Let me remind you that Balaam was a Mesopotamian priest who lived in the thirteenth century before the birth of Christ. According to the Book of Numbers, he tried to strengthen the alliance of the Israelites with the pagans, so that they would enter into close contact with idolaters, and, having lost the purity of their faith, they lost God's blessing. And since then, the "teaching of Balaam" has become a current formula, an expression denoting contact with the pagans. «… That they should eat things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication." Yes, in the time of Balaam, indeed, the Israelites were invited to feasts in honor of the gods, to participate in the sacred meal, and, consequently, to eat things sacrificed to idols. And they committed fornication, because there was sacred debauchery, were held in honor of the gods. For the Apostle John, this already has a spiritual significance here. Participation in a meal is, so to speak, some kind of spiritual communion, and, accordingly, spiritual fornication. Although it is possible that we are talking about really direct violations, because for Christians, not only for Jewish Christians, but also for Gentile Christians, the apostolic council forbade eating meat and food in general, which was offered at a meal in honor of the gods.

We even have a special church holiday established on this occasion: once upon a time, pagans, mocking, came to the bazaar and all the food that was sold there, ^sanctified the god^ so that Christians would go hungry – and could not buy or eat catechumens. And when the Christians, in order to somehow get out of the situation, began to gather grain, and so, in honor of the Martyr Theodore Tyro, a special rite is performed at the beginning of Lent.

Probably some of the Christians said that all these were vain warnings, that it was possible to eat perfectly well food that was dedicated to the gods. Thus, both literally and spiritually, there were attempts to take a light look at the strict attitude towards paganism. And it seems that it was this teaching that was called the teaching of the Nicolaitanes. It is not known who Nicholas was who spread this teaching, but it apparently contained a call to unite Christianity with paganism. Perhaps in this case we are dealing with the first Gnostics. Both in Ephesus and in Jergama there appeared a multitude of teachers who tried to interweave Eastern Hellenistic theosophy, Eastern occult teachings with Christianity, to consider Christ as one of the gods who came to earth along with other gods, and so on.

«… to him who overcomes, I will give to eat the hidden manna." Manna is the food that the Israelites ate in the wilderness. Subsequently, in the apocalyptic books, it became a symbol of the meal of the messianic kingdom. This is heavenly food, this is food, after tasting which, a person no longer feels hungry, it is spiritual food. In fact, already in the Bible, in the second book of Maccabees, manna is mentioned as messianic food, as a sign of a joyful meal at the end of time, and a white stone on which a new name is written.

In ancient times, a "new name" in the East meant a new stage of life or a new power. If the king defeated another but left him on the throne, he gave his vassal a new name. If a person entered some new path in life, he took a new name for himself. At that time, the name was given a huge, sacred meaning, so getting a new name means some kind of revolution in life. We often see such symbols in the Holy Scriptures, when, for example, the prophet Ezekiel says that Jerusalem will be given a new name, it will be called "the Lord there". This is repeated by a number of other passages from the prophets. In Isaiah we read in the 62nd chapter: "They will no longer call you 'forsaken,' and your land will no longer be called 'wilderness,' but they will call you, 'My favor toward him,' and your land 'married,' and so on.

The fact that Jerusalem is given a new name is a sign of a new era in its life. And the church of Pergamum receives a new name, because it belongs to the Lord, and this is its deepest mystery, its service to God, not external human glory, but internal, hidden, most intimate. This is the podvig that is done not in the face of man, but in the face of God, so no one knows the new name except the one who receives it. This applies not only to the history of the churches, but to each of us, because the Lord will give a new name to everyone who remains faithful. Everyone knows for himself that there is something in the spiritual life that cannot be told or told, because it is hidden in the deepest recess.

Open. 2, 18–29. "Thyatira" is a town in Asia Minor, also located near Pergamum. The Apostle Paul first arrived there in the fifties, found several pious women, among whom Lydia stood out, and proselytes, and founded a small community. And so this small community of Thyatira, which had no support from other Christians, was somewhat isolated, could easily become the prey of various false teachers, charlatans, false prophets who wandered along the roads of Asia Minor. And indeed, a woman appeared who pretended to be a prophetess. The Apostle here calls her Jezebel; Let us recall that Jezebel was a Phoenician queen who married the Israelite king Ahab (in the ninth century B.C.) and tried to implant idolatry in Israel. Now, this woman called herself a prophetess. Incidentally, in Asia Minor, especially in Phrygia, there were many sanctuaries where women soothsayers preached. In general, this country was the birthplace of the worship of the Mother Goddess, the Phrygian Cybele, and Artemis of Ephesus. The priestesses dedicated to them went into a frenzy like bacchantes, danced... And so, apparently, such priestesses, who had converted to Christianity, began to introduce into the church something false, alien, unnecessary, dangerous, and here is a stern warning against this.

As for the "depths of Satan," it seems to be Gnosticism. At that time, occult and theosophical systems created colossal genealogies showing the origin of spirits, gods, demons. These genealogies took up entire books. Imagination worked, magical, realistic fantasy worked. All this, like dark smoke, obscured the Christian consciousness. People hung amulets with the image of Christ, some snake-like or winged creatures on themselves - everything was mixed here: both astrology and secret sciences. The pure stream of Christianity could very easily be clogged with all this, which is why it is said so harshly: all these depths of Satan must be rejected.

"Whosoever overcometh and keepeth My works to the end, to him will I give power over the Gentiles, and shall shepherd them with a rod of iron." This is a messianic image. The Messiah gains power over the world in the coming kingdom, and so all who remain faithful become partakers of His kingdom. And those who remain faithful are those who strive to preserve the purity of the faith itself. "Only what you have, keep until I come."

3

1 And to the angel of the church of Sardis write, Thus saith he who hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, I know thy works; You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Watch and strengthen the rest that is near death; for I do not find that thy works are perfect in the sight of my God. 3 Remember what you have received and heard, and keep and repent. But if you do not watch, I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you. 4 Yet there are some men among you in Sardis who have not defiled their garments, and will walk with me in white garments, for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments; and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

7 And to the angel of the Philadelphia church write, 'Thus saith the Holy One, the True One, who has the key of David, who opens, and no man shuts, and no man shuts, and no one opens: 8 I know thy works; behold, I have opened the door before you, and no one can shut it; thou hast little power, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will cause them to come and worship at your feet, and know that I have loved you. 10 And as thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the time of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly; hold on to what thou hast, lest any man take away thy crown. 12 He that overcometh will I make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall no more go forth. and I will write on it the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from heaven from my God, and my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

14 And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write, Thus saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know thy works; you are neither cold nor hot; Oh, if you were cold or hot! 16 But because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 17 For thou sayest, 'I am rich, I have grown rich, and have need of nothing.' but you do not know that you are miserable, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy gold from me, refined by fire, that you may be rich, and a white garment to clothe yourself, so that the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and anoint your eyes with eye ointment, that you may see. 19 Whom I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

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