Revelation 2:8–11

This letter to the church of Smyrna is the shortest of all the seven letters to the seven Churches. Like the letter to the church of Philadelphia, there is no chastisement or negative report, so we do not expect a lengthy letter.

– It is the second of the letters in its order.

– It is the second city along the physical route in which the letters would travel, should they be indeed physical letters directed to them. We have left Ephesus, now on to Smyrna.

– It is the second Church respecting its historical order of Church development in history past. It is the Persecuted Church

Smyrna, now being identified from the benefit of hindsight, as the persecuted church period which lasted the better part of 250 years until at least the Edict of Toleration by Constantine in 311 AD and yet CONTINUED AGAIN during the Dark Ages of the Holy Roman Empire, to this day

But this second church can also be a representation of the types of Christians in the world who are willing to stand firm on Christ to whatever end.  

They, like the friends of Daniel, are not careful to answer the King respecting the expectation of the worship of pagan gods, they are not worried about giving their lives for the sake of the Gospel, they are willing to die for Christ BECAUSE they have determined to LIVE FOR CHRIST!

And there are certainly Christians alive today that are well represented in the Church of Smyrna; ARE YOU ONE OF THEM? To what extent are you likely to witness your trust in Christ?

Overall, the letter to the Church of Smyrna is one of encouragement.

It is not dire, there are no chastisement’s, neither warnings of error needing to be repented of.

It is one of encouragement through both their likeness to the adversities of Christ, through to an anticipation of reward for the adversities suffered.

It is a letter to let them know they are doing well, though they will endure more trial, hang in there!

The Lord both KNOWS and will reward.

As you read Jesus words you can almost also quote Paul who wrote ‘Romans 8:18

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.

Revelation 2:8

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;

It is a matter of interest that how the Lord introduces himself to each of the seven Churches,

As it ALSO resembles by either affinity or antipathy, by similarity or dissimilarity to the particular characteristics of those Churches.

For example, to the church of Ephesus the Lord makes a pure doctrinal statement of truth;

Revelation 2:1

1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Here, the Church that prides itself on truth and assurance of doctrine is approached by the one who holds ALL Churches accountable to sound doctrine. “he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;”

We see the same respecting the compromising Church of Pergamos;

Revelation 2:12

12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

The one who DOES NOT COMPROMISE, but has the WORD of God, “… sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12,

He now addresses the Church LACKING in such discerning quality.

Revelation 2:18

18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

To the Church that most closely resembles that of the Roman Catholic Church period, our Lord identifies himself most plainly as “The Son of God“, who’s eyes try their worksto see of what sort it is and who’s feet of fine brass, as the symbol of Judgement, is able to quickly bring fiery judgment on that which is evil.

Some links are more challenging to bring out, but I do believe all are given specifically for the benefit of those Churches to know that Jesus is the most faithful and true witness, able to judge just judgement.

So it is with Smyrna;

Revelation 2:8

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;

Smyrna is a City founded as a settlement around 2000-3000 years BC according to Poetry Finds excavated by Ankara University in Turkey. 

It was a part of the vast Hittite Empire and soon after immigrated by the Greek, or Hellenic sea peoples, connected by the fall of Troy in 1100 bc. 1[1] With half a million inhabitants, it was indeed a city that “Lived”.

But in 627 BC the entire city was destroyed,[2] it was razed to the ground by Lydian invaders and it remained desolate for around four hundred years until Lysimacus, one of the generals of the armies of Alexander, together with the remnant surviving villagers, helped rebuild the City to the south west, on the slopes of Mt Pagus.

And so that which was dead, is now alive.

The city survives to this very day as ‘Izmir”, the third largest City in Turkey with a population of some 2.5 million people.

So here the Lord Jesus ENCOURAGES IN AFFINITY,

For he too “was dead, and is alive“.

APPLICATION

Jesus shared in the sufferings of people

The Church of Smyrna was ENCOURAGED IN AFFINITY, it was the likeness of Christ that they rejoiced in during their trials. 

It is in the likeness of the Life of Christ that we all have a share in, in some way. 

Encouraged IN Affinity 

Revelation 2:9

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.

We know that Jesus “knows our works“, but here it adds that which comes upon the people of God, trouble! Tribulation!

It was NEVER a biblical expectation for the Church on earth to live without tribulation. But there was ALWAYS a Biblical expectation that during tribulation, we can have peace. 

John 16:33

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

It is a matter of interest that the more the Church becomes like the world, the LESS it shall suffer persecution, but the less you appear of the world, the MORE you shall be hated.

John 15:19

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

That may be concerning to some of you, and may even lack the motivation to grow in your love and knowledge of the Lord, indeed, this is a sign of the PERILOUS TIMES that TITLES the MAYDAY series this year.

Times when Christians WILL NOT LIVE OUT THEIR FAITH

We have already seen the state of the Church in the last days when those who claim to be brethren “shall not endure sound doctrine” (2 Tim 4:3), “but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and they shall turn their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim 4:3-4).

The more these churches and fellowships appear in this way, the less the world will bother them because in a large way they are indistinguishable from the world…for “the world would love its own“.

But the Bible gives to us a confirmation of that principle that, the more you resemble Christ, the more you will be persecuted. The more you separate from the nature of this world and live Godly, the more the world will hate you.

But the more you desire to live Godly in the Lord, the more you shall suffer persecution and the world will desire to have your separated from them.

Turn to;

2 Timothy 3:10–14

10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

This passage both telling the Church of its state in time to come, but also affirming the principle that Smyrna had experienced, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution“.

Unlike the Church of Ephesus, Smyrna did not only suffer and persecution of RIGHTS and PRIVILEGES, but persecution of PROPERTY AND PERSON, and this was the case BECAUSE the Church of Smyrna was so distinct from the CITY of SMYRNA and its people.

Smyrna the City was WHOLEY given over to Idolatry, while the Church of Smyrna was wholly given over to Christ.

The pagans rejoiced in the number of Gods it worshipped. 

The ancient historian Aristides boasted that:

“as you traverse the city from west to east, you go from a temple to a temple and from a hill to a hill”.

In the City of Smyrna, the pagan worshipers built Temples to the worship of Cybele / of Apollo / of Aesculapius / of Aphrodite and Zeus as well as a monument to the great writer Homer, whom the city claimed as their own. 

These temples adorned this City and demonstrated its fill of idolatry.

But there is more to this.

Smyrna was seen as one of the most faithful Cities in the Roman Empire. Historically it seemed to have had a knack of choosing the right side of a conquering episode and at the last it chose Rome.

 The noted Roman Statesmen, Philosopher and Orator Cicero, circa 55 bc wrote: 

Smyrna, which is our most faithful allies … (Philipp. 11.2.5).[1]

Tacitus writing to Tiberius in 26 AD recounts to him the faithfulness of the Smyrnaeans to Rome two centuries earlier, where it was said

“ And such was their love for the Romans that when it was reported in their assembly that the army of Sulla was endangered by the severity of the winter and inadequate clothing, those present spontaneously stripped off the garments they were wearing to send them to the legions.”

Historian, Colin Hemer writes of Livy in the 2nd century who repeatedly mentions the: 

 “active fidelity of Smyrna to Rome in the years following 195 bc (35 passim).[3]

As a result of the faithfulness of Smyrna to Rome it prospered through having been given the right to self governance and the raising of taxes for its OWN benefit as opposed to having such taxes sent to ROME.

Two elements can be gleaned from this;

1. The faithfulness of the City of Smyrna to Rome, can be represented also in the faithfullness of the Church of Smyrna to Christ.

2. While the City of Smyrna increased in its riches from its faithfulness to Rome, the Church of Smyrna, through its earthly Poverty, increased in its riches to Christ;

 9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)

God does not see things as we see them. We shall see in the final Church, the Church of Laodicea, which seems to be rich and in need of nothing, that Jesus corrects them that they are IN FACT poor; turn there with me;

Revelation 3:17–18

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Much more to speak of when we get to it. But, the physical poverty. Of Smyrna, through its tribulation, was in fact “RICH”, while the physical wealth of the last Church, due to its affiliation to the world (the apostate church of the last days), it is in fact wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Beloved, the Encouragment IN Adversity is simply this; faithfulness to the Lord may not lead to worldly popularity and worldly riches, but it does lead to eternal riches.

Every time you are persecuted for your faithfulness to Christ and take it PATIENTLY, you are storing riches in heaven.

Revelation 2:9

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.

There is more than can be spoken of respecting this passage related to the jews, but one thing I will mention;

Not all who claim to be the People of God ARE the people of God!

Not all who claim to be brethren are brethren! 

Jesus himself made it clear saying;

Matthew 7:21–23

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Paul was persecuted by ‘False Brethren” in 2 Cor 11:26.

He wrote of “false brethren unawares brought into the Church” to the Galatians in Gal 2:4

There are them “which say they are Christians, and are not, but are of the church of Satan“. Not all who claim to be the people of God ARE the people of God.

John testifies to this in his epistle speaking of THE LAST DAYS;

1 John 2:18–19

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

This is the reality of the PERILOUS TIMES we live in, this testifies to the last days written of by Paul, Peter and John, by Jesus. 

Just as there were those who claimed to be Jews and are not, there shall be those who claim to be “of us” but “are not“.

Encouraged IN Affinity 

Encouraged IN Adversity.

An incredible encouragement is given in this passage but also an anticipation of trouble is revealed.

Historically we can see that the faithfulness of the City of Smyrna to Rome ALSO would reveal the LACK OF TOLERANCE to any sign of dissension among the people of Smyrna.

The knowledge that there may be a group of people that would not follow the dictates and decrees of the emperor, that may have the risk of causing a downgrading of the privileges of the City of Smyrna, was dealt with in a manner that was both swift and direct.

Historians tell us that during the reign of Domitian, and instigation of emperor worshipwas forced all people on pain of death to lend homage to him. 

We had spoken a little of this when addressing the Church of Ephesus, but in Smyrna it was taken to a level that was far greater than that of merely the confiscation of rights or privileges.

Annual emperor worship was signified with the burning of incense on Caesars alterand followed by the issuance of a certificate commemorating, and also proving the devotion of his subjects.

To risk being found without such a certificate in Smyrna, was to risk death.

Just like the faithfulness of the Smyrna Pagans to Rome, the Smyrna Christians would not bow the knee to any but Christ.

In demonstration therefore of the faithfulness of Pagan’s of Smyrna to Rome, the peak of persecution in all Asia minor rose against the Christians of Smyrna for Christ.

This would continue for many years.

Ten emperors in total would arise to persecute the people of the Lord during the timeframe of this suffering Church type;

Nero, Domitian, Trajan, Antoninus, Severus, Maximian, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian, and Diocletian.

It was not until the so-called conversion of Constantine in 312 AD and the Edict of Milan in 313 AD which followed The Edict of Toleration in 311, that the persecutions ceased completely and a new era was on the cusp.

It was not until 380 AD that Emperor Theodosius declared Christianity the religion of the empire and outlawed paganism

Prisons did not exist in the days of Rome as they do today. Prisons today could simply not be afforded, nor was there the desire to afford them. Why should the criminal who’s crime came at the cost of society be sustained by society to further cost?

Pliny the Younger stated:

 “The maintenance of prisoners for long terms would doubtless have seemed an unnecessary financial burden to the cities. In Bithynia prisoners were guarded by public slaves, whose reliability was evidently suspect” 1[4]

No, the purpose of prison was two-fold;

(1) To await the verdict of judgment and therein the sentencing.

(2) To await death.

The Christians of Smyrna were cast into prison generally to await death. the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried

The trial of their patience had purpose. The trial of any persecution we may endure in the future is also set of a purpose;

Turn to

2 Corinthians 4:8–12

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you

The phrase “ye shall have tribulation ten days” is a subject of much speculation and not simple to cover. Is it allegorical? Did it refer to the “ten” kings that persecuted them? Is it literal?

There was an inscription found in the City of Smyrna which said;

‘To Julius Menecles Diophantus, Asiarch, who has gloriously and zealously presented (a show of combat) with sharpened (weapons) five days successively, his dearest city (pays honour)’[1][5]

What we see is witness to what we have known respecting Christians and their martyrdom on the Roman Arenas and colosseums around the world. Perhaps an allusion to ten days of trial in such places, we don’t know.

But there is a promise here to the OVERCOMER which we shall conclude in the next point,

The Church of Smyrna was indeed Encouraged IN Anticipation.

Encouraged IN Affinity 

Encouraged IN Adversity.

Encouraged IN Anticipation.

Revelation 2:11

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.

Do not think that the individual letters to these Churches were private letters for the specific Churches alone, 

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;

Beloved if you have an ear then that which is written to all the Churches individually is written for you.

You may indeed be one of those who will or can identify better with the Church of Smyrna than you can with the Church of Ephesus who “left their first love”.

You may indeed have been one of those of Ephesus, you KNEW and beleived the doctrine, but left your first love and had now returned BACK to that first love, only to be persecuted heavily by the world, by friends or by false brethren. 

In that case this letter is also for you.

He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

He that overcometh…

In every letter, not only does Jesus KNOW the works of the Churches, not only does he address it to all who have ears to hear, but to all the churches he encourages through admonition with a PROMISE to the overcomer..

He that overcometh

Paul wrote of being 

…. troubled on every side, yet not distressed; … perplexed, but not in despair;  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 2 Corinthians 4:8–9

But he goes on to say greater and more encouraging things in that same Chapter.

If you are still in 2 Corinthians 4, go to verse 17

2 Corinthians 4:17–18

After speaking of the trials endured he goes on to write of future blessing;

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

KEEP READING as he explains;

2 Corinthians 5:1–4 

 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

The people of the Church of Smyrna were indeed willing, willing to to endure the “temporal things” that they may receive the eternal.

Willing that “mortality might be swallowed up of life”

Knowing that;

…when … this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 1 Corinthians 15:54

And so we can say with both Paul and the people of Smyrna;

1 Corinthians 15:55

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Maranatha

[1] North, R. (1979–1988) “Smyrna,” The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised. Edited by G.W. Bromiley. Wm. B. Eerdmans.

[2] (J. M. Cook, Annual of the British School at Athens, 80 [1985], 25–28)

 North, R. (1979–1988) “Smyrna,” The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised. Edited by G.W. Bromiley. Wm. B. Eerdmans.

[3] [1] Colin J. Hemer, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting, (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Livonia, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Dove Booksellers, 2001), 71.

[4] (Plin. Ep. 10.19, 20).

[5] [1]   (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Livonia, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Dove Booksellers, 2001), 69.

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