Message to Pergamos
CHAPTER 2: 12-17
PERGAMOS
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos, write: These things says the One having the sharp, two-edged sword: 13 I know your works, and where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is . And you hold My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful witness; who was killed alongside you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, that you have there those holding the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices, and to commit fornication. 15 So you also have those holding the teaching of the Nicolatians, which thing I hate. 16 Repent! But if not, I will come to you quickly, and I will make war with them by the sword of My mouth. 17 The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one overcoming, I will give him to eat from the hidden manna. And I will give to him a white stone, and on the stone a new name having been written, which no one knows except the one receiving it .
Review
The Message to Per’gamos
(To the Angel and the Church)
A. Spirit – The One having the sharp two-edged sword
B. Accomplishments – Holds Christ’s name, Faith
C. Failure – Those in your church with the teachings of
Balaam, eating idol-sacrifices, fornication, those with the
teachings of the Nicola’itans.
D. Commandment – Repent!
Judgment
- Reward for Overcoming – a) To eat from the hidden
manna; b) white stone c) a new name written - Judgment for Failure – Christ will make war with
you by the sword of his mouth.
LESSON: Jesus says to the angel of the church in Per’gamos that he knows its works and the church dwells where the throne of Satan is. Jesus also says that the church holds his name. The spiritual state of the church of Per’gamos is same as most Christian churches today. JESUS IS NOT HAPPY! There is no mystery here. When preparing this lesson, I was disheartened at what I discovered about the Per’gamos church, and the state of the Christian churches today. What Jesus said to this church was “But I have a few things against you, that you have there those holding the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices and to commit fornication. Let us investigate what Jesus is talking about here. It goes all the way back to the Old Testament up until today:
Judges 2: 10-13 10 And also, that generation were gathered unto their fathers; and there arose a new generation after them which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. 11. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Balaam: 12. And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. 13. And they forsook the LORD and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
Ashtaroth is another name for the goddess Astarte. In the King James bible, the word Easter was mis-translated in Acts 12:4. The manuscripts read: “And seeing that it was pleasing to the Jews, he added also to seize Peter—and they were in the days of unleavened bread—also capturing him, he put him into prison , delivering him to four sets of four soldiers to guard him; intending to bring him up to the people after the Passover.”
The manuscripts say that the high Sabbath is PASSOVER. Christ is our Passover, not Ashtaroth! The term Easter is not of Christian origin. It is another form of Astarte or Ashtaroth. The Easter festival of Ashtaroth had to do with fertility rites and other abominable practices. In the spring festival of Easter, the women would dress up in preparation for orgies with the specific purpose of becoming pregnant. This where the rolling of the Easter Egg and Easter Bunny comes from. The Greek word for Passover is “Pascha” and the Greek word for the Easter festival of Ashtaroth is “Pasch”.
The Vines Dictionary explains it best: PASCHA mistranslated “Easter” in Acts 12:4 denotes Passover. The phrase “after the Passover” signifies after the whole festival was at an end. The term Easter is not of Christian origin. It is another form of Astarte, one of the titles of the Chaldean goddess, the queen of heaven. The festival of Pasch in post-apostolic times was a continuation of the Jewish feast but was not instituted by Christ, nor was it connected with lent.
From this Pasch, the Pagan festival of Easter was quite distinct and was introduced into apostate Western religion, as a part of the attempt to adapt Pagan festivals to Christianity.
THIS PAGANISTIC PRACTICE MUST STOP!!! GOD IS NOT HAPPY!!! The practice of the Easter Egg hunt, and activities relating to it is a stumbling block that has been placed before Christians, and Christians participate through ignorance of the Word of God. People will say when told this “Oh but it’s for the children, it’s harmless.” I would rather have my children suffer and not go on an Easter egg hunt which I know offends God, than to have them perish! The children are being taught incorrectly. We were all brought up on that! But it’s wrong! You can’t have two masters! You can’t say that I’m going to church and I’m going to worship God but I’m going let this goddess Ashtaroth in and roll Easter eggs and give out Easter bunnies and Easter baskets. That has nothing to do with Christianity! Nothing!
Every church that participates in this abomination and then turns around and eat and drink the Holy Communion will for certain drink of the wine of the Wrath of God! You can read it like yesterday’s newspaper. This will happen. God not only says this to Per’gamos, but to Thyatira as well. To participate in this practice is to commit spiritual fornication, thus breaking the first and greatest commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” You can’t serve God and Baal and Ashtaroth (Easter). To continue in these practices is to commit the most evil of sins against God. Ignorance of the God’s law is no excuse! If you worship God, then you should know the Law!
You also break other commandments when participating in these abominations:
- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. God is not an Easter Bunny!
- Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Your Sabbath is polluted if you practice these abominations!
- Honor thy father and thy mother. You’re not honoring on your Heavenly Father!
- Thou shall not commit adultery. You are promised to Christ. Because you are promised, you are still considered married because of the promise. He will never marry an unfaithful woman. He will say: “I never knew you.”
- Thou shalt not bear false witness. You bear false witness each time you allow your children or your church members buy an Easter basket or go on an Easter egg hunt.
Jesus says: ‘REPENT; OR ELSE I WILL COME UNTO THEE QUICKLY AND FIGHT AGAINST THEM WITH THE SWORD OF MY MOUTH.” Jesus is serious about this. He knew this was going to happen. You can search the word of God in more places that the ones that I am showing that this is the truth. Jesus promises the one who overcomes that he will give him to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knows except the one receiving it.
Summary:
There is only one God, and to bring practices into the church that are idolatrous, places the church and Godfearing Christians at risk of perishing. If we want to be like the church of Philadelphia, we must not be blind to what God expects of us. If we love God with our hearts, then we will not have any Pagan practices in our worship with him.
Actions Needed to Overcome At Per’gamos:
- Repent and teach all who have been taught incorrectly.
- Turn away from all forms of idolatry, and go back to the one and only true God.
- Remember that you cannot be the Bride of Christ or even in the Bridal party if you are already married to Baal and Ashtaroth. The husband you serve is the one you are with, and you let Ashtaroth stand in as the bride instead of you. If you do not repent, you will find yourself, when he returns, without a husband, headed swiftly for the lake of fire, and Jesus will say, “I never knew you.”
Chapter 2:12-17
Pergamos Test
- What was the church at Pergamos instructed to do
- What is the reward for overcoming at Pergamos?
- Which Spirit is speaking to the church at Pergamos?
- List the good things about the church at Pergamos.
- List the bad things about the church at Pergamos?
- What did the church at Pergamos do wrong?
- What will God do to those at Pergamos who do not
overcome? - In Judges, how did the children of Israel provoke the
Lord to anger? - Who is our Passover?
- Name two idols in this lesson we are to stay away
from?