Revelation Chapter 17
LESSON 5: WHAT IS THE PERGAMOS CONNECTION TO PAGANISM? PERGAMUM:
WED TO THE WORLD REVELATION 2:12-17
12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp
sword with two edges;
13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast
my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr,
who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of
Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of
my mouth.
17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
REVELATION FINISHES WHAT GENESIS STARTED
GENESIS REVELATION
Creation Heaven and Earth 1:1 — A New Creation of both 21:1
Earth Created 1:1 — Earth passes away 21:1
Light created 1:3 — Christ is the Light 21:23
Night instituted 1:4 — No Night 21:25
Sun and moon placed 1:16 — Not needed 21:23
First rest 2:2 — Final rest 14:13
The River 2:10 — River of Life 22:1
Eden 2:8 — Paradise 2:7
Servants appointed 2:15 — Servants serving 22:3
Death 2:17 — No more death 21:4
First Warning 2:17 — Last Warning 22:19
First marriage 2:18-25 — Last Marriage 21:9
Satan appears 3:1 — Satan stopped 20:10
Sin starts 3:6 — Sin ends 20:14-15
God’s face hidden 3:8, 24 — See His face 22:4
Gates shut 3:24 — Gates open 21:25
Curse 3:16-24 — No more Curse 22:3
Pain 3:16 — No pain 21:4
Sorrow and tears 21:16 — Tears stop 21:4
Judgment promised 3:15-24 — Judgment executed 20:13
Tree of Life 3:22 — Tree 22:2, Book 20:12 & Water 21:6 of Life
Paradise Lost 3:23 — Paradise Regained 22:14
City of Man 4:17 — City of God 21:2
First murder 4:8; — polygamist 4:19;
liar, rebel; drunkard… — Doom of all such 21:8
Babylon starts 10:9-10 — Babylon ends 18:2
Jerusalem 14:18 — New Jerusalem 21:2
Twelve Sons 30:1-19 — Twelve Tribes 21:12
The church is in seven successive stages as well as co-existing phases….
1. In Ephesus then and TBC today there were those whose love had cooled and those who were fervent and warm.
2. In Smyrna and TBC there were faithless and faithful.
3. In Pergamos then and TBC now there were those wed to the World and those knit to Christ alone.
How inescapable is the Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ, as He penetrates each heart searching its condition today!
Now 2:12-17 Letter #3 (As the others in six parts) PART ONE MEET THE ASSEMBLY GOD CAN GROW HIS CHURCH ANYWHERE! v. 12a
First the Assembly – The word Pergamum literally means, “mixed marriage”.
*Geographically, this city was 80 miles north of Smyrna, 15 miles inland from the Aegean on a hill 1000 feet
above the fertile valleys.
* Historically in 95 AD as John wrote it was an old city, it had been the capital of Asia Minor for 300 years.
* Culturally it was a university town (with the largest library in the ancient world rivaling with Alexandria)
w/200,000 volumes. In fact, Pergamos is noted for parchment (boiled animal skins) that books were written on.
* Religiously it was a sacred (to pagans) city. 1. Dionysisus (Bacchus) worship gods of orgies, wine and debauchery.
2. Zeus worship (King of Greek/Roman gods). The largest and most famous wonders of ancient world, the altar of
Zeus was extending 40’ over a cliff.
3. Ascelapius worship (god of healers) – snakes that slithered over people on dark and wet floors to cure them.
4. Satan’s throne (He was running his global operation out of this city) Ephesians 6 – thrones, dominions.
Two times says it, look at you. So this assembly was right in the middle of:
1. The IMMORALITY CENTER OF THE ANCIENT WORLD. Bacchus/Dionysisus
2. The IDOLATRY CENTER OF THE ANCIENT WORLD to the king of the gods of the pagan Graeco-Roman religion of
Zeus or Jupiter.
3. The FALSE HEALING CENTER OF THE ANCIENT WORLD with drug induced stupors, snakes and the false god of healing:
Ascelapius
4. Finally, SATANIC CENTER OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, the Devil himself had a personal throne there for the time
as headquarters for his global rebellion. And in that place was a church… the assembly at Pergamos.
LESSON ONE – CHRIST CAN SAVE! The vilest offender, who truly believes, that moment, from Jesus, a pardon
receives.
Clinging to Jesus Discover the MESSAGE OF JESUS challenging me to have Him as all I CLING TO
(Pergamos) Christ has one message to this church: Repent of being wed to the World, stop worldliness…
with unbelievers.
* The majority of those who call themselves Christians in our World today follow a way
of worship that would have offended the apostles and early saints.
* What do I mean?
1. The statues of Christ and saints with candles and incense burning before them are idolatrous.
2. The incense, the orders of priests and monks (would be contradictory to Christ-like humility),
the calendar of observances, the titles of pontiff, vicar, most excellent, holy water, purgatory,
and so much more. All that came directly from the pagans. The early saints tried to convert!
* There was the Ephesian period–30-60 AD a period of warmth and love and labor for Christ, dating
directly from the apostles, in which defection began by the gradual cooling of the love of some,
the false professions of others and the incoming of undue exaltations of the clergy and church offices.
* Then came the Smyrna period–60 -300 AD the era of martyrdom, and of the sweet savor unto God of
faithfulness unto death, but marked with further developments of defection in the establishment of
castes and orders, the license of Judaizing propensities, and consequent departures from the true
simplicities of the Gospel.
* Then followed the Pergamite period, 300-500 AD in which true faith more and more disappeared from view,
and clericalism gradually formed itself into a system, and the church united with the World, and Babylon
began to rear itself aloft.
* It is the historic portrait of the era when the true Holy Catholic Church
united with Roman paganism.
* It is the timeless portrait of any so-called Christian who loves and joins in with unbelievers and in
the World system. It warns of the deadly sin of being in love and communion with that which God has
condemned and will destroy…God has told us there is only one action to take when confronted with
worldliness and apostasy: SEPARATE FROM IT!
* 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has
righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
15. and what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
16. and what agreement has the Temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.
As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
17. Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and
I will receive you.”
* James 4:4-8 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts,
ye double minded.
* 1 John 2:15-17 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.
16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
(Remember how the Apostle John dealt with the infidel apostate Celsius? He ran out of the bathhouse when he
was told Celsius was in there!)
* Revelation 18:1-4
1. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was
lightened with his glory.
2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become
the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins,
and that ye receive not of her plagues.
“Only one life to live and soon is past
Only what’s done for Christ will last!”
Hoping to make the time I have left count for the glory of God.
Revelation Chapter 17 LESSON 5: WHAT IS THE PERGAMOS CONNECTION TO PAGANISM? PERGAMUM: