Smyrna
Letter to the Church at Smyrna
Rev 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things
saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Rev 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and
I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the
synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil
shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have
tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown
of life.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Jesus always
existed the same as God. He was in the beginning with God and was at the
creation. He was dead physically for 3 days. He raised from the dead and is
alive forever.
Smyrna
an ancient city of Ionia, on the western coast of Asia Minor, about 40 miles to
the north of Ephesus. It is now the chief city of Anatolia, having a mixed
population of about 200,000, of whom about one-third are professed Christians.
The church founded here was one of the seven addressed by our Lord (Rev_2:8-11).
The celebrated Polycarp, a pupil of the apostle John, was in the second century
a prominent leader in the church of Smyrna. Here he suffered martyrdom, A.D.
155.
Smyrna means myrrh which symbolizes the death burial and resurrection of Jesus
Christ. This church identifies with the sufferings of Christ.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are
the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
We know that Jesus took our sins upon Himself when He was crucified. He
was crucified in weakness but lived by the power of God.
Those that hold the church age school of thought say that Smyrna represents the
period when the churches were severely persecuted. This period is about from 100
AD to 312 AD. 312 AD is when Constantine won total control over the Roman
Empire. Constantine believed that he could use the church to unite the empire.
This also ended the persecution against the Christians that lived in that day.
Reading church history, there is a time that the Romans inflicted persecution
against the Christians many times. It seemed to come in waves. Some were worse
than others. Some taught that the 10 days represented a period of ten
persecutions.
Remember also this church was a literal church in John's day, it was probably
representative of other similar churches of that day and perhaps all through
church history including this day. There was persecution in some parts of the
world throughout all history since the time Christ walked upon the earth. There
are churches today similar to this one. In many parts of the world at this
present time faithful brother and sisters in the Lord are even now being beaten,
jailed and even killed for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. To name a few:
China, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea, Indonesia, and others.
The world is not worthy of them.
The persecution of the church actually helped to spread the gospel because it
caused them to flee to other lands to escape persecution instead of just
building one big mega church in Jerusalem. They scattered in all directions
taking the gospel with them.
Since this church suffered persecution many believe the church will go through
the tribulation that is yet future but we fail to realize that churches in other
countries already are going through persecution and the great tribulation of
Revelation has not yet come. The tribulation period that we will read about in
coming lessons mainly concerns the Jews and getting Israel to recognize their
true Messiah. It starts in Revelation chapter 4 and notice the church is not
mentioned until the last chapter of this book, it is supposed that the church is
raptured at that time. I intend to back that statement up at a later date with
scripture. I will also include the mid-trib and post trib theories. Just because
I believe in pre-trib doesn’t mean that I believe the church will escape all
persecution and tribulation. Absolutely not. I believe the church that is found
without spot or wrinkle at the Lord’s return will be kept from the great
tribulation but not all tribulation. I don’t believe the anti-christ can come
until the true church is gone.
The Smyrna church was people of great poverty. They were poor in material goods
and had no wealth. In the things that count though, they were rich. They
possessed the true riches of things spiritual. They walked with God and had
their treasure stored in heaven. Actually they were richer than those who do not
suffer poverty. God gives us the desires of our hearts but it is far greater
that our desires be for spiritual things than earthly things that can be taken
away from us. What these people possessed can't even be compared to the weak and
deceptive riches we think are riches. Christ did not have one word of criticism
against this church.
Some could have become poor because they had to give up jobs or wealth because
of the means by which they made that wealth, for instance: Making idols for
worship or such occupations that were not compatible with those that believe the
gospel of Jesus Christ. Some might have been fired or shunned because of their
faith and others simply might have had their property taken away because they
didn’t go along with the system.
In the book of James the poor is commended far above the rich.
James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of
this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to
them that love him?
More and more we see clearly the error of the modern day prosperity
gospel.
Jamess 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that
shall come upon you.
James 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Jas 5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a
witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped
treasure together for the last days.
Then we have the word of Jesus Himself:
Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth
and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
When we give regularly to the Lord’s work or give to those who have a
desperate need, God rewards us by taking care of our own needs. He never
promised that we will get rich. He does promise to bless us with spiritual
blessings and a reward in heaven if we obey Him and are faithful until the end.
True, we will be rich when we go to be with the Lord. So many want their
inheritance now in this life and it is compromising their faith. We cannot
handle being rich now. It will no doubt hinder the gospel because we are so busy
working to increase in riches that we have no time for the gospel.
False Jews, False Christians
I believe the Jews mentioned in this verse is not referring to most of the
Jewish people but the religious Jews who claim to be people of God but who
rejected Christ and were persecuting the believers in Christ. These Jews were
ones who spread stories and lies about Christians to the Romans. This is the
cause of early anti-Semitism. Remember though the first church was Jewish so not
all Jews were these that caused the persecution.
The Apostle Paul at one time was one of these until God showed mercy on him.
These also may have been supposed believers in Christ but who had tried to
impose the law on the Gentile Christians. In other words there were those that
tried to add to the simple gospel by saying they could believe in Jesus but had
to be circumcised and do other works of the law to be saved. This has been a
temptation for centuries not only for the synagogue but for different churches
that have sprung up.
Here were some of the lies spread against them:
1. Being atheists – Because they had no images in their places of worship, they
were accused of not believing in God. The Romans had many gods. The early
Christians refused to worship or pray where statues or images were present.
2. Christians were accused of being cannibals – They took this from the early
communion services where they partook of the Lord’s supper. The symbols of the
Lord’s supper were only to represent His blood and body but they accused them of
doing the actual act. Years later the Catholic church did get into what we call
transubstantiation, where they believe the wine really literally turns into the
blood of Christ and the round wafer turns into His actual body. This of course
is scientifically impossible.
3. They were accused of being unpatriotic because they would not bow to Caesar
as a God-like image.
4. Accused of ruining the economy. They no longer paid tribute to the goddess
Diana. The temple at that time was a place of commerce. See why we need to make
sure we do not become a place of business. Silversmiths were out of a job.
I read about some that believe that those that claimed to be Jews but were not
in this day could mean those that try to preach that the church replaces the
Jewish people. This is called replacement theology and is wrong. Paul writes
that Israel will be grafted back into the vine at a future date. The church may
be part of the future Israel but we never replace them. We have to view Israel,
not as enemies but as future believers in Jesus Christ. We are to pray for the
peace of Israel and we are to love them. Never, never, never are we to hate
them, persecute them or drive them from their homeland and claim that land for
ourselves.
We are saved by repenting from sin and trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our
salvation, but many times we think that isn't enough and we try to add to this
by restoring Old Testament rituals, priesthood, sacraments and ceremonies to add
to salvation or try to make one holy. The blood of Jesus is enough to make us
holy and worthy of eternal life. We don't have to return to Old Testament
ordinances, sacrifices or rituals. All those things were put in place to lead us
to Jesus who was the perfect sacrifice for sins. After Jesus came, the work was
complete and He alone brings us salvation. He alone is the mediator between God
and mankind. We do not need a prophet or priest to perform rites and ceremonies
in order to get us to heaven. Jesus broke that wall of separation between God
and man. When we come to Christ with a heart that turns from sin and trusts
Christ to remove that sin, we are "born again" by the spirit of God. We no
longer need any other intercessor or mediator.
Our ministers and pastors are to feed the flock, bring the word, preach the
gospel and exhort the body of Christ (the assembly or church) but they are not
to Lord over, worship for us or make us dependent upon them for our salvation.
We need to learn to do our own praying, worshipping and begin to spread the
gospel ourselves. We are all equal in Christ and no one is to be exalted above
another. Our submission to one another is in love, truth and kindness not in
force, intimidation and cruelty. Those that use cruel means to run a church,
synagogue or assembly are of the synagogue of Satan whether Jew, Christian or
any other religion.
After the church went into apostasy, instead of having those that claimed to be
Jews but were not, we had those that claimed to be Christians but were not and
they persecuted the ones who wanted to remain true to the scriptures, make the
scriptures available to all Christians and who still believed in the gospel that
was once preached by the apostles and not the new Church tradition where pagan
religion and the church were mixed to include everyone in order to unite the
Roman Empire under Constantine. This was the first great ecumenical movement.
Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold,
the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall
have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a
crown of life.
In the midst of persecution, Jesus comforts these people by telling them not to
fear. In the end though they have eternal life that no one can ever take away
from them. Eye has not seen neither has the ear heard, neither has it entered
the heart of man what God has prepared for those that love Him.
Some believe the 10 persecutions are the 10 emperors that used the name Caesar.
However, it could be that the number ten means a set limit. There is a limit to
their suffering. The ten emperors though are as follows:
1. Nero (64-68 AD)
2. Domitian (81-96)
3. Trajan (98-117).
4. Pius (137-161)
5. Marcus Aurelis (161-180)
6. Severus (193-211)
7. Thracian (235-238)
8. Decius (249-251)
9. Valerian (235-260)
10. Diocletian (284-305)
This may be where the apostate church learned how to punish those dissenting
from the church after they got power.
The only place of refuge was the catacombs under the city of Rome. Only the
Christian could find their way without getting lost. They worshiped God and
buried their dead in these places.
The followers of Christ are never promised to be free from persecution. In fact
the godly in Christ are always persecuted in some way. There are other
interpretations of what ten days may refer to. Some believe them to be ten
literal days and some say the ten days merely means a short space of time.
Whichever it means, we know that it will not be more than the church can bear.
In times of tribulation the church actually becomes stronger. Those that are
faithful until death will receive a crown of life that can never be taken away
from them. We see from Hebrews that there were times that some did not accept
any deliverance from persecution because they knew that a better resurrection
was promised. In other words those that are persecuted for the gospel's sake
will receive a better reward later.
Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others
were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better
resurrection:
Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover
of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain
with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being
destitute, afflicted, tormented;
Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in
mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received
not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us
should not be made perfect.
From Matthew:
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for
so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Again and again Christ admonishes us to hear His words and what the Spirit says
to the churches.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part
in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The second death is eternal torment in the lake of fire from which there is no
escape. When we stay faithful to Christ until the time we depart from this body,
we shall never fear hell. We can never be hurt again. When this body dies, there
is no more the enemy can do to us. If we die in Christ there is eternal peace
and joy forever.
If we are made fun of or criticized for believing in Jesus Christ, we should be
happy for our sakes but sad for their sakes. Great is our joy to be made
partakers of the suffers of Christ. Foxes book of martyrs tells of many that
were killed for the cause of Christ. Many of them are now in comfort. No one can
ever hurt them again. They died so that we could hear the gospel and receive
eternal life. Many died so that we could have the bible in a language we could
read and understand. Starting with the Old Testament prophets and then Jesus
Christ, many have died that we could live and know God. I pray that their deaths
will not have been in vain. Let us receive this great gospel that brings eternal
life this day.
Letter to the church at Pergamos
Ephesians Bible Study