Biblical Church History

Biblical Church History Following the Hand of God and the Hand of Satan

Pergamos Revelation 2:8-11 c.325-500 A.D. “Much Marriage”

Pergamos I. The Commission Rev. 2: 12

(Rev 2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Pergamos II. The Character Rev. 2: 12b

(Rev 2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Pergamos • We have learned from the first two letters to the churches, that our Lord teaches us something about the periods of church history, even through the words He chooses to describe Himself to each particular church. • He identifies Himself by using some aspect of His character, that the church in that period of history needed to be reminded of as they faced the opposition of Satan to counter and counterfeit the working of Christ through His true church. H

Smyrna A. Power of His Word “Much Marriage ”

Pergamos • The sharp sword that has two edges is none other than the Word of God H

(Eph 6:17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

(Heb 4:12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

(Rev 1:16) And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Pergamos • The sharp sword that has two edges is none other than the Word of God • One Edge for Healing and Help H

(Heb 4:12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

(1Pe 1:23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Pergamos • The sharp sword that has two edges is none other than the Word of God • One Edge for Healing and Help • One Edge is for Judgment and Destruction H

(Rev 19:15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Rev 19:21) And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

(Joh12:46-48) I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Pergamos • The sharp sword that has two edges is none other than the Word of God • One Edge for Healing and Help • One Edge is for Judgment and Destruction • The two edges in context H

(Rev 2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; (Rev 2:16) Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Smyrna B. Proxy of His Word “Much Marriage ”

Pergamos • Jesus presents Himself in this way to the church representing the Pergamos Church Period because He knows that one of the key things Satan will seek to pull off in this period, is to set up a false church that calls itself the “universal Christianity,” or Catholic Church”, that it will set itself up as authoritative, and will claim to be the sole interpretation of the Bible, and the means of grace for salvation, rather than Christ H

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994), in which Pope John Paul II said in the introduction, (the catechism)…is offered to every individual who wants to know what the Catholic Church believes,” Article 100 of the Catechism says: “The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the Bishops in communion with him.”

The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism explains: “For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of salvation can be obtained.”

819 "Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth"[273] are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements."[274] Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him,[275] and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity."

Pergamos III. The Commendation Rev. 2: 13

(Rev 2:13) 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.

Pergamos • This speaks of his omnipresence • This also speaks of his being omniscient H

Pergamos • Historical Application • Remember where Satan’s “seat” used to be, and where he used to “dwell”…In Babylon. • The “city” and “tower” of Babel was the beginning of Satan’s seat false system of religion • The counterfeiting components of his religious system: • A “holy mother” who bring forth a child..This child is.. • A son who is supposedly conceived supernaturally.. H

Pergamos • …his birthday is December 25 and is celebrated with feasting, parades, holly, mistletoe, yule logs, and evergreen trees that are brought into the house and decked. • The mother is central to the religion and is prayed to as the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of God, the mediatrix, and the Madonna. • The mother and child represent the gods of love and life. (fertility) H

Pergamos • The son dies, is buried, but after forty days of weeping by his mother, is miraculously ressurected..And the event is celebrated in the Spring of each year on a day called “Ishtar”, pronounced Easter..And includes bunny, colored eggs, bonnets, and Easter sunrise services held in honor to the riser “savior god” of the Babylon religion. • The worship also included ritualistic and repetitive prayers that are used that are prayed using rosary beads. H

Pergamos • It included worship of status, and the symbol of this Satanic counterfeit religion was the sign of the cross. • As long as Babylon was the dominant world power, it served as a great headquarters, or base of operations for Satan’s religious counterfeit. • When Babylon’s glory began to fade, Satan sought another headquarters, and the place he chose was Pergamos. H

Pergamos • At the time John wrote (90 A.D.), Pergamos was the capital of the Roman government in Asia • The Roman form of government, was taken from the city and tower of Babel, and was not just a political system, but also a religious system. H

Pergamos • The gigantic 'Altar of Pergamon' dominates Germany's Pergamon Museum in former East Berlin. Originally sited in Asia Minor, the Temple at Pergamon with its altar was the centre of Emperor worship; the price of refusal to acknowledge the Emperor as God - ritual murder on the altar! Revelation 2:13 calls it 'Satan's Seat' or 'the Throne of Satan. H

Pergamos • On its steps early Christians were martyred for their unswerving faith in Christ. German archaeologist Carl Human found it in almost perfect condition in the late 1800's and carefully shipped every stone to Berlin. In 1902 Kaiser Wilhelm II celebrated its erection in Berlin as the 'proudest monument to his reign' - with an extravagant festival to the pagan gods. H

'Altar of Pergamon'

Pergamos • The Prophetic Application • Verse 13 is a picture of the fact that in the Pergamos church period, Satan is going to take his seat over the Babylonian religion to Rome, and it will become the place where he will dwell, and become his seat of operation. • The pagan religion of Rome becomes the Papal religion of Rome. H

Pergamos • It represents a period of church history from 325 to 500 A.D. (which brings us up to the Dark ages in which he will move his operation head (seat or chair) to Roman. In Roman he will rule Ex Cathedra. • Ex Cathedra (Latin: from the chair), the Chair of Peter. When a Pope speaks from the chair (cathedra) of authority as the visible head of all Christians, his teaching is infallibly Christ’s true teaching. H

Pergamos • Notice also in verse 13, that amidst all of the deception and corruption and persecution in the Pergamos period, God still had those who were standing against the church-state set up of Rome. • Antipas • Bishop or Pastor of the Pergamos Church • Names means against (against the Pope) • Was beheaded for not bowing to idols H

Pergamos • Our connection to those faithful brothers and sisters in the Pergamos period… • They are the reason we have the Bible we hold in our hands. • They are the reason we have the salvation we possess in our souls! • They loved the Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ more than they loved unity. • They loved the Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ more than they loved their own life. H

Pergamos • An Edict was passed in 380 A.D. stating… “We order those who follow this doctrine to receive the title of Catholic Christians but others we judge to be mad and raving and worthy of incurring the disgrace of heretical teaching, nor are their assemblies to receive the name of churches. They are to be punished not only by Divine retribution but also by our own measures, which we have decided in accordance with Divine Inspiration • Feb 27 380 Ad (Edict of Emperors Gratian, Valentinian II and Theodosius H

Biblical Church History