Revelation 2:19

 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.

·        This church was affirmed for their ministry and endurance in persecution. This is the only church in Revelation commended for both love and service.

·        They increased in their work of ministry. Their deeds were more in number and quality than in their earlier days of ministry.

Genesis 6:5  Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Psalm 94:11  The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

Revelation 2:18

 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,

‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:

·        His eyes speak of His attentiveness to His people and to what they do. Fire symbolizes the impartation of holy love and the release of judgment. He releases either the “fire of grace” or the “fire of judgment” depending on how we respond to Him. In our war against the spirit of Jezebel, Jesus will impart His fiery passion to us (Lk. 24:32; Acts 2:3).

·        Brass is a symbol of judgment against sin. Jesus’ feet of bronze speak of His commitment as a mighty warrior to confront and triumph over persistent immorality with judgment. Jesus promises to tread down as His enemy all that is identified with Jezebel.

Daniel 10:6  His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude

Exodus 24:17  The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.

Revelation 2:17

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.  And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

·        It was hidden only after it was put in the golden pot in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies (Ex. 16:32-36; Heb. 9:1-5). This speaks of having increased capacity to be fed by the revelation of the Word in this age and in the age-to-come.  Hidden manna suggests the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Only the high priest could see this hidden manna once a year, on the Day of Atonement, as he entered the Holy of Holies.

·        It reflects our unique relationship with Jesus. The new name denotes the victor's new state in the age-to-come. It also reveals one’s personality (Gen. 32:28; Isa. 62:2; 65:15).  This is an aspect of our intimacy with God.

 Exodus 16:33, 34  And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for all generations….

 Isaiah 62:2  The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory.  You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will name.

 Isaiah 65:15  You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen; for the Lord GOD will slay you, and call His servants by another name.

Revelation 2:16

 “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

·        We must turn away from personal compromise and tolerance of it in the Church.

·        Jesus will release the sword of His mouth in judgment against this toleration in the church. Jesus will cleanse His Church. This is not a reference to the Second Coming but a coming related to this church’s failure to repent.

 Isaiah 11:4  But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

 Isaiah 49:2  And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword….

Revelation 2:15

 

“Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”

·        This refers to followers of Nicolas, the Jerusalem deacon who fell into error (Acts 6:5). This was the common view among the early church Fathers. For example, Irenaeus in the second century taught that the Nicolaitans were without restraint in their indulgence of the flesh, especially with immorality. This distortion of “liberty in grace” that allows for compromise with a sinful culture is prevalent in the church today.

·        Their standards of belief and behavior were going down steadily.  The Nicolaitans belief could be summed up in that they did not want to be narrow-minded, not puritanical, not catch the disease of religious mania or scruples  They did not want to lose their relationships with the world or reputation because they want to win them; they held mental reservations but the thing is to go as far as we can in a worldly direction to win the world for Christ.  The result was that Christians talked about Jesus, became mixed up with idol worship and lower moral standards. (DP)

·        If Satan does not get us by martyring us he could get us with mixture, by Christians anxious to keep as near to the world as possible and therefore gradually lowering their standards (DP)

·        Nicolaitans – power over laity (PKD)

·        They went from deeds in verse 6 to now a “doctrine”.  (dj)

 Jeremiah 44:4  However I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, “Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!”

 Zechariah 8:17  Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath.  For all these things that I hate, says the LORD.

Revelation 2:14

 “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

·        The two groups (Balaamites and Nicolaitans) were similar yet distinct. They both taught a perversion of the doctrine of liberty. They taught that it was okay to participate in the “partying and immorality” of that day under the pretense of Christian liberty.

·        A stumbling block is a trap that when triggered, shuts on its prey. This refers to anything which causes a person to fall into sin.

 Numbers 24:14  And now, indeed, I am going to my people.  Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.

 Numbers 31:16  Look, these caused the children of Israel, thorough the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

 

Revelation 2:13

 

“I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.  And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where satan dwells.

·        The throne of Satan refers to the multitude of altars of false worship (Zeus, Athena, Dionysos, Asclepius, Emperor worship and Magians) along with the demonic spirit of persecution plus the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans that were strong in that church. The combination of these made Pergamos an oppressive satanic city.

·        As Rome was the center of Satan's activity in the West so Pergamos was his "throne" in the East. Satan’s throne or center of manifest power and activity is also in other cities.

 Exodus 23:24  You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works….

Deuteronomy 15:10  You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.