So we're up to the third church in the book of Revelation and
The title for the sermon tonight is of the church in Pergamos. Okay, the church in Pergamos now
Out of the seven churches when I when I read through the book of Revelation
When I when I consider the church in Pergamos
It's probably like the words that Jesus Christ speaks to this church to me
I'm more probably the more difficult ones the the more cryptic if it will
Okay, and as I came to prepare this sermon I was kind of you know, there was some things
I just sort of you know, hadn't fully grasped, you know, I haven't fully understood
But I hope I've done well enough here to give you a good
Presentation of the things that I said some other churches have things that are very clear
You know, if very things that are easy to understand and there are some things that are easy to understand with this church
But there's also some other things that you know
Really require a bit of study in the Bible or maybe even an understanding of the of the city of Pergamos at this
time if you're sort of interested in the history of
Churches, I don't tend to go into history all that much when I go through the Bible
I know a lot of preachers do they like to go back and look at you know, this city was like this
This was the you know, this was the kind of you know, a people that live there
These were the influences of the people but I try my best to stick with what the Word of God says and try to minimize
you know the the
Additional things that people tend to look at when they go through the Bible
But look at Revelation chapter 2 verse 12
Revelation chapter 2 verse 12 the Bible says and to the angel of the church in Pergamos, right?
And just a reminder the angel there is the pastor
So all these churches have a pastor and it says these things save he which have the sharp sword
We've two edges the sharp sword. We've two edges now
This is the you know
The double-sided sword now when we talk about the sword the reason I asked Brody there to read through Ephesians chapter 6
Because we were looking there at the armor of God and one of the pieces of the armor of God
Was the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God
You know the Lord Jesus Christ has left us with a sword
Okay left us with a sword so we can do spiritual battle and that is your Bible
Okay, and you know what? It's not just you that holds the Bible
It's not just you that uses the Bible or this church that uses the Bible
But we see there in verse number 12
It's Jesus that has the sharp sword with two edges
You see even Jesus Christ uses the Word of God
You know even Jesus Christ can quote the Bible and we've seen him when he was walking the earth and you know
Doing his ministry, you know, he went to fight
He went to battle against the devil using the scriptures the devil's there trying to tempt him
Trying to make him fail trying to make him fall. Of course
He could not because he was God manifest in the flesh, but Jesus Christ showed us the example
He used the Word of God he used scriptures to defeat the enemy to defeat the devil
Okay. Now one thing I just quickly read to you that was read earlier just in Ephesians 6 13
It says you don't need to turn there just as wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God
That you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand
Brevin we live today in an evil day. Okay. I mean, I'm constantly surprised
Just just how wicked this places get in, you know, apparently not long ago. Apparently New York has now
Legislated that abortions can be done up to nine months pretty much, you know till the baby's being delivered
They're now allowing abortions. I mean just the things that I'm here. I mean
It shouldn't surprise me, but it does surprise me sometimes, right?
You know, I mean the fact that even abortions are legal. Anyway, the first place is just disgusting
It's just terrible. Okay. I mean they're just increasing in the same wickedness, you know
It's not like the nine-month-old is any less of it or any more of a baby than one that's two weeks old or whatever
Okay, but just hearing these things and just knowing we know what when a baby is born how fully developed it is
You know how it has a sense it knows its mother
when the baby is born and is put on the chest of the mother and he
Relaxes and you know when it's born the baby knows that it needs to cry to breathe
I mean, it's a fully functioning human being and they want to be able to destroy that baby
They want to be able to murder little children
I mean we just live in a wicked age, you know and and the Bible tells us
You know in this time this evil day
We need to put on that whole armor of God and of course
I just wanted to focus there on this on this on the sword
It says in verse 17 and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit
Which is the Word of God you see we're commanded to take the sword of the Spirit. We're commanded to go to battle
Okay, it's not just armor, you know and protect yourself from all the attacks that come your way
No, you've got to take up the sword and go to battle with the sword that Jesus Christ has given us. Okay
Your thoughts might be you know, but it's just a book
I mean, it's just it's just letters on a page, you know, what kind of sword is this?
You know, well, I mean if you've studied the Bible if you've if your life has changed as a result of the Bible
It's a powerful sword. Okay, it's actually had an amazing impact on your life already
I mean just the fact that you know, you're no longer on your way to hell
But you're on your way to heaven proves that it's a sharp sword
You know and the Bible tells that actually if you can keep your finger then go to a Hebrews chapter 4
Please Hebrews chapter 4, you know just to reinforce something that's said about the Word of God
but the fact if you've been able to have a
More fulfilling Christian walk in your life because of the Word of God it shows the effect that the sword can have on your life
Okay, where sometimes you know, it is going to hurt you sometimes when you look at your life
you look at your sins, you know that that sword of God is cutting through and
Sometimes we don't want to know what the Word of God says right because we're comfortable in our life
We're comfortable in our sins and sometimes we don't like hearing preaching
Not not that the new man the new man loves the preaching but that old man the flesh doesn't like the preaching because it cuts deep
Into the flesh there, but look at Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12
The Bible says for the Word of God is quick. Okay when it says quick it means it's living
Okay, you know the words in this book. It's not just a static
Printing like like your average novel that you're gonna find in any bookshop
The Bible tells us here that the Word of God is living. It's alive
Okay, there's a spiritual life that's contained in these words and that's why it has an impact within you
It says for the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Okay
piercing even to divide and asunder of soul and spirit
That's why it's sharper than a two-edged sword
I mean if you're going to battle with a two-edged sword the most you can do is cut, you know
The body, you know damage the body stab the flesh
But the sword of God the Word of God goes deeper dividing asunder the soul and spirit
It goes deep into us into you know
The other if you want to call dimension of where our soul and spirit resides and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner
of the thoughts and
Intense of the heart it's able to discern your thoughts. It's able to discern the things that it's in your heart
That's why sometimes when you hear preaching, you know from from either myself or from other preachers or whatever and you're like
It's it just sounds like you're preaching about me. It sounds like you know something about me and you're preaching about me
It's not me. It's not the preacher writes the Word of God that has discerned your thoughts and your heart
That's how deep it goes. It's extremely powerful to use and that's why the world hates the Word of God
That's why you know, this dark world doesn't want to know what the Word of God says, you know
Even someone like an Israel Folau, you know
And what I believe is to be an unbeliever all he has to do as an unbeliever is quote the Word of God
And causes damage just even as an unbeliever
You know, even there's someone that's unskilled with the sword of the Spirit is able to cause damage
You know how much more then are the preachers cause, you know called by God, you know
The pastors of churches or preachers to stand up with the Word of God and cause some damage in this spiritually dark world
You know damage to the to the kingdom of Satan
Alright, and but I just wanted to point out to you that you know in the in if you go back to Revelation 2 12
It's the same weapon that's used by Jesus Christ
Here's the one that has the sword with two edges now when we talk about a double-edged sword
You know, I look this up a little bit but you know
Most like swords in general you have your single-edged swords and usually your single-edged swords
I have a bit of a have a bit of a curve to it
Okay, and they're apparently they're better for slicing for cutting through things
Okay, but then you have your double-edged swording a double-edged sword basically sharp on one end and sharp on the other end
Okay, and the idea there is just so you can actually you know, you may not cut as effectively as a single-edged blade
But you can cause a lot of damage because no matter which way you swing it, you know
You can cut that way and if you're in battle
Let's say you're cutting down that way and you and then you know on your way back up
You can cause damage once again because it's sharp on the other side
Whereas a single-edged sword can only cut one way and then you've got to readjust your angle before you can cut again
But a double-edged sword doesn't matter which way you move it. It's going to cause some damage
It's going to cause some some some effects with how you wield it
So, you know as preachers as people that get up behind this pulpit because it is a powerful weapon
We also must be trained to use that weapon. Okay, because people can cause unnecessary damage as well
You know unnecessary damage, you know, or even destroy fellow brethren because of you know, unskillfully using the Word of God
You know, so you need to know the Word of God needs to train yourself, you know
Practice preaching in order to be able to use that sword very effectively and let's go to verse number 13
Now it says Jesus says of this church in Pergamos. I know thy work. So again, this church is doing good works, right?
They're doing works and the Lord recognizes the works that have been there and it says and where they are dwellest
Even where Satan's seat is now, this is where it gets a little challenging, you know, Pergamos is being said here
This is where Satan's sits
Okay, and it's it's more than just sort of this figurative thing we have look let's keep reading and thou holdest fast my name and
Hast not denied my faith
Even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth
Okay, so it's not just this passing thought that it's Satan's seat there, but Satan dwells there says Jesus Christ
Okay. Now just a few key things there. Obviously this church
Has been facing certain persecution one of their church members Antipas was
Put to death, you know, he he suffered a martyr's death
But yet this church did not you know remain strong this church was unmovable
It says here that they held fast in the name of Christ. Okay, they held up the name of Christ
They did not deny the faith
I assume these guys went through some persecution some tribulation where they've been pressured to to deny the Lord God
But no, they stood up for Jesus Christ even at the face of death, okay
But what really interests me is the fact that there's Satan's seat is there and that Satan dwells there, you know
And I don't know, you know, do you think these this is figurative speaking?
Do you think it's just some sort of spiritual application or do you think there's more to it?
You know, I don't have a full answer to that
But I did look this up and and some people say that well
I mean, this is that this is a recorded fact is that in Pergamos there was this altar of of Zeus
Okay, Zeus is a Greek God and is the God he's basically the king of the gods
so he's the top god in you know, Greek mythology in Zeus and apparently there was an altar, you know, I
significant, you know a significant monument that was built that was called the altar of Zeus and that altar it
Still exists today not in Pergamos
But it was taken to I think a museum in in Germany in Berlin and you can still see that if you were to go there
It's and if you look at the altar, it's I mean, it's not the entire thing
It's it's just mainly the steps that lead up to the altar
But there's all these pictures of all these other pagan false gods around there
So it gives us an idea of what Pergamos was like, you know, obviously this this this
City was full of idolatry. The city was full of worshiping false gods or other gods like that
And so maybe that's what he means by there being a a seat of of Satan that being that altar of Zeus
You know, that's a possibility. I'm not discounting that completely
Okay, but when I when I just want to base these things on the Word of God, you know
We know that Satan is real, right?
We know the devil's a real, you know fallen being you know a fallen cherub and that he's roaming the earth
You know, he sees he's going about this earth like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour now
I want to take you to a story in the book of Isaiah. Keep your finger there in Revelation 2 and go to Isaiah 14, please
Isaiah 14 verse 4
Isaiah 14 verse 4 and this is a prophecy of Isaiah
Long before the king of Babylon has anything to do with Israel before they're you know being taken into captivity or anything like that
Isaiah is given this prophecy from the Lord in Isaiah 14 verse 4. Look what it says here. Isaiah 14 verse 4 it says
That thou, this is God speaking to Isaiah, that thou shalt take up this proverb
against the king of Babylon and say how hath the oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased
okay, so this is a prophecy about the destruction of
Babylon in you know in the Old Testament days there and if you just drop down to verse number 9
So it's it's a prophecy against the king of Babylon right drop down to verse number 9
It continues on says hell from beneath is moved for thee. Now the thee there is the king of Babylon
Okay at thy coming it stirs up the dead for thee
even all the chief ones of the earth you have raised up from the thrones all the kings of the nations and
They shall speak and say unto thee, thou also become weak as we, thou become like unto us
Thy pomp is brought down to the grave and the noise of thy vials
The worm is spread under thee and the worms cover thee
These are like the worms of hell. Verse number 12 look at this how art thou fallen from heaven O
Lucifer son of the morning how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the nations
So it's quite an interesting thought here this prophecy of Isaiah that is prophesying
He's preaching against the king of Babylon right says look your end is hell
You know it's opening up for you the worms are ready to cover you and then he goes straight into you know
Preaching against Lucifer you know that that being you know the name of Satan prior to his fall and saying how
Satan has fallen from heaven and so what I gather from from this guys is that we obviously again
We know with other verses Satan roams this earth and it seems like when I put this together what we see there in Isaiah 14
You know that the king of Babylon was under the influence of Satan all right
I mean that's pretty clear the king of Babylon is being prophesied against but by extension
So is Satan okay, and it seems like Satan had set himself up there
Or this is a future prophecy, but sets himself up in Babylon, and he's causing problems there, right?
He's calling causing problems for the people of God and of course Babylon was taking out
I'm sorry Judah the southern kingdom of Judah was taken into captivity into Babylon. There's always this association with
Persecution of God's people again persecution of Christians now the other thing we know about Satan is not he's not God right
He's not omnipresent
He can't be everywhere at once and so from what I gather here if we look back at if we can you can go back to
Revelation chapter 2 now I
Would say you know I'm not going to be dogmatic about this
But I would say that Satan had literally set up camp in Pergamos
Okay, right while there. That's where his seat was that's where he was dwelling in Pergamos
And yeah, you could say that altar of Zeus was built because you know if Satan is having this spiritual influence in this world
Obviously he's going to drive the people of that city
It's not to worship the true God of the Bible
But to worship false gods and you know get into idolatry and to get all those kinds of things
So it would make sense to me that
Satan was in that city at that point in time and his purpose was to destroy this church in Pergamos
You know he already got got in a way with with killing one of their one of their church members
And you know what other what other you know?
What are the damage was he trying to do to that church, and this is why this this it starts off here?
We've talking about the sword of the Spirit that Christ has a sword because as we get to the end of this you'll see that
Christ says look
We'll get into it later, but basically it says look
I'm gonna defend you guys okay, and you know it would make sense that you know he would be defending them because Satan is literally
Literally the real Satan right is literally there attacking that church, and let's go to verse number 14
Please revelation chapter 2 verse 14
Revelation chapter 2 verse 14
The Bible says, but I have a few things against thee so even this church had a few issues right
Against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam
Now Balaam is a prophet or a false prophet if you will in the Old Testament
now
Again, this is he's a challenging figure in the Bible. I mean you go and ask the average Christian
Do you think Balaam was saved or unsaved?
You're probably going to get a 50-50 response. You know you're probably gonna get yeah
Look these are the reasons why I think he's saved and here are the reasons why I think he's unsaved
And you know what I'm not going to tell you right now what I believe
I think I need to do a little bit more study in Balaam
I mean I can't I know the passages obviously that deal with it
And I know the arguments for him being unsaved, and I know the arguments for him being saved
But you know that's not the key thing right now
The key thing is even if he was a saved you know real prophet of God
You know being being used by God in and then maybe he turned bad the fact is he had some false teaching
He had some false doctrine and this church had allowed this same doctrine to creep into their church
All right now to have a look at this it says there
Because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam
So it's not necessarily that the pastor held to the doctrines of Balaam
But the church had certain members that was holding to some false doctrine
Okay, and we need to be aware of that right like you know this church
We're open to allowing anybody to come in here
You know anybody to come in and learn and grow and of course
I don't expect a person to walk in and be on the same page with us on every single doctrine
You know you know of the Bible. You know obviously there are going to be some differences
But you know that's where you need to work with the people you need to work with them explain things answer questions
But it seems like these guys these folks you know or people that hold to these false doctrines. We're not being corrected
You know they'll just sit in there. You know causing problems for the church
So what are some of these false things that were being taught here? It says there in verse number
14 just in the middle there so the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak now Balak is
Was the king of the Moabites okay?
And the king of the Moabites basically wanted to pay Balaam or he did pay Balaam to curse Israel
okay, he recognized that Balaam had some type of
You know
Gifts all right of prophecy and he hires Balaam and says look Balaam
I want you to curse the Israelites
You know and then when Balaam goes and asks God can I curse them God says no all right?
Don't you dare curse them all right, and so he goes back and says Balaam look. I can't curse the Israelites
God told me that I can't okay, and but what does he do so Balaam you know just being sneaky
You know still trying to find a way to curse like he realizes
I can't curse Israel, but but Balak wants or Balak wants Israel to be cursed
So we've got to come up with another way right because because here's the thing with Balaam if you when you study his life
You realize this guy was all about the money right he was getting he was getting paid to do certain prophecies or doing certain things
He was definitely chasing the money, so what did he teach Balak?
He says he he taught Balak taught Balak sorry to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel
To eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication all right now keep that in mind
They you know that he taught Balak to cast a stumbling block okay before the children of Israel now keep your fingers that fingers there
Let's go to the story in the book of Numbers, Numbers chapter 25, Numbers chapter 25 verse 1
Numbers chapter 25 verse 1
Let's get a little bit of this story
Now when you're reading through the book of Numbers, okay, and you get to chapter 25
Your first thought you know as you read it. You're not going to think this has anything to do with Balaam
Okay, you know because you don't even notice that till several chapters later, but look at Numbers 25 verse 1
the Bible says an
Israel abode in Shittim and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab
Okay, so that's the whoredom. That's the fornication that was referred to in the book of Revelation
Okay, and notice they they committed whoredom with the daughters of Moab
And I told you that Balak was the king of the Moabites
Okay, so these were people that were under his rule and verse number two
and they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods and the people did eat and
bow down to their gods and
Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and the Lord said unto Moses
Look at this look how angry God was he says take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord
Against the son that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel
And Moses said unto the judges of Israel
Slay ye everyone his men that were joined unto Baal Peor
Okay, so this is what happens that some of the Israelites, you know that they see the daughters of Moab, you know
They're you know infatuated by them, you know, and they commit whoredoms
They commit fornication and as you see many times in the Bible when these when these when these you know
Supposedly, you know children of God, you know take on you know wives of another nation or women that worship other gods
Then their hearts are turned against the Lord God
They worship other gods they bow down to other gods and they even sacrifice and they eat of the food that was sacrificed unto
The God so that's a story that you see that develops there. Okay. Now, let's go to numbers 31 numbers 31 verse 16
Numbers 31 verse 16 because you're probably wondering what does that have to do with Balaam, you know
Well numbers 31 16 gives us the answer numbers 31 verse 16
Bible tells us behold these caused the children of Israel
Look at this through the council of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor
And there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. Okay, so
Balaam could not curse
Israel okay, but he goes to Balak the king of the Moabites and says look here's a way that Israel can be cursed
I can't curse them, but I know a way that God can curse Israel. Okay. Here's what you're gonna do
This is this, you know, I'm just sort of you know, coming up with a story here
But here's what you got to do King Balak, you know, you know send send send the prostitutes of your land of the Moabites
You know send your your whorish women out there, you know to appease the children of Israel send them out there
You know to to brief befriend them to spend time with them to you know
Just just to you know build build friendships and then those men will fall
Those men will commit whoredoms and the Lord God will step in and curse Israel for you on your behalf
that that's what happens right because Balaam gives that council gives that advice to
Balak so that gives you a picture of that story a little bit now. Let's go back to Revelation chapter 2 verse 14
Revelation chapter 2 verse 14
And so this church had allowed certain people to come into the church
Why were they seeking to bless the church were they seeking to to edify the church?
No, they were in the church seeking to destroy the church
They were they were there trying to you know, cause a curse to fall upon the people of God. Okay
Hey, they were behind the scenes, you know when we read numbers 25
There was no sign of Balaam. All right, and here's how wicked some of these false prophets are
They're behind the scenes. They come into a church. They act nice. They act like a prophet of God
Right, but then they they bring about situations to cause problems
Okay to cause divisions or cause, you know false doctrine to come into the church, but hey, they have their hands clean
It wasn't me. It wasn't me, but they gave counter to other people
They they you know gave it they whispered a word to this brother
they whispered a word of gossip to that person so that person causing problems within the church and
Here are not only not only problems not only not only conflicts
But people were now eating foods that were sacrificed unto idols and I've covered this topic before there's nothing wrong with that in of itself
Except when you knowingly are participating in that
Okay, when you you are participating and that's giving honor to that false god
So these guys, you know are giving honor to these false gods in the church and the communion fornication
With people within the church and of course the Bible teaches us that if someone in the church is communion fornication
They are to be kicked out of the church. Okay, so this wasn't going on now
They had some good works and you know, they were in a place of idolatry
They were in a place where Satan was dwelling so I can fully understand how Satan had allowed who had organized for these
You know these people like Balaam to creep into the church
So the lesson is there for us guys, you know the false prophet and this is this is basically just the wolf in sheep's clothing
Then you're not gonna notice them on the outside. Okay. I mean if they look like a false prophet on the outside
They're not a wolf in sheep's clothing. They're just a wolf in wolf's clothing
Okay, and they're easy to spot but the wolf in sheep's clothing the ones that are behind the scenes causing problems
They're hard to spot they look like a normal believer a normal prophet of God there
Anyway, Revelation chapter 2 verse 15 Revelation chapter 2 verse 15
So we've got these people that follow the way of Balaam in the church, but also in chapter 15
It says so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans
Which thing I hate and I've already covered this with the first church and went through the Nicolaitans
Just once again, we don't know enough in the Bible to tell exactly what these people taught
But it's enough to know that whoever is in this church trying to influence us with false doctrine
We need to get rid of them. Okay, otherwise, you know, God says here Jesus Christ says here that he hates those things
Okay, verse number 16 verse number 16
Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly
Look at this repent. So he's telling the church look sort it out
Repent right get rid of these people
He goes or else I will come unto thee quickly look and we'll fight against them with the sword of my mouth
That's why Jesus Christ spoke of the sword in his mouth. Okay, and the sword is the Word of God. Okay, so my
What I gather here is this church may not have been preaching from the Word of God all that much
They may not have been using scriptures as strongly as they should have, you know
The Word of God was not, you know getting rid of these people
Maybe they were just preaching your feel-good sermons. Maybe they'll preach in sermons without many passages
Okay, or being very vague with teaching I've seen this in church, you know, very vague on the gospel, you know
Well repentance is a change of way which leads to a change of of life
It's like well, what does that mean?
You know
There's there's no explanation so vague that you can even allow people that hold other
False doctrines other other gospels to come into the church and be an influence in a bad way to the church
No, you know it sounds to me just just from what I'm seeing there Jesus
I'm look I've got the sword and if you don't sort it out, I'll bring the sword
Okay, because it sounds like to me they weren't using the sword, you know that they were given the two-edged sword being the Word
Of God, so just a reminder guys that this church must be built on the sort of God
It must be built on the Word of God. All right
I don't want to have a preacher up here if you get up here and you never open the Word of God as a preacher
Oh, man, that's a big strike. You're probably not gonna preach again
No, you never if you never open the Word of God
In fact, if you do that, you'll never preach again, right?
But if you only open to one verse and your whole sermons on one verse boy, that's one strike, right?
I'll give you a free strike
So you're out no
But I want you guys opening the Word of God using the sword of the Spirit that's been given to our disposal because it's powerful
Okay, it's powerful. It'll get rid of the false prophets for the false teachers as well in the church
Now one thing I do want to show you here is during the book of Revelation. So go to Revelation chapter 19
Revelation chapter 19 verse 15, okay
Because you know this Bible the scriptures I can't
We can't really cause much that I mean besides Bible bashing someone I guess, you know
If I get someone just smack him over the head of this book, it's pretty it's pretty big
I think I can cause some damage right physically that is but look at Revelation chapter 19 verse 15
And
As we read this I just want you to think about how powerful the Bible is, okay
Revelation 19 verse 15
This is the the return of Christ when he comes back on the white horse and it says in verse 15 and out of his mouth
Goeth a sharp sword that with it
He should smite the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath
of
Almighty God, I mean this is quite a picture when he's treading out the winepress, you know
That's when you're stepping on grapes and you're seeing that the juice the grape juice is flowing out there
That's what it's gonna be like when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back and fights, you know
And he brings that sharp sword right and it's just gonna be a bloodbath. Okay drop down to verse number 16. Oh
Sorry, that's where we were
It says and he half on his vesture and on his thigh a name written king of kings and Lord of Lords
And of course, that's Jesus Christ verse number 20 verse number 20
We'll just drop down a bit and the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him
With which he deceived them that he had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone
Look at this verse 21 and the remnant to the rest of the armies of the Antichrist and the remnant were slain
With the sword of him
That sat upon the horse, so he's saying what did you does Jesus have a sword, you know on his thigh
Is that way is that way he's slain these people?
No, it's look which sword proceedeth out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh
You know what guys when this book when this Bible is in the hands of Jesus Christ when he speaks those words
It does physical damage it can kill people it destroys people
Okay, using this word these words is what Jesus Christ is using. It's not a piece of metal that's on his thigh
No, it's coming out of his mouth
He's speaking these words of God this this, you know, two-edged sword and it's destroying the armies of the Antichrist
I don't know what that's gonna look like, but that's gonna be an amazing scene
All right, I mean just just Jesus Christ speaking the Word of God and it's destroying people it's killing people it's causing a bloodbath
It's the same book that we've got in our hands. All right, so man
Yeah in the hands of God in the hands of Jesus Christ what he's able to accomplish, you know
We're able to accomplish something similar in the spiritual in the spiritual realm. Okay, we get out there
We preach the gospel with these words. Okay, we can actually turn the tide of someone's eternal destination from hell to heaven
Okay, they can and they're what are we cutting through? What are we destroying?
We're destroying the false teaching. We're destroying the false Gospels
We're destroying the false sense of righteousness within themselves and showing them what the Word of God says
Okay, and given them life given a lot the life that comes by hearing the Word of God. It's a powerful book
Please pick it up read it every day
You know, don't let it just sit there gathering dust on your bookshelf or only pick it up when you come to church
No, make sure you take this weapon
The Lord God has asked you in this evil day to put on the whole armor of God and the whole armor also
Includes the sword of the Spirit. All right
Let's go back to Revelation chapter 2 verse 17. We're almost done Revelation chapter 2 verse 17
So Jesus Christ always ends with this little conclusion every time he speaks way Church
He says he that have an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches and to him that
Overcomeeth and already we cover that that's those that are saved
Okay to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and
In the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that received it
Okay, that's what we get the hymn. You know, there's a new name written down in glory and it's mine. Oh, yes, it's mine
What it comes from here that?
Our one of our promises this is sort of I'm going to try to unpack it just a little bit to you
Okay, is that we're given this white stone with a new name. Okay with a new name
Which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it
So it sounds like in these the new heavens and the new earth we're going to be given new names
Okay, that's what it sounds like to me and it's going to be given to us on this white stone
Now something else that's quite interesting, um, if you guys can go to Revelation chapter 3
Revelation chapter 3
You guys are just right there and while you while you're going there
I'm just going to read to you from Isaiah 62 verse 1 just very quickly Isaiah 62 verse 1
This is of course referencing Old Testament Israel
Okay
But as we all know there were many saved that were in Old Testament Israel and there were many that were not saved
But here speaking of the saved, of course, it says for Zion's sake
Now Zion is a name given to Jerusalem. It's given to some other places
But at this point in time it was given to Jerusalem and we also know in the book of Revelation
There's going to be a new Jerusalem a new Zion. Okay. But anyway for Zion's sake
Will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest
until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth and
The Gentiles shall see thy righteousness and all kings thy glory
And and thou shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name
Okay. So here we have the Old Testament Saints being promised
There's going to come a time when they're going to be called by a new name. Okay, which the Lord shall name
It's going to come from the Lord
Okay, and we see in the book of Revelation for the believers the New Testament believers the New Testament Saints that we too
Are going to be given this white stone with this new name. Okay further proving the fact that we're one fold
We're one people. Okay Old Testament Saints New Testament Saints
We're going to be given this new name now Revelation chapter 3 verse 12. Look at this
This is obviously I don't want to go too much into it because it's about another church
But we can kind of put some things together here
The Bible says him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God
So just a pillar is obviously a piece of stone that's standing up straight
Okay, and it can be used as for the foundations or it can be used to just build or you know
Elevate certain things a pillar there now
So we're gonna so him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God?
so all of us are gonna have a pillar in God's temple and
He shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God now
These are the words of Jesus Christ. Okay. He says the name of my God
He's of course
We know that's referring to God the Father and the name of the city of my God that being New Jerusalem
It says that which is New Jerusalem
Which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name
Okay, so a few things there, you know that there's this pillar that's going to be
Given to each one of us. Um, it's gonna have the the name of God
So let me just say that again the name of God
It's gonna have the name of the city of God and it's also gonna have a new name that's given to Jesus Christ
Hey, what's that new name? I don't know. Okay. Well, obviously we don't know but it's it's you know
It's here in this pillar which has to do with New Jerusalem. Okay, it has to do with New Jerusalem
And we know when we looked at New Jerusalem that it had foundations
Remember those foundations had the name of the Apostles of the Lamb they're written there in okay
So there's something significant about this new heaven new earth something significant about New Jerusalem where there's these names as you know
It's kind of like you know, some people put plaques on a wall like a building and says, you know
This building was dedicated to or you know was constructed by this person
There's this like this plaque there, but it's kind of be something similar like that in the new heavens and new earth
But it's gonna have all our names. It's gonna have the name of God
It's gonna have the names of Jesus and just just an interesting thing
Now it says that it refers to that as a pillar now
The reason I go to turn there is I'm just gonna read to you from Genesis 28 just quickly
You don't have to turn there but Genesis 28 verse 16 and it says here
this is about Jacob and Jacob builds a few pillars himself, but
We read this not long going in a previous sermon, but it goes and Jacob
Awaked out of his sleep and he said surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not
And he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place?
there is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven and
Jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put up for his pillows and
Set it up for a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it
Okay, so we see Jacob here talking about hey this God was here, right? It says and it terrifies him, right?
So he gets the stone that he slept on and he sets up that stone as a pillar
Okay, and that's where I link what we read there in in Revelation chapter 2 verse 20 or sorry
of
revolution 2 verse um
Sorry 17 where it speaks of the white stone with a new name and also the pillar that's set up for each one of us
as well
It could be that that same stone that's given to us is set up for that pillar or that stone might be
representative of the pillar that's built there in the house of God
So, you know kind of like how you know some sometimes if you if you're in a competition and you win a competition
Your team gets a trophy but then you might get like a winner's medal, you know that represents that trophy
You know that you keep forever and that's kind of how I think I kind of think of it
Is that that winning trophy represents this pillar that's built there for all eternity
But you get this winner's medal to represent that you know as that white stone
I'm not sure you know, if you try to look it up other places in the Bible, it's challenging
This is what I said. It's kind of quite cryptic here about this church
But you know that that's you know
It's a great privilege that the Lord's gonna honor us with this new name
Okay, and a pillar in the new heavens in the new earth. So let's leave it there. Let's pray