Revelation 2:12-17
The Compromising Church
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.“‘
The church of Pergamos was warned through her angel not to compromise the testimony of the Lord nor His word. They were told this by the Living Word (John 1:1, Hebrews 4:12) whose words cut to reveal our true intentions and thoughts, our desires and what drives our actions. This double-edged sword of His word is as sharp as can be and separates hidden motives behind our works to reveal if we hold firm to Him and His word by unwavering faith and do not deny our Lord in persecution and threats of any severity. How many shirk from identifying with Jesus Christ even when no physical harm is threatened? These in Pergamos saw men like Antipas was killed for meting a witness (martyr) to the truth of the gospel and still stood firm and held to the course of faith’s conviction as true witnesses under tangible threats. We should be emboldened more in the West where such threats of death are rare still and never deny His name as we humbly acknowledge Him and His work for us. These had loved in the midst of what the Lord called the place where satan’s throne was, where the works of the adversary were rampantly active. We see the enemy’s work in our own time and are called to stand firm as we remain valiant for the truth and true to our witness of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. The sword of the Lord showed their faithfulness on one side, but also revealed on the other side how they compromised by allowing false idolatrous teachings and practices of the Nicolaitans hated by God, identified as being like Balaam the deceiver who moved Barak to push for idolatry and immortality (Numbers 31:16, 2 Peter 2:15-16) to God’s people. Some among their church actually held to those ungodly teachings and were called out and were called to repent or find the Lord fighting against them if they continued in such sinful doctrines and practices. The same ending was given to hear what the Spirit was telling them and the other of the seven churches to overcome and also eat of the “hidden manna” as food from God’s hand. These overcomers were also promised a white stone with a new name written for them on it known only to the recipient because it was God’s personal gift and identity for them. The manna was spiritual food received by faith and the new name was their identity in Christ (Isaiah 62:2-3, 65:14-15, 16, 17) as new creations by His grace in the promised new heavens and earth. We find then the example for us to remain valiant for the truth and holy in avoiding idolatry and immortality as we make our stance of no compromise of the truth and our identity in Christ openly to the world.
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