The Capital Of Hell Series

Is there any truth to the popular idea that hell is right here on earth? There were a lot of

Minnesotans who believed it in Jan. of 1873. The morning of the 8th was beautiful and the snow

was melting. Masses of people made plans to travel, visit, and shop. But about 4 in the afternoon

the wind came blowing in, the temperature dropped 40 degrees in one minute, and the worst blizzard

in Minnesota history had begun, and it wouldn't stop for 3 days. Hurricane winds driving the snow

forced all living things to find shelter or perish.

A youth in school in New Ulm only had to cross the road to his house, but his body was later

found 8 miles away. Some buried themselves in snow drifts and survived. William Trier and his

bride and father were returning home to Fergus Falls. The men got out of the sleigh to look for

shelter and perished. The bride stayed in t he sleigh and lived. A St. Peter woman was just out

feeding her chickens and died trying to find her door step. Many died within feet of their own

houses because they could not find them in the blinding blizzard. Thousands of people narrowly

escaped death, but 70 people actually died in this hellish storm. If you took a pole then, the hell on

earth would have won by a landslide. People always tend to associate the hell on earth idea with

terrible suffering and hardship. This is legitimate, for that is what we see in the church at

Pergamum. They were having tough times, and at least one by the name of Antipas had died for his

faith.

I want to call your attention to the fact that Jesus says in verse 13 that the throne of Satan was in

that city. He ends the verse by saying Satan lives there. So here is the city where Satan lives, and

where he has his throne. This is none other than the capital of hell. If the devil has his home and his

office there, he does not commute from hell to do his dirty work. He can do it all right there in

Pergamum. So there is truth then to the idea that hell is right here on earth. Now this does not

sound like the best place to start a church. This is like trying to start a Sunday School class for the

hell's angels. But Jesus started His church there, and the Christians were remaining true to His

name. They were not renouncing their faith even though the pressure was on.

Why would Pergamum be any more the capital of hell than any of the other cities? It had been a

capital city for almost 400 years. Pliny, the ancient, called it, "The most famous city in Asia." Sir

William Ramsay, the modern traveler and scholar wrote, "Beyond all other cities in Asia Minor, it

gives the traveler the impression of a royal city, the home of authority." There were a number of

reasons that Pergamum was the capital of hell. It was the center of Caesar worship. In 29 A. D. a

temple to the godhead of Caesar was erected there. People had to call Caesar Lord or risk death by

the sword. The Roman governor had the power to kill anyone on the spot with his sword if they did

not conform to the law of Rome. That is why Jesus starts this letter by reminding them that He has

the sharp two edged sword, and He will have the final word on who lives or dies. Hell's

headquarters has some tough sword men, but their swords will be no match for the sword of the

Savior.

Satan knows that power corrupts, and that is why Pergamum is his capital. It was the capital of

the seleucid kingdom back in 282 B.C., and it had remained a capital for nearly 4 centuries. Where

there is power to rule and make policy, and establish values, you can count on it, Satan will be

present. The implication is clear. Any capital where the forces of power operate is a capital of hell,

for that is where Satan can get most of his agenda accomplished the quickest. Satan can get more

evil done through those in high places than he can by means of the poor sinner who has no power.

But get evil into the laws that govern a nation, and then you have a real impact for the goals of hell.

Satan is no political dunce. He knows where to set up his office.

Not only does he know the best place for getting his agenda done is where the power is, but he

knows the best place is where the education is. Pergamum was famous for its 200,000 volume