,rm.63REVELATIONS. Commentary by Mr K Gerner.B.A. (Revised 89)

Audio Visual Ministries, 152 High St, HOLYWOOD. Bt18 9HT.Co Down.N.I

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         Lesson No.4. GIVEN MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH AT PERGAMOS

                     Revelation Chap 2.v.12 to 17

(a) SITUATION

Pergamos was a very ancient city, 50 miles North of Smyrna and 15 miles from the sea. It had been the capital of the Pergamenian kings and had a library of 200,000 volumes which Anthony gave to Cleopatra. It was in fact, the place where parchment was first made.

REV 2:13 NIV I know where you live,  where Satan has his throne. ­­

It was full of idols and addicted to sensual worship, beyond all other towns in Asia. It was :

(a) Chief Centre for worship of ASKLEPIUS, whose symbol was a SERPENT

2CO 11:3 NIV But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.......BEGUILING TATICS OF SATAN seen in appeal to the flesh in EVE.

REV 12:9 NIV The great dragon was hurled down  that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

(b) ZEUS WAS ALSO WORSHIPPED THERE WITH A STATUE to "Zeus The Savioour" This was directly challenged by the Christian Gospel.

ACT 4:12 NIV Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

(c) Chief centre for WORSHIP OF THE ROMAN EMPEROR. FIRST TEMPLE FOR WORSHIP OF CAESAR WAS ERECTED HERE IN BC 29.IT WAS THE CENTRE FOR SATANIC RULE IN HE AREA (cf Londonderry in Northern Ireland.)

Christ refused worship to Satan (Matt.4:11) but the ANTICHRIST WILL WORSHIP HIM, and HE WILL GIVE POWER TO ANTICHRIST'S ALLY, THE BEAST . REV 13:4 NIV Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"

(d) SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

We need to be aware of the varying size of spiritual POWERS over various places, and to bind them, before fighting spiritual battles. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but SPIRITU­AL POWERS

EPH 6:11 NIV Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces evil of  in the heavenly realms.

2CO 4:4 NIV The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbe­lievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

REV 12:7 NIV And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

(b) ANTIPAS

There is a Book called "The Acts of Antipas" which makes him Bishop of Pergamos, and says he was killed by being put in a burning,brass bull.

The loss of this spiritual leader may have led to compromise. Leaders are held responsible for what takes place in the Church fellowship and who we allow to remain in fellowship. God can discipline churches and sinners now and others punish later. (In Corinth Paul pronounced judgmenmt in the name of the Lord against a man living immorally with his father's wife (1 Corinth.5:1 to 13) and delivered such a one to Satan with all present, for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit could be saved in the day of the Lord.)

In the persecution at the time of Antipas, the Lord commends them for their :

(i) Works

(ii) Holding fast His Name and not denying it

(iii) Not denying the Faith, although real pressure was on them from the HQ of the old Babylonian cult being removed to PERGAMOS

(c) SINS OF THE CHURCH

REV 2:14 NIV Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:

(1) HOLDING BAALAM DOCTRINE

Baalam had got the people of Moab to play the harlot with Israel.

NUM 25:1 NIV While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women,2 who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before  these gods.

God got the people to slay all those joined to Baal of Peor, under the leadership of Phineas, son of Eleazar,

NUM 31:16 NIV "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the Lord in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the Lord's people.

BAALAM HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN BEHIND THIS PLAN.

The Church is destroyed through immorality and worldly standards

(2) EATING THINGS SACRIFICEDS TO IDOLS

1 Corinth 10:15 warns that we may START OUT on the Christian life and STILL BE LOST, if we do not shun the worship of idols

1CO 10:14 NIV Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

EATING THESE THINGS MADE THEM PARTNERS WITH DEMONS

1CO 10:20 NIV No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.

PAUL CLEARLY TEACHES THAT WE MUST BE CAREFUL THAT CHURCH EXAMPLE DOES NOT LEAD OTHERS ASTRAY by GETTING INVOLVED IN YOPA,MANTRAS OR FOOD EATEN IN TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION.Keep pure for God

(3) COMMITTING FORNICATION

SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE IS HERE CONDEMNED. Christ's death on the Cross and our consequent forgiveness IS NOT A LICENSE TO SIN (Romans 6) Sin ALWAYS BRINGS DEATH.

ROM 6:23 NIV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

GAL 5:19 NIV The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST SETS US FREE FROM THIS BONDAGE (Rom 8:1 to 13) and we have the warnings of the fate of Sodom & Gomor­roh (Jude v 7) against common practices in the world today. Be careful of "love feasts" which are a cover for this behaviour and scoffers that play down the holiness of God

JUD 1:17 NIV But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.

JUD 1:18 NIV They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."  JUD 1:20 NIV But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.                  

JUD 1:21 NIV Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

(4) HOLDING DOCTRINES OPF NICOLAITANS

Oecumenius tells us that the Nicolaitans were mosty impure in doctrine and in their lives. This kind of false doctrine can ruin the Church's testimony and lead to dictatorship by one man, where Christ wants a HOLY BODY. There is very little persecution from the world where the Church is not pure and able to convict the world through the power of the Spirit.

JOH 16:8 NIV When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:9 in regard to sin, since do not believe in me;10 in regard to righteousness, because I am ging to the Father, where you can see me no longer;11 and in regard to jdgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

(d) SWORD OF GOD THREATENED

REV 2:16 NIV Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

NICOLAUS is supposed to have taught and practiced communal wives and allowed of eating meat offered to idols. THIS GOD CANNOT COUNTENANCE.

God demands repentance from such gross sins, or He will JUDGE THE CHURCH.

1CO 11:29 NIV For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.(Cf Acts 5.ANANIAS)

1TI 1:20 NIV Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

I Corinthians 10 warns of what happened to sinning Israel

1TI 5:24 NIV The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.

HEB 13:4 NIV Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

(e) SONSHIP AND SECRET WISDOM .REWARDS TO OVERCOMERS

(a) HIDDEN MANNA

The unsearchable riches of Christ are available by the Spirit.

1CO 2:7 NIV No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

1CO 2:8 NIV None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" ­­10 but God has revealed it too us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

1CO 2:11 NIV For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

COL 2:2 NIV My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

EPH 1:13 NIV And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,14 who is a deposit  guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemp­tion of those who are God's possession  to the praise of his glory.

THERE IS A REAL MANIFESTATION OF MYSTERY AND POWER against the false revelations of Spiritism and occult powers. They are given to those walking in holiness.

(2) WHITE STONE

The white stone was used as a pass to a banquet or assembly or as a pledge of friendship and worth. It was also used as a  sign of acquittal to those tried, where a black stone was given to those condemned. Those who reject the deep things of Satan are promised by Christ His eternal friendship and blessing, with acquittal in the last judgement.

     CONQUERORS in public games were also given white stones with their names set into them, which entitled them to be supported the rest of their lives at the public expense.

Overcomers enjoy all these blessings.LET US GO FORWARD WITH GOD TO WIN