A church married to the world the city and the assembly 2. Mar 15, 2018 the 3rd church in this study is the church of pergamos the compromising church. During the pergamos era the union of church and state compromised the purity and mission jesus had given his followers. Thyatira was a prosperous trading town that was an important location on the roman road from pergamos to laodicea. The seven churches of revelation, also known as the seven churches of asia, are seven major churches of early christianity. Pergamum was the chief center of cultural and intellectual life of the hellenistic world. Who are the nicolaitans mentioned in the book of revelation. These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges 2. Gordon robertson takes an indepth look at the ancient grecoroman city pergamum called the throne of satan from the book of revelation. The message to the pergamene church was from the lord jesus christ, specifically addressed to the angel or messenger of the church.
These are the words of the one who holds the sharp, doubleedged sword. It also says that they have tried investigated those who claim to. What was jesus message to the church in pergamum in revelation. In chapters 2 and 3 of the book of revelation there are letters by the lord jesus written to seven churches. Pergamos inherited the ancient system of sun worship from babylon. To the church in pergamum 11 he who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. Pergamum was the chief center of cultural and intellectual life of the hellenistic. However, there is no indication in the message to the church at pergamos that it was currently suffering persecution or that it would do so in the immediate future more than any church of its day. Pergamos, the church where satan dwells offers us a unique view of city and culture finely tuned to be the center for satan s operations in not only that city but the region. In the book of revelation, jesus christ instructed john to write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches. This is part 6 of a chapterbychapter bible study series in the book of revelation. What lessons might we learn from about integrity of faith in a modern world that offers us many opportunities to. Revelation of jesus 8, church of pergamos a revelation of. The 3rd church in this study is the church of pergamos the compromising church.
The next church the lord addresses is the church at pergamos. It was a center of ancient sun worship, and the place where the famous altar of zeus stood on a terrace on the slopes of the mount. It was the prominence of its worship of aesculapius or. The pergamos period of the church is thought to be from around 3 a. But this did not mark it out as satans throne because all the pagan cities in the roman empire at that time worshipped idols, including the other cities mentioned in revelation 23. How accurate are the descriptions of these seven cities mentioned in the book of revelation according to archaeology and history. What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in asia. Index books of the bible revelation church in pergamum. The people of pergamum were known as the templekeepers of asia. Pergamum was one of the most prominent cities of asia.
Book of revelation on this episode of the book of revelation, we are discussing the sin of the church of pergamum, which was tolerating the nicolaitans. Were going to be looking at verses 12 through 17, the letter to the church at pergamos. I know your works, and where you dwell, where satans throne is. Order the book a revelation of jesus a revelation of jesus by david lackey is available from barnes and noble free shipping. Thyatira, seated on the river hermus, is 61 kilometers 38 miles from pergamos and 51 kilometers 32 miles from sardis. In other words it is a promise of the rapture of the church, the first such promise in the book of revelation. The commendationi know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where satans seat is. This makes pergamos the only one of the seven churches of asia minor known to have had a martyr before john wrote the book of revelation. As previously noted in this series of articles, the apostle john recorded in the book of revelation a vision he received from jesus christ at the end of the first century. The city had three temples dedicated to the worship of the roman emperor, another for the goddess athena, and the great altar of zeus, the king of the greek gods. And to the angel of the church in pergamos write, these things says he who has the sharp twoedged sword. In chapters 2 and 3 of the book of revelation there ar.
These are the words of him who has the sharp, doubleedged sword revelation 2. Many scholars believe this altar is the throne of satan mentioned in the book of revelation. It corresponds to the third of seven kingdom of heaven parables told by our lord jesus in matthew chapter which is the parable of the mustard seed. This vision included messages to seven congregations of the church of god in asia minor. Pergamon was the northernmost of the seven churches of asia cited in the new testament book of revelation. The seven churches of revelation, also known as the seven churches of the apocalypse and the seven churches of asia, are seven major churches of early christianity, as mentioned in the new testament book of revelation. This is a controversial subject but takes a conservative approach to understanding the book. Pergamos served many idols, such as zeus, dionysius, athene and others. Revelation of jesus 8, church of pergamos a revelation. The farthest north of the seven churches, a city once the capital of the kingdom of pergamos, which was great and flourishing when. Scholars like to debate the reasons for jesus warning to the. It was during this time that the papacy began to win religious and political leadership of western europe and that satan established his seat within the church. Church of pergamos this is a study of the church of pergamos in the book of revelation. So what he is saying here is that there will be an appearing of himself for his own before he comes in power and glory, visible to the world.
The salutationand to the angel of the church in pergamos write. Pergamos is a picture of any church that courts the world, any church that marries paganism in any form. Background the city of pergamum pergamos had been the capital of the roman province of asia for two centuries after its last king,attalus iii, bequeathed it to rome in 3b. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death. Ephesus was the careless church, smyrna was the crowned church and pergamos is the. The pergamos church became predominant during the fifth century predominant circa 450 a. While pergamos did have some faithful christians and even a faithful martyr named antipas, they also had some big problems. Covenant prc ni satan and his work revelation nt book church institute.
The city of pergamum pergamos had been the capital of the roman province of asia for two centuries after its last king,attalus iii, bequeathed it to rome in 3b. Gods message to the church at pergamos both commends them and calls them to repent of entrenched sins. The pergamos period of church history is thought to begin about the time of constantines acceptance of the christian cause, in a. Pergamos, the church where satan dwells offers us a unique view of city and culture finely tuned to be the center for satans operations in not only that city but the region. Revelation prohibits us loving our lives more than his gospel.
On the radio you are sharing the services of the first baptist church in dallas. Letters to ephesus, smyrna, pergamos, and thyatira 1 unto the angel of the church of ephesus write. Each of these messages includes a specific word to a specific church, but there are also lessons applicable to the lives of believers. Pergamon or pergamum also referred to by its modern greek form pergamos greek.
The church of pergamos was one of these congregations revelation 1. The city was famous for its dyeing and was a center of the indigo trade. The city hosted a major cult of the pagan god apollo son of zeus. There is a church tradition that says antipas was the bishop of the church in pergamum and had been ordained to that office by the. They were actual historical churches, churches that really did exist. Christs reference to satans throne verse may have alluded to the citys altar of zeus. Big problems while pergamos did have some faithful christians and even a faithful martyr named antipas, they also had some big problems. The church of pergamos is the third of seven prophetic messages to the christian church. The sharp two edged sword is the bible, see hebrews 4. Jul 15, 2015 this is the fourth part in the bible study series. These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. But jesus let the church in pergamos know that he was the one with the real sharp sword rev.
Theologians and bible scholars viewing this as a revelation to the entire church age generally view this as a word to the church from approximately a. The book of acts makes no mention of the founding of this church. Here parchment was first perfected and a library of 200,000 volumes formed, which was eventually sent to alexandria. Theologians and bible scholars viewing this as a revelation to the entire church age generally. It was probably the site of a settlement from a very early date. A letter to pergamos seven churches of revelation 2. For now, lets open our bibles to revelation chapter 2. You can look back at earlier posts on the church in ephesus and the church in smyrna. A few years later, the apostle john wrote the book of revelation, mentioning the death of antipas in pergamum. Seven churches of revelation bible study david jeremiah blog. In verse two, a description is made of knowledge of their work, their patience, and how they cannot bear those who are evil. This gigantic altar at pergamos was likely the one referenced in revelation 2 when god said he knew his church in the city resided where satans throne is revelation 2. Young, was a celebrated city of mysia, near the river caicus.
There is a church tradition that says antipas was the bishop of the church in pergamum and had been ordained to that office by the apostle john. The seven churches described in the book of revelation. Jan 29, 2012 the only thing we know for sure about this man named antipas was that he was a faithful witness of jesus christ and that he was martyred in pergamum sometime before johns writing of the book of revelation. Even in the midst of the flames, the elderly bishop antipas died praying for his church. These 7 churches were actual churches and they are also symbolic of church ages, church members, and kinds of churches that are alive today. The view is known as the historicalprophetical view. A number of expositors down through history have held that the seven churches represent seven sequential stages of church history. The same passage speaks of pergamos as the place where satans throne is, probably referring to the temples in which. Christianity reached pergamos early, for there one of the seven churches of the book of re stood, and there, according to revelation 2.
The city was located in the northern part of lydia of the roman province of asia, and bordered mysia on the north and lydia on the south thyatira, which in the greek language means daughter, got its name in 290 b. Jan 02, 2020 the message to the pergamene church was from the lord jesus christ, specifically addressed to the angel or messenger of the church. The church in pergamos signifies the condition of the church from the fourth century to the seventh century. Dec 31, 2014 book of revelation on this episode of the book of revelation, we are discussing the sin of the church of pergamum, which was tolerating the nicolaitans. A messenger carrying letters to the seven churches from the apostle john on the island of patmos, which is about 30 miles off the coast. The church at pergamos is a picture of any believer, any christian who weds the world, as we shall see. The leader of pergamos used the same ancient title and vestments as.