Patmos

Pergamum: • Address - “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:”•Identification - “These are the words of him Who has the sharp, double-edged sword.”✴ Sharp, double-edged sword - (Ref. 1:16) ✴ Directly drawn from Isaiah 11:4 as a sign of judgement. ✴The sword was the symbol of the Roman Proconsul.✴ Interesting description when combined with the reference to Balaam (Num. 22-24, 31:15-16, Joshua 13:22)

Pergamum: • Account: “I know where you live - where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, by faithful witness, who was put to death in your city - where Satan lives.”

Pergamum: • Account: “I know where you live - where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, by faithful witness, who was put to death in your city - where Satan lives.” ✴ Satan has his throne - Center of Roman government and pagan religion✴ First city in Asia Minor to build a temple to a Roman ruler (Augustus), considered the capital of the whole area for the cult of the emperor (“Temple Warden”)✴Cult of Asclepius - serpent god of healing✴Zeus, Athene, and Dionysus✴Geography

Pergamum: • Account: “I know where you live - where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, by faithful witness, who was put to death in your city - where Satan lives.” ✴ Satan has his throne - Center of Roman government and pagan religion✴ Remain true to my name - Did not renounce Jesus as Lord, even to the point of death✴ Where Satan lives - against first clause “I know where you live.” Light and dark cannot coexist, a confessing church will be a persecuted church.

Pergamum: • Assessment: “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

Pergamum: • Assessment: “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

✴ Teaching of Balaam - (Num. 22-24, 31:15-16, Joshua 13:22) Licentious teaching allowing fornication and eating food sacrificed to idols. Pressure from within✴Teaching of the Nicolaitans - ✴ Irenaeus names followers of Nicolas (of the the first deacons)✴ Nikos (conqueror) & Laos (people) - held by protestants against Roman Catholics✴ Gnostics - special knowledge, Antinomian position - teachings would have been on par with teachings of Balaam.

Pergamum: •Exhortation: “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and fight against them with the sword of my mouth”✴ Repent - Turn away from or abandon✴Sword of My Mouth - Judge, remove them from the fellowship of the church, discipline

Pergamum: •Promise: “To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.✴ Hidden Manna - Some reference this hidden manna as the fruit of the tree of life others see it as the Eucharist - sustained the Israelites✴ White Stone - Stone of Acquittal, A Token of Admission, A token of gladiatorial discharge✴ New Name - a sign of intimacy, Rev. 19:12 “a name Written on him that no one knows fut he himself”

Pergamum: •Call: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.”