Are you Spiritual Pergamum of Today?
Pergamum (Pergamos) is the third community of people (aka. church) that our Messiah addresses through John in the Book of Revelation.
THE MESSAGE:
Messiah knows you:
don’t deny His faith and hold firm to His name even though you live where satan’s throne is.
“But I have a few things against you,”
“You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who was teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before Bnei-Yisrael, to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” - Revelation 2:14-15 (TLV)
Living where satan’s throne is, those belonging to spiritual Pergamum make the mistake of accepting sin as an improvement upon the word of The Most High. Adopting the ‘live and let live’ attitude, they unconsciously allow the mixing of religions (teachings of Balaam) to seep into their own lives.
Impacted and inspired by the schemes of satan, the church of Pergamum unknowingly make allowances for New Age philosophies, prosperity gospels, pagan rituals, celebrations, beliefs and varying worldly Christian practices.
ADD ONS & TAKE AWAYS
Add-ons & take-aways to scripture are always inspired by satan. In attempting to deceive Eve, satan did not come with a gospel of his own. Rather, he added and took away from the word of The Most High — “Thou shall NOT surely die.” All he had to do was add the word ‘not’ to take away from the word of Elohim.
Manipulating the word of Elohim, the enemy convinces us that it’s harmless to partake in both worlds. He convinces us that it’s ok to get drunk, party and engage in our desires so long as we read scriptures here and there, go to church and praise Jesus. But the fact remains, we cannot have fellowship with both the Lord and satan. Jumping between both worlds, one foot in… one foot out is not how we’re prescribed to live.
“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of the demons.” - 1 Corinthians 10:21 (TLV)
“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” Come to a sober and right mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of Elohim. I say this to your shame” - 1 Corinthians 15:32-33 (TLV)
Concerning sexual immorality…
“Yet the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. Now Elohim raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Don’t you know that your bodies are members of Messiah?
Shall I then take the members of Messiah and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or don’t you know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall become one flesh.”
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” Flee from sexual immorality! Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body—but the one committing sexual immorality sins against his own body.
Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Ruach ha-Kodesh who is in you, whom you have from Elohim, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify The Most High in your body.” - 1 Corinthians 6:13-20
Prescription:
“Repent then!” - Revelation 2:16 (TLV)
For it’s never too late, until of course… it is. We “do not know the day or the hour” of His judgement.
What does it mean to repent?
“the word repent is metanoia which literally means ‘to perceive afterwards’. It implies that we can see the consequences of our actions before we act. We could call it foresight although it is more than that. It is about placing ourselves in the future and consciously experiencing firsthand the effects of, not only our actions, but also our thoughts, and feelings.
Repent means to be very observant, acutely aware. This level of awareness applies to our speech, our emotions, and our intentions. It means that we accept a new level of responsibility. Each day the news reveals how many people do not consider the consequences of their actions before they act. They feel free to express themselves without concern about the effects of their words and emotions on others.” - The Bible Unlocked
Caution:
“If not, I will come to you soon and make war against them with the sword of My mouth.” - Revelation 2:16 (TLV)
“…To everyone who overcomes,”
“I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone — and written on the stone a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.” - Revelation 2:17 (TLV)
Manna is food. The Israelites were fed with manna when they had no access to food in the wilderness when fleeing Egypt with Moses. It’s spiritual nourishment.
Historically, a white stone signifies acquittal. The inscription of a new name, elevates the acquittal to acceptance.
HIS WORD IN WHOLE (TLV)…
Pergamum: Beware the Trap of Balaam
“To the angel of Messiah’s community in Pergamum write: “Thus says the One who has the sharp two-edged sword: I know where you live — where satan’s throne is. Yet you continue to hold firm to My name, and you did not deny your faith in Me even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness, who was killed among you, where satan resides.
But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who was teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before Bnei-Yisrael, to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.
Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Repent then! If not, I will come to you soon and make war against them with the sword of My mouth.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach is saying to Messiah’s communities. To the one who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone — and written on the stone a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.” - Revelation 2:12-17 (TLV)
Spiritual Pergamum, what’s your strategy for staying lit in the Kingdom of Heaven?
Study Reference:
Scripture: The Book of Revelation
PDF article: “Paul’s Epistles and the Seven Churches” by Fred R. Coulter - June 11, 2011
Youtube Revelation Series by Minister Barton Porter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4neWDBUl6gM&list=PLmK-ixPVECI-OKK-rcb9A-ZlOMwBFY3kh
Animated Revelation Literary Study Guide by The Bible Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nvVVcYD-0w
