REVELATION 2:12-17

Pergamum was the most important city in W. Asia Minor. It was the official administrative capital of the province.

Where Satan dwells

1. The shrine of Demeter, goddess of grain (wash in ox's blood to purify), was here. Hidden manna reference: Jews felt that manna was hidden in heaven but would again descend when the Messiah came. Here manna typifies spiritual life; Christ himself was the Bread of Life.

2. Dionysus Temple (son of God and man, promised life after death, devotees united with him during bacchanales involving wine and raw meat). For the reference to the teachings of Balaam, see Numbers 25.

3. Aesculapius, the god of healing, was symbolized by a snake. If so, this is another reference to the Exodus period in which Moses had the people make an image of a snake and raise it up on a stick; whoever looked on it was healed (It was later destroyed because people began to worship it).

4. “Pergamum was seen as the seat of the power of evil, because in the imperial cult the God-given power of the State had been harnessed to the blasphemous worship of a man.” (New Bible Dictionary)

5. The throne may refer to the impressive altar to Zeus, chief of all the gods. It is now preserved in the Berlin Museum.

Christ as wielder of the sword

1. This reminds us who has the true power.

2. The sword is the Word of God, in contrast to human wisdom. This was important in Pergamum where there was a university library of about 200,000 volumes and since Pergamum was known for the manufacture of parchment paper known as pergamena.

White stone In general, white represents purity and freedom from guilt while “stone” indicates permanency, durability.

1. It may be an allusion to white cubes used as theater tickets in the ancient world.

2. Alternatively, it could refer to the white stones used by jury members in voting guilt or innocence of one on trial. See Romans 8:1.

3. Or it may be an allusion to tessera hospitalis in two parts inscribed with two names and exchanged with others giving them an open invitation to the other person's house for dinner (invitation to the heavenly banquet table).

4. It may refer to the12 stones on the priest's breastplate standing for the 12 tribes of Israel (God's people).

5. A stone given to a favorite gladiator proclaiming that he could retire in honor and no longer had to fight for his life (“I have fought the good fight...”).

New name

1. If it refers to God or Christ, then it confers divine power on the person, an allusion to secret amulets which only worked if the inscribed name on them was kept secret. (see 3:12 and 22:4 in contrast to the mark of the beast).

2. If it is a new name for the person (as Abram became Abraham, or Jacob became Israel) then it “signifies the overcomer's right to enter the kingdom of God in a character all of his own, molded by the grace of God in him.” New Bible Commentary See Isaiah 62:2.

3. A combination of 1 and 2; it may mean a compound name with God in it (as in David = beloved of God). It may describe our special relationship with God or Christ, or the attribute of God which he has let us share in the most.

Questions:

1. What do you think about the fact that many of these gods had attributes similar to Jesus?

2. Where does Satan dwell today in America?

A. Wall Street, Hollywood, Washington DC

B. 9/11 targets of terrorists: Twin Trade Towers, White House, Pentagon

C. Look at analogies to the Pergamum temples

1. Emperor cult: government, politics

2. Zeus altar: false religion

3. Demeter shrine: economic power, money

4. Aesculapius complex: medicine (including psychiatry), technology

5. Dionysus temple: pleasure, happiness, sex