Revelations Chapter Two (Part VI)

By Odon Bulamba (16 March 2001)

Revelation 2:13 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.

Imagine if you thought that you were a good Christian but then someone comes along and says, “You dwell with Satan”?

Revelation says that Satan’s dwelling is in Babylon, it is not the Babylon that use to be long ago but the Babylon that is happening in the church today. Babylon also means Babel, remember Genesis 11. When people wanted to reach God they decided to build a tower that was very high so they could see where God lived.

The foundation was made of bricks and we know that bricks are made from the earth’s resources. It is like our bodies, we are made from dust. All their thoughts were physical and their flesh was working rather than the spirit. So they built a tower.

When they reached the top God put confusion in them. They started talking different languages and communication became impossible. This is what is happening in the church today. If you go to a Pentecostal church you won’t be able to speak the language of a baptist church. They divide each other with their speech and this is what we call doctrine. People hang onto man’s rules more than God’s rules. We marry man’s rules and not God’s rules. This is where Satan dwells. When this happens God brings confusion and splits up Christians.

The tower of Babel was built many years ago and that’s why we have many languages and descendants. God’s church also has descendants. Who are descendants? The upbringing you give your child will reflect what you have learnt. If you don’t bring your child up according to the word of God people will find it hard to recognize that your child is a servant of God. This is why it says in Timothy that the Pastor must control his own household.

If you use the English language your child will speak English and if you talk like a cat your children will do the same. Each one of us has a nationality, you can try and hide your speech but sooner or later it will come out. This is the same with our upbringing and it’s the same with what churches teach us. Satan dwells here. We must pay attention to the word of God. Does God allow me to do what I’m doing? Does God allow me to hate Maoris or other nationalities or not?

Because they have killed my father do I love them or not? If I hate someone then I become a murderer, the Bible says this in 1 John 3:15. The world can hate but as Christians you are not allowed. If you are slapped on one cheek give the other also. You must pray for your enemies and love them. It is not easy to love your enemies but we must do what David did with Saul.

We must avoid Satan dwelling among us. Satan doesn’t have the right to sit on your sofa but if you give him room he’ll kick you off. We must be careful not to be a stumbling block for others so that people will not fall because of us.

The church of Pergamum held fast onto God but they killed a faithful witness. That’s what is happening in the church. When you talk about the truth people begin to hate you, but if you flatter someone everybody is happy. In Matthew 6:16 the Pharisees always wanted to be hugged and hear that they were the best. They always wanted to be first so that everybody could see them. Woe to those who want to be first.

Jesus says in Revelation 2:14, “I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam”. Who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin be eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality?

Balaam was a prophet and worked for God. Balak invited Balaam to dinner because he knew that people listened to him and so did God. However Balak wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites.

Numbers 22:16-22. We can see that Balak wanted something from Balaam and that Balak would give him anything he needed. “I ask you Balaam to curse the people”, “I can’t curse the people for I must obey God’s word”. Balaam also made a mistake. He said to God, “God, I am going to curse the people”. However in verse 12 God said that he wasn’t allowed to go. Balaam listened to Balak because he wanted money and honour, so Balaam begged God to let him go. So God said go.

It means that when we are servants of God and God says, “do not sin,” be careful. Christians can drink to get drunk but when they finish having a good time they just ask God to forgive them. They know that God is against drunkenness but they still do it and think that God will forgive them.

When Balaam left the Bible says that an angel came with a sword. Balaam couldn’t see the angel even though he was a prophet. The donkey said to Balaam, “why are you hitting me, everyday I have carried you”?

When we want to please our bodies we go astray. Satan comes and wants us to kneel down and he’ll pretend to give you something. This is what the church is doing right now. When Peter preaches the gospel and everybody feel God’s power in him, the Baptist church will ask Peter, “Peter, come to our church and we will give you a car, a house and we’ll start a new church”. Peter will say, “this sounds good, I won’t have to pay rent and will receive all the offering”.

Peter then starts a Baptist church. Can you see that Peter forgets he is an Evangelist and becomes a Pastor? When Peter carries on in this church the power of God will start leaving him, the Holy Spirit will not work because he has fallen. If Peter says, “No, I don’t want this because it goes against the word of God”, God will do something good.

If you sell souls to denominations; these souls will suffer forever. As it is written in the book of Matthew 18:6-7, woe to the one that makes someone fall, woe to him! Woe to you who think only about the physical race! What colour was Adam? Race doesn’t matter in the eyes of God; if you were created a human being then you are like Adam. God can do what He wants but as human beings we must respect everyone whether you are white or black. Remember that one day worms will not worry about your colour.