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The Double-Edged Sword

Words of Faith Final

The Double-Edged Sword

Words of Faith 11-19-2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2020

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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Revelation 2

[12]  "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. [13]  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, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives.

 

     Pergamum was a wealthy city about 20 miles inland from Smyrna. It was known for many pagan cults but especially the Emperor cult. This is why there is a reference as the place where Satan has his throne. A grand temple to Caesar was located there. Pergamum was also the location of a healing spa and a vast university library.

      This city was hostile to the Gospel as it prided itself as a place of education, healing, and religion. It also had been given the rare power of capital punishment by Rome. Antipas was a faithful witness put to death there for not renouncing his faith. This was the level of hostility in the town of Pergamum.

       The Lord first recognized the faithfulness of those struggling to remain true to the Name of Christ. This part of Revelation is not talking about the time of the Tribulation or the rise of the anti-Christ. The Lord was addressing the church at the end of the first century in the middle of an idolatrous center. Government, education, medicine, and religion were all dominated by the voice of Satan.

       In some ways, this may sound familiar. What do we do in a culture that grows increasingly hostile to the one true and living God? What do we do in a time that increasingly rejects the Gospel? We can feel those same adversities in our day.

        We don’t’ want to miss the opening identification of the Lord. “These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword” [12]. This is a clear reference to the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

         The truth is that arguments and politics will never win hearts. The Word of God is the one thing that brings hope, change, and life. The only sword that can battle the places where Satan lives is the Word of God. Those battlefields are in the hearts of people.

 

        Father God, keep me true to Your Word. Keep me clear of the voices of compromise. Give me the courage to clearly speak the Good News even in times and places that are hostile. In Jesus' Name.

 

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.