“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword” (Rev 2:12).
Jesus begins with the image of a sword with two sharp edges, indicating that he has two aims: a search of the souls in Pergamum to encourage those who have stood strong in the faith, and to convert others in the church who were wavering in the face of pure evil. First, encouragement:
“’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’” (Rev 2:13).
First, encouragement:
The church at Pergamum was under great pressure to acknowledge the Roman emperor as God and to reject the God of Israel. Antipas, the leader of the church in Pergamum, stood up against emperor worship. He was faithful to God and never wavered from the truth. In order to convince the church concerning who was really in control, Antipas was killed brutally, proving from Jesus’ words to John that Pergamum really was the throne of Satan.
Jesus commends and encourages the church as a whole to keep the faith in the face of horrible evil.
Second, conversion of unbelievers within the church to the faith:
“’But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold to 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’” (Rev 2:14).
This is what Jesus is referring to: “Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord” (Numbers 31:16).
A plague is still possible in Pergamum. Is it a plague we are seeing today?
Jesus continues:
“’So also you have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans’” (Rev 2:15).
We met the Nicolaitans in Jesus’ letter to the church at Ephesus. So the church at Pergamum has both firm, unwavering believers and a cancerous group firmly in the grasp of Satan trying to undermine the church.
Jesus concludes:
“’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’” (Rev 2:16-17).
Today, we are in times similar to those of the seven churches. Jesus identifies churches that are conflicted within, and he gives us two choices: repent and conquer in perfect unity with God, or go to war against the Word of God in disunity from God.
The rewards for perfect unity with God are intimate and beautiful. The penalties of disunity from God are reflected in the coming chapters of Revelation.
Our battle with Satan is now overflowing into our schools. Stand strong in perfect unity with each other.
Go for the white stone in perfect unity with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and with each other. It will be engraved by God himself with your own new name and new life in glory.
Make sure you know where Satan’s throne is, and tear it down, not with violence, but with steadfast faith and endurance.