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Throne Is
Pergamos
The Seven Churches of Revelation
The Seven Churches of Revelation
Pergamos is located 79 kilometers (49 miles) from Smyrna and
61 kilometers (38 miles) from Thyatira.
It is a town of Mysia located on the Caicus river.
The city, from 281 to 133 B.C., was the residence of Attalia's
kings and the kingdom's capital.
Pergamos, after King Attalus died, was given to the Roman
Empire in the hope of preventing civil unrest.
His son attempted to seize the kingdom for himself but was
defeated.
The Roman province of Asia was then formed with the city as
its capital.
The city is the birthplace of the well-known Roman
physician, surgeon and philosopher named Galen.
Plutarch, a Greek historian and writer, started a library in
the city.
It soon grew to over 200,000 volumes and became the Greek's
second best ancient library.
It's reputation was so highly regarded that Marc Antony,
upon his marriage to Cleopatra, gifted it to her as a present.
Pergamos was also popular for the creation of a papyrus
replacement (named pergaminus or parchment) using calfskin.
The city's Great Altar, which was constructed in the early
part of the 2nd century, is now located in a Berlin, Germany museum.
The altar's base shows an epic war between a race of giants
and the pagan gods of Olympus.
A picture of the pagan god Zeus, believed to be the ruler of
all things, adorns the altar's frieze.
This gigantic altar was likely referred to in Revelation 2
when God said He knew His church in the city resided "where Satan's throne is" (Revelation
2:13).
“12. And to the
angel of the church in Pergamos, write: These things says He Who has the sharp
two-edged sword. 13. I know your works and where you dwell, where the throne of
Satan is; but you are holding fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in
the days in which Antipas (the first Christian to be put to death by the Roman
state) was My faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
“14. But I have a
few things against you because you have there those who hold the teaching of
Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of
Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. 15. Moreover, you
also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
“16. Repent! For if
you (those in Pergamos) do not repent, I will come to you quickly, and will
make war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17. The one who has
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who
overcomes I will give the right to eat of the hidden manna; and I will give him
a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except
the one who receives it.” (Revelation 2:12
- 17, HBFV)
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