Bible Questions and Answers

Can you explain Revelation 2:13? Isn't "Satan's Throne" in Hell not "Pergamum"?

Revelation 2:13 I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

Satan comes from the Hebrew and means adversary. It is used in the following places in the New Testament and in each case it means adversary. The kind of adversary varies but the purpose is always the same, it is an adversary to the purpose of God.

• Matthew 4:10 the Satan is Jesus’ own human nature which desired to put self before God.
• Matthew 12:26, Mark 3:23,26;and Luke 11:18 the Satan is the fictitious Beelzebub suggested by the Jews as responsible for Jesus’ healing abilities.
• Matthew 16:23, Mark 8:33 and Luke 4:8 the Satan is Peter opposing Jesus’ sacrifice.
• Mark 1:13 the Satan is Jesus’ own human nature which desired to put self before God. Jesus was tempted in the same way that we are all tempted – by our own desires.
• Mark 4:15Satan is the hearers’ failure to take any notice of the Gospel
• Luke 10:18 Satan is the pagan idolatry in the political heaven of the Roman Government which would be defeated by the preaching of the Gospel. This happened when Constantine legalised Christianity and Theodosius outlawed idol worship in the Roman Government.
• Luke 13:16 Satan is an infirmity of human nature.
• Luke 22:3 and John 13:27 Satan is the thought process of Judas that he adopted to betray Jesus. His motive was money.
• Luke 22:31 Satan is the dejection and resultant trial of faith which would be experienced by the apostles following Jesus’ crucifixion.
• Acts 5:3 Satan is the thought process that Ananias adopted to deceive the apostle.
• Acts 26:18 Satan is the darkness of this world without the light of the Gospel.
• Romans 16:20 Satan is the opposition of the Roman authorities to the preaching of the Gospel
• 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Satan is an unnamed opposition which prevented Paul visiting Thessalonica.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9 Satan is opposition to the truth of the Gospel which would result in the church falling away.
• 1 Timothy 5:15 Satan is the lawlessness of human nature.
• Revelation 2:9; 3:9 Satan is the opposition of the Jews in the synagogues at Smyrna and at Philadelphia.
• Revelation 2:13 Satan is the authorities in Pergamos who persecuted the Christians and had martyred Antipas.
• Revelation 2:24 Satan is false doctrine.
• Revelation 12:9 Satan is pagan idolatry in the Roman Government.
• Revelation 20:2,7 Satan is the lawless activity of human nature which will be tightly controlled during the millennial reign of Christ. At the end of this time the control will be relaxed to permit one final rebellion of men against God. Following which there will be a second resurrection and final judgment. All who live on after this will possess the divine nature and God will live in and with his people forever.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn