Revelation 2:12-17 – October 17
God, please give us a fresh revelation of Jesus Christ as we study the book of Revelation!
We’ll be studying Revelation through the end of November. Please feel free to read and journal with us as often as you can, with the goal of getting to daily time at the feet of Jesus. For this study, we are using Beth Moore’s “Here and Now…There and Then” lecture series and study guide on Revelation as a resource, so you may see it referenced occasionally, or if you want to know what Ms. Moore has to say about a specific verse, just ask in the comments section on our website.
You can read the NIV version of today’s reading below or your favorite Bible version then spend some time meditating and journaling on the reading, letting God speak to you through it. We encourage use of the SOAP method of Bible study as you grow in your relationship with God. Check out the What’s SOAP tab above for more info. Also, below today’s reading is a SOAP journal entry from our team to help dive into God’s Word. And we encourage you to share your SOAP journal entry, prayer requests, or questions in the Comments section on our website.
The Discover One Thing main website continues to follow the Life Journal Reading Plan which covers the whole Bible in one year. Click HERE to check out today’s Discover One Thing post.
Revelation 2:12-17 – To the Church in Pergamum
12 “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.
17 Whoever 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.
Remaining Faithful to God | Rebecca Hoyt
Scripture
Revelation 2:13-14
Observation
God is saying I know the persecution being done to Christians. My Bible says Antipus was the first martyr of Western Asia. The city of Pergamum served as headquarters for several pagan cults, and the practice of emperor worship spread from there throughout the region — possibly the meaning behind the phrase “where Satan has his throne.” So this is a very evil place they are living in. But in spite of all that, God is saying good job, you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me. I like that God tells them and us exactly what we are doing right and what we still need to work on. As we talked about during our group on Thursday, Satan uses generalities, and God tells us specific things. So after telling them what they were doing right, He says in verse 14: “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you.” Just like we have in every church today, people sinning, worshipping other things besides God, etc. He says if you don’t repent, bad things will happen, but if you do, He will give you good things.
(can anyone go more in depth about verse 17 — a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it?)
Application
We were just talking about Christian persecution in Bible study. How the people in the shootings when asked if they were Christians (even knowing they were going to die) did not renounce God. I hope if a time comes when I need to say yes, I am a Christian even if I am persecuted for it I will stand up and say yes I’m a Christian. Even in little things like not wanting to offend people on Facebook.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for showing me exactly what I need to work on. Please help me to not worry about offending others with my beliefs.
Posted on October 17, 2015, in Uncategorized and tagged Bible, Bible Study, Jesus, John, Pergamum, Revelation, SOAP. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
Discover One Thing Online Bible Study 
My study Bible has some notes on verse 17
Hidden Manna: God miraculously fed the Israelites with manna as they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. Afterward, a pot of manna was put into the ark in the tabernacle (Exodus 16:32-34, Hebrews 9:4).
White Stone: Used to signify acquittal by a jury and also used as tokens of admission to public festivals or banquets.
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I’m actually currently going through Revelation myself, and I’m hoping to eventually turn it into a commentary. So, I’m always interested in what others are saying. I think the white stone is referencing Zechariah 3:9, which has seven eyes (compare with Jesus in Revelation 5:6). Most likely the “new name” is whatever is engraved on the stone in Zech 3:9, which is definitely clouded in mystery, soaked in unsurity, and deep fried in “I don’t know”… but the idea of the “new names” in Revelation appears to be about revealing the glory of the age to come, in which all things have passed away and all things have become new.
Grace and peace in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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You guys are good! My human brain thought we would be made pure and in doing so our names may be changed along with it. Like Jacob to Israel , Abram to Abraham … In our Friday night Bible study at Tonyas the question was asked if our names would be changed. Ha ha so my mind automatically went there.
I found this… so along with your awesome prospective, we can add this to the pot..
http://www.gotquestions.org/white-stone-new-name.html
Justin — I want to read that commentary! (:
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Pergamum must have been quite a place to be called Satan’s throne. There were temples for worship of Augustus Caesar, Athena, Dionysus, and an altar to Zeus. People traveled from all over to be healed by Asklepios the Savior. Christians there were under constant threat of imprisonment or death because of who they worshiped. The ones who lived there were so brave to hold fast to their faith and not move to more friendly places. They were living on purpose for Christ. I know people who choose to step out of their comfort zones and live in areas around the world (and even here in the states) that are not safe or comfortable. They do it for the sake of the Gospel, for the salvation of the people who might not otherwise hear of Christ. They do it because they love Jesus and by extension they love those Jesus loves. He doesn’t call us to be safe. He calls us to be faithful.
Jesus gives them high praise but also warns them not to compromise their faith. Balaam was the example he used for them. In researching Balaam, I found that he appeared, outwardly, to be a man of God but he gave in to all sorts of enticements. He was driven by money and worshiped other gods. He practiced divination and led the people of Israel to compromise their faith as well. Like Balaam, the church at Pergamum was compromising. God had a strong warning for them, repent or else, and a promise that they would receive a great reward if they were faithful.
When the enemy can’t win by taking people out, he uses the slow fade of compromise to attempt to destroy the Church. What are our compromises today? What gods do we worship in addition to the true God? Work, money, appearance, political correctness, stuff, sex, (fill in the blank)_______? Where do we make concessions in corporate worship and teaching so that the message of the Gospel might be more palatable to those who don’t follow Christ? What do we fill our time with? Where do we spend our money? What does our social life look like? Does it honor God? Do the words we speak flow out in love and sound like Jesus to others? Do we care more about fitting in than pleasing God? Do our wants and desires drive us more than God’s?
It’s so easy to claim “freedom in Christ” and let ourselves get caught up in the things of this world. The verse that comes to mind is 1 Corinthians 10:23. “Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial.” God knows how slippery the slope can be. He knows how our actions, our attitudes, and our words affect how others see and respond to Him. He longs to have our whole hearts, not divided allegiance. He gave everything for us to have abundant life in Him and He has prepared a place and a glorious future for us. His heart is that we would all be there with Him.
Lord, show us where we are compromising. Give us strength to withstand social pressures to conform to the world’s ways of thinking and acting. Set us apart for You and keep our witness strong in the face of opposition and temptation. Drive out any fear in us and empower us to live boldly and courageously for Your sake, stepping out of safety and comfort and into Your plans.
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