7 Churches: Pergamos: the lax assembly; the assessor and His fairness

By now you probably know the book of Revelation, chapter 2, hopefully, and we will be looking at the letter to the church in Pergamos, or more specifically, the angel, the messenger of the church in Pergamos. So Revelation and chapter 2 and verse number 12. Unto the angel of the church in Pergamos write, These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges, I know thy works, where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat, better rendering, even where Satan's throne is, and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas, my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate, repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. Now we trust that God will add his rich blessing to the reading of his word. The letter to the church at Pergamos.

This is the lax church, the church that was marked by compromise and by tolerance. And so we will be looking at a compromising church. We will notice together the compassion the Lord has upon some there.

We will see the constancy of the Lord. He doesn't change as we look at him in this letter. The corrupting of testimony is what has brought before us.

And then there is also the suggestion of the chastening of the Lord, that he will come quickly, not his coming in the rapture or coming for the church, but rather his coming to deal with the problem that existed in the assembly at Pergamos. So as your outline suggests, we will look at the one who is the assessor of an assembly, the assessor and his fairness. He both commends where he can and he brings critique where he must do it for the sake of faithfulness and for the sake of the testimony of God.

Now, with that before us, just to look then at some of the issues that are before us in this chapter and hopefully to profit. I want you to think first of all of the presentation, and then we will look at the commendation, and then at the condemnation, and then of his notification, and finally of his expectation. So his presentation.

How does the Lord Jesus present himself to this particular assembly? You will notice, won't you, that he presents himself in verse number one as the one who is spoken of as having the sharp sword with two edges. He is the wielder of the sword. He is the watcher of the assembly.

Why does he present himself to this assembly as the one who wields the sword? What is the significance of the sword in his hand? What is the significance then that is suggested by the one that had the sharp sword with two edges? Could I suggest to you that we have the ultimate authority, the ultimate authority in any assembly? Now, we are accustomed, and I am not undermining this, we are accustomed to thinking of the authority of God's assembly as being in the oversight. But in reality, the authority in God's assembly is the word of God in the hands of men to whom God has given responsibility. Nothing is of a higher authority than God's word to us.

So he introduces himself as the one who holds the sword. He is the source of the message of God to every assembly. And we see that that word is, first of all, it's the standard by which everything is controlled, and it is the sufficiency by which everything is corrected.

So it is the standard by which everything is controlled. Does this adhere to the principle, to the standard of the word of God? It's the standard that controls all. But also, because especially it is being linked here with an assembly that needs correction, it is the sufficiency for all correction, the word of God.

Now, the word of God is what we need in God's assembly. What is there then that is going to lead to restoration? It's the word of God. What is there that is going to adjust what needs to be adjusted? The word of God.

What is it that is going to give us a standard by which to measure ourselves and to conform to the pattern of God's will? It is the word of God. And so he presents himself to this assembly in this character, the one who is the wielder of the sword, the one who has in his hand the sharp sword with two edges, and as we have seen already, it controls and it corrects. But he is not only the wielder of the sword, he is the watcher of the assembly.

And so again, in this third church, he says, I know thy works. I am aware. I am conscious.

I am totally apprised of everything in the assembly at Pergamos and I am aware of everything there. It is searching to realize, searching to realize that the assembly in which you bear responsibility, the assembly in which I bear responsibility, that the Lord is aware of everything. Everything.

No games played behind scenes that somehow he is not apprised of. No politicking and maneuvering for position of which he doesn't know. No backbiting, no gossiping, no spreading of rumors of which it's not an open book before him.

I know thy works. So he is presenting himself then in these two characteristics, these two features, the one who wields the sword, ultimate power, and the one who watches the assembly, ultimate perception. And so that is then the background.

That is the presentation of the Lord Jesus to this assembly. His presentation. He makes it very clear he is aware of all of their circumstances.

I know, he says, where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is. Let me just say this concerning the Lord Jesus and his understanding, his compassion. Can I call it his understanding of your circumstances and mine? He realizes that there are limitations that face you.

There are limitations that face me. He realizes the opportunities you have and the privileges you have and the freedom and liberties you have and also the restrictions. He knows our limitations.

He knows our circumstances. There are those who would long to be able to do more, but circumstances hinder. There are those who would long to be able to serve in a better way, to give more generously, to support more fully, but yet circumstances don't allow it.

He understands circumstances. The problem is that we frequently use circumstances as an excuse for why we don't do things, why we do not do more, why we do not give more, why we do not serve more, why we are not more active. That really was the condition, wasn't it, of the remnant back in the days of Haggai.

It is not time to build the Lord's house. Circumstances aren't favorable right now. We need to wait until circumstances are better.

Let's just take care of ourselves, build our own houses, take care of our own things, and when it's a better day, when circumstances are better, then we will build for God. And, of course, the Lord breaks into all of that and says, Is it time for you, O ye to dwell in sealed houses, and my house lie waste? And the moment their hearts were right, the circumstances changed. And so the danger is that we use circumstances to calm our consciences for what we are failing to do.

If all of us did what we could do, just what we could do, not what we would like to do, not what we would someday dream of doing. If each of us did what we could do, testimony for God would be far greater than it is today. We have hidden behind the excuse of limited circumstances.

Here were people then whom the Lord did appreciate their circumstances. Let me look then at the commendation the Lord gives. There are at least three things that the Lord points to here.

Here were people who worked diligently, who had warred valiantly, and who had witnessed faithfully. They had worked diligently, they had warred valiantly, and they had witnessed faithfully. I want you to look at where they were, first of all.

Where they were working, working amidst difficulty. He says to them, I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is. That's an interesting thought.

Not just that Satan visited Pergamos, not just that Satan had some influence in the assembly at Pergamos, or the city of Pergamos, but it actually says that his throne was there. That Satan had taken up residence and it was his base of operation and he was working in that very area where God had testimony. Now you will realize, maybe younger believers need to be just reminded of this, that while we do not want to in any way suggest that Satan is not a tremendous adversary that none of us want to even face and stand against, yet he is not.

He is not on the present. He's not everywhere at once. And he's not omnipotent.

And he's not omniscient. He's limited. He's lacking.

Satan is limited in his abilities. He can't be everywhere at the same time. He has a host of demons that do his bidding.

And he has developed and cultivated a world that keeps us busy even though he may not have to bother us. The world and appealing to our flesh occupies us most of the time. And he can just let the thing go and go after bigger targets.

He's not omnipresent. But he did set up his throne in Pergamos. So let me suggest to you what Pergamos was like.

And this will give us some insight into where Satan put his thrust of things. Pergamos was known as a place of intellectualism. It was known for its intellectual climate.

A place of learning. A place where philosophy and science thrived. And so we find it was a place where intellectualism was valued.

Now, we don't want to suggest for a moment that there is some value to ignorance. God does not place any value upon ignorance. God has given us minds to learn and grasp of the wonders of his creation as well as all of the secrets of the universe.

All of that is open. Part of things being put under man's dominion. God intends for us to be ever learning.

And that's wonderful to do. But there is a danger to intellectualism because of pride. Is it just coincidental that the first place we find Satan is at a tree of knowledge.

At a tree of knowledge. Appealing to pride of knowledge. That's where he began.

And he has done a good job continuing in that same stream ever since. He began at the tree of knowledge. Appealing to people.

You'll know. Think of all you'll know. Think of what it will make you when you know all of that.

And so knowledge must always be held with a sense of humility. The fact that I am... Was it... My mind is slipping me. If it was Newton or Descartes who said I am thinking God's thoughts after him.

As he understood more and more of the universe. To realize that we're just thinking God's thoughts. We're just discovering the secrets that God has built into the universe that he is known for all eternity and we're just beginning to grasp.

So knowledge should not be something that puffs us up. But that's the first thing. It was a place of intellectualism.

It was a place as well of idolatry. And linked with idolatry was all of the immorality that we have read about that marked what was happening here. So intellectualism.

Immorality and idolatry. And then as well it was a place of imperialism. Of rabid nationalistic and national pride.

Now, just take all those things together. Intellectualism, idolatry, immorality, nationalism and pride. That's Satan's arsenal, isn't it? That's Satan's arsenal that he has.

Little wonder then he says this is where Satan has taken up his throne. This is where Satan is using as his base of operation. Intellectual pride, immorality, the two extremes and yet so closely wedded together.

Idolatry with its debasement and debauchery. All of that. That's all part of what he was using as a base of operation.

And he says you are working diligently in circumstances like that. Now, just come back for a minute. Remember we talked about the danger of using our circumstances as an excuse.

I have been guilty of it. So I'm speaking first person now. The day in which we live is so bad.

I just can't expect the gospel to prosper. So that's using our circumstances as an excuse. Here were people who were working where all this was going on.

Does it ever strike you as strange that the gospel prospered in the first century amidst conditions which are almost identical to what we have today in Western society? Now there is this difference that Western society has rejected the gospel. Heard it, rejected it, written it off and it was new when it came to first century pagans and heathen men. But yet conditions are exactly the same.

It's almost a mirror. Corinth, well any big city in America today is Corinth replayed. Pergamos, all of your centers of learning are just Pergamos all over.

Combining intellectualism with idolatry and immorality. It's all there. And yet the gospel prospered.

They didn't use the conditions in which they were found as an excuse just to close the doors, pack up the Bible bags, forget meetings, just no. They were working diligently amidst their difficulties. They were warring valiantly as well.

You will notice the challenge they faced. Thou holdest fast my name, hast not denied my faith even in days where in Antipas they had faced challenges. The thought behind holding fast his name and not denying his face was they probably were faced with a challenge.

Possibly the Caesar worship, possibly the idolatry of the community, possibly the need for work unless they would bow to idols. But they had faced a challenge and had been successful. They had stood for God amidst it, had held to his name, had not denied his faith.

But not only was there that challenge but there was a crisis they faced wherein my faithful martyr Antipas. Now, I would take this as literal that there was a man named Antipas who one day was let out to be martyred. And I would take it who was the wording here who was slain among you would suggest that the believers were forced to witness.

Just as when you read about the Covenanters in Scotland and when you read about the Huguenots in France and when you read about other groups where a leader would be taken brought out to public display and all of the followers would be forced to observe hoping that they would cause the leader to recant and to bring discouragement to the followers. And I would take it that they were all forced to witness the martyrdom of Antipas in their midst. And this man this hero of the faith this man whose name is inscribed eternally indelibly upon the word of God as a man that gave his life apparently he stood for God and the believers stood for God amidst the most severe of tests.

And he says the Lord commends them not only have you been working diligently but you've you've warred faithfully for me against tremendous opposition against tremendous obstacles you have stood faithfully for me and you have witnessed faithfully you have held to my truth not denied my name and he commends them for for what they had done. The assembly had been upholding the truth of God amidst an atmosphere that was polluted amidst a scene that was marked by all of the evils that we hardly speak of publicly they stood for God amidst that and were witnessing for God in that type of a scene. However the Lord says I do have a few things against thee and so we move from his commendation to his condemnation.

Three things marked him I would suggest there was wickedness doctrinally there was doctrinal evil that was being allowed there was wickedness doctrinally they were wedded unscripturally to the world and there was weakness corporately in their leadership especially. You will all know won't you if you don't the margin of your Bible will tell you that the name Pergamos means marriage actual marriage elevated marriage a lot of different ways but it comes back to this marriage of some kind that is in view in this word Pergamum or Pergamos it is the period of time if you are looking at this from the dispensational point of view that this is the church going through history this is the period of time when Christianity became popular there was a ruler named Constantine in the 4th century was it 3rd, 4th century 300 so who rose up who had a vision in this conquer and he embraced he saw a vision of a cross and felt that his calling was to convert to Christianity and to spread the truth of Christianity and so the church that had been persecuted that we read of in Smyrna now became linked with the world and everything became fine persecution ceased the church became at home in the world and by the sword Constantine advanced the so called cause of Christianity of course that is never what God intended was it that the church should be married to the world the church should be at home in the world and so the Lord Jesus here deals with this I have a few things against thee and the first thing he points to is this teaching of Balaam they were holding the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication now you remember don't you and if you don't remember you should remember and if you don't remember and you should remember go back and learn it go back to the book of numbers Balaam tried to curse the children of Israel and he couldn't curse them God made them bless and so Balaam because he wanted the money the rewards of his wickedness he taught Balak listen we can't curse them but you know what we can do we can have them join us instead of being enemies we can become friends and if we become friends they'll take our daughters we'll take their sons and soon soon the whole thing will be diluted and their value for God will be diminished because God will have to curse them then so what Balak did was a subtle snare to replace the fires of persecution with the friendship of a godless world and so here were those in the assembly of Pergamos who were teaching the doctrine of Balaam to just go ahead and link yourself with the worlds now lest it seem like I'm being unduly hard I think we have to recognize that probably for some it was a matter of getting a job or not getting a job that probably for some it was a matter of being able to work in a particular occupation versus not being able to work in a particular occupation that to be able to join one of the guilds to be a carpenter to be a mason to be a ship builder you would have had to have joined what we would call a labor union or join a guild and those guilds were all linked with different patron I'm going to say patron saints but you understand patron idols that they would have to bow to and so those that were teaching this would probably teach you know an idol is nothing and those idols are just meaningless things so what does it matter if you bow down to an idol and you eat things sacrificed onto idols we all know you see the intellectual pride of the city was affecting some in the assembly we all know that an idol is nothing god is the only true god so what does it matter if you the lord jesus christ says there are some there that are teaching you to link yourself with the world and to bow down to idols and to eat things sacrificed onto idols and to commit fornication you see the end result of all of that idolatrous business was immorality those two things go together inseparably in the word of god and in society idolatry brings with it immorality invariably you say well where are the idols that people are bowing down to in north america they're bowing down to the idol of self worshipping their own bodies i'm not against physical exercise but you all know what i mean you all know people and their idol has become their body worshipping how they look and it leads to immorality so here then was that which was wickedness the teaching of balaam the treachery of balaam to bring the people of god into ineffectiveness and testimony for god linking them with the moabites to arouse the anger of god against his own people and it worked worked back then works today works today linking with the world leads to ineffectiveness and testimony and so he reminds them of this unscriptural marriage together that they were being guilty of you see because the moment that you link yourself with the world what you are doing is lowering god's standard of holiness compromising divine truth down the list you can go you don't want to go into all the details of that just leave that with you wedded unscripturally with the world and then a weakness corporately there was a toleration of evil thou hast there them that hold the doctrine I would gather from the from the wording that it was something which was permitted but not condoned by leadership well you know just kind of close our eyes to it just kind of close our eyes to it it's kind of a necessity in our day you know the day in which we live it's we have to understand those things and so there was this toleration of evil and then it leads to the tyranny of the Nicolaitans verse 15 thou hast them there that hold the doctrine now you'll notice that if we go back we had the deeds of the Nicolaitans but you let something happen for a period of time and you know what happens the deeds become formulated into a doctrine and that's what was happening deeds lead to doctrines doctrines lead to behavior conduct deportment and so there were those then there that were holding the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate in other words I haven't changed from what I said back to the church at Ephesus my mind hasn't changed about these Nicolaitans I hated their deeds back then and I hate them still now why have you changed we do not need to change divine principles now we do need to be able to apply divine principles in light of the day in which our testimony is cast I don't mean that there can't be change and there can't be the ability to reach our generation in ways that would be perhaps more effective that's not what I'm saying what I'm saying is we do not change principles God's principles are an extension of his person and since God's person doesn't change we do not change divine principles God says that was my principle back at Ephesus and I have the same principle now now just step back a minute I want you to look at what Satan has done the doctrine of Balaam the doctrine of the Nicolaitans in the doctrine of Balaam he was linking together what God intended to be separated in the doctrine of the Nicolaitans he was separating what God intended to be linked together so that what I learned is Satan will divide where God intends unity and he will bring unity where God intends division he will bring separation where God intends believers to be together and he will bring union where God intends separation he united the believers with the world and he separated a clergy from a laity working at cross purposes from God at every step of the way here in the assembly at Pergamos and so to this then the Lord brings this this notification and so he says in verse number 16 repent repent now I would take it that the repentance that would be actually going on here would be the discipline of the false teachers the discipline the silencing and possibly excommunication of those who certainly were teaching fornication and things offered unto idols but I think again we need to recognize this call to ourselves repent repent of that tendency towards linking ourselves with the world and repent of that divisiveness that we create within ourselves in our own assemblies in a very practical way so there is the call to repentance there is the appeal to repentance followed by the admonition I come quickly now some will say that's got to be the Lord's coming look at how it says I come quickly but I mean it can't be because really if you think of it repent or else I come would make the Lord's coming dependent upon whether they repented or not which is certainly not the case what he is talking about here is that he would come and deal with the problem he would come and deal with the problem now that is a solemn thing never forget the assembly is his assembly not yours not the oversights it's his assembly and where there is evil that is tolerated where there is sin that is allowed to go its way he can step in in judgment he can step in in discipline he can step in in chastening he can step in in adjustment it is interesting as you start going through the epistle of the Corinthians you almost shudder to think of some of the things that were going on don't you you've got party spirits you've got criticism of Paul in chapter four the one that planted the assembly and saw them saved you've got immorality such as even the gentiles didn't commit in chapter five you've got going to law in chapter seven you've got un-christian like behavior in chapters eight and chapter nine chapter ten the idolatry interesting that it's not until you come to chapter eleven and disorder at the Lord's supper that the Lord chastened for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep he came he came to the assembly and in coming to the Lord's put his finger upon different ones because of sin because of behavior because of conduct that was out of keeping with the Lord's supper he told them in chapter five you should have mourned if the assembly had mourned over this then he that had done this the Lord would have come in and judgment but because they were so proud of it and so comfortable with it he just let them have what they wanted he let it go because that's God will sometimes give us what we want that's the scary thing the scary thing is God sometimes gives us what we want and we regret it later but that's the only way he can teach some of us because we're so thick-headed so stubborn but he did come in at Corinth he came in elsewhere and put his finger upon difficulties and problems and issues and people and he says here I'll do it as well repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and he says we'll fight against them I will war against them with the sword of my mouth I will come unto you and war against them so he would come and deal with the problem in the assembly and with the word of his mouth with his word would deal with the problem and bring about correction and of course again it is the sword of his mouth the authority of the word of God for correction and for controlling all that is in God's assembly now that may seem like a redundant old worn out theme the authority of this book for God's assembly but we cannot stress it enough that the authority in God's assembly is his word now if that's the case you young men and you young women are going to have to get more acquainted with it going to have to know what it says not just look for what they call proof texts you know a verse that says you shall do this or you shall not do that but have to learn the God of the word learn its principles learn where God is moving and how God acts and what God is like and it's going to take time with your Bible and that's something that young women as well as young men must do because the assembly is the character of God's assembly is the responsibility of every individual in the assembly not just of those who are in leadership and not just of the men if you as a sister feel there is something that is going on unscripturally you have a responsibility have a responsibility to go to those in leadership and in a gracious in a humble manner point out what you see from the Word of God and to leave it with those who are in responsibility but you have the responsibility to bring your understanding of the Word of God to bear upon issues it's not in a public way and not in a leadership way but you still have that responsibility no one is in God's assembly for the ride okay you can't put it on cruise and just go through life in God's assembly God expects commitment God expects contribution God expects conviction and so you cannot just go along for the ride in God's assembly it's not what God intends every individual contributing to the welfare of God's assembly to the measure in which God has brought you into responsibility to contribute to that end that God's assembly can be preserved and that God's assembly can be blessed that's one of the difficulties that was developing with the Nicolaitans there were those who were content to just be led and there were those who wanted to be leaders now that's the case unfortunately you know there were all a bit like that some that don't want responsibility and some that crave it and covet it and some will fight their way to the top so they can be in control and others are very happy to just no God never intends that for his assembly yes he raises up leaders yes he raises up shepherds but everyone has a vital role to play in God's assembly but it's got to be based upon what you know of the word of God what you can bring of divine truth to bear upon issues in God's assembly and how you can be a help in God's assembly but what does he bring then before these believers as the expectation he tells them in verse number 17 to him that I will give to eat of hidden manna give him a white stone on the stone a new name written which no man knows saving he that receiveth it you remember don't you in the days of Balaam when he had taught Balak to walk with me and I have given him my covenant and he is a messenger of God and he is revealing to us the compensation he gives to a man named Phineas because of the fear of which he feared before me and he feared my name a man who rose up in the days of Balaam to put an end to the wicked union of the people of God and the people of Satan now he says to individuals who will overcome in the assembly of Pergamos not now but by avoiding the error of Balaam he says I have three things for you I have a feast I have a fellowship and I have favor to encourage you and to cheer you a feast to him that overcome with what I give to eat of hidden manna there were those who were compromising and eating the food of the idol taught them to as he says earlier to eat things sacrificed unto idols now he says you overcome that and I will give you hidden manna in other words you turn your back on what the world has I'll give you fresh unfoldings of myself hidden manna for the desert hidden manna for the pilgrimage hidden manna for the times of difficulty you know what that tells me that tells me the reason I know so little of Christ is because I know so much of the world to those that say no to what the world has to offer there's hidden manna and we will pick up where we left off when we get to heaven unfoldings of this person the overcomer choose not to enjoy the feast of the idols then there's hidden manna to be enjoyed a feast that I will provide for you both now and in eternity Phineas Phineas you walk with me because you were absolutely in agreement with me about this situation and so he says here to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and I will give him a white stone now you'll just have to take what I say you can research it for yourself you can look it up you can consider the different commentaries and different suggestions made by those that deal with this subject the suggestion has been that this white stone was given to an individual to a special friend to give him special access to the company of his friend at feasts and at everything else it is again the idea that believers who do not walk with the world will walk with him and enjoy his fellowship and then he says as well upon that stone a new name and again historians tell us that what is in view here is that written upon that stone would be the estimation the estimation that the giver had for the recipient and so here we are getting an insight into the Lord's favor what the Lord thinks of the person who willingly says no to the world who in any measure that we can have something to give to him in a coming day. The church at Pergamos, the church that was in danger of being married to the world, we have seen then the danger of compromise and laxity in what they had done.

We have looked at the compassion of Christ, understanding the circumstances of the assembly. We have seen how truth and testimony was being corrupted by the linking together of what God had separated and the separating of what God had linked together, the strategy of Satan. And we have seen the chastening hand of the Lord as he would come in and deal with the assembly and wondrously the great compensation from his hand, a feast of fellowship and favor expressed for all eternity.

Shall we speak to God in prayer? Our Father, we bow in thy presence in the name of thy Son, thanking thee again for thy word, thanking thee for its searching character and for its relevance to our lives and to our testimonies for thee. We own and confess both individually and as assemblies, there is a constant tendency to link ourselves with an ungodly world and to become associated with it. And we do confess our failure before thee.

We thank thee for the restoring grace of God. We thank thee for thy gentleness with us in every way and bless thee again for our Savior, the Lord from heaven. We thank thee for the word of God and all of its power and all of its perception, all of its ability to correct and to control and to chasten and to restore.

And we thank thee for it and trust that we will learn it better and know it better as we would seek to serve thee. Bless thy people, bless the different assemblies represented, encourage we do pray as we commit ourselves to thee in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.