Biblical Church History Following the Hand of God and the Hand of Satan

Revelation 2:8-11 c A.D. PergamosPergamos “ Much Marriage ”

PergamosPergamos I. The Commission Rev. 2: 12

Pergamos (Rev 2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

PergamosPergamos II. The Character Rev. 2: 12b

These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges (Rev 2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Smyrna A. Power of His Word “Much Marriage ”

Smyrna B. Proxy of His Word “Much Marriage ”

PergamosPergamos III. The Commendation Rev. 2: 13

I know thy works (Rev 2:13) I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is (Rev 2:13) I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you (Rev 2:13) I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

PergamosPergamos IV. The Condemnation Rev. 2: 14-15

doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication (Rev 2:14-15) But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Smyrna A. The Pollution of Balaam “Much Marriage ”

H PergamosPergamos  2 key Elements of this Doctrine Eating things sacrificed to Idols Committing fornication  The Historical Application (90AD) They allowed themselves to get involved in the worship of idols. They took part in the sex fornication at the Love Goddess Temple in forms of worship

Numbers 25:1-9 Numbers 22-24

H PergamosPergamos  The Prophetical Application The children of Israel have come to the plains of Moab after defeating the Amorites The king of Moab is worried by this and sends for the prophet Balaam He offers an abundance of things in exchange for Balaam to curse the Israelite people

H PergamosPergamos Balaam wants all the things offered him by Balak so that every time he opens his mouth to curse them he ends up blessing them So he tells Balak the only way for these people to be cursed and die is for God to do it. The book of Numbers does not record the conversation, but through Revelations we know that Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel

H PergamosPergamos This stumbling block was for the Moabite women to seduce the men of Israel through fornication and to cause them to bow down to their gods and sacrifice to them The same thing has repeated itself when Constantine married the church to the Pagan form of worship. The devil no longer wanted to try to curse the church; he will get the church to curse itself

(1Co 10:6-8) Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

H PergamosPergamos  Catholic Application This is the church period where the teaching entered the church, that the Priest, in the midst of the service that came to be called the Mass, has the mystical ability to transform the bread and the wine of the communion into the literal Body and Blood of Christ. And that’s how you actually “receive” Christ

H PergamosPergamos  The Catholic Encyclopedia says… “In the celebration of the Holy Mass, the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. Its is called transubstantiation, for the Sacrament of the Eucharist the substance of bread and wine do not remain, but the entire substance of bread is changed into the body of Christ, and the entire substance of wine is changed into His blood, the species or outward semblance of bread and wine alone remaining.”

1414 As sacrifice, the Eucharist is also offered in reparation for the sins of the living and the dead and to obtain spiritual or temporal benefits from God.

1365 Because it is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice…In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: "The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different." "And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner... this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.

1413 By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity (cf. Council of Trent: DS 1640; 1651).

1375 It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament…The priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God's. This is my body, he says. This word transforms the things offered…The power of the blessing prevails over that of nature, because by the blessing nature itself is changed

Smyrna B. The Progression of the Nicolaitans “Much Marriage ”

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate (Rev 2:14-15) But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

H PergamosPergamos  Nicolaitians is a transliterated word which is made up of two different words “Nico” which means to rule over “laitians” which means common people  This view was called a “deed” in the Ephesus Church period, but is referred to a “doctrine in the Pergamos Church period.  In the Ephesus period the church hated the doctrine, but in this church period it has become an accepted doctrine

PergamosPergamos V. The Counsel Rev. 2:16

(Rev 2:16) Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

H PergamosPergamos  If these people in the Pergamos Church period had heeded the Lord’s counsel in vs. 16 and repented, the whole Dark Ages, with all of it’s evil and bloodshed and death could have been avoided.  Notice that the warning is to the true Church to repent, but the punishment if they wouldn’t would be placed on the unbelievers This statement proves Eternal security This also proves the responsibility of the Church

Ezk 33:1-11

(Mat 22:13) Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

PergamosPergamos VI. The Challenge Rev. 2:17

(Rev 2:17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Smyrna A. The Promise of manna “Much Marriage ”

(Exo 16:32-34) And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.

(Joh 6:48-51) I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

(Mat 26:29) But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Smyrna B. The Promise of white stone “Much Marriage ”