Revelation 2:14: But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

The Savior initially praised the faithful saints in Pergamos who were willing to die for their religion.¹ But in this verse, he condemns the faithless saints who were not willing to live their religion.² Some saints avoided persecution and death by compromising their standards.³ Christ spoke to this group specifically, saying: I have a few things against thee.⁴ The few things were far from inconsequential.⁵

Some saints were condemned because they hold the doctrine of Balaam.⁶ Balaam (Bay-LAAM) was an ancient Midianite descendent of Abraham⁷ who possessed the gift of prophecy.⁸ The Moabite king⁹ named Balak (BAY-lack) hired Balaam to use his prophetic gift to curse the Israelites as they migrated around the lands promised to Moab.¹⁰ However, instead of a curse, God constrained Balaam to bless the Israelites.¹¹

Although Balaam was unable to use his prophetic gift to curse the Israelites, he knew they could be defeated if they sinned against God.¹² Therefore, to earn his substantial¹³ Judas-like wages,¹⁴ Balaam told King Balak that God would curse the Israelites if Balak befriended Israel and convinced them to participate in the idol worship of the Moabites.¹⁵ The Lord had expressly commanded the Israelites to have no dealings with the Moabites for this very reason.¹⁶ Nevertheless, at the invitation of Balak, the Israelites befriended the Moabites.¹⁷ This friendship led the Israelites to participate in pagan sexual rites¹⁸ associated with the worship of the Moabite god named Baal-Peor (Ball-PEE-or).¹⁹ In consequence of this evil, 24,000 Israelites were destroyed,²⁰ and Balaam died by the sword.²¹

The Lord compared the saints of Pergamos with Balaam because Balaam compromised his spiritual gift²² and loved the wages of sin more than God.²³ He engaged in priestcraft,²⁴ and his doctrine endured long after his death.²⁵ At its core, the doctrine of Balaam is the acceptance of false religion²⁶ and befriending the world through the compromise of Christ's religious standards.²⁷ This occurred when the Israelites ate things sacrificed unto idols as a gesture of friendship.²⁸ This stumbling block caused them to commit fornication, which was an even grosser sin.²⁹ Many Israelites were destroyed because of their fornication.³⁰ Their fall began with a stumbling block when they befriended a people with whom they should have had no dealings.³¹

The saints of Pergamos had the same stumbling block placed before them in the form of intense idol worship.³² Meats sacrificed for idol worship were used at both social and religious gatherings,³³ and in everyday life.³⁴ A church council in Jerusalem forbade Christians from eating all things sacrificed to idols.³⁵ Sacrificial food became a stumbling block and an outward test of Christian devotion that divided members of the church from the rest of society.³⁶ The saints were required to avoid the very appearance of sin by abstaining from meat sacrificed to idols.³⁷ Unfortunately, once the saints in Pergamos fell because of this stumbling block they then committed the grosser sin of idol worship and immorality.³⁸ Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints face similar stumbling blocks that lead to grosser sins in the modern world.³⁹

Revelation 2:15: So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

The idolatrous and immoral practices of Balaam⁴⁰ were the moral equivalent of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.⁴¹ Their moral equivalence is captured in their respective names.⁴² Baalam means he who swallows down the nation, and Nicolaus means he who conquers the people.⁴³ The doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which included immorality and priestcraft, was taught among church members in Ephesus.⁴⁴ The Ephesian saints did not tolerate the Nicolaitan doctrine, but the saints in Pergamos did.⁴⁵ Therefore, the Lord condemned the saints in Pergamos for compromising their standards to engage in deeds that the Lord hates.⁴⁶

Revelation 2:16: Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

The Lord commands the saints in Pergamos to repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly.⁴⁷ The entire church was threatened with swift judgment⁴⁸ because even the faithful saints tolerated the Nicolaitan doctrine in their midst.⁴⁹ Christ threatened to fight against them who carried out the deeds of the Nicolaitans with the sword of my mouth.⁵⁰ The Nicolaitan (Balaamite) saints in Pergamos were to be surgically destroyed⁵¹ as the Lord destroyed 24,000 offending Israelites in the days of Balaam.⁵² Balaam died by the sword anciently to prefigure the future judgments of Christ on covenant people who engage in Balaam-like offenses.⁵³