To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.

-Revelation 2:12

1 - Dionysus

2 - Asclepius

3 - Demeter, Goddess of Grain

4 - The Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus

To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

-Revelation 2:12-17

Now, we must pause and understand the key to this letter.

Not everyone of you sees me, and I do not see every one of you. But I feel you, and you feel me.

-Adolf Hitler

Blazing flames hold us together into eternity. No one shall take this faith from those who are dedicated to Germany.

-Nazi Oath

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' He said, 'Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.

-Genesis 22:1-2

Satan’s Forte is Counterfeiting.

Satan blasphemes God’s provision of the Lamb and instead offers God’s own people as a burnt offering to himself.

He is not creative. He is the ultimate plagiarist.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers

-Acts 2:42

  

What counterfeit gods am I pursuing? 

Counterfeit: Made in imitation so as to be passed off as genuine

1 - Counterfeit peace and hope.

No God, no Peace. Know God, know Peace.

2 - Counterfeit euphoria and experience

For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness, the nourishment of mind with his truth, the purifying of the imagination by his beauty, the opening of the heart to his love, the surrender of the will to his purpose … and all of this gathered up into adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable…

-William Temple

And God said, 'I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.'

-Exodus 3:12

3 - Counterfeit identity

Paul said: “I am chief of all sinners.”

Satan offers a counterfeit claim.

Satan proclaims:

You are created in God’s image and therefore everything you feel and do is right. If something is innate, it must be right.

Jesus teaches:

Just because something is innate does not mean it is permissible. You must be born again!

Some people believe that sexual orientation is innate and fixed: however, sexual orientation develops across a lifetime.

-American Psychiatric Association

  

  

  

  

What is your main take-away from this message?

Make a Decision