The Revelation of Jesus Christ. #5. Pergamum: A Valueless Church for Power (2:12-17)

Transcription

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ #5. Pergamum: A Valueless Church for Power (2:12-17)

2 Eschatology Daniel 5 Pillars of Matthew Revelation Visible Kingdom Spiritual Kingdom Full Kingdom Judged for Sin Promised to Restore Messiah Came & Was Cut-off after 69 Weeks of Daniel Introduced by Christ Rejected by the Jews Realized in the Church Beatitude Is the Key Tribulation: Transition Glorified Christ (1) Church History (2-3) Rapture (4-5) Tribulation (6-18) Kingdom Age (19-22) Key: Dan 9: Weeks of Daniel Key: Matt Olivet Discourse Key: Rev 22 Millennial Kingdom

3 Structure of Revelation Book Epistle Prophecy Preface (1:1-3) Salutation (1:4-8) Vision (1:9-20) 7 Churches (2-3) Rev 1:19 What You Saw Things Are Rapture (4-5) Thing to Come Tribulation (6-18) 2nd Coming (19) Millennium (20) Eternity (21-22:5) Testimony (21:6-20) Benediction (21:21)

4 Seven Churches

5 7 First Century Churches in Asia It Is a Chain of Metropolitan House Church Networks in Asia Minor Set up by Apostles Paul (A.D ) and John (A.D ). Ephesus Leads the Other 6 Churches; Each Church Leads the Churches of Nearby Cluster of Towns; e.g. Colossae Was Lead by Laodicea. The Encyclical Epistle of Ephesians Was Passed from Ephesus to the 6, then to Others. For Colossae, It Became the Letter from Laodicea (Col 4:16)

6 7 Types of Churches in History 7 Letters Characteristics Types of Churches Ephesus Loveless Church for Truth Fundamentalist Churches Smyrna Moneyless Church for Faith Persecuted House Churches Pergamum Valueless Church for Power State Churches Thyatira Moral-less Church for Work Roman Catholic Church Sardis Breathless Church for Life Reformed Denominations Philadelphia Borderless Ch. for Missions Evangelical Churches Laodicea Churches for Success Senseless Ch. for WellBeing

7 7 Historical Periods Kingdom Parables (Mt 13) 7 Letters (Rev 2-3) Historical Periods Historical Time Sower Ephesus Apostolic Tare Smyrna Patristic Mustard Seed Pergamum Imperial Leaven Thyatira Roman Catholic Hidden Treasure Sardis Reformation Pearl in the Sea Philadelphia Evangelical Dragnet Laodicea Postmodern 1990-Rapture

8 Historical and Prophetic

9 Opinions There Are 4 School of Thoughts on the Interpretation of the 7 Letters to 7 Churches: 1. 1st Century Historical (7 Local Churches in Asia) 2. All Times Historical (7 Types of Churches in All Times) 3. Historical-Prophetic (7 Periods in Church History) Each Having Only 1 of the 7 Types [Exclusive View] Each Dominated by 1 of the 7 Types [Non-exclusive View] 4. Futurist-Prophetic (1 Kind of Jewish Church in the Tribulation)

10 Elements in the 7 Letters Elements Content & Meaning Church Name Symbolic Meaning Christ Self Claim He Owns Something the Church Needs Knowledge & Praise Positive Aspects Are Praised Criticism/Warning Negative Aspects Will Be Corrected Prophecy Future Events for Refining the Church Proclamation He Who Has a Ear, Let Him Hear Promise Reward for the Overcomers

11 Church s Name 12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: (Rev. 2:12 NAU) Pergamum in Greek Originally Means Citadel. It Was Made the Capital of a Hellenistic Kingdom in 281 B.C. The City Was Built on a Hill 1000-ft High. Pergamum Made Writing on Parchment a Profitable & Prevalent Business, and Created a Great Library. Parchment Was Named after Pergamum.

12 Historical Kingdom Philetaerus ( B.C.). Founder of the Kingdom of Pergamum ( B.C.). Former Lieutenant of Lysimachus ( B.C.) A Eunuch, Himself, He Adopted His Nephew Eumenes I ( B.C.)

13 Historical Kingdom Attalus I Soter ( B.C.), King of Pergamum. 1st Cousin & Adopted Son of Eumenes I. He Defeated the Galatians (Celtic Invaders of Asia Minor), and Settled Them in Galatia.

14 Historical Kingdom Eumenes II Soter ( B.C.), Son of Attalus II. Ally of Rome in Defeating Antiochus III the Great at the Battle of Magnesia (190 B.C.) He Expanded the Library of Pergamum to 200,000 Books of Parchment, Which Were Later Moved to Alexandria.

15 Historical Kingdom Attalus II Philadelphus ( B.C.), Brother of Eumenes II. He Married His Brother s Widow Stratonice, and Ruled for His Nephew Attalus III. Attalus III Philometor Euergetes (158/ B.C.) Bequeathed the Kingdom to Rome.

16 Historical City The City Has Temples to Greek Gods: Zeus (Savior), Athena (Victory), Dionysius (Pleasure), and Asclepius (Healing: Symbol: Snake). The City Was the First in Asia to Have Temples for Roman Emperors: Augustus and Trajan (in Picture)

17 City s Name Beside Citadel (due to Location) and Parchment (due to Invention), Some Linguists Found the Name Related to Thoroughly Married (or Bigamy). This Enhances the Prophetic Correspondence to the Roman Imperial Church Period ( ), where the Church and the State Are Married, and the Believers Have Two Lords: Christ and Caesar. When Caesar Agrees with Christ, Believers Have a Great Time; But When They Disagree, Believers Have to Be Against All (Anti-pas).

18 Constantine the Great Constantine I the Great (b. 272), Son of Constantius (Western Caesar [Deputy Emperor] 293, W. Augustus [Senior Emperor] 305, d. 306): Western Emperor 306, Sole Emperor 324. Dream: With His Conquer ; Battle of Milvian Bridge 312

19 Constantine the Great Constantine Was Influenced by the Good Characters of the Christian Generals and Soldiers in His Army. When He Faced the Stronger Maxentius (r ), He Prayed to the God of the Christians, and Promised that He Would Believe if He Was Given Victory, Which Seemed Impossible. He Had a Dream, Seeing a Cross on the Shields, Hearing By This, Conquer. He Asked His Soldiers to Paint a Cross on Their Shields, and Conquer They Did.

20 Constantine the Great Constantine Issued the Edict of Milan in 313, Legalizing Christianity, and Stopped the Persecutions. Right after Securing His Sole Emperor Position in 324, He Presided the Council of Nicaea in 325, Trying to Unite the Christian Church (Divided between the Orthodox [Trinitarians] and the Arians {Unitarians]). Constantine Ruled Fairly over the Christians and the Pagans, Raising Them according to Merit Only.

21 Constantine the Great Constantine Never Gave up His Role as the Pontificus Maximus (High Priest) of the Roman Pagan Religion. But He Never Performed a Sacrifice to Jupiter. He Moved the Capital from Rome (a Pagan City) to Constantinople (Formerly Byzantium, Rebuilt as a Christian City; Inaugurated in 324, Dedicated in 330). He Was the First Christian Emperor, through He Was Only Baptized on His Death Bed by Eusebius of Nicomedia, an Arian.

22 Roman State Church The Christian Roman Empire and the Roman State Church Were Married from Constantine. He Built Cathedrals throughout the Empire; and Ordered Copying the Full Bible (LXX OT and NT), Placing 1 in Each Cathedral. Some Still Remain. The Church Submits to the State in the State Church. This Tradition Is Kept in Eastern Orthodox Church (Officially Split with the Western Church in 1054).

23 Ecumenical Church Councils 1. The 1st Council of Nicaea (325): Jesus Is God; Established Trinitarianism as Orthodoxy; and Condemned Arianism (Jesus Is Created) as Heresy. 2. The 1st Council of Constantinople (381): Holy Spirit Is God; Condemn Apollinarianism (Jesus Is God Only in Spirit). 3. The Council of Ephesus (431): Mary Is the Mother of God (Theotokos); Condemned Nestorianism (Jesus Is 2 Persons with 2 Natures).

24 Ecumenical Church Councils 4. The Council of Chalcedon (451): Established Mainstream Orthodox Christology (Jesus Is 1 Person with 2 Natures [Divine & Human]; the 2 Are United but Not Mixed as 1 Nature, Nor ever Separate). There Is a Minority in Eastern Churches (e.g. Coptic; NonChalcedonian Orthodoxy): 2 Nature Unite as 1 though Do Not Mix. The Issue Is Never Resolved until Modern Times, because a Greater Issue Arose: Islam. All the Major Branches of Christianity Agree with Chalcedonian Christology.

25 Angel of the Church The Angel (Messenger) of the Church of Pergamum Could Well Be Athanasius (c ): Bishop of Alexandria ( ). Athanasius Was a Chief Defender of Trinitarianism, the Author of the Athanasian Creed, 1 of the 4 Universal Creeds (Apostle s Creed; Nicaean Creed; Chalcedonian Creed; Anthanasian Creed). He Lived under 4 Emperors; Was Exiled 5 Times. He Never Surrendered to Persecution, and Saw Vindication.

26 Christ s Self Claim The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: (Rev. 2:12 NAU) The two-edged sword Appear in NT before Revelation Only Once: 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) Christ Can Judge the Intentions of the Heart when Belief in Him Is Related to Power and Wealth in State Churches.

27 Knowledge and Praise 13 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (Rev. 2:13 NAU) Satan s Throne: State Power Is Part of the World System, where Satan Currently Is the King. When the Church Unites with the State, It Is Playing with Tiger. Antipas ( Against All ) Was a Martyr in the first Century Church of Pergamum, and Type of Persecuted Christians by the State Churches.

28 Criticism (1) 14 'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. (Rev. 2:14NAU) Balaam (bala = Devour; am = People) Was Supposedly a Prophet for God, but He Loved Money and Gave Ideas to Balak to Corrupt Israelite Men from Body to Spirit. The Teaching of Balaam = the Love of Money = Greed = the Lust of the Eyes. (1 John 2:16)

29 Criticism (2) 15 'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (Rev. 2:15 NAU) Nicolas Was 1 of the 7 Deacons of the Apostolic Church. He Was a Proselyte from Paganism to Judaism to Christianity to Heresy. He Seemed to Have Adopted the Theory of Sanctification through Sinning. Symbolically: Nico = Conquer and Laity = People; so Nicolaitans = Love of Power = Pride =the Boastful Pride of Life. (1 John 2:16)

30 Exhortation/Warning 16 'Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. (Rev. 2:16 NAU) Repentance: Be Pure in Heart (Matt 5:8), Putting God s Value and Interest over and above Self s. Sword of Mouth : Jesus Can Distinguish the Intentions of the Heart (Heb 4:12). When He Comes, His Word Will Kill the Unbelievers in Heart (Rev 19:15)

31 Proclamation and Promise 17 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.' (Rev. 2:17 NAU) The Hidden Manna: Provisions in Life (Money); The White Stone: Identity, Authority, Power, Forgiveness (Get-Out-of-Jail-Guilt-free Pass) In Christ We Have It All; Do Not Have to Seek from the World.