16/11/25 // Pergamum // Peter Williams

Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/354059/episodes/18198137-16-11-25-pergamum-peter-williams.mp3

Peter continued our series on Revelation, focusing on the letter written to the church in Pergamum. 

The quality of this recording has suffered as a result of the technical issues experienced this morning. 

Peter's slides (in PDF format): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zLXIzot6y-bK16thYEzr98pqaX5licj5/view?usp=drive_link

Revelation 2:12-17 

Pergamum means height of elevation.

Situated over 300m over sea level, and on a rocky outcrop to give a view of any potential invaders.

But it can also mean….

Per - unacceptable 

Gamum - marriage

100 miles North Smyrna and it was an important city. It was a political centre, and a hotbed of Zeus worship. Zeus is like Almighty God of the Greek gods.

Cultural centre for fashion like Paris or Milan.

Big temple to Zeus, which is where you'd give your pinch offering to be able to follow Caesar and another god. Christians were being regularly martyred for refusing to do this. And so people started preaching that you could offer the pinch and then worship God.

Church and state were blurred

2 edged sword. Christian art shows Jesus with a sword, not with it coming out of his mouth. Ch 1 Jesus

Heb 4:12-13

“Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth”

Strange thought. Jesus will.come and wage war against sinners with His word. 

Antipas, disciple of John, Bishop of pergamum, martyred likely under emporer domitan due to not making the pinch offering 

False teachers 2Pet2:15 warns this will happen

Balaam and balak, see nicolatian church too. All about false teachers

Balaam of donkey fame, disobeys God, and seeks financial gain through using God's name.

Church and state

CofE 

Catholic 

Russian Orthodox

Greek Orthodox

Chinese churches that are allowed to meet

There is a compromise of the word for these churches to exist.

Leaders are venerated.

Way to god is through the priests 

This was the whole point of the reformation 

But we have to be sure not to fall into this trap too. Biblical, no compromise 

Jesus will wage war with the sword….

Division of churches by the word 

CofE and episcopal church, African union. Divided by the word, approach to homosexuality, and leadership. Catholic church would be similarly if it were not for their strong papal leadership.

Hidden manna - there was some in the ark of the covenant 

John 6:32-5 bread of heaven

Ultimate lords supper at the feast of the lamb in heaven

(Was, is, is to come)

White stone

Jewish law, white stone innocent, black stone guilty. 

New name - Rev 22:4 new name on our foreheads.

New name is collective, bit individual. 

We have a new identity in Christ now. 

Our new name, righteous, forgiven, free, (identity)

Look at James 4:1-10 about being a friend of the fallen world. Divided loyalties 

Little compromises could cost you dearly all that God has on offer for you

1 John 3:1-3