To the Church in Pergamum

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. 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.

Where is Satan’s throne?

Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

Paul tells us this very thing except it is written as if it was a thing of the past. The Ephesians had been called out of the world and into His glorious Kingdom. Here in Revelations 2:13-17 we find the church at Pergamum holds fast to His name and did not deny His faith, that it does exist, but appears to not to have placed their faith in Christ.

This sounds like a worldly church and not of His Kingdom, and yet carries His name. The few things the Lord has against them is no small matter. False teachings, vain sacrifices, and allowing Nicolaitans into their mindset is unacceptable. When the Lord calls for them to repent, it may well be as in Nineveh that they had never repented before.

What is interesting in these short passages is the offering that differs is the conquering to the end. “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.”

Remember that Jesus told us in John 6 that He is the manna that came from the Father and it now appears that any in the church in Pergamum will not receive Him until after they prove themselves. This is a dangerous and risky path to walk. My advice is to anyone who finds themselves in a church like the one in Pergamum, flee and find a church where love abides.

Can we hold the promise of a white stone and a new name since we have already received the manna from heaven?

You have received Christ. right?

To the Church in Smyrna

I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.

Let us not get caught up in labels. We should know there is but one bride and one wedding and the Universal Church encompasses all labels, and administrations. The issue of being slandered is paramount in the opening verse.

It is interesting to note they have already suffered tribulations and poverty and yet warns them that their suffering is not over. While the term devil is used in their testing that lasts for only ten days might remind us of other scriptures that are familiar.

Mark 13:20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.

We might want to connect these prophetic words but just because they sound familiar does not mean they are connected. So many times in history students of the word have said “He is coming!” They were wrong then and we should not get caught up in the hysteria just because it “sounds good”.

The larger issue for me in this reading is the dissimilarity with the first named church. He does not call them out for bad behavior and encourages them to remain faithful unto death. He who is faithful to the end of their own life receives a crown and that designation should not be seem to apply only to one church or one time in the life of any particular church, named or unnamed.

“The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” We all die eventually, unless we should live at the time of being caught up in the air. ref. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Our first death may or may not be painful but the second death will only be painful for those separated from God for all eternity.

Getting back to churches being led by Satan, we might see them as the falling away spoken of in prophecy, but do not count on it. Those churches might never have been founded by God. The falling away should be a warning that the faithful might suffer great illusions and fall away from the faith. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 speaks of rebellion and rebellion can only come from within the camp, not from without. Just because it has not happened to the church at Smyrna does not mean it cannot happen to any one of our local churches. We need to heed the warnings.