Church For All Nations

This was the third letter that was sent to the seven churches in Asia Minor, now Turkey. Through our studies you will realise that modern day Turkey, has continued and will continue to play an important part, although a very evil part in the history of this world, and it is my belief that they will continue to do so until the very end times.

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NOTE!

Please note for your future bible studies that Turkey is East of Jerusalem.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.

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The Euphrates River has for the first time since the creation of the world, almost dried up. This has been caused by the building of dams in Turkey to deliberately dry up the Euphrates River.

The Euphrates River is still flowing but not as wide as it once would have been. Unfortunately, no photographs are available of the original Euphrates River that was once flowing long and wide.

 

Pergamum (also spelled Pergamon), an ancient Greek city in Anatolia (modern Turkey), was a major centre of Hellenistic and Roman culture. It was the capital of the Attalid kingdom and later briefly became the first capital of the Roman province of Asia, according to Pleiades.org. Pergamum is now the site of the modern Turkish town of Bergama and is a significant archaeological site. 

Here's a more detailed look at Pergamum:

Historical Significance:

• Attalid Kingdom:

Pergamum served as the capital of the Attalid kingdom, a powerful Hellenistic state that ruled much of western Asia Minor from 282 to 133 BCE.

 

• Roman Province:

After the Attalid dynasty ended, Pergamum was briefly the first capital of the Roman province of Asia. 

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• Seven Churches of Asia:

Pergamum was one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. 

 

• Cultural Centre:

Pergamum was a major cultural centre, known for its library, which was one of the largest in the ancient world, and its sculptures and architecture, including the Great Altar of Pergamon, which is also know as the altar of Zeus.

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• Ancient Medicine:

Pergamum became a centre of ancient medicine, particularly due to the presence of the renowned Roman physician Galen, according to the Biblical Archaeology Society. 

 

Once again, the letter firstly tells us to whom this letter was more expressly sent to, (The church at Pergamum.) To the angel of the Church in Pergamum.

 

V12.  And to the angel of the church in Pergamun write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges:

 

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

 

There is nothing that can be hidden from God, what you try to hide in the dark, God will bring into the light. Luke 12:2-3

 

V13.  I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

 

Jesus knows the heart of every man, woman and child. Many people in Pergamum now followed Satan very closely. They had erected a temple to Zeus where they had erected the throne of Zeus which our Lord rightly calls the throne of Satan and through our history this throne has been part of the many atrocities in this world and, also in the past.

In the church at Pergamum there were many Christians who stood firm upon the word of God and would not move from our Lords side, even when threatened with death.

Antipas was a faithful servant of our Lord who would not bow the knee to the throne of Satan and was murdered for His faith., as Jesus says; Antipas was my faithful martyr.

 

1. Christ takes notice of the trials and difficulties that the church has encountered

2. Even through all of their difficulties of witnessing in the middle of Satan’s camp they have held fast the name of Jesus Christ and has not denied their faith.

 

• Antipas

It is though that Antipas was the Bishop of the Christian church at Pergamum, and that he was martyred for his faith because of his consistent faithful witnessing in the face of all the satanic evil that was present there.

Antipas of Pergamum is only mentioned once in the bible, but his name still stands tall among Christians of the world today.

Antipas was a contemporary of the Apostle John, who penned The Book of Revelation.
While Antipas was martyred late in the lifetime of the Apostle John.

 

When Antipas was advised:
"Antipas, the whole world is against you!",
Antipas reputedly replied:
"Then I am against the whole world!"

Antipas was supposedly roasted alive in a hollow life-size bull, which had a bonfire under its belly, because Antipas refused to renounce his faith in Christ Jesus. Have you noticed how our history is being changed. “The phrase was supposedly roasted alive,” which means, according to what is generally assumed or believed (often used to indicate that the speaker doubts the truth of the statement).

People may try to change the truth for a lie and don’t forget they are now standing and talking about the place that Jesus spoke of, “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is,” and the truth is that it is an historical fact that Hieromartyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum was burnt in the belly of a brazen bull."

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          Hieromartyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum

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The crowds must have been waiting for the same screams of pain when Hieromartyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum was taken into the belly of this bull, listening for the screams and the smoke coming from the bulls nostrils, it is believed that this time would be different, there was no screams coming from the bull only the sound of Hieromartyr Antipas Bishop of Pergamum praying aloud for the church and the people of Pergamon. A faithful and steadfast Christian whose final thought was not for himself, but to serve his Lord and to pray for the church and the lost souls of Pergamon.

 

V14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

 

Jesus starts; after first commending them on the steadfastness, He then reproves then of their sinful failures

The church was starting to slide back into their old way of life and bring this evil into the church. Without a strong Pastor or Bishop of the faith who can lead the people in the right way of life and stamp out this evil that was moving through the church like the growth of a cancer.

The apostle Paul could see how this would happen as he wrote his letter to Timothy, teaching him how the Pastors should behave and to live their lives in a Godly way. It is still accurate and God given advice for the church today. Unless we live our lives according to the word of God, we would soon have anarchy not only on our streets which is happening today, but it would spread affecting Christians throughout the world and bringing sin into the house of God.

 

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:1-4

 

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 3 Timothy 1:7

 

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 3 Timothy 4:1-5

 

Timothy had great teaching under the apostle Paul, and the two letters that Paul had written to Timothy, explicitly told Timothy how he should behave and how he should lead the church that he has been richly blessed to lead.

3 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

 

Pauls instruction on how a Bishop should live, not only for Timothy as the Bishop at the church in Ephesus but should also be used within the church today, as we see with Timothy after Paul was taken home to be with our Lord but often, even today when a great man of faith is taken home to be with our Lord, everything that that Pastor had been Taught on how to serve as a new pastor of a church is soon forgotten.

 

Timothy was the bishop of Ephesus during a period when the church there was experiencing spiritual decline, or "backsliding". Paul's letter to Timothy, particularly 1 Timothy, provides evidence of this decline and instructions for Timothy to address it. The church in Ephesus was struggling with false teachings and a departure from the initial faith, and Paul entrusted Timothy with the responsibility of upholding the truth and addressing these issues. 

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V15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.

 

The Nicolaitans were an early Christian sect mentioned in the Book of Revelation, considered heretical by mainstream Christianity. They were known for their libertine practices and teachings, which included a focus on eating food sacrificed to idols and engaging in sexual immorality.

 

1. The name "Nicolaitans" is believed to be derived from Nicolas, a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem, who may have been the founder of the sect. The name suggests a spiritual lineage where they were seen as descendants of Nicolas. 

 

   2 The Nicolaitans were accused of teaching that those under grace were free from moral laws and could engage in idolatry and sexual sins. They were         also linked to the teaching of Balaam, who led the Israelites into idolatry. 

 

   3. The Book of Revelation condemns the Nicolaitans, particularly in the letters to the churches of Ephesus and Pergamus (Rev 2:6, 14-15). The condemnation is directed at their teachings and practices, which were seen as a stumbling block to the church. 

 

   4. Some historians believe that the Nicolaitans may have been a form of Gnosticism, a philosophical and religious movement that emphasized knowledge as a means of salvation. 

 

   5. While the Nicolaitans sect is not in practice today, their teachings and practices are sometimes used as a cautionary tale about the dangers of libertinism and moral compromise within Christianity

 

V16. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

 

Jesus calls them to repentance, or He will come quickly

 

No-one can come to the Lord Jesus Christ until they first repent of their sins and then by faith ask Jesus into their hearts.

A call to repentance was often given at the Billy Graham Crusades but there were times that Billy Graham called the nation to repentance.

Repenting of our sins doesn’t stop once we have asked Jesus into our lives, it is ongoing.

The bible teaches us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

There is none righteous, not even one. Romans 3:10

 

1. Repentance is the duty of Christians as well as the unsaved; it is a gospel duty.

 

   2. It is the duty of churches and communities as well as persons; those who sin together should repent together.

 

   3. It is the duty of Christians to pray for those in authority our societies to lift up in prayers for those in need and to call our countries to repentance.

 

   4. When God comes to punish the corrupt members of a church, He rebukes that church itself for allowing such to continue in its communion, it was and has always been the responsibility of the Pastor to keep order within the church and for the congregation to stand by their Pastor in bringing order according to the Word of God. When God rebukes any church for their sinfulness especially continuing their sinful in the house of God, some drops of the storm will fall upon the whole society.

 

   5. No sword cuts so deep, nor inflicts so mortal a wound, as the sword of Christ’s mouth. Let but the threatenings of the word be set home upon the conscience of a sinner, and he will soon be a terror to himself; let these threatenings be executed, and the sinner is utterly cut off. The word of God will take hold of sinners, sooner or later, either for their conviction or their confusion.

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V17.  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

 

• "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear" is a phrase found sixteen times in the in the Gospels and Revelation, and it means to pay attention, listen deeply, and understand the spiritual message being communicated. It's not just about hearing the words but actively engaging with them and applying them to one's life.

• Let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches

 

• What the Spirit is saying to the churches. Listen closely, be tuned in to the voice of the Holy Spirit. We need to live expectantly, tuned in to the Spirit. When we seek God, we learn to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit. We should listen carefully to what He is saying to the church and for our own Christian Walk of faith. Always be aware of the prompting of the Holy Spirit and be guided only by Him.

 

• To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

 

• The letter finishes with a promise and a wonderful insight for all those who overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

 

 

 

Sunday 15 June 2025

 

The Fourth letter to the Church at Thyatira