Revelation 2:12-17

The beginning of Revelation consists of letters written to the seven churches. After these letters, begin the prophecies of the end times. It’s almost as if Jesus is writing us these letters to give us one last chance before the tribulation takes place.  Though these letters were written to the churches of long ago, they sure do sound like the churches of today. These letters are warnings to us that the time is near. 

In the letter to the angel of the church of Pergamum, Jesus, who has the two-edged sword, says that He knows your works and where you dwell – where your heart is. He even knows where Satan’s seat is, and He knows that some of you are following the wrong teachings. He also appreciates those who remain faithful to Him.  

He holds against you whom you follow – the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to cause the children of Israel to stumble, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication and acts of immorality. He also sees those of you who follow the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which is a doctrine He hates. Repent or He will come quickly with the sword of His mouth.

To those who overcome, He will provide the hidden manna and a white stone, and on the stone a new name will be, one that no one has ever seen except he that receives it. (White stones were used to vote for someone’s acquittal: Our acquittal before God, a verdict of NOT GUILTY.)

Some of us now follow the wrong teachings. Our society has rejected certain teachings of the bible. To some, it’s hate speech. To God, it’s His law. Why do we have laws? Laws are intended to keep the people safe. That’s really what the ten commandments do, right? They keep us out of trouble – if we follow them. For decades our society has made it socially acceptable to have sex outside of marriage, to have multiple partners, to take the lives of unborn babies. These were once things only whispered about in society. Now they are celebrated. Now the ones who try to hold true to God’s teachings are considered wrong and even hateful. Society has brainwashed us so much that even Christians scoff at some of God’s expectations.  Because of decades’ worth of social conditioning even we have a hard time seeing the wrong in some things that the bible clearly stands against.  

Isn’t this why we need a savior?  We cannot possibly live a pure and perfect life while still here on earth. We are not capable, but God does expect us to try, to keep getting up after we fall, to keep following his Word. We need to be very careful about whose teachings we follow. The bible is it! No one else’s opinion matters.  

Further into Revelation we will see what happens to those who follow the wrong doctrine. I sure don’t plan on being one of those! As little children we sang in vacation bible school, “The B-I-B-L-E – that’s the book for me!”  It’s God’s Word—the only Word that saves, and since Jesus is coming soon, pick it up, dust it off, and commence to reading.