Encouragement in the Presence of the Enemy
Pastor Ferdinand Sanders
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. ‘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.’’” Revelation 2:12-13
If someone were to observe your life and write about how things were going, what sort of things would be written? Would they be positive or negative? Would others be encouraged by how you are handling the things around you? Would you even want someone to summarize what they view as your “spiritual health” or would you rather take some time to get things “in order”? This is sort of what happens in the book of Revelation. At the beginning of Revelation, Jesus speaks to John in a vision, instructing him to record and pen letters to the seven churches of Asia. These letters are almost like a “current state of affairs” and paint a picture of the present condition or status of each of the churches in these cities. One of the cities that John writes to is the church in Pergamum.
Upon reading the message that John is to portray to the church of Pergamum, it is a little unclear as to how things are going overall. By just looking at the first two verses written, we see encouragement but also two references to the presence, dwelling, and rule of Satan. Quite the juxtaposition! In reading about Pergamum from the “Enduring Word Bible Commentary,” we see that the city of Pergamum was a bustling place. Pergamum was the capital city of the region for more than three hundred years and was a center for culture and education, having one of the great libraries of the ancient world. Pergamum was a very “religious” city, some even believing it to be the center of paganism. Does anyone feel called to go plant a church there?
Although it may not seem like a natural first reaction after reading about the location of “Satan’s throne,” the martyring of Antipas, and the place where “Satan dwells.” I actually find myself feeling a sense of encouragement after reading Revelation 2:12-13. Despite all of the reasons for the church of Pergamum to be a “failed operation” or a “lost cause,” John is instructed to write, “Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith.” You may feel like you are not making an impact, you may feel like you are persecuted, or that you are surrounded by the enemy; however, as we see with the church of Pergamum, they are still seen, recognized, and valued in the eyes of Jesus.
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-10