Beware of False Teachers

in
 

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.

 

Balaam and Jezebel?

in
 

My apologies for missing yesterday’s post and in posting this a bit later that normal.

What I want to do today is show you how the Old Testament is the key for understanding Revelation.

 
 

Yesterday’s Reading (day 04 of 30): Revelation 2:12-17.

Today’s Reading (day 05 of 30): Revelation 2:18-29.

(Remember, there are no readings on weekends.)

 
 

At the beginning of Revelation there is a brief message from Jesus to each of the seven churches to whom John is sending his vision.

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; Jezebel was a wicked pagan queen of an Israelite king who had God’s prophets murdered. The names are meant to show the Christians in Pergamum and Thyatira that the people they are listening to are false teachers.

The connection with the Old Testament makes the warnings 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.

In the Old Testament, idolatry is often described as sexual immorality—committing adultery on God. So, it’s not clear in Thyatira if “Jezebel” is literally encouraging sexual immorality or just figuratively doing so because she is encoring idolatry. Either way, it’s a problem. The punishment that Jesus is sending on her and her followers is some kind of sickness or pestilence.

These are harsh messages because the truth matters. But, they are also an opportunity for repentance and an invitation of grace—it’s not too late for the wayward Christians in Pergamum and Thyatira to turn back.

The same goes for every one one of us, and every one one we’ll see today—as long as we are breathing, it’s not too late for any of us.

What falsehood do you need to turn from today?

How can you help someone else turn from falsehood today?