The Church in Pergamum: Repent
Today’s passage: Revelation 2:12–17
Focus verse: “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you.” (Revelation 2:14)
As with the church in Smyrna, the Bible tells us nothing more about the church in Pergamum. But like the church in Ephesus, Jesus’s message to them offers both affirmation and correction.
Despite living where Satan has his stronghold, the church in Pergamum has remained true to Jesus. They have held on to their faith, even in the face of the martyrdom of Antipas. We join Jesus in commending them for standing firm.
Yet Jesus also has something against them, two key criticisms.
First, he denounces them for following the teaching of Balaam.
Balaam is an Old Testament character; God’s people encounter him as they move to take the promised land.
When King Balak seeks a supernatural edge over the approaching Hebrew people, he sends elders from Moab and Midian for Balaam, a practitioner of divination, to proclaim curses against the Israelites.
God initially tells Balaam not to go and he doesn’t. At the delegation’s second request, however, God says for Balaam to go but to watch what he says, speaking only the words God gives him. Balaam obeys.
Yet in the end, God is not pleased with Balaam.
In the chapter following Balaam’s story we read an epilogue of sorts.
Moabite women are seducing the men of Israel to engage in sexually immoral behavior and offer sacrifices to their gods, eating the sacrificial meal and worshiping idols instead of God.
Implicitly the people of Moab (and Midian) are following the advice of Balaam when they do this.
From this we can see that the teaching of Balaam relates to sexual immorality and worshiping other gods, represented by eating the meat sacrificed to these false gods.
Jesus’s other criticism of the church in Pergamum is that they hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. We don’t know what this teaching is, but we do know from Jesus’s letter to the church in Ephesus that he hates their practices.
What is the solution for the church in Pergamum? To repent.
We often think of repenting as an initial turning from worldly behaviors to follow Jesus. But the context of repenting here applies to those who have already followed him.
Yes, Christians sometimes need to repent as well.
Questions:
- In what ways does Satan impact the area where we live?
- Is our faith strong enough to not waiver under opposition?
- In what ways might we be like Balaam?
- Are there teachers we need to stop listening to because they’re pulling us away from God?
- What do we need to repent from?
[Discover more about Balaam in Numbers 22–24, with an addendum in Numbers 25, along with Numbers 31:16. Read what else the New Testament writers say about Balaam in 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 1:11.]
Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.
Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.
Read more in Peter’s devotional Bible study, A New Heaven and a New Earth: 40 Practical Insights from John’s Book of Revelation.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.