1-27-2019 A Crowning Achievement Revelation 2:8-11

Just as YHWH downloaded messages to Moses’ tablets, so also did Jesus use “voice recognition” technology — A.K.A. The apostle John— to transcribe His letters to seven churches!

The message to the church in Smyrna is the second in the series of seven messages in Revelation 2–3. Among the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2–3, only Smyrna and Philadelphia receive mostly praise or encouragement without any blame or accusation related to a sin—so perhaps this is worthy of us paying close attention this morning.

Scripture Reading: Revelation 2:8–11

Revelation 2:8–11 ESV

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. 9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful 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 conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

Smyrna was a harbor city located about forty miles northwest of Ephesus. The name of the city – Smyrna –means “bitter” and is the same Greek root word that is translated “myrrh” elsewhere in the New Testament. Myrrh was taken from a thorny bush and then crushed in order to make a perfume, and it was also used in the preparation of a dead body for burial. This name is a perfect picture of the church there, which, as we’ll see closer in a moment, produced a pleasing aroma as it was being crushed.

Transition:

We know very little about how the church in Smyrna began. It is not mentioned anywhere in the book of Acts. Likely, it was founded some time during Paul’s three year stay in Ephesus due to the close proximity, but we can’t be sure. What little information we have about the church comes from the description here in Revelation. However, we do know that this is the only one of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 that still exists today. The city has been renamed Izmir and it is the third largest city in Turkey. And, there is still a faithful remnant of Christ followers there.

Since this message follows the same general structure as the other six, we’ll use the same outline in a similar fashion that we developed last week to examine this passage.

I. The Proficiency of Christ (v.8)

He is what this Church needs:

Revelation 2:8 ESV

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

As He does in each of the seven messages, Jesus reveals Himself to the church in Smyrna using one of the aspects of His character from John’s vision in chapter 1. And, as is true with all seven messages, that specific aspect of His nature is intended to be a direct encouragement to that church and to what the church is facing. In this case, Jesus identifies Himself as: Smyrna was the persecuted church, so Christ reminds them of His own suffering, death, and resurrection (2:8).

“The first and the last” This is one of the recurrent titles for Jesus found in 1:17 and 22:13. In the OT it referred only to YHWH--Jesus is making an important point here. The prophet Isaiah repeatedly uses the phrase “the first and the last” as a description of God. Here is just one of several examples:

Isaiah 44:6 (ESV)

Isaiah 44:6 ESV

6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.

So when Jesus applies that very same phase to Himself, he is clearly revealing Himself as God.. VERY INTERESTING GREEK WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE! ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος

πρῶτος= proto- as in prototype &

ἔσχατος = last thing - where we get the word eschatology - the study of the last/end of all things

Jesus is the Prototype and the end of all things — He is the supreme God! no one is above Him nor will anyone outlast Him!

It is synonymous with the phrase “I am the Alpha and Omega” (cf. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13) and “the beginning and the end” (cf. 21:6; 22:13). Jesus is God! And, if that wasn’t enough, Being the only One victorious over death, Jesus can sustain the Christians in Smyrna facing persecution. As John Stott puts it, “Before we were born He was Alpha, and He will be Omega after we have died.”

Illustration:

God Is the Critic

Dr. James Kennedy said

“Most people think of the church as a drama, with the minister as the chief actor, God as the prompter, and the laity as the critic.

What is actually the case is that the congregation is the chief actor, the minister is the prompter, and God is the critic.”

I think this quote bears repeating:

“Most people think of the church as a drama, with the minister as the chief actor, God as the prompter, and the laity as the critic.

What is actually the case is that the congregation is the chief actor, the minister is the prompter, and God is the critic.”

Lord, forgive us for ever thinking we could be critics of the One who is The First and the Last

“who died and came to life” This may also have been a slap at the nature cult of Cybele, the mother goddess. Many of the ancient fertility religions based their world-view on personified cycles of nature, winter = death, and spring = rebirth. In context this relates theologically to 1:18; 5:6, where Jesus is the lamb that was slain but is now alive. It emphasizes Jesus’ once-for-all substitutionary death and resurrection.

Transition:

II. The Problem at Church (v.9)

Revelation 2:9 ESV

9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

The church in Smyrna was suffering because of persecution, and believers faced poverty even in this wealthy city. This probably refers to material poverty because Christ immediately assured them that despite their poverty, they were rich—referring to their heavenly riches. These Christians’ poverty may have come from sanctions against them as part of the persecution they faced-- economic persecution (e.g., loss of income and jobs, destruction of property, legal trouble), exclusion from local trade guilds, either from the guilds hating Christians or from guilds that would employ Christians, but through the work they promoted pagan religious activities that would have caused Christians to compromise their faith resulting in poverty. Yet in spite of their material poverty, Jesus declares them spiritually rich!

For most of the Christians, though, their suffering was strongly tied to the local unbelieving Jewish community that instigated the persecution against Christians, by accusing them before the Roman authorities. Because Judaism was tolerated by Rome, Jews were exempt from worshiping the emperor. Throughout most of the first century, Christians and Jews were closely identified, resulting in some protection for the first Christians. With the persecutions under Nero in the mid-60s, however, the authorities began to view Christianity as an unacceptable new religion.

Why did the Jews hate Christians so much?

Some Christians had converted from Judaism, and this might have angered the Jews.

Christians were viewed as people who changed or rejected the Jewish law.

By confessing Jesus as the Messiah, they were committing Jewish blasphemy. This would have been especially offensive if these particular Jews saw Jesus in their synagogues.

Ans since the government officials viewed the Christ followers as a sect of the Jews, the Jews might have worried that the Christians’ refusal also to participate in the Caesar worship was going to endanger the privileges that the Jews already enjoyed. So they would inform on those who failed to follow the emperor’s edict.

As he does in each message, Jesus begins with the words “I know.” As Jesus walks among His churches, He is able to evaluate them thoroughly and accurately. He sees not just what others see on the outside, but He also peers into the hearts of the people in the church. And in the case of Smyrna, the words “I know” take on even more significance because Jesus knew of the three problems the church in Smyrna was experiencing because He had experienced them Himself in His life here on earth. Although there are three separate issues that Jesus speaks of here, we’ll see that all three are actually inextricably linked together.

• The church had remained faithful to Jesus in the face of three things Jesus, Himself, had faced on earth:

1. Tribulation

The term that Jesus uses here – tribulation – has a very specific meaning. Some translations have rendered this word “affliction”, “suffering”, or “pain” – words that fail to adequately express the seriousness of what the church was facing. This word pictures crushing, suffocating pressure. It has its origin in an ancient method of capital punishment in which the subject was tied down and a large stone was placed on his chest, eventually causing death by suffocation due to the crushing pressure on the chest.

And while it is true that most of us here may have faced difficulties, trials, affliction, suffering and pain to some degree for our faith in Jesus, very few of us have experienced the kind of tribulation that Jesus is speaking of here.

2. Poverty

There are two different Greek words which can be translated poverty. The first refers to someone who has the necessities of life, but nothing more. The other word, the one used here describes someone who has nothing at all – absolute destitute poverty. Again, I am convinced that none of us here have ever even come close to the kind of poverty that these Christ followers in Smyrna experienced. Even the very poorest among us are quite rich materially compared to them.

Although Smyrna was a prosperous city, the Christ followers were living in absolute poverty as a result of their faith in Jesus. We’ll be able to see why that was a little more clearly when we look at the third problem the church was facing in just a moment,

But even though the church was totally broke materially, Jesus pointed out that they were actually quite rich. How? James provides us with the answer to that question:

James 2:5 (ESV)

James 2:5 ESV

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

This is certainly an accurate picture of the church in Smyrna. Even though they were poor in the eyes of the world, they were certainly rich in faith, remaining true to Jesus despite the tremendous pressures they were facing. The take-home is that us Believers cannot judge our success in Christ by worldly standards.

3. Slander

The Christ followers in Smyrna were being slandered by Jews there in the city.

Among the false accusations leveled against the Christ followers in Smyrna by the Jews were these:

1) They were called cannibals because of their participation in the Lord’s Supper.

2) Their “love feasts” were characterized as orgies

3) They were accused of splitting families and tampering with the family unit as a result of those who committed their lives to Jesus.

4) They were accused of political disloyalty because they refused to proclaim Caesar as lord.

Revelation 2:9 ESV

9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

“those who say that they are Jews and are not”

When Jesus says that they call themselves Jews, but are not, He seems to be making the same point that Paul made in Romans 2:

For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter…

They may have claimed to have descended from Abraham, but true Jews (God’s people) are those who have accepted Jesus as Messiah and Savior (Galatians 3:29). Because these Jews had rejected the Messiah, they were, in reality, no more than a synagogue of Satan’s. These Jews were serving Satan’s purposes, not God’s, because they hated and persecuted the true people of YHWH, the Christians.

“a synagogue of Satan”

There is an interesting play on words here since the Hebrew word “Satan” means “accuser” or “adversary”. And the Greek word “diabolos”, which is translated Devil, means “slanderer”. These Jews are both accusers and slanderers, which makes them instruments of Satan. Jesus made a similar case against those who claimed to be Jews during His time on Earth:

John 8:39-44 (ESV)

John 8:39–44 ESV

39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Satan is mentioned often in Revelation (cf. 2:9, 13; 3:9; 12:9, 10; 20:2, 7). He slanders the believers and empowers their persecutors. This conflict of God versus Satan dualistic features in the spiritual realm characterizes the rest of this book. There is a battle for control, for the hearts and minds of the children of Adam.

Transition:

So in light of these external problems, Jesus commends the church because they have remained faithful to Him in the face of intense tribulation. Now in verse 10, Jesus offers hope for this church:

III. The Power of Restoration (v.10)

Christ tells the believers in Smyrna, who had already been facing persecution and suffering, that they ought not to be afraid of what they were about to suffer. More was coming, and although the Jews and Roman authorities were carrying out the persecution, behind any actions against them was really the Devil himself.

Revelation 2:10 ESV

10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

How is this hopeful?

Jesus gives two commands to the church in Smyrna:

1. Do not fear

Do not fear what you are about to suffer…&

2. Be faithful

Be faithful unto death…

These two commands are clear and easy to understand, but they are clearly not easy to practice. But here is where Jesus’ description of Himself at the beginning of the message really comes in to play. In effect, Jesus is saying to the church at Smyrna, “I know what you’re going through because I already experienced the same kind of tribulation Myself.”

The writer of Hebrews expressed that idea like this:

Hebrews 12:3

Hebrews 12:3 ESV

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Because Jesus is the first and the last, He is firmly in control of everything that is going on, so the people do not need to fear what may happen to them.

Even if they suffer tribulation to the point of physical death, they won’t experience anything that Jesus hasn’t already gone through. They don’t need to fear, because Jesus controls their eternal destiny. That’s where the second part of Jesus’ description of Himself comes in. Because He became dead and is now alive forever, His followers can be confident that they will one day share in that resurrection as well.

Wait! Smyrna and Philadelphia are the only two churches among the seven for which Jesus has no word of condemnation. They are the only two churches which are not commanded to repent.

Why is it that this church, which is so faithful to Him, is facing such tribulation?

Three questions:

1) If the congregation is doing so good as not to receive any rebuke, why is the church experiencing tribulation in the first place?

After all they are so faithful to Jesus. There is nothing for Jesus to condemn. So why?

I think the answer is: it is a result of their faith

Sometimes in our life we face crushing pressure (that is the meaning of tribulation, crushing pressure) it is because of our own ungodly decisions and actions. But that is not the case here. Just the opposite is true. Because these people have chosen to live godly lives and remain faithful to Jesus, they are now facing tribulation. We shouldn’t be surprised at that since the Bible, consistently makes it clear that faithful followers of Jesus should expect tribulation. Remember the words of Jesus, Paul and John: Jesus:

John 15:18 (ESV)

John 15:18 ESV

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

Now Paul

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)

2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Now John:

1 John 3:13 (ESV)

1 John 3:13 ESV

13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

Then the second question: When will Jesus deliver His people from tribulation?

We want Jesus to say to the church that He knows their tribulation and therefore he is going to come to the rescue and deliver them immediately from that tribulation. But not only does Jesus not do that, He answers this question like this:

It’s going to get worse

That’s essentially what Jesus is saying in verse 10.

Revelation 2:10 ESV

As bad as it is right now, it’s going to get worse for some of His followers. They might even face death. Jesus had given His followers a similar warning right before He went to the cross:

Matthew 24:9

Matthew 24:9 ESV

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

But we know enough to get a further clarification of the answer to our question:

This tribulation is limited to 10 days

Revelation 2:10 ESV

“ten days”

The next question: Why ten days? What is the purpose of tribulation for ten days?

(1) some say that it referred to a literal ten day period of persecution in the city of Smyrna in John’s day;

(2) others say that because ten is the number of completion, it simply meant a complete number of days of persecution; or

(3) some say that it referred to an unspecified period of persecution meaning that although persecution would be intense, it would be relatively short and have a definite beginning and end.

I believe it was a literal 10 day period for Smyrna. Why? Because if Jesus couldn't be trusted on something as simply as an amount of days, then how could He possible encourage them on other prophetic things? YHWH is in complete control. The good news is that it has a limit. The persecution will end! For some, that end won’t occur until their death, but it will end.

The answer to why is: To prove the genuineness of their faith. The ten days of tribulation is for the purpose of testing Jesus’ followers.

be faithful unto death” This is an IMPERATIVE — a command which emphasizes the believer’s need to continue in faith even if it means physical death. Although their imprisonment will be limited, the possibility that it could end in martyrdom is a very real and probable outcome (v. 10b). Some believers were and are killed. This is the paradox of the sovereignty of God and our experience in a fallen world.

The church was challenged to remain faithful to Christ even when facing death and they would receive the crown of life

“and I will give you the crown of life”

Smyrna was famous for its athletic games. Each champion would receive a crown, a victory wreath. In ancient Rome this was the most sought-after prize. To have gained this crown/wreath meant that one had done special acts for Rome and would be considered a prestigious citizen of the Empire. This can be compared to being knighted in England. In contrast, those who have suffered for their faith will receive “the crown of life” in God’s Kingdom.

It is the reward of Christian martyrs.

Transition:

So what Jesus is promising to those who are faithful in the face of tribulation is that even though they may die physically, he is going to make sure that they actually receive life.

So What? (v.11)

Revelation 2:11 ESV

11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

Whoever is victorious—that is, whoever stands strong for the faith despite persecution and suffering—will not be hurt by the second death. The Greek negative is doubled which makes it emphatic—they will not in any way be hurt. Believers and unbelievers alike experience physical death. The first death for those in Smyrna and for some of us today might be martyrdom. But even then they and us will be victorious because we would not face the second death. All people will be resurrected, but believers will be resurrected to eternal life with God, while unbelievers will be resurrected to be punished with a second death—eternal separation from God

The “second death” is a phrase that is used three times later in the Book of Revelation and we don’t have to speculate about what it is because it is clearly defined for us by John:

Revelation 20:14 (ESV)

Revelation 20:14 ESV

14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

The second death which we will see is reserved for Satan, the false prophet and for those who do not commit their lives in faith to Jesus. It is a place of eternal punishment and torment, separated from the presence of YHWH.

Pastor E.V. Hill summed this challenge up very well with these words:

Those who are born once, die twice; those who are born twice, die once.

Conclusion:

“He who has an ear, let him hear”

▪Jesus Christ has conquered death.

▪Those who are materially poor may actually be spiritually rich.

▪Persecution takes several forms, including economic and physical persecution.