January 8 - Revelation. Pergamum (pt. 2)

January 8 – Revelation. Pergamum (pt. 2).
Revelation 2:12-17

“Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” (Rev. 2:14-16)

Balaam’s story takes up a great deal of the book of Numbers in the Old Testament, but the revealing part of the story occurs in Numbers 31. Moses is furious with the army of Israel. They had been sent to war against the Midianites and brought back the women and tried to integrate them into the camp. It’s a little gory, but you might take the time to read Numbers 31:1-24. In Numbers 31:17, Moses tells them to kill all the boys and every woman who has slept with a man.

Now this doesn’t quite fit with our current sense of right and wrong in warfare, but this was a tribe that was trying to maintain its purity as it headed for the Proised Land. God wasn’t prepared for them to blend in with the tribes they conquered. Obviously the same thing was happening in Pergamum. The Christians were trying to blend in with the city and were losing their identity in Christ.

The Nicolaitans were a sect that followed teachings unacceptable to Christianity. Jesus told His church that they couldn’t remain pure and blameless if they accepted the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. It was time for the them to take a stand. The had to reject the intermixing of civic and religious lives. What types of things do we do to fit into American society, to be socially acepted?

Jesus says, “Repent!” He is coming and will fight this behavior with the Sword. He will separate His people from this world.

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

To the overcomer, Jesus promises hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. (Rev. 2:17)

Manna was the bread from heaven that the Israelites received from God even after the complained and whined because they were afraid of starvation.

“He rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat.” (Psalm 78:24-25)

They ate the bread of the angels. In John 6:48-51, we read that Jesus is the bread of life. “If a man eats of this bread, he will live forever.” (John 6:51)

God commanded Moses to place about 4 qts of manna in the Ark of the Covenant. In Hebrews 9:4, Paul tells us what was in the Ark: gold jar of manna, Aaron’s rod, and the stone tablets. But, the Ark had been lost to the people of Israel. The physical manna that God had given to the Israelites no longer existed. However, the bread of life – Jesus Christ, is now available to everyone!

The white stone has been interpreted many different ways. In ancient courtrooms, white stones were cast by judges if the person was innocent, black if they were guilty. It could refer to a stone in the breastplate of the high priest (Ex. 28:30). Another possibility is that it was a token for entrance to Christs feast, symbolizing the triumph of faith. All of these interpretations could be true, or it could be something completely different.

As for the new name, we receive a new identity in Christ. We can set the old aside and claim the identity that Jesus has for us. In John 15:15, we are called Jesus’ friend. Paul says we are a saint in Ephesians 1:1 and we are also known as Blessed(Rev. 1:3).

We will receive our new name soon enough. For now, the name you have identifies you as the person Jesus loves.