Scripture reading: Revelation 2:12-17.

Sermon text: Revelation 2:18-29.

Today we discuss 2 more churches of the 7 Jesus addressed in the Revelation of St. John: Pergamum and Thyatira. Please note this is a “sermon series,” not a commentary on the book. Many good commentaries exist explaining this book, and I’ll not try to re-invent the wheel.

Rather, I hope that as you read about the churches in Revelation, you see something of your own spiritual life, and of the life of your congregation. I hope you see yourself in the good things Jesus said about each church and its congregants. If, on the other hand, you see yourself in the warnings, don’t lose hope. First, if you see something of yourself here, at least you’re not spiritually blind to your shortcomings. That’s good. Lastly, please notice that Jesus gave each church a space to repent. Jesus always accepts those who come to Him repenting their sins. He always offers forgiveness to those who ask.

The church at Pergamum sat in the capital city of a former kingdom. The king had bequeathed the entire kingdom to the Roman Empire at his death in 133 B.C. to avoid a disastrous civil war. Rome inherited a rich city with an extensive library, a beautiful marketplace, and a thriving trade with other areas. The city housed the sanctuary of Asclepius, a god of healing.

At some point in the history of the early Church, this city had gained a more dubious distinction: the place of “Satan’s throne.” It seemed as if persecution weren’t enough in Pergamum; Satan troubled this church through the lifestyle of the populace and through the idolatrous worship that permeated society there. Don’t assume that Satan troubled only the church here, however. Every church that accomplishes great things for Christ draws Satan’s attention, and he has his ways of troubling every church. We should not be surprised when opposition rises against the Church. We should consider this opposition a mark that we’re troubling the worldly powers through overcoming their ways through the power of Christ.

Nonetheless, the Christians at Pergamum had stood firm against evil in their city. Although Antipas had died for the faith, their loyalty to their Lord never faltered.

However, the church at Pergamum faced a serious flaw: the doctrine of Balaam. Balaam appears in one of the stranger episodes in the Hebrew journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. In Numbers 22-24, the Moabite king Balak hired Balaam, a “prophet for profit,” to curse the Hebrews. At first, Balaam refused, claiming the LORD would not allow him to come. Balaam changed his mind after Balak raised the price, but he found himself talking to his donkey on the way to curse the Hebrews. The story gets really strange because the donkey talked back!

Anyhow, Balaam blessed the Hebrews rather than curse them, sending Balak into a major fury. Balaam redeemed himself in Balak’s eyes by advising him to send Moabite women into the Hebrew camp to lead the Hebrew men astray. It worked to a point, bringing serious plagues on the Hebrews. The Hebrews had the last laugh; in Numbers 31, Moses recorded that the Hebrews killed Balaam in a raid on the Midianites.

What does Balaam have to do with Pergamum? Apparently, someone in the church thought that Balaam had a good idea about the sexuality of believers. As if sexual immorality weren’t bad enough, these members encouraged others to eat food sacrificed to idols. St. Paul had spoken to the Corinthians about this (1 Corinthians 8), concluding that although the Corinthian Christians knew the idol wasn’t really a god that their unbelieving neighbors thought otherwise and it was thus best for the Corinthians to avoid eating meat they knew was from a pagan sacrifice.

In other words, the danger faced in Pergamum was that of intellectual pride. “Certainly we know that an idol is nothing!” “Certainly God will forgive our immorality; He preserved the Hebrews!” The answer, in both cases, was Jesus cared a great deal about the immorality and the witness of those who intentionally ate meat from a pagan sacrifice. In so doing, these members risked their own lives and the spiritual growth of new believers.

Christians, many of us are far more mature than other believers we know. However, their spiritual growth is our responsibility. We cannot indulge in questionable acts and expect God to bless our growth. Jesus said He would war against those who did not repent “with the sword of my mouth,” or His holy Word. When Jesus speaks, we must listen and obey. He is our Lord, not our advisor.

Those who repented, along with those who remained faithful, would receive “hidden manna;” they would be counted among the children of God, who fed His children in the wilderness. They would also receive a “white stone” with a “new name.” It was common in early times for a ruler to change the name of a faithful follower to express gratitude for faithful service and to describe the accomplishments that led to the name change. (This was especially common among Roman military heroes.) Jesus promises to care for us throughout eternity. He also promises to honor the faithful with a new name. Regardless of who you are, your Lord knows you and will one day give you a name that you and He alone will know. Jesus died for the sins of the world, but He knows each of us by name and will address each of us in the life to come.

Jesus then turned to the church at Thyatira. Thyatira first appears in Scripture in Acts 16, where St. Paul and Silas met Lydia, a dealer in purple goods from this city. This church had a great heart; their “works” based on “love and faith and service and patient endurance” had actually grown over time.

Unfortunately, this church also housed a major problem: a woman Jesus bluntly called “Jezebel.” Regardless of how anyone tries to read this, hearing Our Lord call someone “Jezebel” never bodes well. This woman had blatantly set herself up as an authority in the church and then led many members into sexual immorality. Although Jesus had given her a time for repentance, she defiantly stood firm in sin. Jesus gave no warning for this woman and her followers; He would strike them all. Everyone around would see her fall and know that Jesus is Lord and that He cares about His churches — even if it takes judgment to purify them.

Jesus gave a clear warning: “I will give to each of you as your works deserve.” If we desire good things in the life to come, we must work on Jesus’ behalf in this life. This verse teaches clearly that some of our eternal rewards are based on our works here. How will you fare in the judgment to come?

Yet, Jesus tenderly spoke to those who did not follow Jezebel, saying He would not give them any further burden. If you’ve ever been in a situation where someone defies the rules, you know the anguish and stress that results. Jesus knew these believers had suffered enough. St. Paul tells us that Jesus never puts more on us than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). Jesus asked only that they “hold fast” until He came. Then, Jesus spoke again of eternal rewards, quoting Psalm 2 to state that those who remained faithful would receive “authority over the nations” and “rule them with a rod of iron.” Jesus would protect His people in Thyatira with perfect justice; one day, His people will rule with perfect justice.

What lessons should we learn from these churches?

First, we should note again that Jesus knows our faithfulness and promises to reward those who remain faithful. Time and again, Jesus commends those who remained faithful in life, living godly lives before their ungodly neighbors and families. Jesus knows your faithfulness. One day, those who hold fast in this life will reap eternal blessings in the life to come.

Secondly, we need to know that Jesus will deal with evil. People today, including many in the Church, have no fear of judgment. This is a fatal mistake. Jesus has never tolerated sin. Remember, Jesus is God, and although Jesus will intercede for His saints, He will never condone sin.

Furthermore, some may question how any true believer could live like a “Balaam” or a “Jezebel.” Note that the Church has always sheltered unbelievers just as much as believers. There has never been a perfectly regenerate congregation. Hear this: “There has never been a perfectly regenerate congregation.” Your congregation isn’t fully regenerate; neither is mine. Jesus knows His own and will protect them by judging the unbelievers and overcoming their attempts to destroy His saints.

Lastly, I would encourage you to heed Jesus’ words to “hold fast.” The word Jesus used in Greek is an imperative; it is a command. When temptation threatens, hold fast. When trouble strikes, hold fast. When sin seems to overwhelm the Church, hold fast. Jesus is coming. When He comes, the rewards He brings will make every effort to hold fast seem as nothing compared to the glorious eternal rewards He will give those who remain faithful.