, duties to be delegated and consultative group meetings need to be developed. The church has a product that has to be promoted and must be made attractive to ‘buy’. Name recognition of the group is important. Also political influence is of importance. This development can be found throughout the history of the church since Pergamum. The followers and defenders of such development are called “adulteresses” by James ( ). It is spiritual adultery when the church unites with the world. Also eating the sacrifices of idols can be found in a spiritual sense in professing Christianity. When I recently visited a church, it shocked me again when I saw people kissing images of saints and respectfully bowed themselves before these images. The adoration of Mary and the pope is inextinguishable. Countless people give in to and ‘eat’ sacrifices of idols. Mary and the pope are not consecrated by the church to Christ but to the devil. The reverence the people ascribe to them is accepted by demons. . In the footsteps of the teaching of Balaam is “the teaching of the Nicolaitans”. That teaching also got entry in Pergamum, for which the Lord also had to blame them. What in Ephesus only consisted of works and also was hated ( ), here already had been elevated to a teaching. As it was already noted in , Nicolaitans means ‘conquerors of the people or of the laymen’. These conquerors of the people consider themselves the clergy and see the church people as laymen. By speaking about ‘the teaching of the Nicolaitans’ the distinction between clergy and laity is elevated to the status of an institution. You can hear this distinction already in the names that were accepted by the clergy since the third century in Christianity. In those days the Roman bishop, for example, was called ‘papa’ for the first time, from which the familiar word ‘pope’ has been derived. This evil has deeply established itself in professing Christianity, it is anchored in it. . After the blames, not the judgment follows, but the call to “repent”. You cannot see that other than as a proof of grace. The Lord gives an opportunity for repentance before judging. The church can heed that call by breaking the connections with the world and removing the corrupted teaching from among them. If that does not happen Christ will come and execute judgment on them through His Word. Evil in the church must always be condemned on the basis of the Word. If the church does not do that, He Himself will do that. By the way, here you see the distinction between the angel and the faithful ones on the one side, “I am coming to you ”, and the followers of the wrong teachings on the other side, “I will make war against them ”. Here we see the two groups – designated “you” and “them” – present in that church. . Here the call to hear is still done before the overcomers are addressed. That means that the whole is addressed, while what is said, is personally to be practiced by each believer. Each believer who obeys the call, is a conqueror. The victory is gained by each one who does not let himself be dragged by the dangers that threaten this church. Such a person is a true pilgrim who does not come under the influence of the ruler of this world. In order to gain victory in a situation in which the church has started to feel at home in the world and has allowed the ideas of the world to enter among them, it is necessary that the believer lives in secret with God in the power of the Word. The “hidden manna” speaks of the Son of God, Who became Man to give us life and Who has humbled Himself and has entered into all of our circumstances. With this bread the angels fed the people of God in the wilderness ( ). The manna was within arm’s reach for God’s people each morning during the whole journey in the wilderness that lasted forty years. This is how Christ has to be our daily food. When the church in its heart turns to the world, it feeds itself with ‘the onions and the garlic of Egypt’ ( ). You can compare that with the television soap series and tabloids. It seems spicy, seasoned, but has no nutritional value and stinks. Overcomers are they who like Christ have lived separated from the world. To them ‘the hidden manna’ is promised by Christ Himself. This can mean that He, Who in His life on earth was perfectly separated to God, will tell the overcomer about His wondrous way on earth. The “white stone” speaks of approval and appreciation. In case law, it meant acquittal. At an election people made their preference for a person known by giving a white stone. The Lord Jesus will do that with the overcomer in Pergamum. It expresses the personal fellowship between the Lord Jesus and the overcomer. The “new name” on the stone is the name of the believers by which he is registered in heaven ( ; ; ). It is a name “which no one knows but he who receives it”. That indicates that we, although we enjoy together with others the things in heaven, also will have a personal bond with and joy in the Lord Jesus, in which another person will not share. Now read Revelation 2:12-17 again. Reflection: What about your separation from the world?

‏ Revelation of John 2:13

Message for Pergamum

Rev 2:12. A new period begins in church history. This period is presented in the church in Pergamum. In Smyrna you have seen the period of the Christian persecutions of the Christians. After that period, a period of rest begins, which starts in the year 313. In that year, the emperor Constantine the Great outwardly converts to Christendom and therefore Christendom becomes state religion. It becomes profitable to be a Christian, for that delivers a job, money and status.

Satan changes his strategy from here. In Smyrna he incited pagan rulers to persecution. There he manifested himself “like a roaring lion” (1Pet 5:8). However, his attempts to eradicate Christendom had no effect. In Pergamum he becomes a protector of Christendom and “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2Cor 11:14). He makes sure that the church feels at home in the world so that it goes on focusing on a comfortable residence in the world.

But there is Someone Who sees through this deception. That is “the One who has the sharp two-edged sword”, that is the Word of God (Heb 4:12). Only through the Word of God you will become aware of the deceptions of satan. If satan does not succeed to defeat you through adversity and trials, he will try to make you become unfaithful to your calling as a Christian through luxury and prosperity. He will make his best efforts to cause you to forget that you are connected with Christ in heaven, Who was rejected on earth. But by reading God’s Word and the desire to live up to it, you will remain faithful to your heavenly calling.

Rev 2:13. The Lord begins by saying that He knows that the church dwells “where Satan’s throne is”. To find yourself where satan’s throne is, is not to be blamed; it is inescapable. But it is indeed to be blamed if you dwell there. ‘To dwell’ has the meaning of feeling at home somewhere, not only reside somewhere, but it includes having all your interests there and being bound to that.

But how can the church feel at home on the territory where satan’s throne is, where he rules? Satan is “the ruler of the world” (Jn 14:30). He rules the world and puts it to his will. The church has been rescued from the world (Gal 1:4), to be one with the glorified Head in heaven (Eph 4:15-16). It is not God’s purpose that Christians get established in the world and feel themselves at home in it. However, because of the deception of satan the church did not hold on to the Head, but has become earthly focused (Phil 3:19).

But still the Lord notices that the church in Pergamum holds on to the basic elements of being a Christian. They have held on to the Name of Christ and have not sworn by the name of Caesar. They also have not given up the faith in Him, the Son of God and the Son of Man, and His redemption work. They have not succumbed under the enmity from the world, which they certainly experienced, in spite of their connection to it. In what has happened to Antipas they could see that the world has not really changed in its nature, regarding its tolerance for a worldly Christianity.

Faithfulness to the Name of the Lord will always arouse the hatred of the world. The Lord calls Antipas “My witness, My faithful one”. It is a great tribute to this witness. Antipas means ‘against all’. Even though the mass of people let themselves be tempted to a comfortable Christendom, he continued to go against the grain and testified to his Lord.

It is remarkable that the Greek word for witness is martus, which means ‘martyr’. The voice of Antipas could not be silenced except by death. This was also the fate of earlier witnesses, like John the baptist (Mk 6:16-18), the prophets (Mt 23:34) and above all the Lord Jesus (Rev 1:5). What Christ was to God, Antipas was to Christ.

Rev 2:14. After the praise, which the Lord still has for this church, He tells them what He has against them. He blames them for being tolerant toward the false teachers in their midst. Their false teaching is called “the teaching of Balaam”. The corruptness of this teaching is the deceptive way of mixing the truth with lie and the children of God with the world. Balaam tempted the Israelites “to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit [acts of] immorality” (Num 25:1-2 ; Num 31:16).

It is a major deception of satan, which is also very successful today. You see that everywhere where worldly principles get entry into the church. ‘The teaching of Balaam’ gets entry if you see the church as an organization or company. If you want to make a company prosperous, then structures are to be established, duties to be delegated and consultative group meetings need to be developed. The church has a product that has to be promoted and must be made attractive to ‘buy’. Name recognition of the group is important. Also political influence is of importance.

This development can be found throughout the history of the church since Pergamum. The followers and defenders of such development are called “adulteresses” by James (Jam 4:4). It is spiritual adultery when the church unites with the world. Also eating the sacrifices of idols can be found in a spiritual sense in professing Christianity. When I recently visited a church, it shocked me again when I saw people kissing images of saints and respectfully bowed themselves before these images. The adoration of Mary and the pope is inextinguishable. Countless people give in to and ‘eat’ sacrifices of idols. Mary and the pope are not consecrated by the church to Christ but to the devil. The reverence the people ascribe to them is accepted by demons.

Rev 2:15. In the footsteps of the teaching of Balaam is “the teaching of the Nicolaitans”. That teaching also got entry in Pergamum, for which the Lord also had to blame them. What in Ephesus only consisted of works and also was hated (Rev 2:6), here already had been elevated to a teaching. As it was already noted in Rev 2:6, Nicolaitans means ‘conquerors of the people or of the laymen’. These conquerors of the people consider themselves the clergy and see the church people as laymen. By speaking about ‘the teaching of the Nicolaitans’ the distinction between clergy and laity is elevated to the status of an institution.

You can hear this distinction already in the names that were accepted by the clergy since the third century in Christianity. In those days the Roman bishop, for example, was called ‘papa’ for the first time, from which the familiar word ‘pope’ has been derived. This evil has deeply established itself in professing Christianity, it is anchored in it.

Rev 2:16. After the blames, not the judgment follows, but the call to “repent”. You cannot see that other than as a proof of grace. The Lord gives an opportunity for repentance before judging. The church can heed that call by breaking the connections with the world and removing the corrupted teaching from among them. If that does not happen Christ will come and execute judgment on them through His Word.

Evil in the church must always be condemned on the basis of the Word. If the church does not do that, He Himself will do that. By the way, here you see the distinction between the angel and the faithful ones on the one side, “I am coming to you”, and the followers of the wrong teachings on the other side, “I will make war against them”. Here we see the two groups – designated “you” and “them” – present in that church.

Rev 2:17. Here the call to hear is still done before the overcomers are addressed. That means that the whole is addressed, while what is said, is personally to be practiced by each believer.

Each believer who obeys the call, is a conqueror. The victory is gained by each one who does not let himself be dragged by the dangers that threaten this church. Such a person is a true pilgrim who does not come under the influence of the ruler of this world.

In order to gain victory in a situation in which the church has started to feel at home in the world and has allowed the ideas of the world to enter among them, it is necessary that the believer lives in secret with God in the power of the Word. The “hidden manna” speaks of the Son of God, Who became Man to give us life and Who has humbled Himself and has entered into all of our circumstances. With this bread the angels fed the people of God in the wilderness (Psa 78:25).

The manna was within arm’s reach for God’s people each morning during the whole journey in the wilderness that lasted forty years. This is how Christ has to be our daily food. When the church in its heart turns to the world, it feeds itself with ‘the onions and the garlic of Egypt’ (Num 11:5). You can compare that with the television soap series and tabloids. It seems spicy, seasoned, but has no nutritional value and stinks.

Overcomers are they who like Christ have lived separated from the world. To them ‘the hidden manna’ is promised by Christ Himself. This can mean that He, Who in His life on earth was perfectly separated to God, will tell the overcomer about His wondrous way on earth.

The “white stone” speaks of approval and appreciation. In case law, it meant acquittal. At an election people made their preference for a person known by giving a white stone. The Lord Jesus will do that with the overcomer in Pergamum. It expresses the personal fellowship between the Lord Jesus and the overcomer.

The “new name” on the stone is the name of the believers by which he is registered in heaven (Isa 62:2 ; Isa 65:15; Lk 10:20; Heb 12:23). It is a name “which no one knows but he who receives it”. That indicates that we, although we enjoy together with others the things in heaven, also will have a personal bond with and joy in the Lord Jesus, in which another person will not share.

Now read Revelation 2:12-17 again.

Reflection: What about your separation from the world?