Revelation Chapter 2

VERSE 15 “Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”

THUS, YOU ALSO HAVE THOSE WHO HOLD THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS.

Several lessons appear in this verse. The word THUS is important. It links this verse to the previous verse. NICOLAITANS is a Greek equivalent of BALAAMITES. Jesus is INTERPRETING Verse 14.

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”

He is telling us that the struggle for power and influence shown by Balaam in his desire for cooperation between Israel and Balak IS THE SAME as the Church “rulers” who want cooperation between church and state. This verse says “THUS” you also have SOME…”

SOME however is not YOU; it is THEM.

We now have a very clear division between what Daniel calls the HOST and the SANCTUARY. This division first occurred in Verse 9 but is here more obvious. With the clergy system now firmly entrenched, the doctrine of LORDSHIP (Nicolaitans) is a permanent feature of Christian life.

VERSE 16 “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.”

REPENT (See Verse 14) The Lord does not wish the brethren to give up and give in to the clergy entrenchment. He does not want them to abide these teachings in their midst. To overcome, these doctrines must not be tolerated even though non-toleration will probably result in their excommunication and being driven into the wilderness.

OR ELSE I WILL COME TO YOU QUICKLY

This phrase often occurs and is NOT meant to be a threat that the Lord will return early. It is an idiom meaning that he will COME AGAINST — act against.

AND WILL FIGHT AGAINST THEM WITH THE SWORD OF MY MOUTH.

Mouth represents a message. Sword is a Scriptural message. (Compare Rev 19:15)

Pergamos apparently had a famous sword factory. The Lord seems to draw on these symbols of the actual city to build his case. This seems to be saying that, if the brethren did not speak the truth against the Papacy and Nicolaitan practices, the Lord would be sure to force to their attention that it is wrong. One of the primary reasons for the separation of the Eastern church from Rome was its REFUSAL to ACCEPT the supremacy of the Pope. The Eastern church (even though as apostate as the Western one) DID see from the SWORD that this vicarious Christ (called the Pope) was illegitimate.

It is interesting to note in this regard that in the Numbers 22:23-26, 31 account, an angel uses a SWORD to slow Balaam’s progress. This is what Balaam fails to see. His donkey sees it, however! Perhaps the Eastern church is the antitypical donkey!

VERSE 17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’

THE CHORUS. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

It is plain to see that the lessons of Pergamos apply to the rest of us even though they had a pointed special application to the brethren of those many years.

TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES: The meaning of the symbols of victory here has special significance for the Pergamos brethren when we understand the history of the age:

I WILL GIVE SOME OF THE HIDDEN MANNA TO EAT 

The food these brethren were asked to swallow (Verse 14) was corrupted food offered to idols. The victors, however, are offered LIFE-SUSTAINING food, an eternal meal which will not let them hunger — even as these brethren had to go into the wilderness and be faithfully fed of ravens.

The hidden manna was, of course, INCORRUPTIBLE. The meaning of this to those who lived in an age characterized by corruption should be clear. The word HIDDEN also has much meaning for Pergamos. The VISIBLE church during this period was the dominant apostate one. The true Church was hidden and fed in the wilderness — less and less visible as Pergamos progressed.

AND I WILL GIVE HIM A WHITE STONE. This traditional mark of perpetual friendship and aid is also something which would specially appeal to the Pergamos brethren. Pergamos was an age of BETRAYAL. Friends and relatives would forsake each other over the doctrinal splitting. With this white stone, the victor is promised eternal friendship and aid without the possibility of betrayal.

AND ON THE STONE A NEW NAME WRITTEN WHICH NO ONE KNOWS EXCEPT HIM WHO RECEIVES IT.

This represents both the new character developed here on earth but transplanted beyond, AND the personal relationships between the saint and his God which no natural man can discern. (Compare Rev 19:12) It is this friendship, this son-ship, which makes the white stone promise so valid.

The new apostate church with its emphasis on hierarchy became very CORPORATE in its mentality. The personal concerns were unimportant. But the over-comer is promised that HE is the important element, not the corporation. The Lord was looking out for the individual saint in the wilderness during his earthly journey. (Compare Gen. 31:46-49). The Victor would have this personal love assured for eternity.

We will take a look at the Third Seal in our next post.