Before getting started, a special guest visits the studio. Being the Summer of grandkids in the house, Isaac tells a little about his recent birthday, and how he is having fun and relaxing.

Main Topic

Turning to more serious matters, we continue our series on the seven churches that John wrote his letter .

Some bad news, Nathan won’t be appearing today. Keith lost the notes that Nathan sent, and with his busy schedule, there wasn't much time to send them again, On a better note, Keith was able to meet, and get permission from Jimmy Coates, to use his very detailed notes on these churches. Jimmy currently is progressing with a detailed study of the entire book of Revelation, so if you want more beyond our short study, be sure to check out his work.

Revelation 2:8-11 covers the brief and contrasting word to this early body of believers. As mentioned in our previous glance at the church in Ephesus, these also represent something of a snapshot, or profile of what the church looked like back then, how it looks now, and how it will be once the last days strike.

Smyrna was a very rich city, yet this gathering was dirt poor, possibly even beggars and destitute.

Referring to descriptions found in the first chapter, Jesus identifies a key part of his personality as it applies to these believers. He was the "first and the last". Literally, he is claiming to be the "foremost and final." Contrasts that set up his timeless, eternal nature.

He also claims to be one who "died and came to life."More literally, he "was becoming a corpse, and is living. Again, a contrast of terms, but one that describes his human nature.

As John put it in his opening description of who is offering this revelation:

1:5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth...

About God's eternal nature:

1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Specifically, Jesus uses this contrast to identify to God's eternal nature. through is contrasted description as both dead and living, he rightly claims the power over death and the grave (hades):

1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last

1:18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Life holds many hardships and troubles. The word used here is pressure. Jesus knows all about it, because he sees it. He knows about the extreme poverty that was thrust upon these believers. There is another contrast here. These downtrodden believers were spiritually wealthy. Abundantly, insanely, rich.

Besides the poverty, and material oppression, these believers also suffered false accusations. Those who claimed to be in the correct, spiritual church, those who claimed to be Jews but who were not, these people brought all manner of slanders.

John has harsh words. The fake spiritual people were actually doing the work of Satan. When those who claim to be believers attack others in the church, be careful. The oppressed ones are being watched by Jesus himself. He has their back. He tells them not to fear.

Granted, in this world, the outsider may beat you down. The fellow churchgoer may slander and point fingers. Suffering may be unavoidable, but there is a word of hope. The coming suffering is limited. The trials will apply to some, not all. The testing is limited to 10 days. Even if faith is pushed into death, life awaits that can never be taken away. Life with Jesus himself.

There will be no more injustices done to those who overcome. No more death.

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