Revelation part 8: Smyrna
Notes
Transcript
PRAY
Review
Overview of the Messages to the 7 Churches in the Province of Asia
7 Churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea
7 Elements of Letters: The recipients, The Speaker's Identity, Jesus's knowledge of them, His rebuke, His commendation, His call to listen, His promise for overcomers
Reminder about the letters to the churches
These letters are written to specific churches going through specific situations, yet their message is also timeless - it applies to us today. This is why he says, “hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (not “to the church”).
Although each message was for a specific church of the first century, it also had applications for other churches of that time and throughout church history.
As we read each of these letters, we ought to ask, “How does this apply to my church today?” and also, “How does this apply to my life individually?”
For study purposes, we will divide up these churches according to the general tone of Jesus’s message to them:
Churches with balanced strengths and weaknesses mentioned: Ephesus, Pergamum, & Thyatira
Churches with only strengths mentioned: Smyrna & Philadelphia
Churches with mostly / only weaknesses mentioned: Sardis & Laodicea
Summary of Thyatira
They were a warm and friendly church, known for their love. But their love was misguided and led them to ignore serious sin in their midst.
Jesus cares deeply about the purity of His bride, the church, and though we might sometimes tolerate sin in our midst, He will not. He warns us to fight for purity in our worship and in our lives.
Jesus’s Letter to Smyrna
8 To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.
9 I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.
The recipients (v. 8)
Revelation 2:8 (BSB)
8 To the angel of the church in Smyrna write…
The City of Smyrna
The City of Smyrna is the only one of the 7 listed here that is still in existence today; it’s called “Izmir, Turkey”
Similar to other cities, they practiced emperor worship.
There was a large Jewish population in Smyrna, referenced in 2:9. The Jews received special privileges and were allowed to abstain from emperor worship, but the Christians were not so privileged.
The Church of Smyrna
Little known about the origins; this church suffered great persecution not only from the Roman empire but also from the Jewish people (2:9).
Along with Philadelphia in ch. 3, these are the only two churches that receive only positive words from Jesus; this doesn’t mean they were perfect, but they’re on the right track!
The Speaker's Identity (v. 8)
8 To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.
These are the words of the First and the Last,
Related to the title for God in Revelation 1:8
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
Repeating Jesus’s words in Revelation 1:17-18
17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
Reminding us that Jesus is the eternal and unchangeable God who spoke in Isaiah
4 Who has performed this and carried it out, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD—the first and the last— I am He.”
6 Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
12 Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
who died and returned to life.
Repeating Jesus’s words from Revelation 1:18
18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
Especially applicable to the situation of the church, which was facing persecution and possibly death
This also has a historical connection, because Smyrna was a city that figuratively had died and come back to life - it was destroyed around 600 B.C. and then rebuilt over 300 years later as an even greater city. But the figurative resurrection of this city cannot hold a candle to the real resurrection of Jesus.
A mystery - how could the eternal God die?!
The one who suffered and died and then overcame death is the one who sees the suffering of these believers, promises to be with them in their suffering and death, and gives them the hope of eternal life if they will persevere in faith.
Jesus's knowledge of them (v. 9)
9 I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.
I know your affliction (tribulation)
What a comfort it is to know that we are not alone in our suffering. We may feel alone, but we can be sure as believers that our Lord is present with us in our suffering, just as He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.
Tribulations, afflictions, and hardships are to be expected for Christians as we seek to live the life God has called us to - boldly confessing Christ and proclaiming Him.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
Our trials and tribulations do not mean He no longer cares about us or loves us; on the contrary, they are an evidence of His love.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”
7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.
The suffering we face as Christians is God’s discipline of us - not always correction for wrongdoing, but part of the process of shaping us and forming us more into the image of Christ, to share in His holiness.
We need to have this attitude when we suffer - it is an opportunity to grow, and it is a reminder of God’s love for me as His child.
And more comforting than anything during our suffering is the truth that Jesus knows what we’re going through, because He Himself bore the greatest suffering, and He is with us in ours.
and your poverty—
The believers in Smyrna were apparently poor in earthly standards. Perhaps because of their commitment to Christ they were shunned and rejected and not allowed to have the jobs or economic opportunities that others around them enjoyed. Jesus knows their economic struggle. But Jesus also knows that the wealth of this world is temporary and cannot be compared with true, eternal heavenly riches. So He tells them,
though you are rich!
The real riches are treasures laid up in heaven
19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
More than that, the greatest wealth of all is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. People might be able to steal our physical riches, but they cannot take away the eternal life we have in Christ, which is far more valuable than anything this world has to offer.
34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
26 He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.
And I am aware of the slander of those…
“Slander” or “blasphemy” = false accusations against Christians.
11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.
These were in fact Jewish people, physical descendants of Abraham, who had joined the devil in his opposition to God and His people rather than trusting in their Messiah.
Like the Jewish leaders of Jesus’s day, they assumed that their physical ancestry was what made them right with God.
Jesus rebuked the Jews of His own day:
37 I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.
38 I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
39 “Abraham is our father,” they replied. “If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing.
41 You are doing the works of your father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.
43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!
These “Jews” may be physically descended from Abraham, but before God that counts for nothing since they reject the Messiah He has sent.
The true Jews, then, and the true children of Abraham, are not those who are physically descended from him, but rather those who share Abraham’s faith.
28 A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.
29 No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.
Rather than being God’s people and inheriting the promises by faith as Abraham did, they are showing themselves to be the seed of the serpent from Genesis 3:15, because they oppose those who follow the seed of the woman, who is Jesus Christ.
Of course, this is not true of all of the Jews, as many of them are part of the church and are trusting in Jesus as their Messiah. But sadly, the majority of the physical descendants of Abraham are not his spiritual descendants.
But there is also reason to believe that Paul means for us to understand in Romans 11 that the Jews’ rejection of their Messiah is not final or forever, but one day ethnic Israel will repent and turn to their Messiah.
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.
Though the meaning of these verses is debated, I believe that Paul means that at a future time when “the full number of the Gentiles has come in,” then the physical descendants of Israel will as a whole embrace their Messiah and experience the grace and mercy that the nations are even now enjoying.
His rebuke - NONE!!
The churches that were suffering the most - Smyrna and Philadelphia - are the ones who receive no rebuke or correction of wrong beliefs and behaviors. Suffering is to be expected for Christians if we are living godly lives, so if we are not suffering for our faith and commitment to Christ, it may be that we are not living in the truth and love He’s called us to.
His commendation and encouragement (v. 9-10)
9 I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
He doesn’t comfort them by saying their trouble is almost over, as we so often pray for.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
Jesus acknowledges that the suffering they’re experiencing is only going to increase. It was already bad, and it’s going to get worse.
His comfort and encouragement to them is that in the midst of their suffering, He is with them. And He speaks the same words to them that He speaks so often in Scripture: “Do not fear.”
One of my favorites is Isaiah 41:10
10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.
And Jesus told His disciples,
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even until death…
Jesus tells them of the devil’s opposition to them and how he’s working against them, planning to get the Christians imprisoned and tortured for a time, even to the point of death for some of them.
The 10 days of suffering probably refer to a short period of suffering, not necessarily a literal 10-day period. He tells them that the intense suffering will come to an end.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials
7 so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
But notice, as some commentators have pointed out, that the devil’s purpose is to destroy, not to test for the sake of refining or purity. This shows us God’s sovereignty, that God is using the devil’s evil actions and purposes to accomplish His own good purposes, producing the fruit of holiness in the believers life through a time of testing.
Satan has evil purposes in our trials, and God has good purposes in our trials. And God’s purposes will prevail.
We’ll come back to the end of v. 10, but just note for now that the call to persevere and remain faithful is accompanied by a promise of reward. If you remain faithful, you will inherit His promised reward.
His call to listen (v. 11)
Revelation 2:11 (BSB)
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…
He who has an ear, let him hear
A call and warning to pay attention, to listen and obey the message
What the Spirit says to the churches
Though Jesus is the One speaking, giving this message, He says that the Spirit is saying these things to the churches
This is a message for the churches (plural), not only for Smyrna
The present tense indicates that it is a timeless message (not only for the first century but for us today also); even now the Spirit is saying these things to the churches
His promise for overcomers (v. 10-11)
Revelation 2:10–11 (BSB)
10 … Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.
Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
The two promises given in v. 10-11 seem to be saying basically the same thing: those who endure suffering, who are faithful to trust Jesus Christ and live for Him their whole life even if it means suffering and death will inherit eternal life - the “crown” of life is the Greek word stephanos, referring not to the kind of crown a King wears but to the type of crown a victorious athlete would win in a race.
That is, those who run the race - who finish the race by faith and don’t give up - will inherit the victor’s crown, the crown of life.
Perseverance in faith is a mark of a genuine believer. Those who do not persevere, who do not finish the race, will not receive the prize - and this is a matter of life and death.
36 You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
37 For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.
38 But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
There are only two kinds of people - those who finish the race by faith and are rewarded with eternal life with Christ, and those who turn back and do not finish the race of faith and are destroyed, forever separated from God. There is no middle ground.
The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.
The second death is described later in Revelation:
Those who share in the first resurrection will not be harmed by the second death:
6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
The lake of fire is the second death - the place of eternal torment:
14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
8 But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
Jesus tells these believers (and us) that those who overcome, those who persevere in faith and obedience to Christ amidst suffering and persecution will not experience the second death - by their perseverance they demonstrate that they are true children of God and will enjoy eternal life with Him.
The story of Polycarp from Smyrna, told in Joel Beeke’s commentary on Revelation:
Polycarp, one of the best known ancient Christian martyrs, was a member of the Smyrnian church. According to the ancient church fathers Tertullian and Irenaeus, Polycarp became the senior minister of the church after he was ordained by the apostle John.
No doubt this letter from Christ via John to Smyrna was a great encouragement to Polycarp. Polycarp was in his 20s when this letter came to the church of Smyrna. He died when he was 86.
On February 23, AD 155 this venerable bishop who had fled from Smyrna at the urging of his local church was tracked down in a hiding place 20 miles from Smyrna. He made no attempt to flee but instead offered food and drink to his captors. When they asked him if he had any special requests before being martyred, he asked for 2 hours for prayer. The officers granted his request then bound him and brought him back to Smyrna for trial.
Two weeks later, Polycarp was led into the amphitheater where he would be put to death before thousands of people. The proconsul said, “Polycarp, I will have respect for your old age. Swear just once by the genius of Caesar and I will immediately release you.” Polycarp replied, “86 years have I served Christ, and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”
The proconsul persisted, saying, “The wild beasts are ready. If you refuse to swear by Caesar, you will be thrown to them.” Polycarp answered, “Bid them be brought.” Infuriated, the proconsul responded, “As you despise beasts, I give you one last opportunity to change your mind, else I shall destroy you by fire.”
But Polycarp refused to recant. Polycarp was brought to the stake and was fastened with cords. He said, “I have one request. Leave me unfastened for I will die voluntarily for my Master's sake.”
The captors left him unfastened as they kindled the fire. Wind drove the flames away, prolonging Polycarp’s agony, but also giving him more time to confess Christ. Over the flames and wind, Polycarp cried out, “Oh Lord, Almighty God, the Father of Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of Thee, I thank Thee that Thou hast thought me worthy this day, this hour, to share the cup of Thy Christ among the number of eyewitnesses.”
That so angered one soldier that he took his sword and pierced the old man who refused to run from the flames of death.
___
Faithfully following Jesus may mean literally giving our lives for Him. If it comes to that, are you willing to die for Him?
Summary of Smyrna
The church of Smyrna was suffering in terrible ways, opposed by the devil and his agents among the Jews. The suffering was going to get worse, and some of them would give their lives for Christ.
In the midst of this terrible suffering, Jesus commends this church for their faithfulness to Him, He reminds them who He is, and He promises His reward to all who faithfully endure.
Application
How are you responding to suffering and persecution? If you’re a believer, this is to be expected. It is an opportunity for growth in holiness and deeper trust in Jesus. What is your attitude toward suffering? It will be reflected in the way that you pray for yourself and others when you go through hard times.
Unless Jesus returns first, we are likely headed for hard times here in our country. Opposition toward God and His truth and His people is growing, and unless there is a radical change, we will suffer persecution for our faith and commitment to Christ. Are you ready to stand strong for Him? Do so by meditating on His Word and trusting His promises. It will be worth it to suffer and even die for Him.
