To The church of Pergamum

Revelation 2:12-17

Immanuel – 12/5/21

Today we hear the third of Christ’s messages to the churches. Today we travel to Pergamum.

Purpose

What is the sword that comes out of the mouth of Jesus and what does it do?

What was the problem in Pergamum?

What did the church in Pergamum need to do?

How does all of that relate to us?

Read Revelation 2:12-17

To the pastor of the church of Pergamum write: “The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword.”

Sharp Two-Edged Sword

As we have seen in past sermons, Jesus is the one speaking. To the church of Pergamum He describes Himself as the One who has the sharp two-edged sword. And we are meant to remember the One like a son of man.

In His right hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full strength. -Revelation 1:16

We will see that imagery repeated again towards the end of Revelation.

Then I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war…From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. -Revelation 19:11,15

We must ask, is this sword – coming out of the mouth of Jesus – literal, or is it symbolic? Is there a metal blade that protrudes from between Jesus’ teeth? To answer these questions, let us look at a few other passages that illuminate such symbolism.

When Paul famously writes about the armor of God, he includes a single offensive tool: a sword.

[Take up] the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

-Ephesians 6:17

Paul tells us that the word of God is a sword. It is the sword of the Holy Spirit. Isn’t it interesting that it is Jesus speaking to the seven churches, but He closes each one of those epistles with, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” What Jesus says is what the Holy Spirit says, and what the Holy Spirit says is what Jesus says.

The sharp two-edged sword that comes out of the mouth of Jesus is His word. Jesus is the living, embodied Word of God; and He speaks the words of God.

Listen to what God’s words can do:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

-Hebrews 4:12-13

The writer of Hebrews compares the word of God to a two-edged-sword; for God’s word can cut like no literal sword can cut. It pierces the deepest part of a person, where no metal can reach: the depths of your very soul.

Have you ever been reading the Bible, or listening to the word of God proclaimed, and then suddenly your heart is laid bare before those words? It is as if the Holy Spirit is speaking directly to you – into you. His words find their way into all the hidden places of your being. Perhaps you see your sins for what they are, and you are convicted. Perhaps you are called into some act of obedience, some new holy purpose. Perhaps you are flooded by the love and grace of God. Perhaps some combination of these.

Whatever the effect, it is the word of God, that sharp two-edged sword, cutting its way deep into your soul. And like Hebrews says, no creature is hidden from the sight of the word of God. All are naked and exposed.

When a person is naked and exposed, every little imperfection is on display, every private insecurity is openly revealed, every dark secret is brought into the light. The word of God, which illumines even the darkest places, exposes everything hidden in the hearts of men.

When this happens to you, when the word strips you naked, it is not something that others can see. It is you who is realizing this is how God see you – always. He sees everything about you: every hidden thought, every secret desire, everything done in the dark. He sees it all, and His word lets you know it.

And like Hebrews says, the word of God divides. You see it all over our world. It separates sheep from goats. The word of God, the sword of the Spirit, sharper than any two-edged sword, it weighs us in the balance; revealing our hearts, our holiness, our sinfulness. The word of God judges you.

And what will happen when the lamp of God’s word shines upon you? Will you run to Jesus for robes of white, to be clothed in Christ and His righteousness? Or will you recoil to the false security of the darkness?

“And this is the judgement; the light has come into the world, and the people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come into the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” -John 3:19-21

Jesus, the Word of God, has spoken. His words, like a great and terrible sword, will judge.

“The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the words that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.” -John 12:48

On Judgement Day not one word will need to be spoken. Christ will simply hold each life up next to His word, and if a person has not trusted in those words, loved those words, then they will be cast into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

But if a person has trusted in those words, and loved those words, then they will be given entrance into life eternally.

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” -John 6:63

So, when we read that Jesus is the One who has the sharp two-edged sword, it symbolizes the tremendous and eternal power of His words. His words are the words of God. His words expose. His words judge. By His words many will be killed and by His words many will be given life.

It is exactly these truths that the church in Pergamum needs; for they are persecuted and surrounded.

Read vs 13

The Wilderness

It is true for all seven cities of the seven churches: they are embedded in a culture of Caesar worship. Of all the cities of Asia Minor, Pergamum functioned as something like the capitol of the cult of Caesar in the east – just as Rome was its capitol in the west. And as we saw in Smyrna, worship of Caesar was worship of Satan.

This is precisely why Jesus says that Satan’s throne is in Pergamum. Satan did not literally live in Pergamum. It was a symbolic way of representing the evil godlessness of that wilderness. Pergamum was a cesspool of Caesar worship, idolatry, and all forms of wickedness.

Last week we saw that tribulations were coming to Smyrna; tribulations that would lead to the martyring of some of the Christians there. But Pergamum has already been touched by bloodshed. Antipas, whom Jesus calls a faithful witness, was cut down. Pergamum is the only church of the seven to have experienced bloodshed. But as we learned from Christ’s message to Smyrna, that would soon change.

We are given no details about Antipas’ death; but there is a quickly gathering theme of the tribulations Christians faced. Christians called Jesus the Messiah and equated Him with Yahweh. That was deeply offensive to the Jews. The Christians called Jesus the King of kings, and refused to call Caesar “lord.” That was folly to the Roman world. What started as folly and offense rapidly festered into hatred.

Only a short time after Revelation was written the blood of many more saints would stain the streets of Rome; and already the streets of Jerusalem were stained. In Pergamum, where Satan dwelt, the western capitol of the cult of Caesar, Antipas was just the first to die.

But despite these tribulations, the church of Pergamum held fast to Christ. Antipas is an example of such faithfulness. He regarded Christ even over his own life. This church certainly understood the cost of following Jesus, and they didn’t shrink back. Surely, this is a powerful commendation from the Lord of all the earth.

Read vs 14-15

During the 40 years that Israel wandered in the wilderness the king of Moab, Balak, feared the many people wandering through his territory and eating up his resources. So he summoned a false prophet named Balaam to curse the Israelites. Numbers 22-24 detail that fateful encounter in the wilderness.

Balaam was clever, he knew that the only way to defeat Israel was to corrupt them. He knew that if he could tempt the Israelites into sinning against God, they would face the wrath of God. Balaam was right.

He told Balak to present foreign women to the men of Israel; and these foreign women would bring with them their foreign gods. Balak listened to Balaam. The women were presented and all Israel stumbled over this lustful and idolatrous temptation.

While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. -Numbers 25:1-3

God soon sent a plague and 24,000 died (Numbers 25:9). Balaam’s advice was highly successful.

It seems like some Christians in Pergamum had bought the poison of Balaam’s advice. These are primarily Jews that have been freed from the crushing weight of trying to obey 613 commands of the law. How they enjoyed their freedom! But perhaps they began to take that freedom too far. Perhaps they felt little guilt about indulging in Pergamum’s debauchery.

When Jesus links food offered to idols, sexual immorality, and Balaam; it calls to mind a number of Rome’s religious festivals. During these holidays, sacrifices were made to gods that did not exist. But all these sacrifices – primarily of food and drink – were not consumed by the gods. So they were distributed to the people and shared among friends. The feasting and partying would go long into the night. And mixed with the wine and the food, to consummate their worship on these holy days, out would come the cult prostitutes. All forms of sexual immorality followed, until the revelers and worshippers were satisfied.

Apparently, a dangerous contingent of Pergamum’s church was comfortable with such vile practices. They drank the poison of Balaam.

And the Nicolaitans were there also. Remember from Christ’s message to the Ephesian church, Jesus hated the works of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:6). As I mentioned in that sermon, the Greek meaning of Nicholas and the Hebrew meaning of Balaam are the same: conqueror of the people. Regardless of the particulars, both the Nicolatians and the teachings of Balaam threatened to overthrow the church in Pergamum. These were serious threats.

But I want you to notice, Jesus is neither condemning the Nicolaitans nor the followers of Balaam. He is condemning the church in Pergamum for tolerating such wicked groups. The church has become comfortable with evil in their midst. Tolerance was killing them.

Again and again, the Bible tells the people of God to expel evil from their midst.

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. -Ephesians 5:11-12

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality, or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler – not to even eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” -1 Corinthians 5:11-13

A person who willfully engages in sexual immorality, or any of these other sins, and refuses to repent, is an outsider. They are evil. They must be purged. If the church tolerates such people, does that not link the name of Jesus to an unbeliever? And if the unrepentant are not removed from the church, that serves as an indictment against the church.

It was the exact indictment Christ levied against the church of Pergamum. They had not removed the Nicolaitans and Balaamites from their midst. They tolerated evil and failed to keep their gatherings holy. Now it was they who faced judgement.

Read vs 16

Discipline

This church, that had remained so faithful, was in dire need of repentance. Otherwise, Christ – the warrior King – was coming soon. Here again, for the second time in these seven epistles, Christ’s coming has to do with judgement.

But I want you to see the profound symbolism in this verse – symbolism that is expanded upon later in Revelation. Jesus was not threatening a literal war. He was not preparing to mount His white war horse, descend from the clouds, and destroy the church of Pergamum with a sword that shoots out of His mouth. If the church of Pergamum failed to repent, then the great tribulation coming upon the whole world would destroy that church.

Their tolerance would descend into compromise; and compromise would utterly undermine their faith. Eventually, they would abandon Christ because they first abandoned His word. And those that held fast still, would either leave or succumb to the persecutions of that city.

Before it was too late, before their tolerance led to compromise, they needed to repent. They needed to return to the word of God and submit to it, lest that word condemn them.

Can you see that this word to Pergamum is saturated with parallels to our day? We might not have food offered to idols, but what wholesale worship and endless sacrifices are made to images that lie: the false gods of Instagram and TikTok and celebrity. No cult prostitutes present themselves, but all forms of sexual immorality are invited into our homes through the screens in our pockets. And the demands of our culture to tolerate evil are nearly overwhelming.

Tolerating any of these would slide us into an abominable compromise. Any of these would turn us away from the word of God. To turn from the word of God is to be condemned. And as we saw last week, we would be lead directly into the synagogue of Satan. If we become comfortable with such evils, with such compromise, Immanuel would no longer be a church. It would merely be a ruin of the things that once were.

So what was the repentance that Pergamum so desperately needed? What is it that we also need to do?

Pergamum needed to engage in church discipline. They needed to purge the unrepentant from their midst, and lead the repentant into holiness. These twin elements are the objectives of church discipline.

Church discipline gives no one a warm and fuzzy feeling; and it often feels unloving – which is likely one reason that Pergamum had not done it. But even if it feels unloving, church discipline is deeply, profoundly loving.

Church discipline begins with calling a person, entrenched in sin, to repent. That means confronting their sin, trying to show them how they are living in rebellion to God’s word, and calling them to forsake such rebellion. First that happens privately. But if they are defiant, these confrontations become more and more public. Jesus told us how to do this.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

-Matthew 18:15-17

Church discipline is always meant to lead the individual into repentance. How loving it is to call those wrestling with sin to repent! How loving it is to reach out a firm hand to a brother or sister that is drowning! And once that person repents, they should feel the full embrace of the church; just as Christ fully embraces them.

But if that person refuses to repent, on all of these levels, then they are handed over to Satan and his synagogue.

You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. -1 Corinthians 5:5

When a person is purged from the church’s midst, or delivered unto Satan, that is excommunication. Removing evil from the church is loving for every person truly pursing Jesus and His righteousness.

The church in Pergamum failed to excommunicate the Nicolaitans and the Balaamites, so Christ threatened to excommunicate that church. Because Pergamum failed to practice church discipline, Christ is disciplining that church with this message – with His word.

Let us never find ourselves in such a dreadful place! Let Immanuel never shrink back from church discipline!

Let us apply that sharp-two edged sword first to ourselves. Let it cut away all the sin wrapping our wandering hearts. Then, let us teach one another and encourage one another in the word of God – allowing it to transform us further into the image of Christ. Let us call one another to repentance when we are stubbornly sinning.

But, if we fail to do let God’s word cut our hearts now, then we can be sure that Christ’s word will judge us on the last day. And who can stand naked before Christ and claim that they are clothed? The word of God has exposed the naked, and they are condemned.

Better to realize your nakedness now. Those in this life who have been laid bare by the word of God, only to be clothed with robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, will be counted as righteous. Only those that have been clothed in Christ – in this life – will stand secure on Judgement Day.

Read vs 17b

Trinity of Gifts

Hidden manna: that is Jesus.

“As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that come down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

-John 6:57-58

Jesus is the living Word of God, the bread of life, the hidden manna. Anyone who feasts on His words will live forever. And we feast upon His words when we read the Bible. Love this bread now, let it transform your heart now, let it judge you now; so that on Judgement Day there is no condemnation. Eat this bread today and He will stand with you then. He will clothe you in righteousness and glory and honor, then and forevermore.

Listen to this description of manna.

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium.

-Numbers 11:7

Bdellium is an aromatic resin, but in Genesis 2:12 it is named as a precious white stone found in the region of Eden. Though there is some room for interpretation here, I think the white stone given by Jesus symbolizes salvation and new creation. Like a new land of promise, what was lost in Eden is restored by Christ.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. -2 Corinthians 5:17

Recreation is another great theme of the book of Revelation.

Once we were wicked, naked and exposed before the eyes of the Almighty. But through the power of the living and abiding word of Christ we are clothed in righteousness. All the Father now sees are His beloved children. We are new creations.

And as new creations, Jesus gives us new names. The fact that only God and each particular individual know the new name reveals the profound intimacy between God and His people. God has a unique name for every one of His sons and daughters. It is a name that only the Creator could possibly give. It is a name that so perfectly captures who you are. It is a name that shows how deeply He knows you – even better than you know yourself.

How beautiful to be so profoundly exposed, and even more profoundly loved.

Don’t we all desire that? To have nothing hidden, to have everything brought into the light, and when all is revealed, everything is cherished and valued and loved; because everything that you are will reflect the image of the most beloved Son of God. It is to have your identity, your being, utterly and completely affirmed – because that identity is in Christ.

This trinity of hidden manna, white stone, and a new name are offered as one gracious gift to all who overcome. They are offered to all who will not tolerate the immorality and compromises of this world and instead love the word of Christ.

Where there is sin in your life: Repent, and let the sharp two-edged sword cut it away. Where there is unrepentant sin in the church’s midst, let us not tolerate it. Though the temptations and compromises of our age seek to invade every moment of our lives, let us hold fast to the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Let us take up the sword of the Spirit – that is the word of God – and overcome.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother He named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword…And He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified….it is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

-Isaiah 42:2,3,6