Revelation 2:12-17 “the words of him who has the sharp, double edged sword” Greg L Bahnsen Part 11

Something with the word of prayer. Lord, we thank you for this beautiful morning and the reminder that it gives to us of the beauty of our Savior Jesus Christ, who indeed is fairer than 10,000, who is brighter than even the morning star. We look unto him for our salvation this day and we praise Him. We pray, Father, that His name might be lifted up before us, that we might understand him better and his saving economy. And we thank you, Father, for the kingdom of love that he calls us into. We thank you that he has saved us from that pollution that we have had in our sins. We thank you that we are washed clean in his blood. We stand white and pure before you. We thank you that we have been admitted to your kingdom and to your supper, and that we know the Savior and do feed upon him, and are in union with him. We ask you, Father, that we might feed upon his word, we might be sustained and strengthened, that we might serve you all the better this week, for it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. We want to read the letter to the church in Pergamum this morning. And that is found in Revelation chapter 2. Beginning at verse 12, we'll read Revelation 2, 12, 17. And to the angel of the church in Pergamum these things saith he that hath the sharp two edged sword. I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is, and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas. My witness, my faithful one, who is killed among you where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolations in like manner. Repent therefore, or else I come to thee quickly and and will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it. There are so many fascinating aspects to this letter, and it's going to be tempting to spend more than just this one Sunday on it. But in light of the fact that I'll be out of town next week and the pastor will be teaching the class, I think it'd be easier if we try to get through the whole letter and let him start fresh with a new letter next week or some particular lesson he'd like to bring before you. So I'll do my best to get through this all this morning. We begin, of course, to the angel or to the pastor of the church in Pergamum. And it might be helpful to know a little bit about the background of the city of Pergamum. Pergamum was not nearly the important commercial center of, say, Ephesus or even Smyrna, but rather was important for political and religious reasons in Asia Minor. It was embellished by a succession of kings with a passion for expenditure. Apparently, the kings, like many politicians today, had a way of spilling the people's money, and they built great edifices and altars and a number of artistic works around the city. Now, attalus I, around 241bc, who was a king of Pergamum, defeated and settled the Gauls in Galatia. His Successor, Eumenes, in 197, adorned the city. That is, he rebuilt it and had a great deal of artistic works built into it. He created a library there, a famous library. He erected immense altars, especially the altar to Zeus, which is at the top of the acropolis in the city. The summit was some 1,000ft up in the air, a very steep hill rising above the plain on which the city was built. And then Attalus III, who died in 133 BC, bequeathed all the movable property of the city to Rome. So there's an indication, of course, of where his loyalty was. Everything, no matter who was the proximate owner, became then the property of Rome. Later, his will was misinterpreted, however, as not applying to just the movable property, but to the property itself, that is, to all the immovable property, which, of course, was just a political device for saying that really Pergamum belonged to Rome altogether, not just the riches in the city. And so very early on, even before Rome was an empire, Pergamum was held to be the possession of the Romans. And so there is a temple to Roma built there. There's also a temple to Athena. Recognition of the earlier dominance of Greece. Pergamum, if anything, could be known as the city of political fornication. For really, Pergamum was trying to deal out its favors to all of those who were in command in the Roman Empire or in Asia Minor. So it's important for its religious and political associations, not so much for its commercial. The name Pergamum by The way comes from the fact that parchment making was discovered here when the Egyptian king prohibited the export of papyrus from Egypt. Earlier in ancient history, of course papyrus was used for writing on literary fame was connected with papyrus and the Egyptians. Well, when that export was prohibited by the Egyptian king, then there had to be another way of writing to discovered. And parchment was discovered there in the area that is now called Pergamum. So Pergamene in the Greek and parchment are cognate to one another. The name comes from the fact that parchment was discovered there. I mentioned the library that had been built. Some of you might be interested to hear a little bit about that. The library in Pergamum numbered apparently over 200,000 volumes. You see, that was bigger than the RTS library already. And that library was removed by Anthony to Egypt and presented as a gift to Cleopatra. Later it was added to the renowned Alexandrian library. However. So Pergamum, famous for its parchment, for its library, for its political associations and for the idolatrous cults that were there, the religious cults. Now two religious cults that are of particular interest to us. The cult of Zeus, the largest temple dedicated to Zeus on the top of the acropolis, as I've already indicated. But then also there was a very prominent cult to the goddess or to the God of healing who was symbolized in ancient mythology by the form of a serpent. Now that'll be important for understanding something we're going to be reading here in just a minute. That by the way of background to Pergamum these things saith he that hath the sharp two edged sword. The greeting has been given to the pastor. And now we come to the designation of Jesus Christ. And as is commonly the case, the designation comes from the first chapter from chapter one, verse 16 where we read and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two edged sword. Now it's this resurrected glorious Messiah who has the sharp two edged sword proceeding from his mouth that speaks to the church in Pergamum these things saith he that hath the sharp two edged sword. What does this mean? Were we being told about Jesus Christ in this particular instance? Well, obviously we have to dwell upon the fact that the sword is in the mouth of the Messiah. It's not a sword that he holds with his hand or wears at his side, but rather it's a sword from his mouth. And of course that has got to remind us of Ephesians, the sixth chapter, which speaks of the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Jesus in the Gospel said, my words are spirit and life. And so the words of Christ, the spirit of Christ, the word from his mouth is the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Now, a sword obviously could also be used and is used in the New Testament to symbolize the power of civil government. You'll find that use, like in Romans 13:4, where Paul writing of the civil magistrate, the political ruler, says he bears not the sword in vain. Now, it's interesting that in a city where the Roman proconsul was seated, that is, where the leader of a Roman garrison was to be found, where the symbol of the political sword was to be located, Jesus addresses us that he is the one who has the sword proceeding from his mouth. Now, what are we to learn from that? Christ claims the sword as his own. The true sword, you see, is the sword of God's word. Jesus rules by the word from his mouth. And the magistrate, he may have the symbol of the sword, he may have the sword in his hand, but he must rule under the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Jesus addresses him as the one who speaks with the sword from his mouth. I think that's a proper connection for you to see here. You'll notice in the first chapter where Jesus is referred to as having the sword from his mouth. Verse 5 had already taught us. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. Jesus claims to rule the kings of the earth. They may not acknowledge that dominion, they may not be obedient to that. But Jesus says, I do have sovereign sway here, and I do have moral prerogative and right. And so Jesus addresses the church in Pergamum, this Roman center of rule, which is where there is this Caesar cult, where there is this political fornication. He addresses the city as the one with the sword from his mouth. Of course, would be worth pausing if we had the time just to think today of all the implications there would be if those who are entrusted with political rule today would only receive the message of this one letter, that Jesus addresses all magistrates. They may bear a sword, but his is the sword of the mouth, which must direct the way they use their political sword. Well, the fact is, in Pergamum, the sword wasn't being used in a godly way. Jesus goes on to say, I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is. I'm always a little bit amused by people who can read the New Testament in some sort of apolitical fashion, as Though the New Testament were written for some kind of spiritual message that's addressed to the inner man. But nothing of any cultural or external or physical importance is to be found there. You see, Jesus receives this message from Herod that he has got to be moving on, because Herod doesn't like the sorts of things he's hearing. And Jesus sends back this word, he says, you tell that vixen. You see, Jesus had a great deal of political import to his preaching. When Paul was thrown out of Thessalonica, he writes back and he said, I'd love to come to you, but Satan. But Satan hinders us. He says, you can attribute the work of the civil magistrate in Thessalonica to Satan. Indeed, Paul goes right on to say that the Roman emperor ruling in that day is the man of sin, the man of lawlessness. And so the New Testament is filled with plenty of political overtones. And so I know where thou dwellest. Jesus says, I know that you dwell where Satan's throne is. Now wait a minute. That's where the throne of the Romans is. Pergamum is the center of Roman political activity. Jesus says, yes, that's Satan's throne. You see, Satan is really the one exercising sway in Pergamum. The city itself was the seat of emperor worship, the ally of Rome. Pergamum became the very first city of Asia Minor to demand the worship of the emperor and the emperor's genius if a man was to have political and commercial economic rights in the city. Let's look at chapter 13, verse 12 to get an idea of what Satan's throne amounted to in Pergamum. Let me begin reading at verse 11. And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. And he had two horns like unto the lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exercised all the authority of the first beast in his sight, and he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose death stroke was healed. This is fascinating. You see, the deathstroke of the first beast was healed by the second beast in the form of a dragon. Now, the God of healing in Pergamum was symbolized as a serpent or a dragon. You see, here's the God of healing. But the point of the two of the two beasts here in Revelation 13 is that all those who dwell on earth must worship the first beast. And this beast resembles, and he receives his power from Satan himself. Look at chapter 13, verse 1. And he stood upon the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns, ten diadems, and upon his head names of blasphemy. Compare that with chapter 12, verse 3. And there was seen another sign in the heaven. Behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns. This is the sort of symbolism one can't overlook when you're trying to interpret the book of Revelation. You see that beast coming up out of the sea, that Roman Empire. It looks like the twin of Satan, as Satan is portrayed in chapter 12, then chapter 13, verse 4. And they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority unto the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? Not only does the beast, the Roman Empire, look like Satan, but the beast receives its power, its exousia, its authority, from Satan himself. And the result is that the people on earth worship him. See, that's why Jesus calls the the city of Pergamum, Satan's throne. You see, Pergamum is the center of emperor worship, the first city and the leading city of emperor worship in Asia Minor. He says, I know where you dwell. You dwell where Satan's throne is the source of the persecution to come against the Christians. There in that city is Satan. The Romans are nothing more than the puppet of Satan. Again, that's not a political preaching. That's very strongly political preaching. And the implication is that the magistrate there, the one who has the sword, had best be listening to the one whose sword proceeds from his mouth. I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is. And you have held 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 in chapter 13, where we were just a moment ago, looking in verses 10 and 15, notice that we are taught, if any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth. If any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and faith of the Saints, verse 15. And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both spread and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed in Pergamum. The Christians were responsible to say, caesar is lord and to worship the emperor Caesar and to present incense at his altar. And if they would not present that incense, if they would not declare their religious and political loyalty to the Caesar, to the Roman emperor, then they would be executed. And we know this is something that started very early. Contrary to what so many teach in the 20th century. In their commentaries on Revelation. The fact is that we know Antipas, who have died already. For we read here. In the days of Antipas, you did not deny my faith. You held fast my name. Even in the days of Antipas, my witness, that is, there's already been a martyr. Has already been one who will not declare his loyalty to the Roman Emperor. Who will not present a religious worship to him. Antipas. One who is known by name. Now, tradition tells us of Antipas. That he was a bishop in Pergamos. And that he was actually burned to death in a brazen bull. As an indication of what would happen to the other Christians. That they would not capitulate. Jesus calls this Antipas my witness, my faithful. In the Greek martus. Martus, which means witness. And Antipas was a witness to Jesus Christ by means of his death. And that's, as some of you know, and I hope you all will now that I tell you the word martis, witness comes to mean martyr. The word martyr that we use today is based upon that word, martyrs. A man is a martyr because by his death, he presents a witness to the Lord. I think that's quite an honor for Antipas to be called my witness, my faithful witness. Look at chapter one, verse five. John, writing to the seven churches, writes from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness. John writes from the faithful witness, Jesus Christ. Jesus, the faithful witness, turns around and he calls Antipas my faithful witness. Jesus calls Antipas by his very name. By his very designation. Jesus is willing to use his lordly title. For his servants who will die in his name. One of the ironies of New Testament theology. And one of the hardest things for people to accept today would appear to me. From a little bit of teaching on eschatology I've done. Is to see that in fact, it's not just whistling in the dark, but in fact, the. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. And that at the very time when the church seems most oppressed. The church can be most powerful. And the victory of the kingdom can issue in. Can. Can follow. Can be the issue from the persecution of the Church that has preceded it. Jesus Christ, we're told in the New Testament. Conquered Satan. Satan. But conquered him at the very point when he was weakest, apparently by his death. Look at Colossians 2, 14, 15. We read here that Jesus has blotted out the bond written in ordinances. That was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. Now, here in verse 14, what we're told is our death warrant, you see, the curse of the law written against us, that curse written in ordinances against us, has been nailed to the cross of Christ. You see, Jesus became a curse for us. Jesus was nailed to the cross, and our death warrant was nailed there as well. When he died, that released us from the power of death. And so we're talking about Jesus when in the eyes of the world he was most weak. When he was crucified. Paul goes right on to say, having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly triumphing over them in it. In what? In his death on the cross, you see, he despoiled the principalities and the powers. Those principalities and powers refer to the realm of demonic spirits. He despoiled Satan and all his host by means of his death. At the very point when Jesus was the martyr, the faithful witness when Jesus was weakest, yet he was strongest because he destroyed the power of Satan. So just as Christ conquered Satan by his death, you'll notice that those who are in union with Christ, those who through faithful martyrdom undergo death, likewise triumph over Satan in their death. Look at Revelation 12, verse 11. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony. And they loved not their life, even unto death. See, those Christians who are faithful to Christ even to the point of death, they Overcome Satan. Chapter 17, verse 14. These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them. For he is Lord of lords and King of kings. And they also shall overcome that are with him called and chosen and faithful. See the connection. The faithful witness. Those who are called to bear witness to the truth. Those who are faithful even to the point of martyrdom, their witness comes to the point of death. They shall overcome in the name of the Lamb, and they'll triumph over Satan. So it makes no difference, really, how persecuted the Church may be in Russia today, or how persecuted the Church may be anywhere in countries that are atheistic and having overt and physical and hostile persecution against the Church. It makes no difference, really, how many people have their names on the rolls of the Church here in America today or any other free country. The fact remains that when the Church is persecuted, it can still overcome Satan. And was overcoming Satan where Satan's throne was, where Satan dwelt in the ancient world. Jesus says, Antipas, my faithful witness is to be found. So Jesus commends the Church in a time of definite satanically inspired persecution. The Church was not fleeing from persecution. The Church was dwelling there. That very word has the message in it. The Church, you see, was holding on. It was tight. It was occupying until the Lord returns. It was not denying his faith, but rather holding fast to his name. Now, that emphasis upon the name of Christ is going to be significant. To understand the pattern of this letter in its praise and promise and exhortation, they hold fast to the name of Christ. Contrast that to a Revelation 13:17. Here we read that no man should be able to buy or sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast, or the number of his name. When the beast gets active, when the emperor cult is thriving, even a city like Pergamum, a man is prohibited from entering into the marketplace. He cannot buy and he cannot sell if he doesn't have the name of the beast. In contrast to those who hold fast to the name of the beast, Jesus says, you have held fast to my name. In Acts 4, verse 12, of course, we learn that there's no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ. That name, that saving name is adhered to even in the face of economic persecution, even in the face of martyrdom to the. Well, persecution to the point of martyrdom or death. But again, the emphasis is that if we'll hold fast to the name of Christ, by that name, we shall conquer. Philippians 2, 9, 11, Paul's theology of the name of Christ. At this point, Paul says, wherefore also God highly exalted him and gave unto him that name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus, every. Every knee should bow of things in heaven and things on earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. You see, that's not just the saving name of Jesus Christ. That's the conquering name of Jesus Christ. Every knee shall bow to that name. So Jesus says, in a time of definite satanically inspired persecution, you've held fast to my name. You. You have not denied my faith. There are those who hold to the beast's name and those who hold to Jesus name. And you see the breakdown of society. While that's true in Pergamum, it's true for all of history. There are only two types of people. Those who adhere to the name of the beast and those who adhere to the name of Jesus Christ. Those who know his saving and conquering power. So Jesus does commend the church in pergamum. After all, they're undergoing a great deal of persecution. You know, most of the converts in Pergamum, we don't have any indication they come out of Judaism. And it isn't as though they have even Old Testament background to rely on. Most of the converts in Pergamum come from pagan sources. The city was full of idols. You see the God of healing and Zeus and the emperor cult. These are people where it would have been awfully difficult to be Christians in the midst of their background and in the midst of the political and economic forces being used against them. There are those holding fast, even Antipas, holding fast to the point of death. But Jesus says, nevertheless, I have a few things against thee. I do have things to criticize, because you have there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast the stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. What was the problem in pergamum? Problem in pergamum is the pervasive problem of Presbyterian churches today. Compromise. Jesus says, yes, I understand how you're holding up in the midst of permission persecution. I see the martyrdom and I commend it and I praise it. But you know what I have against you? You hold up in the face of persecution, but you have those in your very midst who are willing to compromise. You have those who hold to the teaching of Balaam. Now, what was the teaching of Balaam? Those of you who know that Old Testament story of Balaam, he had the king, Balak, all right, calls upon his, his priest, his prophet, Balaam, to go and do something to the children of Israel who are marching through the wilderness. Of course they're eating manna. They're living daily by the Lord's provision. And yet these people who are so weak in the eyes of the world, apparently are so fierce. Balak is scared to death that he's going to be conquered by the Israelites. So he gets Balaam to go and he pays him to curse the Israelites. But what happens when Balaam goes to curse them? Anybody tell me? Yeah, he just can't help it. His tongue blesses him instead. And so Balak is not very happy with the performance of his paid prophet. And so he sends him out to do it again. The same results. Now, what eventually was Balaam able to do, though, to help Balak in the midst of his problems? He couldn't curse the Israelites, but he could do something that would help nonetheless. He went back and he told Balak to do something. What's that? Well, that's right. God would curse them if they would do what, if they would compromise. And so they bring in the women. I mean, to be quite crass, that's precisely what happened. The Israelites encamped there at BAAL Peor, and they compromise. They enter into idolatrous and for. Well, they enter into idolatrous relationships with the people and commit fornication with the women. And so what Balaam did is he taught that the children of Israel could compromise. Now, Jesus says, you have there in Pergamum those who have the teaching of Balaam. Who taught Balak to do what? Throw a stumbling block, a skandalon before the people. A skandalon there. It's sometimes helpful to know some etymologies, not always, but the Greek word for stumbling block, skandalos or skandalon, actually refers to the stick that held up a box, used to trap a bird or some other animal, I suppose. But, you know, have you ever gone camping, you've propped up a box on a stick, you put a little piece of bait inside. Well, when the bird comes in, his tail or some part of his body will usually hit the stick, and while he's eating the thing, the thing will fall down on him. He's been scandalized. That's his stumbling block. You see that Skandalon? And so what we're told here is there are those in pergamum who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel. And that stumbling block, that point of compromise, that skandalon, that thing that captures the people in sin, is that they should eat things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication, the very things that were forbidden by the Jerusalem Council. These people are willing to compromise with respect to them. I don't believe here that you should understand the thing sacrificed to idols merely to be meat that could be bought in the marketplace, out on the open market, and had previous associations with idolatry. The word used here for meat, sacrificed idols, is one word, and it can stand for meat which had that past association, or can stand also for meat in the very present use of it in the pagan temples and so forth. And it's at least my studied opinion here that what the Balaamites, really, the Nicolasians here, who are likened to Balaam, what the Nicolaitians have done is they've explained to the people, perhaps Some aspect of Paul's doctrine about meat sacrifice to idols, I think passage I'm thinking of First Corinthians 10. Yes. And then look at verse 28. Well, the passage actually is where Paul teaches that no demon in this world is anything. If anybody sees that, let me know. It is. It is chapter 10 of First Corinthians 20. You say, okay, but I say that the things. Yes, thank you, thank you. What say I then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything. Rhetorically, no, of course it's nothing. But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I would not that ye should have communion with demons. Now, Paul teaches, you see, that in fact these idols are nothing. But to enter into idolatrous worship is to conceive of the idol as something. And you can't have communion. You can't have the cup of demons and the cup of the Lord simultaneously. Now, it would appear to me probably the Nicolaitans, in the manner of Balaam, teach a manner of compromise, saying, we know those pagan idols, they're nothing. We know they have no reality. We know that God is the Lord of the earth and God alone is the living and true God. And so there's nothing to this as long as we know there's nothing to it. Well, we can go into these pagan temples, we can partake in their pagan feast, and that way we won't be discriminated against in the marketplace. And strange as it may seem in terms of 20th century, well, ever since the Victorian days, I guess the morality of the Christian church, fornication was a very easy place for Christians to compromise in the ancient world with respect to pagan cults, where there was hardly a pagan cult, you know, thriving in the ancient world that didn't use some form of temple prostitution. In fact, there's a good deal of evidence that in the ancient world it was considered a commonplace for men to, even if they didn't have any definite religious motivation, to partake of cultic prostitution, just as a polite gesture. And so again, their scale of values, if you will, what they considered, you know, the most heinous of sins is quite different than that which is adhered to today, perhaps. But in that day, eating meat, sacrificed idol, going to pagan feasts and partaking in fornication is the sort of thing that the Nicolasians could teach the Christians to compromise about. Jesus says, I have this against you, that you have some who teach in this way. And so he warns them verse 16, repent or else I come to Thee quickly and will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. Without repentance, the church at Pergamum will also be judged by the Lord, just like Israel. Can you remember how Israel was judged by the Lord at BAAL Peor? The story of Phinehas, how he took a sword and plunged through every man who had committed fornication and compromised with the idolatry. Jesus says, and I too, in judgment will come upon you and war against you with the sword of my mouth. In light of the Lord's hatred of these things, repent, or I will come quickly. Now, We've got to take just a moment and dwell upon that. Notice how Jesus says right here, this is the word of Jesus. I will come quickly. You read those words elsewhere in the New Testament, don't you? Whenever you do, everybody tells you Jesus is talking about his second coming. Is Jesus talking about the second coming here? No way. Then there's plenty to follow. You see, Jesus tells us the things that will happen thereafter. But he says very quickly, right here and now, if you don't repent, I will come upon you. Jesus comes in the New Testament in many ways. Jesus comes upon Jerusalem in AD 70, according to the Bible. Jesus comes to the believer at death. Jesus comes to the church at Pentecost. Jesus comes to the church in judgment, in history. Then Jesus also comes gloriously at the end of history, at his second coming, if you will, the open revelation of the coming of Jesus Christ. But here we're thinking of Jesus coming upon a church in history, in time, at a particular point. And the outcome of that is that he will fight against the church. I will fight against you. I hope that puts a little bit of fear and trepidation into your hearts. If you're really concerned for the Church of Christ. In chapter 19, we'll read that those who are members of the church, those who are dressed in white robes, those who have been justified by the blood of the Lamb, follow Jesus upon white horses as he rides into battle against the forces of unbelief. Jesus makes war against the unbelieving world with the sword from his mouth. But Jesus here says to those who claim to be his church, I will fight against thee. Jesus, you see, will fight against those who claim to be in his very army. Jesus is not going to allow civil war and compromise. Jesus will put that down. I will fight against you. And how will he fight against the Church? With the sword that is in his mouth. What do we say that sword was? The Word of God, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, the preached word, that very word which in Revelation 19 we'll learn is to overcome all the nations. How the gospel will conquer the world, that very preached word will be turned against a compromising church. The course of gospel proclamation and the course of kingdom progress in this world calls not just for evangelizing the unbeliever, but for putting liberal and modernist and compromising churches out of business. Jesus says, I'll war against you with the sword from my mouth. You see, you compromise, but I'll raise up a group that won't. And they'll preach the word and they will put your church, they will snuff it out. Heretical churches are the objects of gospel warfare. And I think it's a sad thing. In a day which so emphasizes an ecumenical faith, and there is a proper biblical ecumenism, a unity, you see, of truth that we are to strive for, and those who truly honor the name of Jesus Christ and adhere to the gospel, we are to be one with them. But in a day which we see church leaders wanting to promote an ecumenical faith that goes beyond the truth, beyond the one faith proclaimed in the gospel, that's a message to be heard. Those who compromise are to be judged and warred against by believing in a faithful church. First Timothy 6, 3:12. If any man teaches a different doctrine and consents not to sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is puffed up, knowing nothing but doting about questionings and disputes of words. Whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil, surmisings, wranglings of men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain, let's skip down to verse 11. But thou, O man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life. Whereunto thou wast called and didst confess the good confession. In the sight of many witnesses, you see, those who are called into the Lord's service are called to war against those who do not agree to Paul's Gospel. To fight the good fight, to confess the good confession. Jesus expects in the course of the Great Commission's fulfillment, then, that we're going to be putting churches out of business, those who claim to be churches, those who are really nothing more than Balaamites and Nicolasians, those who have compromised with the truth. So Christ's word is a comfort to the believing church, isn't it? That sword from the mouth is a comfort to those who who follow after Christ. But to those who stand before him when he wars against them, that word is a word of destruction. Repent, therefore, or I will come to thee quickly and make war against them with the sword of my mouth. Now, he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Not everybody is willing to hear what Jesus has just said. But those who have been given regenerate hearing. Those who have the ear of the Spirit, those who can receive the truth, listen to him that overcometh. To him who has the victory, to him will I give of the hidden manna. And I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it. To those who overcome, to those who war with the gospel, to those who are victorious, those who are faithful witnesses, those who are martyrs even to the point of death, testifying of their adherence to Jesus Christ, he will give to them hidden manna. Of all of the promises in the letters to the seven churches, I think this hidden manna in white stone among the most fascinating to try to figure out in terms of interpretation. And so let me begin by just throwing this open to the class for a moment. We have time to do this. What might the hidden manna refer to? Hidden manna? Well, why would Jesus refer to manna? First of all, let's think of what we've learned in the epistle thus far to tip us off. Why the significance of manna? What is happening to those who hold fast to the name of Jesus and will not say Caesar is Lord. Where are they being kept from the marketplace? They aren't able to buy and eat. In other words, they have no source of food. Now, the Israelites of old were in a similar situation, having no source of food. And God provided what manna. And so there's the significance, first of all. Then, secondly, we've learned that Balaam taught Balak to cast the stumbling block before the Israelites. And where were the Israelites at the time were living under God's provision? They were in the wilderness. They were receiving the manna. And so already we have two types of hints as to the significance and also the appropriateness of this promise of manna. But why is it called hidden manna? Anybody know this? Well, after the Israelites stopped wandering in the wilderness and entered into the promised land, what happened to a certain supply of manna? The manna stopped. But what did God say to do with some leftover manna, if you will? It was to be hidden in the Ark of the Covenant in a golden pot in the midst of the ark as a constant reminder that in the very presence of God, his people would find sustenance. You see, that Ark of the Covenant, the mercy seat, was God's throne, throne in the midst of Israel, where God was spiritually present. And underneath the mercy seat, in the ark itself was a golden pot full of manna. Now, there's an interesting apocryphal story. I emphasize that it is an apocryphal story, but nevertheless, it gives us a symbol, a kind of literary device that a New Testament writer could make use of. The apocryphal story story goes like this, that when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, Jeremiah the prophet by one tradition, or an angel of God by another. But either Jeremiah the prophet or an angel saved the manna that was in. Well, actually saved the ark and especially the manna, and hid the manna away until the Messianic age. And when the Messiah would come, he would take that hidden manna and supply it to his people, people as sustenance, so they could overcome. That's interesting. I don't know whether John is drawing upon that apocryphal story and using it as a symbol of what God does for his people today. But either what we have referred to here is the fact that the manna was hidden in the Ark of the Covenant, or actually hidden by Jeremiah or an angel until the Messianic age. But the point is the same. In the presence of God, in the presence of God's Messiah, there would be sustenance to his people, so they could overcome. Jesus says to him that overcomes will I give of that hidden manna. Of course, even without knowing the Old Testament background for the manna being hidden in the ark, or the apocryphal story, we know what the real manna is in the long run. Look at John 4, verses 31, 33. In the meanwhile, the disciples prayed him, saying, rabbi, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat, that ye know not. The disciples therefore said one to another, hath any man brought him ought to eat? They didn't quite get the point. Jesus said, I have meat, I have sustenance, which no man knows of. There is heavenly food, heavenly sustenance, heaven, heavenly strength available, which is not visible to the world. The world cannot see the cause of Christ's strength and the cause of Christ's success. But God nevertheless supplies and provides what is needed for his Son. And likewise God supplied for the Israelites. The world didn't have any way of knowing that God would give them bread in the wilderness. But God did it so that in their march across the desert they would have the sustenance and the strength they needed. So also God provides for our march through this world, our redemptive march through this world as we go conquering in the name of Israel, that is the true people of God, the seed of Abraham. God makes provision to us, a sustenance which the world cannot see. We have meat to eat which the world knows not of. And finally, in John 6, Jesus tells us in verses 48 through 51, I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. Yea, and the bread which I will give is my flesh, flesh for the life of the world. Jesus says to those in pergamum, that God will give to the overcomers, to the victors, the hidden manna he will give of his son and the provisions of his son for life. But not only do we have that hidden manna to sustain us in our march so that we might overcome, but we are given a stone, a white stone. And upon that white stone a new name written, which no man knows but he that receives it. The white stone in the ancient world was the ticket necessary for entering into the festival, into the banquets of the pagan gods. Jesus says to those who will not compromise, to those who will not eat meat offered to idols, those who will not compromise with the emperor cult where Satan dwells. Jesus says, I'll give to you manna, even though you're discriminated against. I'll give you provision. Provision. And I'll give you a white stone that you might enter into another kind of banquet, into the messianic banquet, where you may eat upon the Savior, if you will, if you'll have sustenance, redemptive sustenance from God himself. A white stone, a ticket of entrance. And upon that white stone will be written a new name. What does that mean? Well, in the Semitic cultures, of course, the name of a man was to characterize the man. A name was not simply a label arbitrarily pasted on. One thing or another, arbitrarily could be changed. But a name was supposed to be appropriate to the bearer of the name. It was to characterize that person. It was to set out his true personality, his character, his traits. Jesus says, I'm going to give you a new name, which is to say, I will give you a new character. Jesus, by giving the spirit to his people, brings them to new life and as born from the dead, and is giving new life from above. Christians have a new character. They live in a new way. They have a new pattern of behavior. They have a new personality. Jesus says, I'll give you entrance to the Messianic banquet, and on your entrance to ticket will be a name written which no man knows but you who receive it. That is, you'll know the new character given to you by God himself. Now this promise of a new character is rooted in the prophecies of Isaiah. And before we close today, I think it would be good for us to look at the background for it. Isaiah 56, verse 5. First of all, Jehovah says unto them, will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than the than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off then Isaiah 62:1 5 for Zion's sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory. And thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy land any more be termed desolate, but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and the land Beulah and Jehovah delighteth in thee, and and thy land shall be married for as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee. And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. Verse 2 says, the nations are going to see the righteousness of God's people, and kings will see the glory of God's people and they'll be called by a new name that will be given to them by the mouth of Jehovah, when they'll become the crown of beauty in his hand. You see, God's people are not always going to be forsaken. God's people aren't always going to be discriminated against in the marketplace. God's people aren't always going to be, you see, those who are persecuted and shoved around in just the off scouring of the earth. But God's people are going to be glorious as a royal diadem in that day. And they'll be given a new name, which all people shall see in Isaiah 65, verses 13 through 16. This obvious blessing is going to come amidst God's judgment upon the nations. Therefore, thus saith Lord Jehovah. Behold, my servant shall eat, but ye shall be hungry. Behold, my servant shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty. Behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be put to shame. Behold, my servant shall sing for joy of heart. Behold. But ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall wail for vexation of spirit. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen. And the Lord Jehovah will slay thee. And he will call his servants by another name. So that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth. And he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth. Because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hidden from mine eyes. See, God is going to bring judgment upon the nations. God is going to bring blessing upon his people. They will eat, but ye shall be hungry. You see, Jesus is referring to Isaiah's prophecy when he says, I give you hidden manna. I offer you the white stone with a new name upon it. You enter into the messianic banquet, feast of redemption. You enter into have your sustenance in me. You shall eat, but the nations shall be hungry. That's very significant to a people who are probably very hungry because they cannot buy and sell in the marketplace because of their uncompromising loyalty to Jesus Christ. He bids them then to enter into his feast. The beast says, you must wear my name if you want to buy and sell. That is, if you want to eat. Jesus supplies genuine sustenance of those who will not have the beast's name, but rather have a new name for themselves, a new character. I said earlier in the lesson that the society in pergamum was divided between those who bore the name of the beast and those who adhered to the name of Christ. And that hasn't changed. The army division remains the same. There are in this those who feel that their sustenance in this life comes because they compromise and because they feel there's some way to make some alliance between Jesus Christ and his demands and the Demands of the beast. The demands of those who would set their law above God's law. But Jesus is offering that if you'll renounce the name of the beast and renounce every other loyalty but his own, he'll give you manna which no man knows of. He'll give you hidden manna. And not only that, he'll bid you into his marriage feast, into his banquet, where the nation shall starve, but ye shall eat. I bid you today to eat upon Jesus Christ and his redemptive provision. And then you'll know you see the victorious name of Jesus Christ as well. Every knee shall bow to that name. And of course the church at pergamum must adhere to it, or else Jesus will fight against it with the sword from his mouth. And so are we fighting with Jesus and bearing his name and his reproach? Or will that sword be turned against us eventually? Let's pray. Lord, we read in your word exhortation to diligence and faithfulness. We pray that we would hear it, that we would indeed have the ears given by the Spirit that we might hear properly and respond. Lord, teach us to repent and to turn from our compromise. Teach us to be faithful and loyal without admixture. Help us to bear your name and to bear it properly. Help us to bear it not in vain, but rather to wear the name of Jesus Christ as people who deserve to do so. Because we're willing to die even for that faith. Lord, we see your promise of. Of provision for those who will not compromise. And we pray, Father, you'd give us the faith to believe that you can indeed take care of us in this life and in the next. If we'll but trust in thee, Give us that faith and that trust, give us that loyalty which is necessary to see the kingdom of God come and the nations of the earth judged. For it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen.