Pergamum was a city fully established in the pagan culture. This devotional reading looks at how the Messianic congregation stood firm in the midst of sin.
Nuggets
- Pergamum was a wicked city.
- Pergamum needed the one edge of the sword for conviction and the other for protection.
- The Messianic congregation at Pergamum was probably feeling pretty excited about the wonderful commendation Audio Man gave them.
- They were not compromising with the world during their persecution, because they were still holding on to the name of God.
- The congregation at Pergamum held their faith in an unregenerated world.
The Messianic congregation at Pergamum was the third to receive a letter. It was a city where its citizens were promiscuously active.
Let's Put It into Context
To read devotions in the On the Day of the Lord theme, click the button below.
Devotions in the The Letters to the Congregations series
To the Church in Pergamum
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write …” (Rev. 2: 12 ESV)
Pergamum was a wicked city.
Little is known about the Messianic congregation in Pergamum. We don’t know when or by whom it was started.
The capital of Roman Asia, Pergamum was an active center of pagan worship. It boasted a temple to Zeus.
Rogers elaborated on why Pergamum was a wicked city. He wrote,
“This city exceeded all others at that time in wickedness. … The exuberance in dress, houses, furniture, and provisions was beyond all that they [the Romans] had seen before. Excess of luxury was accompanied with an equal excess of vice.”
Resource
It was also considered a center of learning and medical science. That was sort of out of necessity. Their promiscuity brought disease with it. They needed healing.
The ruins of Pergamum are in view of the modern-day city of Bergama.
Vision Man’s Greeting
“… ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword’” (Rev. 2: 12 ESV)
Pergamum needed the one edge of the sword for conviction and the other for protection.
The two-edged sword had just been associated with the Man in the vision in Revelation 1. “In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength” (Rev. 1: 16 ESV emphasis added). This two is described as a double-edged sword.
I feel like a broken record, but we have to remember the New Testament hadn’t been compiled yet. John was working off the Torah and the prophets – the Old Testament.
Isaiah had also talked about “And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked” (Isa. 11: 3-4 ESV).
When we put on the armor of God, we pick up a sword – God’s Word. “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6: 17 ESV).
Pergamum needed protection from being in the city of Satan’s throne. They also needed correctness because they compromised with the world.
We must never forget that Jesus will be our judge. Yes, Isaiah says that Jesus will kill the wicked, but first He must decide who is wicked and who is righteous. That is judgment.
Pergaum’s Commendation
“I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells” (Rev. 2: 13 ESV)
The Messianic congregation at Pergamum was probably feeling pretty excited about the wonderful commendation Audio Man gave them.
They got three You are standing firm in your faith regardless of difficult circumstances.
Dwell Where Satan’s Throne Is
Hmmm. Satan has a throne????? It is where they dwell?????
I’d say this is more symbolic. We know Satan is the god of this world.
- “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (II Cor. 4: 4 ESV).
- “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (I Jn. 5: 19 ESV).
- “In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2: 2 ESV).
- “Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (Jn. 16: 11 ESV).
Being an active center of pagan worship, there were probably a lot of places that could be described as Satan’s throne. The whole town itself could have gained that distinction.
This was a hard row for them to hoe. Becoming Christ’s disciples really meant they were going counterculture than almost everyone else.
That isn’t easy.
Do I think Satan has a literal throne somewhere here on earth? Not currently.
But Satan dwells everywhere. “The Lord said to Satan, ‘From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it’” (Job 1: 7 ESV).
We do know that it is not easy to be a disciple in this world. There are some places in which we never want to step foot.
Look how the verse started out. “I know where you dwell …” (Rev. 2: 13 ESV).
Jesus knows exactly where we are 24/7/365/eternity. He never looses us, and He never leaves us.
That means Jesus knows the circumstances within which we find ourselves. He knows what is making us frightened. He knows what weapons are being used against us.
Let’s dig into this a little deeper. Satan is ruler of where we live.
But that doesn’t stop us from living here. We are to be in the world but not of the world.
Our being a disciple isn’t about the physical. It isn’t about what is going on around us or even doing the do’s and not doing the don’ts.
Being a disciple is about imitating God and having the mindset of Christ. We have to have divine character and attitude.
That has nothing to do with physical. That is all spiritual.
Satan doesn’t have control of that. We have free will.
A disciple can live live anywhere because God is in our hearts and faith is in our minds.
It will be worth it in the end to overcome the trials brought by living close to Satan’s throne. We will be rewarded for our faithfulness in less-than-ideal circumstances.
There is no trial we encounter that Jesus doesn’t see and can’t overcome.
Hold Fast My Name
They were not compromising with the world during their persecution, because they were still holding on to the name of God.
The concept of calling on the name of the Lord was from the Old Testament.
- To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Gen. 4: 26 ESV).
- “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (II Chron. 7: 14 ESV).
- “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 124: 8 ESV).
- “’And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.’ And all the people answered, ‘It is well spoken’” (I Kgs. 18: 24 ESV).
- “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord” (Zeph. 3: 9 ESV).
Even though Pergamum was the seat of Satan’s throne, the congregation was staying firm in their faith to God. They completed the tasks assigned to them by God with a zeal.
Don’t think for a minute, though, that it was because of anything the congregation did. Jesus is the One Who preserves His Church.
If we do anything, we ABCD and then become obedient to Him.
When we hold onto Jesus’ name, we make Him the center of our lives. We allow Him to fill every nook and cranny of our existence. We not only confess Him as Lord and Savior, but we also obey Him.
Holding on to Jesus’ name means we surrender our minds to Him. We don’t think we know it all — or even need to.
We need to make Jesus Sovereign Lord of our lives, just as we make God so. We give Him His place as King.
Did not Deny My Faith
The congregation at Pergamum held their faith in an unregenerated world.
A Jewish name was more about reputation. To me, when this says the believers of Pergamum held “… fast my name, and you did not deny my faith …” (Rev. 2: 13 ESV), it says they were imitating God.
By the way, Antipas was a faithful member of the congregation, who was killed for his beliefs. Nothing else is known about him, but the Messianic congregation held strong during this tribulation.
The congregation was experiencing hard times, but they didn’t turn their backs on God. They kept their faith in Him.
This is really what Romans 8: 28 is talking about, in my opinion. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8: 28 ESV).
How can we say it was a good thing when one of their own was executed? Well, that isn’t what this is saying.
It says, “… all things work together for good …” (Rom. 8: 28 ESV). The bad things — the good things — all things work together to make the situation what God has planned.
We grow in faith when we experience all things. We have a mistaken expectation that God will give us only what we can bear.
No. God will only give us what we can bear through Him. It isn’t about us being a strong enough person.
It is about God providing for us.
What Audio Man was commending the congregation for was their consistency in their faith for Jesus. That stability and uniformity is what God requires in our relationship with Him.
In one way, one congregation member was singled out. Antipas lost his life in defense of the gospel. Hastings thought he was an elder in the congregation.
Resource
No, there were many martyrs during that time — and throughout the ages — who lost their lives in defense of the gospel. That didn’t make this man special.
What makes this man special is Audio Man singled this man out to call him by name in this letter. Jesus or God knew who he was and what he had done. He gave His stamp of approval on Antipas’ salvation.
But then, Jesus knows the character of every one of us. He knows what we are thinking and doing.
In a way, Antipas was not singled out. The commendation is the reward for the whole congregation’s response to his martyrdom.
The congregation did not throw in the towel because the going got rough. They still remained true to their faith.
Making the Connections
We can’t be a single-sided disciple. We have to be a full-bodied disciple.
What does that mean?
- We may love God, but we also have to be obedient.
- We may have faith in Jesus, but we have to perform our works in His name.
- We may say we are a child of God’s, but we have to live like it.
- We may say we are a strong disciple, but we have to grow our faith.
God isn’t looking for a part-time disciple or one who shares allegiances. He wants us to be totally committed to Him.
How Do We Apply This?
- Be on guard when we enter areas where Satan dwells.
- Focus on God’s truth during those times.
- Recognize the subtle measures Jesus uses to correct His Church.
- Don’t believe someone is not a disciple because of the location in which they are at.
- Don’t blame our lack of faith on our circumstances.
- Compensate for being close to Satan’s world through prayer and watchfulness.
- Realize what is making our locality hard for us.
Resources
Father God. It is difficult to ive in Satan’s unregenerated world. He is constantly trying to turn us away from You. Help us watch and pray so that we, like the congregation at Pergamum, may stand firm in our faith, ever calling on Your Name. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
If you don’t understand something and would like further clarification, please contact me.
If you have not signed up for the email providing the link to the devotions and the newsletter, do so below.
If God has used this devotion to speak with you, consider sharing it on social media.