Читать книгу Hidden In Plain Sight: A Study of the Revelation to John - Uchenna Mezue - Страница 18

2¹² “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. ¹³ I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.¹⁴ Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. ¹⁵ Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶ Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.¹⁷Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

The Lord here approaches as the Judge. The judgment of Truth, the sharp sword with two edges is the form of the Son of Man here. This is a community on the edge. Pergamum believers exist in the extreme border of the activity of the Light (where Satan’s seat is). Although, the third church or Universe addressed, this community exists at the extreme limit of the work of the Son of Man. Pergamum is a failing church, the 7^th in ranking. Indeed, it has been suggested that Ephesus is the last community that can still be allowed the grace of existence as the others had fallen too deeply. Their star is flickering, but seems to gain strength from the words of the Son of Man. The faithful, although few and in very difficult straits, are holding fast to the name of the Lord even under threat of martyrdom.

Yet, even among the striving few, the seed of intellectual decadence runs deep – the subtlety of the doctrine of Balaam that introduces obstacles in the path of the faithful (Israel). These obstacles are in the nature of a distortion of concepts, blurring the margins between what is right and what is wrong. As a result, those who should know better are unable to perceive when they stray from the Will of God in flirtation with idols. Concepts are also blurred with regards to many virtues, but particularly in sexual immorality, which often goes with self-worship and the worship of false gods. Many of us succumb to this particular weakness and we are no longer able to discern that homosexuality, fornication, adultery, impure thoughts and acts are immoral and that they separate us from the Light of God. These are particular problems of our time, when the Christian churches seem to have failed badly.

Again, as in Ephesus, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans is found. However, unlike the Ephesians, the Pergamum community of striving human spirits have not clearly rejected them. Compromises with idolatry (whether it is self-worship, money, power or a row of wood carvings) and sexual excesses represent major obstacles to spiritual striving. There is indeed a lot of similarity between the situation of Ephesus and that of Pergamum. However, whereas Ephesus lost sight of its goal, Pergamum is bound in the toils of Satan. In both cases, failure is due to over dependency on their intellect (this is the real doctrine of the Nicolaitans). Another similarity is the admonition that they must listen. Both communities have blocked their spiritual intuitive perception and can no longer hear.

The Truth approaches in Judgment and unless Pergamum repents, the sword of Truth will descend upon them suddenly. The judgment of Pergamum is imminent and it is imperative that they listen to the Spirit of Truth. Those that overcome by their perseverance in the Truth will be allowed to eat spiritual food from the table of the Lord and they will be given a new name. The reward is spiritual, suggesting that perhaps, the community is destroyed and the overcomers return to the spiritual home. They will be permitted a personal knowledge of the Lord their God – the hidden manna.

The white stone, with a new name written on it which only the receiver knows, suggests a new spiritual personality. They will be permitted contact with the Spirit of Truth and/or His work. The white stone like the white garment represent the spiritual being and if we overcome we receive a new spiritual identity.