Posts
#3 Pergamum
To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write: "He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things: (Revelation 2:12)
I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and didn't deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (Revelation 2:13)
But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise. Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:14-16)
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it. (Revelation 2:17)
The focal point in this message is the power of words. What is contrasted here is the difference between the clear words of truth compared to alternatives as illustrated in the life of Balaam as well as the subtle deceptive words in the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Repent means to change the way we think. This change is not simply updating or improving our systems and paradigms. It is a radical conversion, a metamorphosis of how we perceive reality on a macro scale, how things operate, relate and the very fundamentals that affect motivation.
The sword of Jesus is the words of truth so keen they cannot be avoided. They are the light that causes judgment, thus the sword of judgment. This is not the kind of sword of justice the world imagines it to be involving imposed punishments, but rather the exposing of everything hidden in order to vindicate God's system of natural principles based on cause and effect as being the government of love.
Balaam was extremely adept at using words to evade the truth while desperately seeking to appear loyal to God. We can learn much more from the story of Balaam than we have so far.
Connecting Threads
#1 Ephesus
I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can't tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false. You have perseverance and have endured for my name's sake, and have not grown weary. (Revelation 2:2-3)
Testing, Suffering, Fear
#1 you can't tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.
#2 the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Don't be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days.
#3 there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise
Persevering, Faithful
#1 You have perseverance and have endured for my name's sake, and have not grown weary.
#2 Be faithful to death
#3 You hold firmly to my name, and didn't deny my faith
Coming to you
#1 Repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.
#3 Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
#4 Nevertheless, hold firmly that which you have, until I come.
What is the teaching of Balaam?
(see Balaam's Gospel)
Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:16)
It is extremely important to be very clear about how Jesus makes war. If we allow any presumptions to confuse us on this point we will remain infected with the lies of the enemy that constitutes the poison of his slander against God which lies at the very center of the war. This is a key factor throughout Revelation – motives and methods.
There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war. They didn't prevail, neither was a place found for him any more in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Revelation 12:7-9)
This war involves words, not physical altercations or assaults. The war in heaven is entirely over God's reputation and credibility that has been cast in doubt by the angel Lucifer. Michael stood up to Lucifer to counter his insinuations that were undermining God's government of love and continues to this day.
I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don't receive of her plagues, (Revelation 18:4)
I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself. He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called "The Word of God." The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen. Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, "Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, and small and great." I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. (Revelation 19:11-20)
Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, "This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says Yahweh of Armies." (Zechariah 4:6)
The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
(John 10:10-11)
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;
(Romans 8:2-6)
but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
(2 Corinthians 6:4-7)
Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you. Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:1-5)
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace; above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the spoken word of God; with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints: (Ephesians 6:12-18)
You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:13-15)
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
This is how Jesus does warfare. He fights against the lies of Satan to defeat His tyranny of fear.
Why don't you understand my speech? Because you can't hear my word. You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn't stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you don't believe me. (John 8:43-45)
The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
