Pergamos
“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. ”
General interpretation: Before we start to look at the modern day equivalent of the church of Pergamos, we need to understand the heresy of the Nicolaitans.
The doctrine of the Nicolaitans has already been mentioned in the letter to Ephesus.
According to the writings of the Early Church leaders, Nicolas taught a doctrine of compromise, arguing that total separation between Christianity and the prevalent practice of paganism was not essential. From Early Church records, it seems apparent that this Nicolas of Antioch had been immersed in occultism, then Judaism, and then Christianity, and never made a clean break with his past. He started to mix these belief systems in various concoctions and saw no reason why believers couldn’t continue to fellowship and still maintain a relationship with those still immersed in the black magic of the Roman Empire and its countless mystery cults.
Occultism was a major force that warred against the Early Church. In Ephesus, the primary pagan religion was the worship of Diana (Artemis). There were many other forms of idolatry in Ephesus, but this was the primary object of occult worship in that city. In the city of Pergamos, there were numerous dark and sinister forms of occultism, causing Pergamos to be one of the most wicked cities in the history of the ancient world. In both of these cities, believers were lambasted and persecuted fiercely by adherents of pagan religions, forced to contend with paganism on a level far beyond all other cities.
It was very hard for believers to live separately from all the activities of paganism because paganism and its religions were the centre of life in these cities. Slipping in and out of paganism would have been very easy for young or weak believers to do since most of their families and friends were still pagans. A converted Gentile would have found it very difficult to stay away from all pagan influence.
Doctrine of the Nicolaitans:
It is significant that the “deeds” and “doctrines” of the Nicolaitans are only mentioned in connection with the churches in these two occultist and pagan cities. It seems that the “doctrine” of the Nicolaitans was that it was alright to have one foot in both worlds and that one needn’t be so strict about separation from the world in order to be a Christian. This, in fact, was the “doctrine” of the Nicolaitans that Jesus “hated.” It led to a weak version of Christianity that was without God’s power and without conviction of our need for a Savior – a defeated, worldly type of Christianity.
Nicolas’ deep roots in paganism may have produced in him a tolerance for occultism and paganism. Growing up in this perverted spiritual environment may have caused him to view these belief systems as not so damaging or dangerous. This wrong perception would have resulted in a very liberal viewpoint that encouraged people to stay connected to ‘the world’. This is what numerous Bible scholars believe about the Nicolaitans.
The doctrine of Balaam.
Numbers 22 to 25 relates a very intriguing story. Balaam, an occult diviner is summonsed by Balak, the Moabite king, to curse Israel. Verse 9-12, 20 then relates how God had a conversations with Balaam. Balaam seems to follow God’s instructions until its mentioned in verse 32 the Balaam’s “way is perverse before me.” Although Balaam does what God says there seems to be a problem with his heart.
This becomes clear in chapter 24, when Balaam , greedily seeking a reward, advises Balak that Israel is best perverted from within. He convinces and seduces Israel to whore with the women of Moab. Balaam realised he couldn’t curse Israel directly, he then advised Balak that the best course to take was to get Israel to curse themselves by angering God.
Even though creator God had engaged with Balaam personally, he did not fear God. It seems that Balaam’s heart was already corrupted by greed. A modern day false prophet will display characteristics like Balaam, according the Jude and 2 Peter. A modern day false prophet, like Balaam, often is motivated by the reward, a covetous greedy man.
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
He loved the way of unrighteousness according to 2 Peter. {2:15} Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
The modern day false prophet will twist doctrine to further their covetousness.
2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. {2:2} And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. {2:3} And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:
In Balaam’s case, this is so much more perverse, as he acted as a mouthpiece for both God and Satan. The modern day false prophet, often a gifted man, but because of his greed and unwillingness to purge his worldliness, opens a door to Satan. Acting under the guise of a spiritual man, he furthers the cause of Satan.
The doctrine of Balaam may thus be seen as a teaching where it is permitted to maintain worldliness and spirituality at the same time, failing to heed to Gods warning to keep ourselves unspotted by the world. To speak and mix the words of God with those of Satan in the public arena.
Current parallels:
This church represents the churches through the ages that have intermingled their previous pagan beliefs with Christianity. The current equivalents are numerous. Most obvious are many churches in Africa and Southern America. In Africa, ancestral worship is widely practiced. The spirits of the deceased are consulted by witch doctors, who would then prescribe certain sacrifices, a cow, sheep, chicken, etc. In countries like Uganda, this deteriorates into offering body parts of children. ( see ‘Droplets in a stream’ website.). Their pagan beliefs are not seen as incompatible and hence intermingled with Christianity.
This ‘paganism with a christian flavor’ attracts many, resulting in the large denominations such as the very large Zionist church in South Africa. But one will also find that even those who are members of African Pentecostal churches, when they return to their communities on special occasions, that there are those who still participate in pagan rituals and sacrifices at weddings and funerals. Satan obtains a foothold in their young lives through initiation ceremonies and the like, and this becomes very hard to ignore in their communities and to dispel. African Christians face exclusion from their families if they refuse to participate.
Similarly the Catholic Church in the Southern Americas has been infiltrated with pagan practices and beliefs. I am sure all cultures emerging from paganism face this struggle. Even the Catholic Church in the west has retained many shockingly pagan aspects. To a minor extent, some traces of this thinking have also affected evangelicals and Pentecostals. (Christmas, the Sunday ‘sabbath’, etc.)
End-time interpretation:
In preparation for the end-time persecution, to help us be overcomers, we need to cut away the rot. Cut out the impurity. The two-edged sword of the word of God will accomplish this. We need to take God at his word, and be decisive about this. Be determined to know His word. We also are encouraged to know who we are, who God says we are.
The name on the white stone, which will be given to us, speaks of our identity. We are set apart, we are washed from sin, we are being purified in this life already. We make a decision to pursue openness, holiness and purity to maintain our relationship with the father. We choose to be ‘white’, the symbol of purity. This is not the time to be grey, to sit on the fence and see what happens. We do not compromise, even if it’s sugar-coated. The temporary relief of pleasure and excess is brief. Decide now that it’s not worth it. We need to be alert, to stand. And to help us to remain standing we need to be on the watch for the deceivers, the Balaam’s and Nicholas’ of this world.
If we go hungry, Jesus promises some of the hidden manna to eat. He will sustain our spirits; while our bodies may or may not survive. If we heed to those that preach compromise, we may temporarily feed the body which decays, but starve the spirit which needs the sustenance from God’s life-giving voice, as He speaks into my spirit.
Are we perhaps in some way affected by the teaching of Nicholas, who gave up living a holy life after several failures? He tried to live a holy life in his own strength but had several failed attempts at celibacy. Have we perhaps, on some level, sometimes given up in our spiritual fight for purity and holiness?