REVELATION 2 - PERGAMOS
REVELATION 2 - PERGAMOS
Satan works on two lines of opposition to God; one is violence and the other corruption. They are really his only two lines of action. We see the former in Smyrna and the latter in Pergamos. The Lord introduces Himself to the angel of the assembly in Pergamos as “He that has the sharp two-edged sword”. The assembly had lost the power to discriminate [p. 29] and to divide between things that differed. “The word of God is living and operative, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and penetrating to the division of soul and spirit, both of joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is not a creature unapparent before him; but all things are naked and laid bare to his eyes, with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4: 12). If this assembly had really been under the action of the word of God it would have kept them from dwelling “where the throne of Satan is”. There was a measure of faithfulness, and the Lord took account of it, and especially of one faithful witness who was slain amongst them, but in general the assembly was found in the position of dwelling in the world. This came about when the world-powers took up the profession of Christianity, and became the patrons of the church instead of her persecutors.
The Lord spent His first night on earth in the manger connected with an inn; He spent part of His last night in an inn also. (The word “guest-chamber” in Luke 23: 11 is the same as “inn” in Luke 2: 7.) He was ever true to the Stranger character, and He brought the one whom He blessed “to the inn” (Luke 10: 34), and expected to find him there when He came back. If the church had remained in “the inn” — if she had retained the character of a heavenly stranger — she would have proved divine resources and care, and there would have been no admittance of the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitanes.
For it is at this point we find those in the assembly holding corrupt doctrines. Not that these corruptions were universal as yet, but they were there. The [p. 30] Lord discriminates between the angel and the corrupters; “I will make war with them with the sword of my mouth”. What is contemplated here is not only evil practice, but corrupt teaching; it is in each case “doctrine”; it is evil systematized and taught. There began to be teaching in the assembly that was idolatrous, and led to unholy association with the world, and that introduced what was positively hateful to Christ. What a contrast to this do we see in Jesus as the Blessed Man of Psalm 16! He was “not of the world”, and He was absolutely separate from all that was idolatrous. The way to escape from the influence of Balaam is to be under the influence of Christ. The enemy is ever seeking to seduce the people of God, and to get them to feed on that which pertains to his system, but the antidote to all this is to have Christ before us. He has been here in the presence of seduction and opposition, and in every detail He was entirely for the will of God.
The reward of the overcomer in Pergamos is to have “the hidden manna”. This would have reference to what Christ was here, but viewed as “God’s treasured store”, kept for the generations of His people. It is the abiding memorial before God of what was once in the wilderness. One in whom the grace of heaven came into contact with every circumstance of wilderness life. Now it is all treasured in the golden pot in the ark of the covenant — the reserved and hidden memorial of a life that was morally out of heaven.
It is very blessed to see that in a day of public departure — for the assembly dwelling where Satan’s throne is, and tolerating corruption in doctrine, is [p. 31] clearly public departure — there is set before the overcomer that which is hidden in the secret of God’s presence. Such a promise calls every faithful heart away from the public character of things in the assembly — now marked by departure and corruption — to that which is hidden in the sanctuary. No one will prosper spiritually, or be in communion with God, who allows himself to be influenced by what goes on publicly in a worldly and departed assembly. The hidden manna suggests something which is really a secret from the many. Do we covet this? What do we know about “the hidden manna”? Have we really a secret of delight with God in all that which He treasures of what Christ was here? We sing sometimes of
”... the blessed secret
Of His preciousness to Thee”. (277:6)
What is public even in a spiritual way — meetings, ministry, etc. — will not keep us, or even help us much, if we have not our own secret communion with God as to the preciousness of Christ. The hidden life is of the deepest importance, and yet how often it is neglected!
To appreciate truly and delight in what God appreciates and delights in one must be on the same line morally. If I am a lawless person I shall not appreciate obedience. If I am characterized by pride and vanity how can I appreciate lowliness? If I am haughty and overbearing I do not appreciate meekness and gentleness. Christ can only be truly appreciated in a nature kindred with Him. So that what we delight in we really are. If you knew what my heart delighted in you would know me. It is as having Christ before us that we become overcomers;
[p. 32] then the overcomer gains more of Christ; there is growth.
“Yet sure, if in Thy presence
My soul still constant were,
Mine eye would, more familiar,
Its brighter glories bear.
And thus, Thy deep perfections,
Much better should I know,
And with adoring fervour
In this Thy nature grow”. (51:4)
Then there is the “white stone”. This, too, is of the nature of a personal secret, for on the stone is written a new name “which no one knows but he that receives it”. It is the consciousness of the Lord’s approbation — a secret between Himself and the faithful heart. There could be nothing sweeter for a true heart than this, and it encourages one to go on, whether in the face of opposition or seduction. Antipas was a faithful overcomer, slain on account of his witness for Christ, and no doubt he had the “white stone”. We are often weak because we are not sure of the Lord’s approval; we are not near enough to Him for Him to give us the “white stone”.
Would you not like to have such a distinct character under the eye of the Lord that He could give you a name? I believe He gives a name to every overcomer. It does not matter much if people call us names, but it is surely of deep interest to know what the Lord calls us! He surnamed Simon, Peter; James and John He surnamed Boanerges — Sons of thunder. And the apostles seemed to have followed the Lord’s example when they surnamed Joseph, Barnabas — Son of consolation. We all have names in relation to this world, but each overcomer has also a name in relation to Christ — a distinctive character owned of Him, for it was He Himself who imparted it. The Lord loves [p. 33] to tell us what He appreciates in us. We see this in the Song of Songs, in those passages where the Bridegroom speaks to the heart of the bride of all the beauty that He perceives in her. And we may see the same thing, in principle, in the way the apostles spoke simply and freely of the features of spiritual beauty which they discerned in the saints. They delighted to dwell on such features. But the name written in the white stone is not spoken publicly; it is a personal secret between the Lord and the overcomer. It is the consciousness that He has given us that which He can approve, and that it marks us under His eye. It does not elate us to know it, but it becomes a secret and powerful source of encouragement, strength, and affection.