December 10
Amos 1:1-3:15 | PS 129:1-8 | Prov 29:19-20 | Rev 2:1-17
We read in Revelation 2:13 concerning the altar in Pergamos, “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." These words are red-letter, literally directly from Jesus. This altar was literally considered Satan's throne, where Satan dwelt, as stated by Jesus, Himself. We know from Ephesians 6:12, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." For a long time this satanic altar lied in ruins in Pergamos, which is present day Turkey. The altar was moved from Turkey stone by stone and reassembled in its own museum in Berlin. which was opened to the public in 1930. So inspired, the Nazi Party's chief architect, Albert Speer, designed the parade grounds in Nuremberg according to the Pergamon Altar for inspiration. A film was created and shown for 12 years in which Hitler was portrayed like a messiah descending down through the clouds with the backdrop of this altar to the faithful waiting below. It was here that Hitler first used the phrase, "Final Solution", aka, "Holocaust" which comes from a Greek word meaning "wholly burnt animal sacrifice" which as we know resulted in the sacrifice of six million Jewish people. Interestingly, the Soviet Union claimed this Pergamos Altar at the end of WW2 and moved it to Leningrad (now St Petersberg), before being returned to Berlin in 1958. Lastly, please don't take this lightly, in 2008, the Democratic National Convention, behind the newly elected candidate Barack Obama, where his acceptance speech was delivered, was designed in the exact style of the altar of Pergamos. This is not a political statement. But we must not blind our eyes to the evil that existed then and has now been welcomed into our own nation. When the altar of Satan moves from Nazi Germany to Stalin led Russia to our own nation we had better open our eyes.
In Revelation 2:6 speaking to the church of Ephesus, along with 2:15, Jesus strongly condemns, even uses the strongest of terms stating that He hates the Nicolaitans. The Greek word, "Nicolaitan" means "laity" or "priesthood". When Jesus died on the cross, we read in Matthew 27:51, that "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom". This veil was present to separate the Most Holy Place where God dwelt, and was only entered once a year when the High Priest would enter on Yom Kippur to bring the sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people of Israel. When that veil was torn, it signified that we, His people, now have direct entry to the Father, through the Son, as we read 1 Timothy 2:5, "There's only one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus", and we read in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by Me." So many have been lied to being told that "You can't understand the Bible", "Only we can interpret it for you", etc. This is a lie. When Jesus died and rose, He erased the concept of a go-between. He wants children who will depend on Him like children, and sit at His feet, not the feet of any so-called expert or go-between.
We also read Jesus' condemnation to the Ephesian church, one which we should all carefully consider personally, in Revelation 2:4, "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." Have you? Did you ever love Him to begin with? The Ephesian church is often called "The preoccupied church". Have we allowed the busyness of life, even the good things to cloud our ability to connect with God? The Pergamos Altar is not meant to elevate one political party over another, one candidate over another, etc. If we are in Christ, our hope must rest completely in Him, and in no man. Yes, we should all vote according to biblical lines if in the church, but for the most part, our nation, and much of the church is fast asleep as Satan has been allowed to enter and gain footholds in every aspect of our nation from our schools, universities, political organizations, courts, and yes, sadly, even our churches. We must fall back in love with Him. We can only do this by returning to His Love Letter, the Bible. A biblically illiterate society is easily fooled. Grounded on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and His word the Bible, we are better able to discern, as we read the recurring phrase given to all seven churches in the Book of Revelation, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." If you have never read through the Bible, please consider going through with us next year through the One Year Chronological Bible (You can get all the information on our church's website, CCOB.org, under the resource section titled "2025 One Year Bible Challenge").
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: