Beware of False Teachers

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Don’t forget!

Revelation Bible Study #2. Wednesday. 6:30 PM. Livestream available.

 
 
 

REVELATION 2:12-17

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 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. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

 
 

In both Pergamum and Thyatira, Jesus warns the churches to stop having contact with false teachers, whom he calls “Balaam” in Pergamum and “Jezebel” in Thyatira.

Balaam was an enemy prophet of Israel who tried to lead the Children of Israel astray as they made their way into the Promised Land. The connection with the Old Testament makes the warning obvious, but if you don’t know those Old Testament stories, you’ll miss the point. The entire rest of Revelation does the same thing constantly—uses Old Testament imagery to “reveal” the truth about history.

A few more points:

  • “Satan’s throne” in Pergamum refers to the pagan worship that was happening there, either of the imperial cult (worship of the emperor) or of Greek religion (worship of Zeus the Savior).

  • We don’t know who the Nicolaitans are, other than some kind of false sect.

  • And the sword in Jesus’s mouth? It is the sword of truth.

Remember, one of the primary themes of Revelation is that the Church stay committed to the truth, no matter what.

Live no lies today.