The Third Letter

A little time has elapsed since my last post on Revelations and I want to take a minute to appreciate some essentials of this book. Revelation begins with a blessing in chapter 1 verse 3, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” And it ends with a blessing in chapter 22 verse 7, "And behold, I am coming quickly Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book." In this book God’s glory and the splendor of Christ is revealed. What is testified to here in Revelation by Christ through John is the next event on God’s Messianic timetable.

In chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation there are letters by the Lord Jesus written to seven churches. These letters likewise describe not only a single church in history but a kind of church that exists through all the history of the church. And as such they are very instructive for us.

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'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16'Therefore repent; 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.'

As every letter has begun with a description of Christ, we see for the church in Pergamum, Christ is described as the One who has the sharp two-edged sword which was certainly an indication that the church faced imminent judgment. One is reminded of the verse in Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." The Word of God is at once the instrument of salvation and the instrument of death.

The church in Pergamum was commended for standing boldly for Christ even in the place of Satan’s throne! Satan’s place of operation is here on earth not in hell. That is his place of incarceration! The church had remained faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ in spite of their evil environment.

Sadly, after the commendation comes the condemnation. The church had some in it that held to the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans and they were being tolerant of sin! They had not confronted them or removed them from the church. In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul says a little leaven, leavens the whole lump! And so Christ tells them to repent! What a message to our churches today! The world is constantly preaching tolerance and Christ tells us that we are never to tolerate sin and that if we do we must repent!! There is no alternative to continued impurity and compromise with the truth except that of divine judgment.

As in His messages to the other churches, Christ gives a promise and an invitation to individuals. “He that hath an ear” is invited to listen. To him is given the threefold promise of verse 17, contained in this revelation. First of all, the believer is assured that he will have the benefit of eating of the hidden manna. Just as Israel received manna from heaven as its food, for the true believer He says I'll give you Jesus Christ. I'll give you the true bread, the spiritual bread from heaven which the world doesn't see; I'll give you that bread which will sustain you. Go back to John 6:51 and hear Jesus say, "I am the bread of life." I'll give you Christ. I'll give you all that is in Christ. I'll give you all the benefits of knowing Christ. You're an overcomer and I'll give you all you need to sustain your life forever.

In addition to the hidden manna, those who overcome by faith are promised a white stone. The giving of the white stone to the believer here, then, is the indication that he has been accepted or favored by Christ, a wonderful assurance especially for those who have been rejected by the wicked world and are the objects of its persecution. In addition to receiving the stone, a new name written on the stone is promised them, the name described as one “which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”

John Walvoord points out that Christians in this modern day as well as Christians in the church at Pergamos are reminded by this Scripture that it is God’s purpose to separate them from all evil and compromise and to have them as His particular inheritance throughout eternity. However difficult their lot in this life, they are assured infinite blessing in the life to come.

If you don't know Jesus Christ, the hidden manna isn't for you, the white stone is not yours. And all you have is the sword of His judgment.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16