After
John the apostle saw the vision of Jesus in chapter one of
“Revelation”,
he began to write to the “seven
churches in Asia”. He
started with the church located in “Ephesus”
and then addressed the “church
of Smyrna”
where
He told them, “He
that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death.”
In
chapter
two and verse twelve of Revelation, John shared Jesus' words to “the
angel of the church in Pergamos” where
we read:
And
to the angel of the church in Pergamos write;
These
things says he which has the sharp sword with two edges;
The
verse begins, “And
to the angel of the church in Pergamos write;” John
began with the words, “and
to the angel”
which means “to
the messenger, envoy, one who is sent and by implication the pastor”
“of
the church”
or “” which means “pertaining
to the assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious
meeting”
“in
Pergamos”
or “a city of Mysia Minor in Asian Minor which was the seat of the
dynasties of Attalus and Eumenes and famous for its temple of
Aesculapius and the intervention and manufacture of parchment. The
river Selinus flowed through it and the Cetius ran past it. It was
the birthplace of the physician Galen and had a great royal library”
“write”
which means “delineate
or form letters on a tablet, parchment, paper, or other material”.
John was next to “write”
to the
“church”
which was located in “Pergamos”
of Asia Minor.
The
verse goes on to say,
“These
things says he which has the sharp sword with two edges;”
John
added the words, “these
things”
or “that
which John is about to write”
“says”
which means “speaks,
utters, proclaims and declares”
“he
which has the sharp sword”
or “Jesus who holds, owns and possesses a swift, rapid and quick
long and broad cutlass or saber” “with
two edges” which
refers to “a double edge”. “The
sharp sword with two edges”
is the characteristic of Jesus John declares in this portion of the
message to the “church
in Pergamos”.
When
we consider John's words in this verse, we note the “two
edge sword”
within Jesus' mouth as the characteristic he was to point out in this
message to the “church
in Pergamos”.
The “church
in Pergamos”
relates to the “state church” under Constantine when the
government took over the religious system. The “double
edge sharp sword”
is representative of “the
word of God”,
and Jesus shall have a “word”
for this “church”.
God has a “word”
of “repentance and relationship” for everyone who will hear His
Spirit's call to receive His Son Jesus as “Savior and Lord”
today. As we discover what Jesus has to say to this “church”,
let us be mindful of the “still
small voice” of
the Lord and “hear and obey” all He has to say.
Next
time
John writes Jesus words to the “church
in Pergamos”,
“I
know your works, and where you dwell, even where Satan's seat is”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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