HOLDING FAST TO HOLINESS
Revelation 2:12-17
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:
13 I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality. 15 Thus you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war 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, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. (Revelation 2:12-17).
We have started what is turning out to be a continuing series on the seven letters to the seven churches of Revelation. Paula and I visited most of these sites in the summer of 2004, so it is with fond remembrance that I come to this passage.
There is a geographical order to the way in which these churches are presented. We can trace these on a map in the form of a wide oval as we began with Ephesus and then move north to Smyrna and then continue straight north to the capital city of Pergamum before turning inland to form the arc of this wide curving pattern.
On the wide, fertile valley through which the Caicus River flows on its way to the Mediterranean, there is a large, rocky hill that juts a thousand feet over the plain. In ancient times, this hill was chosen as the site for a military fort. It was given the name Pergamos which means "fort" (a pergoV is a fort).
This city was now ancient and had become the official Roman capital of the province. Like Smyrna to the south, the emperor cult was practiced here. But it was not alone. Pergamum was also the center of a cult to Dionysus.
Dionysus was the god of vegetation and fertility. He was also known by the name of Bacchus and, under that name, was the god of wine and drunkenness. The cultic practices of worship involved drunken orgies as the participant sought to become possessed by the god through wild dancing and the killing of animals and eating them. So decadent were these rites that Rome actually outlawed the Dionysus cult for a time, considering it to be too immoral even for their standards. Dionysus was thought to be the son of Zeus who died and rose again. There remains to this day a great altar to Zeus in modern Pergamum.
Another cult that was practiced in Pergamum was that of Asclepias, the servant god of healing. A medical university trained priests in the arts of healing. The symbol of the cult was a wooden staff with a snake coiled around it.
What does a Christian do who lives in a city like Pergamum? This is a city that was given over to pluralism, to false worship and to pleasure. How do you hold to Christianity in a city like that?
Jesus gives the answer in verse 13: I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (Revelation 2:13).
That is your mission as a Christian. It is to hold fast...
But how do you do it? How do you hold fast to God in a city that is given over to the devil? I believe that Jesus gives the answer in these verses. Let’s look at them.
THOSE WHO WOULD HOLD FAST MUST BEGIN A KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORD
And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this (Revelation 2:12).
This letter begins with a description of Jesus. It is a description that is taken from the glorious vision that John had in the first chapter of this book. He saw Jesus.
Standing in the midst of golden lampstands.
Clothed in a long robe.
Wearing a golden breastplate
His eyes flaming like fire
And with a sharp two-edged sword.
As you first hear that description, you are inclined to imagine this holy warrior with a mighty sword in His right hand. But that isn’t the way He is described. Revelation 1:16 doesn’t say that the sword was in His hand. It is described instead as coming out of His mouth.
That gives us a clue as to the meaning of the symbol. This is a sword, and a sword is used to conquer, but it is not the an excuse to go out and to beat people over the head. We are not talking about a visible, physical sword. This sword is symbolic. It represents the sword of the Gospel. It is a picture of the message of the cross. It is a picture of the message that tells you that God entered time and space to be born in a stable and to die on a cross. It represents the message that cuts through men’s hearts and changes them from the inside out.
The is the sword of salvation. It reminds us of another sword that was seen at the very beginning of time. At the beginning of human history, the first man and the first woman were cast out of the Garden of Eden for eating of the forbidden fruit. They sinned and they were removed from the presence of God and from the tree of life. Something was placed in the Garden to keep them out. It was a mighty angel with a flaming sword.
That was a sword to keep them out; this is a sword to bring them back in. This is a sword of salvation.
We are people of the word. The heavens were created by the word of the Lord. Throughout Genesis 1 we read the continuing refrain, "And God said..." followed by, "And it was done." There is power in the word. There is the power of judgment. There is also the power of salvation -- Romans 1:16 tells us the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
We are people of the word. We are people who believe in a propositional truth. We are people who have trusted in the sure and certain word of God.
Do you want to hold fast to Christ? If you do, then there are some things that you need to know about Christ.
You come to the One who triumphantly gave Himself in your place as the final sacrifice for sins and you hold to Him in faith. If you have already believed in Him, then you stand fast in that faith. This brings us to our next point.
THOSE WHO WOULD HOLD FAST NEED TO MAKE A LIFE & DEATH COMMITMENT
I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (Revelation 2:13)
.Pergamum was not a nice place in which to live. The city was fulled with idolatry of every kind. Religious orgies and snake cults and emperor worship was found on every street corner. Jesus says that this was a place where Satan's throne is.
In the midst of all of this stood the church. These were the people who had heard the gospel and who had repented and who had believed in Jesus Christ. They have been sen apart by God. They have entered a new realm of living. They have been justified -- declared righteous through the reckoning of Christ’s righteousness. They have become citizens of heaven.
There is only one problem. While they are citizens of heaven, they still have residency in Pergamum. They are holy people living in the midst of an unholy city.
Can you identify with this? You ought to. If you are a Christian, then you are a holy person living in an unholy world. This speaks to where you are today. If you have a secular job, then you probably work with people who are unsaved. If you are a student in school, then you most likely sit in a classroom with people who do not believe in Jesus Christ. These people have a different outlook on life than you do. They view the world from a different perspective. They are not concerned with pleasing their Heavenly Father. They worship their own good.
It is usually the deity of ME. This false god goes under a variety of names. He is known as...
"Me first"
"My own way"
"Looking out for number one"
"What’s in it for me?"
The world system sees nothing wrong with the worship of this kind of deity. In fact, they think you are just a little odd if your alliance is not directed in this way. The result is that the world seeks to persecute and destroy anyone who does not worship the way it does. That is what happened to Antipas.
Jesus calls Antipas, "My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you." We do not know anything about this believer aside from what is given here. We are told only his name and that he was killed at Pergamum because of his faithful witness of Jesus Christ. Why was he killed? Because he was telling people about Christ in a world that is hostile to that message.
You live in that same world. It may not be the city of Pergamum, but it is a part of that same world system. Does the world hate you? Do people hear your outlook on life and disagree" Are unbelievers antagonistic toward you because of the things you say about Jesus Christ? If they are not, then perhaps it is because you are not a faithful witness.
The Christian is involved in a spiritual war. The battle lines have been drawn and the conflict has begun. The forces of the enemy have made themselves known. Have you?
Antipas was not afraid to choose sides. He did not try to straddle the fence. He committed himself and you are called to do the same. You will only be able to hold fast to the faith as you have made that sort of life commitment to Christ. For me to live is Christ; for me to die on His behalf is gain (Philippians 1:21).
THOSE WHO HOLD FAST WILL BE TEMPTED TO COMPROMISE
But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality.
15 Thus you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (Revelation 2:14-15).This problem of compromise is exemplified in the reference to Balaam. You remember Balaam. Balaam was a prophet who lived in the days of Moses. He was not a prophet of Israel. He was from Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). He was a traveling prophet for hire. He was in the profiteering business for the money he could make. He was called in by the foreign king Balak to pronounce a curse on the Israelites.
Balak was the king of Moab. He was sitting in his kingdom one day when he heard the news that a group of people had left Egypt and were now living in the Sinai Wilderness. Several neighboring kings had tried to wipe them out, but all had failed. It was rumored that these Israelites had a God that was stronger than any of the local deities.
Balak called in professional help. The best prophet in the business was Balaam. Balaam was hired to come down and to place a curse on these Israelites.
Do you remember the movie, "Liar, Liar?" It is a cute story of a little boy who makes a birthday wish that his father, a lying lawyer will always tell the truth. The wish comes true and the rest of the movie is an outrageous comedy in which, every time this lawyer opens his mouth, the truth comes out.
Balaam must have felt the same way. He was hired by the king of Moab to come and to prophesy against Israel. But God met him on the way and gave him some instructions that could not be avoided. Balaam was forced to tell the truth. He was forced to pronounce the truth of God and a blessing upon God’s people.
But that is not the end of the Balaam story. Balaam came up with another way to attack the people of God. He advised the enemy king, "If you can’t beat them, then join them." He instituted "operation compromise." He reasoned, if we cannot defeat the people of God because God is on their side, then we will defeat them by getting them to sin and by getting them to abandon God. He advised Balak to have his people mix socially with the Israelites and to get them to compromise their standards.
This is the teaching of Balaam. It is the attack of compromise. It is the mixing of the people of God with the people of the world so that the righteous standards of the people of God are lowered.
This is one of the dangers of living in an immoral society. You begin to see the low moral standards of those around you and you gradually begin to lower your own standards to match.
This is what was happening in Pergamum. The Christians did not deny their faith, but they began to compromise some of their moral standards. They said to themselves, "We won’t be as bad as the pagans, but we don’t have to be fanatical about our Christianity." And so, they went to church on Sunday and they proclaimed the gospel, but their lives resembled that of their world throughout the rest of the week.
It is a danger that you face. You are in the midst of a spiritual battle. But most of you are not suffering outright persecution. There is no one who is trying to kill you for your faith. Instead, the attack you are facing is the same one that Balaam brought against the Israelites. It is the attack of compromise.
What is the answer? How can a Christian live in a sinful world and not be affected by it? There are several principles that can help.
1. The Principle of Prior Choice.
Compromise is often the result of a lack of commitment. That is why we stressed that those who would hold fast to their faith must make a life and death commitment. If you do not have a plan of commitment to follow, then you will probably not be aware that you are off the right track.
2. The Principle of Confidence.
You don’t need to apologize for being a Christian and for not adopting the world’s standards. Stand tall! You are a member of a special people. You are a royal priest in the priesthood of the God of the universe. You are an heir to the kingdom. Now act like it.
3. The Principle of Conviction.
You cannot allow your standards to be based upon your feelings. Your feeling will change from day to day. Your feelings are subject to peer pressure. It is therefore important that you hold to a conviction that is stronger than your feelings.
When she was a little girl, we used to hear upon occasion the words from Sky that all parents hear from their children at one time or another: "But all the other kids are doing it!" My reply was to say, "I am not the father of all the other kids. I am your father and this household will live up to a certain standard of behavior." Our Heavenly Father says the same thing. He sets the standard and it is a standard that is worthy of our faith and our obedience.
Does that mean that you never doubt or waver? Does it mean you never fear? No. But it does mean that you determine not to doubt in the darkness what you learned in the light.
4. The Principle of Accommodation.
When you give into a little sin, it is easier the next time. Remember the lesson of Lot? Lot began by moving down into the plain of Sodom and Gomorrah. Soon he had moved into the city and his daughters had intermarried with the pagans. He lost his influence with his family and the result was disaster upon disaster.
The principle of accommodation says that each time you say, "Yes" to sin, it becomes easier the next time. You go to the Lord and ask Him to break those bonds of sin and then you determine not to make an accommodation for sin.
5. The Principle of Accountability.
The people to whom you tie yourself in friendship will affect you. This is a principle of nature which means it is a principle that God has built into the very fabric of the universe. People will either pull you up or else they will drag you down. The most valuable possessions you can have are godly friends.
Make yourself accountable to one or two or three other Christians who know of your weaknesses and who have permission to reprove you when you need it.
IF YOU ARE NOT HOLDING FAST, THEN YOU NEED TO REPENT
16 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).
We already talked about the sword going out of the mouth of Jesus and how it is a picture of the gospel. But there is a warning here that the word going out of His mouth is also a word of judgment. You will either embrace the sword of the gospel or else you will be judged by the sword of judgment.
To what are you holding fast?
Fire fighters are sometimes called in for the mundane and the ordinary. It was such a call that took them to a home where a little body had his hand stuck in a narrow bronze vase. The little boy was in no pain and vase was somewhat expensive, so they were reluctant to break it. They tried twisting it and turning it and lubricating it, all to no avail. Finally, the little boy asked, "Would it help if I dropped the penny which I am holding?
Our problem is that we hold fast to the wrong thing. Does that describe you? Is there a penny in your hand that is stopping you from holding fast to Jesus? I have a word for you from the Lord. Repent... or else.
THE RESULTS OF HOLDING FAST ARE UNIMAGINABLE
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. (Revelation 2:17).
Jesus ends this short letter to the church at Pergamum with a promise. In case you hadn’t noticed, that is the way He closes each of these seven letters to the seven churches. In each case, it is a conditional promise. In each case, the promise is offered to him who overcomes.
You might be saying to yourself, "How do I overcome?" You overcome by trusting in the One who overcame for you. Jesus is the overcomer.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33).
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith. 5 And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5).
You can be an overcomer, not by anything you are able to do, but simply by coming to the cross in faith and entrusting yourself to the One who has overcome in your place. Notice what is the result of this overcoming.
Manna was the miraculous food that God gave to the Israelites while they were in the wilderness. Each morning, they would walk out of their tents and find this food laying on the ground. It was free to all who wished to pick it up and eat of it.
Jesus said that He is the bread of life. The life that He offers is free to all who will come to Him and partake of Him. If you will believe in the One who overcame, then you will also be an overcomer and will have that bread of eternal life.
The Ark of the Covenant originally held inside it a pot of manna. The Jews had a tradition that said the Ark was taken by God into heaven and that it would one day be returned. They believed that when the Messiah came, He would bring that same pot of manna to feed His people.
That manna is a type of Jesus Christ. He is called "hidden manna." He is hidden right now. His presence is not obvious among us. He has ascended to heaven. But He is still with us. He is only hidden. He indwells each and every one of His believers.
Just as the manna nourished the people in the wilderness, so also our hidden manna is a source of spiritual nourishment for us.
A white stone was the symbol of innocence in the ancient court of law. On the basis of the death of Christ, we can be legally judged "not guilty" before the throne of God. If you have been identified with the Overcomer, then you share in His righteousness. Because He is righteous, you have been declared to be righteous.
A white stone was also used as an admission ticket to public festivals. We have an admission ticket into the Kingdom of God. Jesus is our stone of hope; the rock of our salvation. He is our entrance to God and on Him we stand.
However, THIS white stone has something special about it. This white stone has your name on it. It is a new name and it is a name that no one else knows.
I want to let you in on a family secret. I have a pet name for my daughter. It is a name that most of you do not know. And you aren’t going to know because I’m not going to tell you what it is. It isn’t that big a secret, but I don’t normally use it outside the confines of our family. It is special. It is only for her and I’ve been using it since she was a very little girl. When she hears it, she knows that it comes from her loving father. Jesus has a name like that for you. It is personal. It is special. It is a sign of His love and affection for you.
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