The Revelation to John: God Wins!

Session Seven

The Seven Letters to the Seven Churches, Revelation 2—3

Part Four: “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write…”

Pergamum

 Capital of Asia

 Emperor Worship – A.D. 29 (Emperor Augustus)

 Four of the most important religious cults

○ Zeus – The King of the gods. Altar to Zeus stood 35 high and 100 feet
long.
○ Athene – The goddess of Heroic Endeavors
○ Dionysos – The god of Agriculture (Wine)
○ Asklepios – The god of Healing

 Huge library – 200,000 volumes

Jesus, 2:12

 He is the one who holds the large, sharp, double edged _______________.
Greek hromphaia the sword of the fierce Thracian warriors. (Used in the
Septuagint of Goliath’s sword).

 Hebrews 4:12: cf. Isaiah 49:2 (Isaiah 11:4, Hosea 6:5)

What He Knows, 2:13-15

 Positive

○ He knows where they _______________.

 The _______________of Satan. Possible a reference to the altar

of _______________

 The _______________place of Satan. Literal?

○ He knows their _______________.

 Galatians 3:27
 Matthew 10:32-33
  Romans 10:9-10

○ He knows their _______________.

 Antipas?

 Negative

○ Held tightly to the doctrine of _______________.

 Numbers 25:1-5; 31:8, 13-16

○ Held tightly to the doctrine of the _______________. Lawless living.

○ The temptation of the church in Pergamum was to play it

_______________. Matthew 6:24

 (Ephesus) Don’t leave your first love, because if you do…

 (Smyrna) you might be tempted to fall into fear. And if you are
afraid you might be tempted to
 (Pergamum) serve both God and mammon.

Repent, 2:16

 Otherwise Jesus will slam us with the _______________of his mouth.

Promise, 2:17

 The _______________manna = The Lord’s _______________

 The white stone = _______________

For Discussion

How does this overview of Revelation 2—3 lead you to…

1) …repentance

2) …faith, and

3) …worship?