Apocalisse 2:12-13

DISCORSO: 2487
EPISTOLA A PERGAMO

Apocalisse 2:12 . All'angelo della Chiesa di Pergamo scrivi; Queste cose dice colui che ha la spada affilata a due tagli; Conosco le tue opere .

In una precedente epistola abbiamo notato che le parti particolari del carattere del nostro Salvatore, con le quali vengono presentate le diverse epistole, sono adatte all'argomento di ciascuna. In questo discorso alla Chiesa di Pergamo, nostro Signore ha occasione sia di rimprovero che di minaccia: e perciò si definisce «che impugna la spada affilata a due tagli». Ora, secondo il piano che abbiamo proposto, di indagare più minuziosamente ogni descrizione distinta della sua persona, richiamerò ora la vostra attenzione su,

I. Il carattere di cui il nostro Signore è qui investito:

La descrizione qui data del nostro benedetto Signore ricorre frequentemente nelle Sacre Scritture; e, confrontando i diversi passaggi, vedremo che lo sostiene,

1. Come Sovrano—

[La parola di un re, specialmente nei governi dispotici, è pronunciata con grande autorità: come ha detto Salomone: "Dove c'è la parola di un re, c'è potenza: e chi può dirgli: Che cosa fai [Nota: Ecclesiaste 8:4 .]?" Ora, confrontando il nostro testo con la descrizione più ampia fatta di nostro Signore nel capitolo precedente, da cui è tratta questa piccola parte, vedremo che questa spada è la sua parola , che esce dalla sua bocca: «Dalla sua bocca è uscita una spada affilata a due tagli [Nota: Apocalisse 1:16 .

]”. E “questa parola è davvero sia rapida che potente, e più affilata di qualsiasi spada a doppio taglio [Nota: Ebrei 4:12 .]”. È una legge per ogni figlio dell'uomo: i più grandi re e principi, non meno dei più poveri dell'umanità, sono vincolati da essa e devono obbedirla a loro rischio e pericolo. In riferimento ad essa non ci deve essere alcuna esitazione, nessuna esitazione, nessun ritardo.

Mettere in dubbio la sua autorità, o dubitare della sua saggezza, è tradimento. Come, in cielo, “gli angeli fanno i suoi comandamenti, ascoltando la voce della sua parola [Nota: Salmi 103:20 .]”, così deve essere per gli uomini sulla terra. Non ci deve essere resistenza nei suoi confronti, nemmeno nel pensiero: la sua parola deve essere «potente, per abbattere ogni baluardo, e per abbattere ogni alta fantasia che si esalta contro la conoscenza di Dio, rendendo prigioniero ogni pensiero al obbedienza di Cristo [Nota: 2 Corinzi 10:4 .].”]

2. Come conquistatore—

[A questo proposito il santo Salmista si rivolge a lui: “Cingi la tua spada sulla tua coscia, o potentissimo, con la tua gloria e la tua maestà: e nella tua maestà cavalca prospero, perché (o per la causa) della verità, della mansuetudine e della giustizia: e la tua destra ti insegnerà cose terribili. Le tue frecce sono aguzze nel cuore dei nemici del re; per cui il popolo cade sotto di te [Nota: Salmi 45:3 .

]”. Armato di questa spada, esce sul carro del Vangelo eterno, conquistando e conquistando [Nota: Apocalisse 6:2 ; Apocalisse 14:6 .]. Ascolta la descrizione che ne fa San Giovanni, verso la fine di questo libro profetico: “Ho visto il cielo aperto, ed ecco un cavallo bianco; e colui che vi sedeva sopra era chiamato fedele e veritiero, e con rettitudine giudica e fa guerra.

…And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.…And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse; which sword proceedeth out of his mouth [Note: Apocalisse 19:11; Apocalisse 19:15; Apocalisse 19:21.

].” Yes, verily, with this sword shall “he get himself the victory [Note: Salmi 98:1.];” insomuch that “all kings shall fall down before him, and all nations shall serve him [Note: Salmi 72:11.],” and “all the kingdoms of the earth become his” undivided empire [Note: Apocalisse 11:15.]

3. As a Judge—

[“The word that he hath spoken, the same shall judge us in the last day [Note: Giovanni 12:48.].” Amongst the books that shall be opened in that day, doubtless the sacred volume shall be one, and “according to what is written therein shall every soul of man be judged [Note: Apocalisse 20:12.

].” And so the Prophet Isaiah distinctly declares: He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked: and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins [Note: Isaia 11:4.

].” Then those who have resisted his authority as King, and withstood his power as a Conqueror, shall be constrained to submit themselves to him as their Judge: for “he will then appear in flames of fire, to take vengeance on them [Note: 2 Tessalonicesi 1:7.],” and “will consume them with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy them with the brightness of his coming [Note: 2 Tessalonicesi 2:8.].”]

Having marked the character of our Lord, I will endeavour to shew,

II.

The deep interest we have in it—

It is obvious, that to the Church in Pergamos it was a consideration of vast importance; for the Lord himself said to them, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth [Note: ver. 16.].” And is it of less importance to us? Methinks every Church under heaven, and every individual in the Church, should take occasion to inquire,

1. What effect has the ministry of the Gospel produced upon us?

[The Gospel, by whomsoever ministered, is “the word of Christ,” which should dwell in us richly in all wisdom [Note: Colossesi 3:16.]. And by all who hear it, it should be regarded, not as “the word of man, but really and truly as the word of God [Note: 1 Tessalonicesi 2:13.

].” Our Lord said to his Disciples, “He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth Him that sent me [Note: Matteo 10:40.].” On the contrary, “he who despiseth, despiseth not man, but God [Note: 1 Tessalonicesi 4:8.

].” Let me then ask, What reception has the Gospel found amongst you? If it have produced its proper effect amongst you, it has pierced your inmost souls: as it is written, “The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart [Note: Ebrei 4:12.

].” O brethren, inquire, I pray you, whether it have thus penetrated the inmost recesses of your souls, so as to discover to you the hidden abominations of your hearts, and to make you cry mightily to God for the pardon of them! See the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, when smitten with this two-edged sword: what cries there were for mercy! “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Believe me, brethren, this is the very first effect which it will produce on you; and it must have already produced it, if you have not “received the grace of God in vain.

” “This is the fruit which it brings forth in all the world, wherever the grace of God is known in truth [Note: Colossesi 1:6.].” But is there not, in too many instances, reason for God to complain, “I have hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth [Note: Osea 6:5.

];” I have spoken to them the great things of my law; but they have counted them as a strange thing [Note: Osea 8:12.]:” yea, “though I called them unto the Most High, none at all would exalt Him [Note: Osea 11:7.]?” And shall this be accounted a light matter? It was not deemed so in the case of Zedekiah, of whom God complains, “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord [Note: 2 Cronache 36:12.

].” Beloved brethren, though no prophet, I also have “spoken to you from the mouth of the Lord;” and ye must answer unto God for every word that has been delivered to you in his name. Now, our blessed Lord says to you, “I know thy works.” And he does know them, and record them in the book of his remembrance; and will bring them forth into judgment at the last day. Let not any of you imagine, that it is sufficient to yield an outward conformity, whether in sentiment or action, to the word of God.

No, indeed; if you would really profit by it as you ought, you must be as sacrifices offered up to God upon his altar. The sacrifices, you know, were slain, and were so cut down as to expose to view their inward parts; and then were consumed on the altar, together with the meat-offerings and the drinkofferings that were presented on them. So must “you, to whom I minister the Gospel of God, be offered up as an acceptable sacrifice to God; being sanctified by the Holy God [Note: Romani 15:16.

].” Judge, I pray you, whether this has ever been truly wrought in you: for if the word be not thus “a savour of life to your souls, it will be unto you a savour of death,” unto your heavier and more aggravated condemnation [Note: 2 Corinzi 2:16.]

2. What do we expect from it in the time to come?

[The word, my brethren, is “the sword of the Spirit [Note: Efesini 6:17.];” and is raised, not to slay you, but to defeat and destroy your enemies. And it is a two-edged sword: every truth in it has a double aspect; speaking consolation to the obedient, as well as terror to the disobedient. By means of it, the Lord Jesus Christ carries on his work of grace in the souls of men; subduing all their enemies before them, and making them triumphant over all the powers of darkness.

It was by the word that Christ himself repelled all the assaults of Satan in the wilderness [Note: Matteo 4:4; Matteo 4:7; Matteo 4:10.]; and by it he will “sanctify us throughout, in body, soul, and spirit [Note: Giovanni 17:17.

].” We must therefore make use of it for this end; as it is said, “Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God [Note: 2 Corinzi 7:1.]. Regard not then our blessed Lord as an object of terror; but as “the Captain of the Lord’s host,” armed for your deliverance [Note: Giosuè 5:14.

]. In the epistle before us, you will find a promise, as well as a threatening; and he will shew himself as mighty to fulfil the one, as to execute the other. Whilst, therefore, you fear him as an avenger, learn to confide in him as “able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him.”]