April 6: SAYS WHO?
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword’” Revelation 2:12
Pergamos was celebrated for its wealth, power, and magnificent temples erected to the gods of Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and Asclepios. It was the capital city of the Roman province of Asia. Its political importance was matched by its fame for being the intellectual center for the entire Hellenistic world. Though Rome had conquered Greece, it incorporated much of Grecian culture into itself. The library in Pergamos was second only to that in Alexandria, Egypt (where many of the world-loving Sadducees had been educated). The office of the Roman governor was headquartered in Pergamos. He possessed “the right of the sword” and could order the death of anyone on the spot. This power was often exercised against Christians to intimidate them. Jesus identifies Himself as “He who has the sharp two-edged sword” to remind the Christians there of exactly Who it is that actually has the last word on every matter. The power of Satan is behind the persecutors of God’s people, yet the power and authority of the Creator and Savior is infinitely greater!
In our fallen world, culture and compromise have a dangerously close relationship. Yet, as followers of Christ, we are to discipline ourselves by cultivating our sensitivity to the hearing of His words. The thing that hinders our devotion to Jesus is a devoted attention to the noise of the world. It is Satan’s strategy to deafen us toward the hearing of that still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12) while dazzling us with a veritable stampede of godless entertainment and worthless trinkets.
The authority of God’s Word has lost its proper place in the minds of many professed believers. The same Christian who speaks kindly to strangers will turn toward a Sabbath-honoring brother in Christ and complain that he is being legalistic. Ironically, that complainer is likely to support legislation intended to compel people to rest and worship on a different day—one that is not set apart by the Lord. Beloved, make sure you are anchored in the whole of God’s Word. You will experience delight upon finally hearing what He is saying, yet there is also an element of humiliation for having taken so long to hear it.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
For further study: Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:10; Isaiah 56:2,6,7; 58:12-14; Ezekiel 20:12; 22:26,31; Matthew 24:20; Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56; 1 John 2:3-4; James 4:17, Revelation 14:7 (compare to Exodus 20:11)