The Sermons to the Seven Churches: The Church of Idolatrous Compromise (2)

Hebrews 10:32-39        Numbers 31:9-16         Zechariah 3:6-10            Revelation 2:12-17

The Sermons to the Seven Churches: The Church of Idolatrous Compromise (2)

Before we look at the last section of this sermon to the church in Pergamum, I’d just like to take a moment to give you a brief introduction to some sound principles of biblical interpretation.

The first principle answers the question, “What was the author’s original intention and meaning and what did his writing mean to the original recipients?” This is called the Literal–Historical–Grammatical principle, in other words, to read the Bible in its plain sense, according to the normal meaning of words and figures of speech and images at that time, to pay attention to the author’s grammar and style – is it poetry, is it narrative, is it prophetic – as well as the historical context. None of the books of the Bible were written in a vacuum…at the time of writing there were well-known idioms, imagery, puns, and symbols that would have been understood by the original author and his audience.

The second principle is the contextual principle that answers the question, “Where does it fit?” Never take a verse or a passage out of context. Every verse fits into a passage, every passage fits into a book, and every book fits into the whole story of Scripture.

Because of the second principle, the third principle is that Scripture must interpret Scripture, or, “the Bible must explain the Bible.” Part of this principle means that we may need to use clear passages to interpret difficult ones, always keeping in mind that God’s Word never contradicts itself…and sometimes we need to admit that the meaning is not clear and therefore we need to be cautious in our interpretation.

The fourth principle is that any interpretation must be Christ-Centred. All Scripture points us to Jesus as he is the heart and the fullness of God’s revelation. As Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

The fifth principle is that God’s revelation of his Person and purpose is progressive…revelation in the Bible is a movement from truth to more truth and so on to full truth. Each revelation builds upon the last, not contradicting it, but moving from a less complete to a more complete truth, with the full revelation culminating in Jesus Christ.

The sixth principle is that of spiritual dependence, or in other words, “pray before you interpret.” The Holy Spirit who inspired the Word must also illuminate our minds to understand it.

The seventh and final principle has to do with personal application, answering the question, “how does this truth change me?” However, it is only once we have attempted to understand, as much as possible, the original context and original meaning of the text, that we can then honestly ask ourselves, “if this is what it meant then, how can I apply that meaning to my context today?” But the bottom line is, interpretation must lead to transformation…we study the Word not just to know it, but to live it. 

A good example of these principles at work would be the interpretation of Deuteronomy 22:8: “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it.” At the time, people lived in homes that had flat roofs, and they would often entertain their guests on the roof. So, this commandment highlights the relatively simple and practical means by which they could prevent accidents that may result in death through being aware of safety issues to avoid harming people through their own negligence or carelessness. 

Now, in application, we may erect a fence around our pool or property, install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, have a fire extinguisher or two in the home, install outdoor lighting on dark paths and so on. Anything to make your home a safe environment for you and your guests.

Now, we should apply these same principles when it comes to interpreting the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The structure, language, idioms, images, and symbols were clear to the First Century author and his First Century recipients who no doubt understood everything in the light of the rest of Scripture. The book of the Revelation, like every other book in the Bible, was meant to be understood by the original readers and all subsequent readers according to its original meaning…it was meant to be understood by the seven churches to whom it was addressed. There are no drones or hypersonic missiles or cyber weapons or Carona viruses here…only biblical images with biblical meaning and biblical interpretation.

The general and simple rule of biblical interpretation is this: find out as best you can what the original setting, context, and meaning was…and then…only once you have understood as much as possible what the text meant at the time it was written…then take that same meaning and thoughtfully and prayerfully apply it to today. 

Now, last week we saw that the church addressed in this passage was situated in a city that served as the centre of Roman authority in that area, and, as almost all political and judicial decisions for the area were made in the city, one could say that the throne of Rome was in Pergamum. The city was also home to many temples, altars, and healing centres, as well as the ever-present Imperial Cult centres.

Jesus identified himself in this sermon as the one wielding a sharp two-edged sword and we noticed how this sword was not in his hands but in his mouth, indicating that it represented his word…the ultimate authority that holds every human being accountable. All authority in both heaven and earth has been given to Jesus and therefore, even though those in control of the city seemed to be formidable and deadly, Jesus was sovereign over them all and therefore the church was comforted despite the political and religious aggression, oppression, and persecution.

In the commendation section, Jesus once again reminded the church that he knew their works and their circumstances. He praised the believers for holding fast to their faith in him despite persecution in a city where Satan was enthroned, a statement which I believe refers to the seat of the proconsul of Rome. As we saw last week, John appears to present the Roman Empire and its emperors as Satan’s offspring in the images of the dragon and the beast from the sea in Revelation chapters 12 and 13. Satan’s sin is that he constantly seeks to usurp the authority and place of God…and his sin is mirrored in the emperors of the Roman Empire, most of whom claimed to be gods.

Archaeological sites are filled with images of the emperors. Nero, who was the emperor at the time John was writing the book of the Revelation, had his bust placed in nearly every major city throughout the empire. Those who refused to worship the emperor were severely punished and at times even martyred, as was the case with Antipas who was roasted alive inside a huge bronze bull.

But the important thing for the Church in the First Century, and indeed also for the Church throughout the centuries up until today, the important thing for them and for us to remember was and is the fact that all rulers, no matter how powerful they may seem to be, are just human. And, as such, they are all limited and finite created beings under the total and absolute authority and control of the eternal Creator and Sustainer of all that exists. No earthly authority is more powerful than him…while they may exalt themselves 666X they will never be a divine 7.

Now, in many ways, the church in Pergamum was praiseworthy. How many of us would be able to stand firm in the face of such cruelty? 

And yet, in verses 14-15 Jesus said, “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

So what was wrong with the church? Well, it seems that some in the church had buckled under pressure and were trying to encourage other believers to do the same. So what exactly were they guilty of?

Jesus said they were guilty of holding to the teaching of Balaam. Who was Balaam? In Numbers 22–24, we read that after Balaam’s failed attempts to curse Israel, when God compelled him to bless them instead, Balak, king of Moab, still sought a way to weaken Israel. So, though Balaam could not pronounce a curse directly (for God had blessed His people), he later advised Balak on a more subtle and effective strategy.

According to Numbers 31:16, Balaam taught Balak to entice the Israelites into sin through idolatry and sexual immorality. The Moabite and Midianite women invited Israelite men to their pagan feasts, where they bowed to Baal of Peor and defiled themselves through ritual immorality. This provoked the Lord’s wrath, leading to a devastating plague among Israel until Phinehas intervened (Numbers 25).

So, in summary, when Balaam could not curse Israel by word, he ensnared them by counsel, teaching Balak that corruption from within would achieve what cursing from without could not.

Now, food offered to idols and sexual immorality were the results of Balaam’s teaching of subversion and compromise in Numbers, but that does not necessarily mean that the sin of the church in Pergamum was primarily these physical acts themselves…although that interpretation is possible. But from the sentence structure it seems to me that the particular sins mentioned here were the results of Balaam’s teaching at the time of Israel’s wilderness wanderings. 

So, what I think the believers in Pergamum were guilty of was that they were holding to that same teaching that caused the sinful behaviour. The teaching of Balaam and the teaching of some in the church in Pergamum was compromise and, ultimately, any kind of compromise is idolatry.

Why is compromise idolatry? you may ask. Well, because an idol is anything that takes the place of God or diminishes the authority of God. Idolatry always begins with me, myself, and I. I want something or I want to do something, and so I find a way to minimise, dismiss, or disregard the teaching of Scripture. The temptation to ignore or to bend or to change the rules has always plagued the children of God.

So, what would have been the result of this teaching of compromise? Well, it is possible that they reasoned that while they could honour the emperor or the empire externally by offering a sacrifice, burning some incense, and muttering a few words, in their hearts they would remain true to their faith. The temptation to deny Jesus to save your life or the lives of your family or to stop your property from being plundered or confiscated was very real…but as Jesus had warned in Matthew 10:33, “whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

In Hebrews 10:32-39 we read: “But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

In the early 4th century during the Diocletian persecution (c. 303–305 AD), some Christian clergy and officials handed over the Scriptures, sacred vessels, or the names of fellow believers to Roman authorities to avoid punishment or death. These individuals were branded “traditores” (traitors) by those who stood firm in the faith despite persecution. 

I think that it is plausible that something similar was happening in Pergamum. Some believers in Pergamum had compromised their faith by bowing to the demands of their pagan society and were teaching others in the church to do the same. Like crossing your fingers behind your back while you tell a boldfaced lie. 

Now, are there some things we do today that may fall into a similar category? What kind of idolatrous compromise are we guilty of? Is there any part of God’s Word that we diminish, ignore, dismiss, or disregard? 

I’m sure you can think of several, but I’m going to home in on one because it may possibly be the most controversial issue in so-called biblical churches today. If there’s anything that can tie believers in knots it is the question of giving money to the church, especially when we use that provocative word, tithing. But what does God’s Word say about giving? Actually, there’s quite a lot in the Bible, but I’m going to quote from just one passage.

In Malachi 3 God says: “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions (10% and then some). You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

Now, how do some Bible believing folks get around this passage…how do they get around not paying their tithe? Quite easily actually. They simply dismiss God’s command by claiming that this no longer applies to them because it is from the Old Testament. Never mind the fact that God prefaced this indictment by saying that he does not change…and never mind the fact that the command to tithe is never negated in the New Testament. But the sad thing is, they do not just hold to this teaching themselves, but they then teach others to do the same…

God says…but I want to…so I find the loophole…or, at least, I think I do.

Remember, idolatry begins with me, myself, and I…the thing embraced is simple a symptom of a deeper cause.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Moving along. The Lord warned the church in Pergamum that unless they repented of this idolatrous compromise, he would come and war against them with the sword of his mouth…a phrase I think means that he would convict them of their sin by exposing their actions through his Word. 

Now, to those who persevered…to those who were obedient even unto death like Antopas, the faithful witness…to those who refused to compromise whatever the personal cost, Jesus promised to “give some of the hidden manna, and…a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.”

The hidden manna may be referring to the golden jar containing a measure of manna that was placed inside the Ark of the Covenant as a perpetual reminder of God's miraculous provision for the Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness. This “hidden manna” was also to serve as a witness to future generations, demonstrating God's faithfulness and care for His people (Exodus 16:32-34). So, it is possible that this is merely a reminder that God is well able to provide for the needs of his people even when they might be forbidden to purchase food from the marketplace. Or perhaps it is a reference to Jesus who in John 6 compared himself to the manna in the wilderness, saying that he was the true bread of God who had come down from heaven to give life to the world (John 6:33). So, while the manna in the wilderness was a temporary gift to sustain physical life, he was the eternal bread of life who came down from heaven to sustain spiritual life. 

Now, there is no scholarly consensus as to the nature of the white stone engraved with a name known only to the recipient. There are many guesses, but for me the most plausible explanation is the one that links this stone with the stone given to the High Priest Joshua in Zechariah 3. “For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua,” god said, “on a single stone with seven eyes (a symbol of divinity), I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbour to come under his vine and under his fig tree.” This stone with seven eyes, together with its inscription, is somehow connected to what transpired on the cross where our sins were removed once and for all.  

However, on this stone in Revelation is inscribed a new name known only to the one to whom it is given. Now new names are given to many biblical characters to indicate a new relationship with God. Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Jacob became Israel, Simon became Peter, Saul became Paul and so on. 

However, in Isaiah 56:5 God promised: “I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” And in Isaiah 62:2 he said, “The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.” And finally in Isaiah 65:15 he said that his servants will be called by another name. 

So it is possible that the gift of a personal new name inscribed on a stone that is somehow linked to sins removed presupposes a new identity...a new creation.

But then how incongruous to bear the name of Jesus on compromising shoulders! 

To bear a new name given to us through the finished work of Jesus is surely the greatest privilege of all! How sad then to see any believer dishonour that name through compromise. In John 14:15, Jesus said: “If you love me, obey my commandments.” And in John 15:10, he added, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.”

Compromise can never be good because compromise is idolatry as it places my will above the will of God.

So, the unavoidable question for us is simply this: If Jesus was to come to us today with the sword from his mouth, what would he say?

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2025.