Response: Not literally the seat, or throne, depending upon the translation, of Satan the devil. Pergamum was situated in the center of cult emperor and nationalistic worship. The Hebrew word Satan means "resister," and the throne symbolizes Satan's ruler ship over the people in the area which was in resistance to the congregation there where it is possible that Antipas was killed for refusing to worship Caesar. Nationality is an interesting connection to Satan, even to today's apostate Christianity; Satan, after all, had the authority to tempt Christ with all the kingdoms of the Earth. (Luke 4:5-8)
New Bible Dictionary, edited by J. Douglas, 1985, p. 912 - "The phrase has been referred to the complex of pagan cults, . . . but the main allusion is probably to emperor worship. This was where the worship of the divine emperor had been made the touchstone of civic loyalty under Domitian."




