PREPARATION FOR THE THIRD SEASON FEASTS: THE CONGREGATION OF PERGAMOS (Revelation 2:12-13)

Elul 8 (21 August 2026)

The KING is in the FIELD! AWAKEN the BELIEVERS!

CONGREGATION THREE: PERGAMOS (Revelation 2:12-13)

The CONGREGATION of PERGAMOS can be seen as representing the period from the END of the PERSECUTION by the Roman Emperors (rulers, kings) up until about 600 AD.

The PERSECUTIONS ended when the Roman Emperor Constantine, “married” the Christian Church to the pagan religion of the ROMAN EMPIRE.

The name PERGAMOS contains the Greek word, “gamos” meaning MARRIAGE and it was the Centre of pagan idolatry and worship.

Constantine brought together (“married”) the PAGAN WORSHIP of the sun god Mithra with CHRISTIANITY, creating a feast for the birth of Yeshua, on the feast day of the birth of the sun god Mithra, on 25 December as well as abandoning the SABBATH of YHVH our CREATOR and forcing down WORSHIPPING on the day of the sun, namely SUN DAY.

Likewise the Isis/ Ishtar/ Ostre worship of the SPRING, part of a fertility cycle involving human sacrifice and re-birth was “MARRIED” to the REMEMBRANCE of the DEATH and RESURECTION of MESSIAH YESHUA, covering it on a feast bearing the name “Easter”, coming from the (small letter) god Ostre/ Ishtar.

MESSIAH YESHUA REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE CONGREGATION OF PERGAMOS AS:

1. The ONE who has the SHARP DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.

• We read a PROPHECY of MESSIAH YESHUA as the REDEEMER in Isaiah 49:2 saying: “He (God the Father) has made MY MOUTH like a SHARP SWORD…” And in Revelation 1:16 as well as 2:12 MESSIAH YESHUA is identified as THE ONE from whose MOUTH went a SHARP-EDGE SWORD. And in Revelation 19:13 HE IS IDENTIFIED AS THE WORD and in verse 15 we read: “…out of HIS MOUTH comes a SHARP SWORD with which to strike down nations.”

• Therefore, MESSIAH YESHUA’s WORDS are like a SWORD which CREATES (Genesis 1:3 & John 1:1-14), JUDGES (John 12:48 & 2 Corinthians 5:10) and DIVIDES (Matthew 10:34 & Luke 12:49-56).

• We also read about this SHARP DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD in Hebrews 4:12 “See, the WORD of GOD (the FATHER) is ALIVE! It is at work and is SHARPER than any DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD – it cuts RIGHT THROUGH to where soul (the heart/ emotions and mind/ thoughts) meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to JUDGE the inner reflections (thoughts) and attitudes (emotions) And Ephesians 6:17b says: “the SWORD given by the (Holy) Spirit, that is, THE WORD OF GOD.” It is therefore CLEAR, a believer’s SWORD IS THE WORD OF YHVH our GOD.

• Therefore, we need the WORD of GOD to SEPARATE and DIVIDE what is the TRUTH preached and applied in the CONGREGATIONS we are part of and what is not.

• THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, THE WORD OF GOD separates us from paganism, freeing us to RETURN to the TRUE FAITH and HIS WEEKLY FEAST, the SEVENTH DAY SHABBAT and THE SEVEN ANNUAL FEASTS of YHVH our God.

THE BELIEVERS OF PERGAMOS ARE COMMENDED FOR:

1. LIVING there where the Adversary (Satan’s) throne is, and yet HOLDING ON to MESSIAH YESHUA’s NAME.

• Satan’s throne in PERGAMOS is believed to be a white stone altar on which human sacrifices were made to Zeus. It is thought that the stone originally came from BABYLON and was moved to PERGAMOS in 487 BC.

• A German archaeologist excavated the altar and took it to a museum in Berlin.

• It is said that Hitler based the Nuremburg Stadium, from where he made speeches to Nazi rallies, on PERGAMOS and its altar.

• The Satanic Babylonian RELIGION started in Babylon with Nimrod (meaning rebel) is described in Genesis as 10:8-11:9 as a mighty hunter and it is thought that he was the leader if the rebellion against God under the sway (the authority, influence and control) of Satan, building the TOWER of BABEL (read Revelation 12:7-9 and 17:5).

• The Babylonian RELIGION is based on human lust, fertility and human sacrifice, and therefore involves death and idolatry in CONTRAST with God the Father’s PURE COMMAND to “be FRUITFUL and MULTIPLY (Genesis 1:28).

• It manifests in VARIOUS PAGAN MYTHS, the essential element being an incestuous (sexual intercourse with a parent, child, sibling or grandchild) fertility cycle, with the exaltation of the “Madonna” (an idealized beautiful, virtuous woman called “Mary”) with her child. This goddess is worshipped as:

1) The Queen of Heaven (Jeremiah 44:15-19).

2) Tammuz (Ezekiel 8:13-18).

3) Ashtoreth with Baal (Judges 2:13).

• The BABYLONIAN fertility cycle of death and rebirth connects to the SEASONS, mimicking the MOEDIM (the Appointed Times, known as the SEVEN FEASTS) of YHVH our God, to create confusion and deception, but in contrast with the Babylonian cycle, YHVH’s FEASTS exclude WINTER altogether, beginning and ending with the HARVESTS of YHVH, with no element of paganism. We know YHVH our GOD is LIGHT and there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5-6).

2. The CONGREGATION of PERGAMOS did not DENY TRUSTING (their FAITH) in MESSIAH YESHUA even at the time HIS FAITHFUL WITNESS Antipas was put to death in the city of PERGAMOS, there where the Adversary (Satan) lives.

• Standing apart from the Satanic Babylonian RELIGION, cost the BELIEVERS in PERGAMOS the LIFE of Abba Father’s FAITHFUL MARTYR Antipas.

SOUL SEARCHING

1. Am I holding on to MESSIAH YESHUA’s NAME in spite of a world that celebrates evil and becoming more and more like the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah?

2. Am I following the Babylonian RELIGION, “marrying” paganism (darkness) with YHVH’s TRUTH in His WORD (Light)?

3. Am I possibly deceived by the serpent like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, eating from the TREE of GOOD and EVIL?

4. Am I using the WORD of YHVH as my DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD to SEPARATE and DIVIDE what the TRUTH of YHVH my GOD is, and what DECEPTION is?

5. Am I not SEPERATING myself form the Babylonian RELIGION because I am afraid of being rejected by family, friends and colleagues or maybe because I am caught up in tradition?

6. Do I believe that the HOLY SPIRIT will teach me ALL THINGS (1 John 2:27).

7. Am I willing to STAND APART from the Babylonian RELIGION, RETURN to the TRUTH of YHVH and be FAITHFUL to HIM ONLY, even if it cost me my LIFE?

RESTORATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT

• SEEK THE KINGDOM of YHVH by daily reading and thinking on HIS WORD, STORING it up in my HEART and MIND and ASKING the HOLY SPIRIT to TEACH HELP, and GUIDE us to enable us to DISCERN between THE TRUTH of the WORD and PAGANISM/ DECEPTION.

• ASK YHVH our God to FREE us from PAGANISM, and LEAD us out of BABYLON, on THE WAY of YHVH our God in HIS PERFECT TIME and with HIS POWER, STRENGHT and GRACE.