Resilient – A Revelation Daily Devotional – Day 9
Cedar Creek Church August 5, 2025

Day 9 – August 5

Read or listen to the audio version of the Bible Reading and Daily Devotional.

Read Revelation 2:12-17

To the Church in Pergamum
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
13 “‘I know where you dwell,  where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” This popular quote, often attributed to Mike Tyson, provides a unique frame of reference for this morning’s reading. We must remind ourselves that Revelation is an apocalyptic work, which means it pays attention to future realities but also to unseen realities in the present. This task is often accomplished using imagery and symbolism to stir emotion and passion in the reader.

The second of Jesus’s edicts, addressed to the church at Pergamum, starts with some strong encouragement. Pergamum finds the church located in the center of pagan and imperial worship. The church finds itself in the crosshairs, refusing to worship the Roman emperor while also not aligning with those practicing the Jewish faith in the community. Constantly, this church and its members are contending with ideals and idols vying for their affection.

Back to the Mike Tyson quote: It is easy to separate modernity from a 2,000-year-old literary book like Revelation, but there is much that links these two cultures. Believers today, like those at Pergamum, are constantly being marketed to and sold promises of existential value through temporal things. There is a battle waging for affection, attention, and adoration.

What makes this battle even more difficult is that often we are punched in the face before we even realize we are in a fight. The battle, like much of Revelation, takes place in the unseen realm. Materialism creeps its way into how and when we worship. Expressive individualism convinces us that our existence with the church is primarily self-serving. Like a twig in a river, it is easy to look up and realize we have adapted the Gospel and our image of God to be more marked by culture than scripture.

It sneaks in so easily. The Nicolaitans referenced in today’s reading are simply selling a bill that the Gospel frees us from offending the sensitivities of secular culture. Christ has freed us, and an exhaustively rigorous battle for holiness is not necessary. Except, our joy is found in a grace-driven pursuit of personal holiness that crafts a trusting relationship with the God of the universe.

How do we fight this battle and remain vigilant? The answer is in the symbolism as Jesus describes his word as a two-edged sword. The Bible, and our understanding of it, matters. The pages of scripture inform and remind our hearts of who Christ is, which refines our understanding of self. God holds the plan for what to do once we are punched in the face. It guides and protects us from welcoming in false gospels that steal joy. You are in the exact right place for this battle as we push to understand more of God’s word over the coming weeks.

Pray: God, reveal the lies I believe in my heart. Help me to develop an adoration for your word in my life.