Revelation 2:8-11
The Church of
Smyrna - part 1
Text
Rev 2:8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
Rev 2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10 "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Rev 2:11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." '
Pray
Intro
√ The next church which Jesus turns his attention to is the little church in Smyrna or as some of your Bibles may say…
"the persecuted church"
Recall that each message follows a general format which will help us to discern the message, so we’ll follow the same format that we did with the church of Ephesus.
Greeting
Rev 2:8a "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write…"
√ Smyrna
The city of Smyrna was located about 35 miles north of Ephesus. It was a wealthy city, a sea port city like Ephesus, and second only to Ephesus in terms of prosperity and influence.
It's name means "myrrh" which was a sweet smelling resin used in the making of perfume & for embalming. Remember, myrrh was one of the gifts brought to Jesus by the wise men.
Unlike Ephesus there is still a city and a church there today, thou it is now called Izmir. In fact it’s now the chief city of Anatolia with a population of 1.2 million - a third of which are Christians!
However, at the time which Jesus sent this message there was only a small church in the midst of this prosperous and growing city.
This is the only time it's mentioned here in the Bible - so we don’t have much information about the fellowship.
Who started the work?
Who the pastor was?
What works were done there?
We do know from other historical accounts is that the city was known for it’s wickedness and opposition to the Christian message from both Gentiles and Jews.
Description (vs. 8)
√ Jesus declares...
Rev. 2:8b "…These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:”
Remember that in each of His messages Jesus describes Himself to the church to which He is writing (description from chapter 1.)
Remember also that the description was for the benefit of the church to which He was speaking…
…it was something they needed to be reminded of - something to exhort or encourage them in their faith.
He reminds them of two things...
1) He is God
2) He has conquered Death
He is God…
“I am the First and the Last”
Jesus ascribes to Himself the same title that God the Father - the LORD used in Isaiah 44:6....
Isa 44:6 "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD (Jehovah) of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.
So, very clearly and distinctly, by taking the unique title of God, Jesus tells us that He is God.
The Name is significant....
“First and the Last” communicates His the eternal nature.
That is, Jesus has always been and will always be.
Eternal presence is a unique character of God.
He has conquered Death; Jesus reminds them that though He was dead, that now He is alive.
Literally - “who was dead” = “who became dead” (point in time)
Literally - “and came to life” = “who lives” (current state)
In speaking of His death He also reminds them of His incarnation.
That is, He - the Eternal One, became a man and gave His life on the Cross for all men. Yet, thou He became dead - He did not remain dead but of His own power took up His life again.
Great apologetic proof for the Trinity…
…Who raised Jesus from the dead?
Jesus said He did! - John 2:19-22
Paul says the Father did! - I Thess. 1:9-10 & Gal. 1:1
Paul also said the Holy Spirit did! - Rom. 8:11
So, Jesus reminds the believers at Smyrna that He has conquered Death!
√ The purpose of this description of Himself is to remind this little church of Who it is that they were suffering for - Jesus Christ - God Himself.
This church was suffering greatly under persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ as we’ll see in the next verse.
These Christians needed to know that their suffering was not in vain because the One that they suffered for was worthy of their faithfulness and their pain.
Ex. A soldier willing to lay down his life for his country. One can draw courage from the knowledge that he/she is suffering for a leader or nation or idea that is worthy of his life.
The Alamo!
Contrast that to...
The great number of Iraqi soldiers who surrendered willingly when they realized that Sadam Hussain wasn’t worthy of their lives.
Here Jesus is reminding the Christians in Smyrna that their faith was well placed for there is no one more worthy of honor and sacrifice than God Himself.
They could draw
courage and strength from that knowledge in the face of their trials.
Paul echo's the same thought when he wrote to Timothy at the end of his own life concerning Tim's ministry.
2Ti 2:3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Ap. Reminder that we’re called to serve Jesus whether the wind of opportunity is at our back, or the wind of oppression is blowing in our face.
As Christians we often make the mistake of assuming that if we meet with resistance that God's not in it. That if we don't experience smooth sailing that something's "wrong".
The Book of Acts is a testimony that resistance to the work of God is a sign that God is it and that Satan isn't happy!
So don't flip out when life isn't smooth, if you're in obedience to God then just hang in there until He gives you new instructions or delivers you from the trial.
Ex. Can you imagine an athlete who quit in the middle of a race because "it got hard"!
Commendation (vs. 9)
Rev 2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
As Jesus looked at His church in Smyrna He took note of the things that were going on there that are very interesting.
He says, “I know your...”
√ tribulation; that is, Jesus was well acquainted with the opposition and oppression which the Christians in Smyrna were facing.
The word tribulation in the Greek referred to a pressing weight; rock on a board to the point of suffocation.
Ex. Technique used at the Salem witch trials to elicit a confession
So, the oppression and the trials they were facing there in Smyrna were pressing down on them hard.
They couldn’t escape their trials
They couldn’t forget their trials
The trials were so great that it was constantly “in their face" - no way to get away from them - the pressure was so great that it was suffocating.
√ What kind of tribulation?
Christianity was still an unrecognized religion in the Roman empire so the Christian faith had no protection under Roman law.
The wealthy guilds of wood workers, metal smiths, doctors, lawyers, etc. all required their members to confess “Caesar as Lord”.
The Christians of course would not do that - so they were forced to accept the most menial of jobs which paid almost nothing.
√ “I know your...” poverty
The word for poverty means abject poverty - not just poor, but quite literally destitute! These Christians had only the clothes on their back and what food could carry.
They had been deprived of work and what little they had was sold to provide for their needs or stolen by those who persecuted them.
No protection for them - they were outside the protection of the law.
Ap. Ever been in a trial like that? Can't stop thinking about it; can't sleep; can't get away from it; everywhere you turn it's there; and you find no comfort anywhere?
√ Note the comfort which Jesus gives...
He simply says -
"I know"
He's been there, He's felt the pain, He can sympathize with us at every point. Jesus has been…
Rejected
Mocked
Hated
Beaten
Abandoned
…Jesus couldn't escape His Cross, He could only endure it if He was to do the Father's will.
Ex. You can talk with some people and pour your heart out to them, while others you can't. The comfort isn't in the words they speak, but in the knowing that they understand.
They can't fix it, or make the problem go away - but they understand where I'm at and that's comforting.
How much more to know that Jesus understands!
And while He could fix it and make the problem go away…
….sometimes He knows that the best thing is for us as individuals, or for a local church, is not to deliver us from the trail…
…but to bring us through the trail.
The comfort for our brothers and sisters in Smyrna was in the knowledge that Jesus knew what they were going through - and that was sufficient to strengthen them for the trials they endured.
√ Next He says...
“but you are rich”
Certainly He is not speaking of material wealth here, but of that spiritual wealth that comes from a relationship with Jesus.
Joy, peace and satisfaction which cannot be purchased with the worlds goods.
Jesus reminds them
that though they are destitute of worldly goods they were rich in the eternal
goods.
Ex. A strong rebuke to the Prosperity doctrine preached in America. That poverty is the result of a lack of faith! Can you imagine trying to teach that doctrine in Smyrna!?
Jesus proclaimed that they were rich in the eternals - like faith.
Their poverty wasn’t the result of a lack of faith, but was the result of great faith!
Jesus never promised His followers material wealth. Paul told Timothy that those who saw the gospel as a means to make money were false teachers and to withdraw from them (I Tim. 6:3-6).
So, here we find Jesus reminding those who suffered material loss for Him in Smyrna that they were truly rich in those things that would last forever.
√ “I know the blasphemy (slander) of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”
Apparently the opposition and persecution came not just from the Romans but also from the Jews. Who spoke evil of the Christians and were no doubt involved in their trials.
No surprise really as...
Ex. Jewish leaders key in Jesus’ trial and crucifixion; Paul’s arrest and beatings; and Polycarp’s death in Smyrna.
Note Jesus’ estimation of them - that they are not Jews at all but rather of the 1st Church of Satan!
They may have been physical descendants of Abraham, but they were not His spiritual offspring. In stead they were doing the work of the devil!
What is a Jew? Shortened form of Judah - speaking of the physical descendants of Abraham who lived in the land of Judah.
Yet Paul tells us that is not the criteria of a Jew.
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;
Rom 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
So these persecutors of the Christian faith were descendants of Abraham, but they didn’t know God nor did they walk in His Spirit. They were the same group who gave Paul grief everywhere he preached the gospel.
Ex. I’m reminded that this morning our brothers and sisters in many parts of the world are denied employment, legal protection, political power; are discriminated against, mocked, tortured and killed.
Estimates are that 200 million Christians live under persecution today.
More Christians have been killed for their faith in the last century than in the 18 previous combined!
Some counties it's even the church that does the persecuting! Greece where it's illegal to preach the gospel unless you're Greek Orthodox.
While we may not suffer that kind of persecution here in the USA, we are called to be concerned with, and to pray for, our fellow Christians who are suffering today.
Close
√ Do something for your brothers and sisters who are persecuted for their faith
Ex. Get a world map from Voice of the Martyrs or visit their website and print out a list of prisoners to pray for and write to.
Get educated as to the tribulation our brothers and sisters face - Randy Alcorn's "Safely Home".
See handout (map showing countries where Christians are persecuted today) and pray together as a family for a different country each week.