address that John was divinely
told to write and to send to the seven churches, but this
was directed to the church at Pergamos. And we're told these
things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges. Well we know of course that the
One who had the seven swords with the sharp edges was none
other than the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. And we know that
when the Lord of God speaks to us through His Word, then that
has an effect. It cuts. It cuts into our heart. It corrects us. And it has two
edges so it turns both ways and it performs that which Almighty
God has determined it should do. And so we should be thankful
to realize that here we have a God who's kind and gracious
and yet doesn't leave us by ourselves but does deal with us. And then
he comes and he says, I know thy works. and where thou dwellest. Well,
he knows that with you and me. He knows our works. He knows
what we do in the Lord's name and for his honour and glory.
He knows the things that we don't do. I know thy works and where
thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is. Now it's interesting
that Pergamos was located apparently on a large rocky hill. And here the god of healing was
worshipped under the emblem of a serpent. So that's why we have
this statement of Satan's seat, where Satan's seat is. They had
a compromising attitude joining in immoral feasts just like people
do today, although they had held fast to the faith amidst persecution. Yet, as we read on, like Balaam,
they were deceitful. The word of God would condemn
them. And so we have this statement
here. I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's
seat is, and their hold is fast. my name and has not denied my
faith. So that's a great blessing, isn't
it? If you and I come under that category, that we do hold fast
God's name and have not denied faith so it's a blessing if God
gives us that grace and that strength so to do and he says
even in those days where Antipas was my faithful martyr who was
slain among you where Satan dwelleth there were of course many in
those days who were martyrs who were slain for the truth's sake
we may think we live in a difficult age in other countries especially
where people are slain for the truth's sake. But it hasn't changed. It was still the same then. There
were those who were slain for the truth's sake. They were martyrs.
And it makes us realise how wonderfully favoured we are in our nation
at the present time. It hasn't always been like this,
as you know. were martyrs in the days of the
Reformation, but the day and age in which we live we can worship
peaceably for which we should be very thankful and we should
appreciate it and come to God with praise.' And then he says,
but having said that, having given them that commendation,
he says, but I have a few things against thee because thou hast
there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to
cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel. Well
there are today the stumbling blocks which we find are put
before the Church of God and we need grace and wisdom to appreciate
when they are placed there so that we do stumble And not only
that, but we're told he cast a stone before the children of
Israel to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. Well, again, these are the few
things that were against the church at Pergamos. And as I
have said before, these letters to these seven churches were
to be read to all the churches. So they weren't to think, well,
we haven't got to worry about anything like that because it
doesn't apply to us. All these things were there for their encouragement
and correction. And they're there today for you
and me. It's not something which is past
and irrelevant. These things are relevant to
you and me today. And we should be concerned that
we walk rightly before our God. And so he goes on. So hast thou
those that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing
I hate. We've had that before in the
previous church where we have that statement. We don't know
precisely what this means about the Nicolaitans, but we know
it wasn't good. And therefore we have to be aware
not to follow doctrines which are not good, but which are those
things perhaps which the Lord hates and we are to turn away
from them. And then he comes and says, repent. Well how necessary that is for
all of us. In our lives we all need to repent. And it's not something we just
do once. Because the devil is very active. and very keen to
make us sin and very keen to make us do those things not in
accordance with the Word of God. So we should recognise that we
do need to repent. We shouldn't think, well, I've
passed that stage. No, it's something which we need
to continually bear in mind and come to our God with repentance
as we pray to Him And he warns them, repent or else I will come
unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of
my mouth. So again you see the Lord gives
a very stern warning. If we don't repent, he'll come
to us quickly and fight against us. with the words of his mouth. Then he says, He that hath an
ear again, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
We are to listen to the Word of God. We are to recognise it
speaks today to us as we're on the earth. And although written
so many years ago, so many things are appropriate. He that hath
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
And then he says, to him that overcometh. And of course, we
only overcome through the Saviour. We only overcome through the
blood of the Lamb. But what a great blessing if
God gives us grace so to do. What that really means is to
be found looking unto Jesus. That means to be dependent upon
what he's done, to seek to do his will and to follow his great
and glorious example which we have set before us. And so, to
him that overcometh, when I give to eat of the hidden manna you
may think well that's an interesting statement the hidden manna well
what does that mean? well we do have a word in the
Psalms which really fits this position and it's in the 25th
Psalm in the 14th verse and this is what it says the secret the
hidden word the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him,
and he will show them his covenant. So therefore, this hidden manna,
this spiritual food, God does give, and he gives it to his
people, and it is a secret. No one else knows. Only those
who have been spoken to by the Lord as they read his word, as
he conveys the power of it into their souls. And they realise
the glorious secret of salvation. And the covenants of God are
shown to them. They rejoice in them. The secret
of the Lord is with them that fear him. So, if you and I trust
and believe that we do fear God, it would be good to just examine
ourselves. to see whether we also know this
great blessing and wonderful secret of the Lord, which is
with them that fear God. And then he goes on to say, and
will give them a white stone and in the stone a new name written. Well, that's something which
we probably don't understand or appreciate, but I understand
that, of course, in the games, the Olympic Games, which occurred
very many years ago, to those who won races was given white
stones, and their names were written on those white stones. So we can see the analogy, can't
we, here, and we'll give him white stone that shows that we
won the race not because of what we've done but the blessed Lord
Jesus Christ has run that race. on our behalf and has won it. And what a great, wonderful blessing
that is. And in the stone, a new name
written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. Again, it's that great blessing
in which God shows to us that personal revelation that we are
his children. It's very humbling, isn't it?
So many have passed by, but I think that God, in his wonderful love,
looks upon us, remembers us, and shows to us that we are his
children, and therefore we have the evidence like this, a white
stone with our name written on it, a positive evidence. It was
a positive evidence in those days. It's a positive evidence
today. God's children, by His grace,
do have the evidence. And we shouldn't turn away from
it. We shouldn't think, well, I don't think I know anything
of these things. The devil wants you to deny what God has done. But if God has called us by His
grace, what a wonderful favour. What a wonderful blessing. And
what a great thing if you and I can acknowledge it, which no
man knows, saving him that receiveth it. Well, there we are, friends.
There's a few comments then on the Church of Pergamos. So we've
done three out of seven. May the Lord bless these thoughts.