Jesus says that Pergamos was surrounded by evil. It is “where Satan’s throne is.” The church held fast to their faith in Christ, but couldn’t let go of the teachings of the Nicolaitans and those who held to the doctrine of Balaam which included sacrificing to idols and sexual immorality as well as sorcery. You may say we don’t practice sorcery. But it is all around us. Horoscopes, tarot cards, Ouija boards, and we watch movies and shows that actually applaud immorality or sorcery. I think of shows like Practical Magic, Lucifer, and, yes, I said it, Harry Potter. The examples of immorality on TV and movies, politics and society in general are endless. Let’s take a look at what Jesus says about tolerating, condoning, or participating in such beliefs and practices.
Revelation 2:12-17
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ‘
As in several of the churches in John’s day, Christians were persecuted in Pergamos. Jesus commends them for staying strong through persecution and not denying Him. Jesus says that Satan’s throne is there. That is a scary thought, but it is probably true today in many areas of the world. He is called the prince of this world and from what I can see, he is alive and well. We need to be vigilant despite the evils that exist around us. But, Christ also warns of false teachers. The people of Pergamos gave in to some of the false teaching going on in the day. The Nicolaitans were a group of people who wanted to keep idol worship and perform sexual immorality in rituals along with Christianity. Jesus talked about how he hates the doctrine of the Nicolaitans in His letter to Ephesus.
Balaam was a diviner who practiced sorcery along with prophesying in the Lord’s name for a profit. In Numbers 22 through 24, Balak, the king of the Amorites hired him to curse Israel as they entered the promised land. But God put words into his mouth to bless them instead. God did not want him to go to prophesy against the Israelites, so The Angel of the Lord (who many believe is the incarnate Jesus in the Old Testament) blocked his way. The donkey that he rode would not go that way and the Lord spoke through the donkey against him. It is a wild story that many would find hard to believe. But, with God, anything is possible. The point is that those who practice sorcery like Balaam did are going against God. These and other false teachers will face judgement, and we need to be discerning and not follow any of their false teachings and do not associate with them.
2 Peter 2:1-3, 12-19
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber…
But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
Peter is not pulling any punches here. God will have harsh punishment for those who lead people astray, especially those who are doing it deliberately, who are tools of Satan. Jesus has often said to watch and be ready. One way to do that is to always examine what is being taught through the scriptures. John through his letters teaches us how to recognize a false teacher and how to know the truth.
1 John 4:1-6
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
John offers some advice on how to test those who preach and teach. God the Father sent His Son to this earth in the flesh to give His life as a sacrifice for our sins. He died on the cross and rose again on the third day. He is sitting at the right hand of God the Father and one day will return to judge the world.
1 John 2:18-23
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
As believers, we know the truth. We have the Spirit in us to guide us. We have God’s Word to examine and follow. We have the hope and assurance of our salvation and God’s promises here on earth and in heaven. We have nothing to fear.
Romans 8:12-18
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
My Daily Scriptures 