"Then Is Finished The Mystery Of God"
Chapter 10
To the Angel in Pergamum
Revelation 2:12-17
ABOUT one hundred and thirty miles to the north-northeast of the Isle of Patmos and about fifty miles north of Smyrna lay Pergamum, a Mysian city near the northern border of the Roman province of Asia. It had a 1,000-foot-high acropolis and also a shrine to Aesculapius, the god of medicine, together with a university for medical study. Parchment, such as the Christian apostles used, gets its name from Pergamum, namely, charta Pergamena. (2 Timothy 4:13) Pergamum brought itself into line with the cult of emperor worship and had a temple for the worship of Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire. The Christian congregation that was established in Pergamum was one of the seven congregations to whom the book of Revelation was directed. To this congregation John was instructed to write the following:
"And to the angel of the congregation in Pergamum write: These are the things that he says who has the sharp, long two-edged sword, 'I know where you are dwelling, that is, where the throne of Satan is; and yet you keep on holding fast my name, and you did not deny your faith in me even in the days of Antipas, my witness, the faithful one, who was killed by your side, where Satan is dwelling.
" 'Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there those holding fast the teaching of Balaam, who went teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. So you, also, have those holding fast the teaching of the sect of Nicolaus likewise. Therefore repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war with them with the long sword of my mouth.
" 'Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name written which no one knows except the one receiving it.'" — Revelation 2:12-17.
Since the speaker here warns of his having the sharp two-edged sword protruding out of his mouth, it identifies him as being the glorified Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:16) With it he threatens to fight against the offensive ones if they are not cleared out of the Pergamum congregation or if these do not repent. With judicial decisions that proceed out of his mouth like a sharp, two-edged long sword he fights to keep the congregation of his true followers clean, free from sectarian divisions.
The glorified Jesus Christ knew the difficult situation in which the Pergamum congregation found itself back there in the first century C.E., just as he knows the trialsome situation in which the remnant of his anointed followers find themselves today since the close of World War I in 1918 C.E. He denominated Pergamum where this Christian congregation dwelt as the place "where the throne of Satan is," the place "where Satan is dwelling." (Revelation 2:13) The "throne of Satan" would be where he sits as political ruler and as judge. (Compare Revelation 20:4 and Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30.) Where he sits pictures that on which he bases his rulership, that which serves as his justification and support for ruling and judging. On what basis, then, does he seat himself in power?
The basis is indicated in his very name, namely, Satan, which means "Resister; Adversary." At the Garden of Eden shortly after the creation of Adam and Eve, this mighty spirit creature Satan set out to
resist Jehovah God as the Universal Sovereign, the Sovereign of heaven and earth. He adopted the view that Jehovah as God and Ruler does not and cannot command the loving, unselfish loyalty of his creatures as his subjects and worshipers, and that his creatures are not absolutely dependent upon Jehovah. On this basis Satan made himself a resister of God and set up his own throne to extend his rule over all these creatures who, as Satan insisted, were not really loyal worshipers of Jehovah at heart. The right to prove his ability to capture these as his subjects was the basis that Satan laid for setting up a throne rivaling that of Jehovah God. Satan claimed that Jehovah could not maintain himself as a God and Ruler who is exacting exclusive devotion and absolute obedience.
At ancient Pergamum Satan especially set up conditions to put the Christian congregation to the test in this regard. Here he caused to be established a temple of Zeus or Jupiter, the chief god among all the pagan gods and goddesses. Also, out of the rock of the Pergamum Acropolis he had a throne altar cut to Zeus or Jupiter. Although thus magnified, this Zeus or Jupiter did not insist on exclusive devotion to himself, but allowed other gods as well as goddesses to be worshiped, but as subordinate to him. Satan wanted to force Jehovah God into a position like that of Zeus or Jupiter, a position in which Jehovah God would have to give up his claim to exclusive devotion and universal sovereignty.
Here also in Pergamum Satan caused a temple to be set up for the worship of the Roman emperor, Augustus or Octavius Caesar, who died in the year 14 C.E. The setting up of the worship of the Roman emperor was really a political move, one meant to weld all the various conquered countries in the Roman Empire together by the worship of a god common to them all, namely, the Roman emperor. In this matter the Roman emperor did not demand the exclusive religious devotion of his imperial subjects; they still could worship their local or national gods and god-
desses, but they must also include him in their worship so as thus to have a common imperial worship and be held together by common religious ties. The worship of the Roman emperor as well as of Zeus or Jupiter is really the worship of the great Resister of Jehovah God, and for this reason Pergamum could be said to be "where the throne of Satan is" and "where Satan is dwelling."
This being in such close touch with Satan's throne and presence imposed a severe test upon the exclusive devotion of the Christian congregation to Jehovah God, nineteen centuries ago. Today a like test is imposed upon the remnant of anointed Christians who are in line for reigning with Christ in the heavens. How so? In that since the end of World War I in 1918 self-determination of peoples has been glorified and nationalism is therefore sweeping the world, with many new nations being born as a result. All these political nations demand the exclusive devotion of their subjects even to the extent of one's sacrificing life for the nation, and really the political State is put above God. But despite this crucial test the anointed remnant of today, like the Pergamum Christians, "keep on holding fast my [Christ's] name." They persist in openly declaring "Jesus is Lord." They refuse to say, under any pressure, "Jesus is accursed," and the political State ("Caesar") is Lord. — 1 Corinthians 12:3.
"ANTIPAS, MY WITNESS"
To this anointed remnant of today the glorified Jesus Christ can say: "You did not deny your faith in me even in the days of Antipas, my witness, the faithful one, who was killed by your side, where Satan is dwelling." (Revelation 2:13) Antipas must have been killed on the issue of imperialism, refusing to worship Caesar, the deified head of the Roman Empire, as god, and choosing to continue worshiping Jehovah as the divine Head of all the living universe and as the only living and true God. He continued
holding fast to Jesus Christ as the one whom Jehovah God had appointed to be Lord, Kyrios. And so in this regard the Lord Jesus Christ could speak of Antipas as "my witness, the faithful one." — Matthew 23:9, 10; 1 Corinthians 8:5, 6; Ephesians 4:5, 6; Acts 2:36.
Today, nineteen centuries later, the issue is in essence the same, especially since Jehovah God enthroned his Son Jesus Christ as reigning King in the heavens in the year 1914 C.E. Particularly since 1920 C.E. the anointed remnant have been proclaiming world wide the established Messianic kingdom of God, in fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy recorded in Matthew 24:14. And in the year 1941 C.E., on August 6, the opening day of the national assembly of Jehovah's witnesses at St. Louis, Missouri, J. F. Rutherford as president of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society imparted a larger view of the issue. In his keynote speech on "Integrity" he announced that the great issue before heaven and earth was that of "universal sovereignty" on God's part. He said:
"The primary issue raised by Satan's defiant challenge was and is that of UNIVERSAL DOMINATION" or sovereignty. — Par. 19.
And in the third last paragraph of his speech he said to his assembly audience of 64,000:
"We must and will be entirely, wholly, unreservedly and completely devoted to The THEOCRATIC GOVERNMENT by Christ Jesus. We can have no part in and nothing in common with Satan's organization. We are wholly and steadfastly for The THEOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, and here, by God's grace, we will remain. We know it shall vindicate JEHOVAH'S name and bring deliverance to all who love righteousness and who serve Jehovah under his righteous government."
The next day, August 7, 1941, the issue of The Watchtower of August 15, 1941, containing this keynote speech on "Integrity" was released for circulation among the now 70,000 attending the St. Louis assembly. For keeping their integrity toward Jehovah God on the burning issue of UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY a number of the anointed remnant have been killed by the political, military and religious powers of Satan's world, since the year 1919, just like the Christian martyr Antipas of the first century C.E.
TEMPTATION TO SEXUAL IMMORALITY
Satan, however, was trying to undermine the integrity of the Pergamum congregation by another means, of a very subtle sort. The glorified Jesus Christ called attention to this when he said: "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there those holding fast the teaching of Balaam, who went teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication." (Revelation 2:14) Ah, yes, sexual immorality, to be used as an inducement to committing idolatry! Back in the year 1473 B.C.E. the Mesopotamian prophet Balaam hired himself out to King Balak of Moab in order to pronounce curses upon the sons of Israel. These were encamped on the plains of Moab just before their crossing the Jordan River to take possession of the Promised Land. But Jehovah the God of Israel foiled this conspiracy by turning the curses of Balaam into a blessing for the sons of Israel. (Numbers 22:1 to 24:25) So now Balaam suggested to King Balak another way to bring about Israel's downfall. What? Sex, along"with idolatry!
Women who were associated with idolatrous worship were used as lures to draw male Israelites away from the worship of Jehovah God to the lewd worship of pagan gods and to offering sacrifices to such gods. This scheme succeeded with 24,000 Israelites. (Numbers 25:1-18; 1 Corinthians 10:8) Those Israelites who fell victim to this scheme of mixing sexual im-
morality with idolatry and did not keep their integrity to Jehovah God never did enter the Promised Land right across the Jordan River. Consequently, those in the Christian congregation in Pergamum who were "holding fast the teaching of Balaam" could not be tolerated.
Evidently these taught that God is merciful and the power of Christ's blood is very effective, so that Christians who now and then or regularly pleased their fallen flesh by committing fornication and even pagan idolatry along with it could be forgiven and have their willful sins washed away and thus they could continue in membership in the Pergamum congregation. Such Balaam-like teachers were "ungodly men, turning the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for loose conduct and proving false to our only Owner and Lord, Jesus Christ." — Jude 4, 11; 2 Peter 2:14, 15.
Such corrupters of Christian morals and faith were not to be allowed to remain in the Pergamum congregation. Neither are they to be allowed to mix in freely with the Christian congregation of the anointed remnant. This is especially so since Jehovah God, accompanied by his Messenger of the covenant, Jesus Christ, came to the spiritual temple for inspection and cleansing work in the spring of the year 1918 C.E. — Malachi 3:1-5.
Not only must the morals of the Christian congregation be preserved pure, but the unity of organization was likewise to be safeguarded. No religious sectarianism was to be allowed to divide the anointed remnant of the spiritual body of Christ. Christ, as represented by his anointed congregation, may not be divided; it cannot exist as a house divided. (1 Corinthians 1:10-13) The congregation at ancient Pergamum did not get the commendation that the glorified Jesus Christ gave to the Ephesus congregation, saying: "You hate the deeds of the sect of Nicolaus, which I also hate." (Revelation 2:6) Rather, one of the critical things that he had against the Pergamum
congregation was religious sectarianism, just as he said: "So you, also, have those holding fast the teaching of the sect of Nicolaus likewise."
Religious sectarianism was dangerous and was condemnable back there, and it is so today. Its existence in any section of the general congregation of anointed Christians is something to repent over, followed by diligent efforts to root it out, for Jehovah's appointed Inspector, Jesus Christ, warns:
"Therefore repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war with them with the long sword of my mouth." — Revelation 2:16, 12; 1:16.
Since coming to the spiritual temple in company with the Supreme Judge Jehovah God in 1918, the Inspector Jesus Christ has been warring with the symbolic long sword out of his mouth. He wars against those with any sectarian inclinations in the general congregation of his anointed remnant. Through the publications of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society he has pronounced plainspoken disapproval of all religious sectarianism as well as any interfaith movements of Christendom. It has been purged out from the ranks of the anointed remnant of Jehovah's witnesses.
Like a sharp, two-edged, long sword proceeding out of the mouth of the Lord Jesus, the pronouncement of judgment has proceeded forth against any promoters of sectarianism, either the "sect of Nicolaus" or that of any other man or religious movement. As Jesus said in his prophecy in which he foretold that he would find such an "evil slave" class at his second coming: He "will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be." (Matthew 24:48-51) No sect established by the "evil slave" class since 1918 C.E. is recognized as Scriptural.
Thus the glorified Jesus Christ brings to reality the prayer that he offered to God on the last night with his apostles in the flesh: "I make request, not con-
cerning these only, but also concerning those putting faith in me through their word; in order that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you, that they also may be in union with us, in order that the world may believe that you sent me forth. Also, I have given them the glory that you have given me, in order that they may be one just as we are one. I in union with them and you in union with me, in order that they may be perfected into one, that the world may have the knowledge that you sent me forth and that you loved them just as you loved me." (John 17:20-23) With his "long sword" Jesus now wars for this unity.
"HIDDEN MANNA" AND A NAME-BEARING "PEBBLE"
There are faithful and obedient ones that conquer these wrong conditions inside the congregation and conquer this wicked world. For the encouragement of these the glorified Lord Jesus gives final words to the Pergamum congregation: "Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name written which no one knows except the one receiving it." — Revelation 2:17.
"Manna"? a person might ask. "What is that?" This is just what the Israelites said when they first saw it in the wilderness of Sinai away back in the year 1513 B.C.E. It was food that Jehovah God miraculously provided for the wandering Israelites under the leadership of the prophet Moses. When the dew fell at night, this manna would form, and the next morning the Israelites would gather enough for the day's needs of each one. On the sixth day God provided them the double amount for them to collect, because none would fall or form on the sabbath day. Only that portion collected for the sabbath day would not spoil by the next morning. According to God's will the prophet Moses said to his brother Aaron, who later became high priest of Israel: "Take a jar and
put in it an omerful of manna and deposit it before Jehovah as something to be kept throughout your generations." Not much later, when the golden Ark of the Covenant was constructed for Jehovah's tabernacle of worship, a golden jar of this manna was put inside this sacred chest, along with the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. — Exodus 16:13-33; Hebrews 9:4.
However, when the golden Ark of the Covenant was transferred from the tabernacle to the magnificent temple that King Solomon built for it in Jerusalem, the golden jar of manna was missing, for some reason. (1 Kings 8:9) But from when the manna was put into the Ark of the Covenant by Moses (1512 B.C.E.) to King Solomon's dedication of the completed temple (1027 B.C.E.) was 485 years. So for most of this time this omer of manna, which ordinarily spoiled overnight, did not perish, but was imperishable. In a literal sense this was "hidden manna," and in his message to the Pergamum congregation the glorified Jesus Christ used it as a symbol of an imperishable food supply, or that which results from such a food supply, namely, endless life. In the case of the faithful congregation of anointed Christians this life is immortality in the spirit realm, hidden from the eyes of fleshly mankind. (1 Corinthians 15:50-54) The hope of receiving such a reward is enough to spur on an anointed Christian to be a conqueror in imitation of Jesus Christ himself.
In addition to the "hidden manna," a white pebble with a new name written thereon is promised. This promised "white pebble" is symbolic of much. The original Greek word used here and translated into English as "pebble" is pséphos. It is the Greek that the apostle Paul used when making his Christian apology before King Agrippa in Caesarea and when describing his persecution of Christians before his own conversion. He said: "Many of the holy ones I locked up in prisons, as I had received authority from the chief priests; and when they were to be executed,
I cast my vote [pséphos; literally, voting pebble] against them." (Acts 26:10) This notifies us of the fact that back there pebbles were used in courts of justice in rendering judgment or voicing an opinion of either innocent or guilty. White pebbles were used for pronouncing innocence, acquittal; black ones for pronouncing guilt, condemnation. The whiteness of the pebble that the heavenly Jesus gives to the anointed conquerors means his judgment of them as innocent, pure, clean. They pass his approval as disciples.
Note, though, that this "white pebble" has on it a name, "a new name written which no one knows except the one receiving it." Such a name stone was anciently used like a modern-day ticket to an event; it was the thing that must be shown or deposited for gaining admittance to an entertainment or spectacle. The symbolic "white pebble" would accordingly picture the privilege of admittance into certain private, intimate association with Jesus Christ.
Are not just 144,000 conquering disciples the only ones to be admitted into the heavenly kingship and priesthood with him, to reign with him for a thousand years for the blessing of all mankind? (Revelation 20:4-6; 2 Timothy 2:11, 12) Are not just 144,000 conquering disciples the only ones to make up the "chaste virgin" class, the spiritual "bride," "the Lamb's wife"? Did not the apostle John later hear a voice from heaven say: "Let us rejoice and be overjoyed, and let us give him the glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself"? Yes; and John then reports: "And he tells me: 'Write: Happy are those invited to the evening meal of the Lamb's marriage.'" (2 Corinthians 11:2; John 3:29; Revelation 21:9-15; 19:7-9) For admission into all these unique privileges the symbolic "white pebble" may have to be shown to Jehovah God. There are just 144,000 of such 'white pebbles,' and highly favored indeed are the receivers of them.
The "new name written" on each stone, is it a new personal, individual name that all others of the group
of 144,000 will never learn to know? Will it entitle the pebble holder to a special individual relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ that none of the others in the group of 144,000 will enjoy? Not likely! Rather, this "new name" may stand for a name that is new to them but that will be common to them all but unknown to all other creatures in heaven and earth. So the "new name" written on the "white pebble" may mean sharing together the newly bestowed heavenly name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This harmonizes with the message that he gave to the faithful congregation in Philadelphia, in which he says: "The one that conquers ... I will write upon him . . . that new name of mine." (Revelation 3:12) And after the seventh angel blows his trumpet and certain tableaus appear, the apostle John says: "I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads." (Revelation 11:15; 14:1) Finally, after the seventh angel pours out his bowl of God's wrath and certain other tableaus follow, John says that he saw the heavenly Lord Jesus Christ riding to the "war of the great day of God the Almighty" at Armageddon, and he notes this feature about him: "Upon his head are many diadems. He has a name written that no one knows but he himself — Revelation 16:17; 19:11, 12.
Since, now, the 144,000 receivers of the "white pebble" with the "new name" written thereon are to be joint heirs with Christ as well as his "wife," the "new name" on the symbolic "white pebble" may mean their sharing in common certain intimate privileges with their heavenly Bridegroom in connection with his own name. But whichever thing it actually is, it is sure to be a 'good name,' one that "is to be chosen rather than abundant riches," and "better than good oil." (Proverbs 22:1; Ecclesiastes 7:1) It is a worthy prize for all of the 144,000 anointed conquerors.
