Smyrna has been seen by Christian scholars as a description of what was happening to the early church, just breaking free from Judaism and the ten days allowed for the persecution is believed to indicate the time to complete emergence of Christianity from Judaism. Thus looking forward to the future and the end time, the admonition from the Son of Man to Smyrna may represent an admonition to a Universe at the same level of maturity as the church at the time of the revelation. We should remember, however, that word from the Light often mean more than we can clearly understand and that we are meant to receive from them what we are capable of receiving.
The admonition again ends on a personal note. Striving spirits who hope to be saved in Smyrna must listen and hear the Message of the Spirit of Truth. The Lord speaks directly to the individual spirits in Smyrna – Faithfulness even to the point of physical death is the key to the crown of life; faithfulness to the Will of the Creator. You will then not be hurt by a second death. These lessons are individually relevant and require individual awakening of spiritual intuitive perception.
The form of the persecution may be different, but the elect of every church is as challenged as the other and need as urgently to listen to the word of the Son of Man and to strengthen our faith even to the point of death.
Pergamum (Rev. 2:12-17)
212 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.17Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
The Lord here approaches as the Judge. The judgment of Truth, the sharp sword with two edges is the form of the Son of Man here. This is a community on the edge. Pergamum believers exist in the extreme border of the activity of the Light (where Satan’s seat is). Although, the third church or Universe addressed, this community exists at the extreme limit of the work of the Son of Man. Pergamum is a failing church, the 7th in ranking. Indeed, it has been suggested that Ephesus is the last community that can still be allowed the grace of existence as the others had fallen too deeply. Their star is flickering, but seems to gain strength from the words of the Son of Man. The faithful, although few and in very difficult straits, are holding fast to the name of the Lord even under threat of martyrdom.
Yet, even among the striving few, the seed of intellectual decadence runs deep – the subtlety of the doctrine of Balaam that introduces obstacles in the path of the faithful (Israel). These obstacles are in the nature of a distortion of concepts, blurring the margins between what is right and what is wrong. As a result, those who should know better are unable to perceive when they stray from the Will of God in flirtation with idols. Concepts are also blurred with regards to many virtues, but particularly in sexual immorality, which often goes with self-worship and the worship of false gods. Many of us succumb to this particular weakness and we are no longer able to discern that homosexuality, fornication, adultery, impure thoughts and acts are immoral and that they separate us from the Light of God. These are particular problems of our time, when the Christian churches seem to have failed badly.
Again, as in Ephesus, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans is found. However, unlike the Ephesians, the Pergamum community of striving human spirits have not clearly rejected them. Compromises with idolatry (whether it is self-worship, money, power or a row of wood carvings) and sexual excesses represent major obstacles to spiritual striving. There is indeed a lot of similarity between the situation of Ephesus and that of Pergamum. However, whereas Ephesus lost sight of its goal, Pergamum is bound in the toils of Satan. In both cases, failure is due to over dependency on their intellect (this is the real doctrine of the Nicolaitans). Another similarity is the admonition that they must listen. Both communities have blocked their spiritual intuitive perception and can no longer hear.
The Truth approaches in Judgment and unless Pergamum repents, the sword of Truth will descend upon them suddenly. The judgment of Pergamum is imminent and it is imperative that they listen to the Spirit of Truth. Those that overcome by their perseverance in the Truth will be allowed to eat spiritual food from the table of the Lord and they will be given a new name. The reward is spiritual, suggesting that perhaps, the community is destroyed and the overcomers return to the spiritual home. They will be permitted a personal knowledge of the Lord their God – the hidden manna.
The white stone, with a new name written on it which only the receiver knows, suggests a new spiritual personality. They will be permitted contact with the Spirit of Truth and/or His work. The white stone like the white garment represent the spiritual being and if we overcome we receive a new spiritual identity.
Thyatira (Rev. 2:18-28)
218 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron sceptre and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Thyatira’s star is luminous and this community is highly commended. This is also reflected in the form in which the Lord manifests, the Son of God. The Lord approaches in the glory of His Father. The Son of God is portrayed here as all knowing and all-powerful, omniscient and omnipotent. The elect in Thyatira abound in faithful service, striving ever harder. They are commended for their patience and works. The hallmark of this is Love, faith and perseverance, always improving and not static.
However, the failing here is the ‘loud and domineering womanhood’. These have lost their pristine role as quiet unassuming leaders in spiritually orientated goals (prophetess) and have become false prophetesses. By imitating man in his work and in putting themselves forward, they have donned the mantle of materialism. Jezebel taken from the book of Kings in the Old Testament has long been assumed to symbolize fallen womanhood. The activity of fallen womanhood misleads striving human spirits in this community, especially, in sexual immorality and other pre-occupations that have become veritable idols. Sexual immorality here may indicate unfaithfulness to our spiritual goal.
Because of the higher spiritual position of womanhood, many will follow fallen womanhood in this path, which she is no longer willing or