End Times Study Week 8

The Letter to the Church at Smyrna

Last week we began looking at the seven letters to the seven churches, we looked at the letter to the church at Ephesus last week.

We also seen that there are some symbolic things in the letters like the angel of the church is the pastor of the church, the lampstand is the actual church.

We need to remember that these letters were addressed to a specific church, like here to Smyrna, but that were meant to be spread around so that all the churches, and even today we can learn from them.

I. Destination V. 8

Revelation 2:8 CSB

8 “Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: Thus says the First and the Last, the one who was dead and came to life:

This second letter is addressed to Smyrna, a large and wealthy city about 35 miles north of Ephesus.

Like Ephesus, it was a sea-port. In contrast to Ephesus, which today is a desert ruin, Smyrna is still a large seaport it is the modern city of Izmir of Turkey, the third largest city of Turkey with a population in 2019 of 4.367 Million.

The name of the city, Smyrna, means myrrh, an ordinary perfume. Which was used in the anointing oil of the tabernacle, and in embalming dead bodies.

While the Christians of the church at Smyrna were experiencing the bitterness of suffering, their faithful testimony was like myrrh or sweet perfume to God.

Here Jesus described Himself as the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. Here Jesus is portrayed as the eternal One, who suffered death at the hands of His persecutors and then was resurrected from the grave.

These aspects of Christ were especially relevant to the Christians at Smyrna who, like Christ in His death, were experiencing severe persecution.

II. Commendation V. 9

Revelation 2:9 CSB

9 I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

The church at Smyrna was not having an easy go at life!The members were being persecuted, because they would not bow to the social and worldly ways of the day, by saying - Caesar is Lord.

Smyrna was an important center of the Roman imperial cult, and anyone refusing to acknowledge Caesar as Lord would certainly be excluded from society.

This would mean unemployment and poverty. The Greek word used there for poverty is meaning, possessing absolutely nothing.

There was a large Jewish community in the city of Smyrna. The Jews, of course, did not have to patronize the imperial cult since their religion was accepted by Rome; but they certainly would not cooperate with the Christian faith.

Therefore, the Christians in Smyrna were being persecuted from both the Jews and the Gentiles.

Verse 9 tells us there that they were rich!

They were not rich by earthly standards, as we seen already they were living in poverty, they were very poor as far as worldly standards go.

But they lived for eternal values that would never change, riches that could never be taken away. In fact, their suffering for Christ only increased their riches.

Matthew 6:19–21 CSB

19 “Don’t 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 neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Christians in Smyrna were laying up treasures in heaven that would last for eternity, not treasures here on earth that will fade away, or that can be taken away.

Yes, they were very poor, they lived in poverty in the view of the world, but in view of eternity they were as rich as you could get, because they were working hard for Jesus and at every turn they were being persecuted for their work for Jesus.

2 Corinthians 6:10 CSB

10 as grieving, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

We are also told two chapters down

2 Corinthians 8:9 CSB

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Jesus left the richness of eternity to become poor in the stable of Bethlehem to be laid in a feed trough, all so that his poverty could make us rich.

See he could have come to this earth and took the place of a rich man, but that was not the plan, He came humbly in poverty to show us it is not about the riches and wealth of this earth but about eternity, it is about a relationship with Him that matters.

The Christians in Smyrna had figured that out, and they had given everything up for that relationship, and to share the love of Jesus Christ with others that they might have that relationship also.

We must learn from the church at Smyrna that we must put our earthly wealth aside and see that there is greater wealth in eternity to gain, and we do that by seeking Jesus Christ, by sharing His love no matter what the outcome may be.

The Christians at Smyrna had realized this was not a battle or struggle with flesh and blood, but with the enemy, Satan, who uses people to accomplish his purposes.

The Jewish synagogue was actually a synagogue of Satan. See the Jewish people were not serving Jesus Christ and therefore, they were serving Satan.

Matthew 12:30 CSB

30 Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather with me scatters.

Any religious group, whether Jewish or Gentile, that does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as God’s Son is certainly acting contrary to God’s will.

III. Rebuke

If we recall from last week, Jesus had some criticism or rebuke for the church at Ephesus, but that is something that is lacking here for the church at Smyrna.

Jesus does not have anything to rebuke the Christians in Smyrna for because suffering through extreme difficult, had helped keep them pure in faith and life.

Yes they were facing all of these persecutions, all of these difficulties, all of these struggles, but through all of that it had kept them headed in the right direction, it had kept their eyes on Jesus.

IV. Exhortation. V. 10a

Revelation 2:10 (CSB)

10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days.

Here Jesus tells the believers do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Jesus is encouraging the believers to have courage to continue to face the persecution and to face the upcoming persecution.

See their severe trial were going to continue, they would receive further persecution by imprisonment and additional suffering for 10 days.

These ten days have been taken different ways, some believe it is ten different out breaks of tribulation the church would face, others believed it was symbolic to represent the entire church period of persecution, while ten days is also a brief period.

No matter which way we look at the ten days, if it is ten outbreaks, the entire church age, or just ten days, it is all brief compared to eternity.

See no matter how long we face persecution on this earth, it does not compare to the time we will have in paradise Jesus.

Satan, the devil can do all this to us, think of Job and all he did to Job, but at the end he could not take Job away from God.

Jesus tells us in Matthew

Matthew 10:28 CSB

28 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Man and Satan can only do so much to us, they only have so much control over us, but God the Father has the ultimate control over us.

Do we face persecution in this world, in this life yes there is that possibility, the Christians at Smyrna did, but they remained faithful to Jesus as they went through it, they kept their eyes on Jesus as they did.

V. Promise Vs. 10b - 11

Revelation 2:10–11 (CSB)

10 Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

11 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death.

Jesus had encouraged the believers to be courageous as they faced the persecution of imprisonment that was about to come, now he is giving them a promise if they faithful through persecution.

Jesus tells them, be faithful to the point of death, now that is not really what we want to hear is it.

Hey you are going to face persecution and you are going to get put in prison, but be faithful to the point of death.

I think back to Matthew 10:28 that man, Satan, our persecutors may harm our bodies, and maybe even to the point of death but if we will be faithful then our faithfulness will result in the crown of life.

There are five heavenly crowns mentioned in the New Testament that will be awarded to believers.

The five crowns are: the imperishable crown, the crown of rejoicing, the crown of righteousness, the crown of glory, and the crown of life.

The Greek word translated crown is stephanos and means a badge of royalty, a prize in the public games or a symbol of honor generally.

Used during the ancient Greek games, it referred to a wreath or garland of leaves placed on a victor’s head as a reward for winning an athletic contest.

As such, this word is used figuratively in the New Testament of the rewards of heaven God promises those who are faithful.

We see it best defined on how these crown are awarded for us in 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 9:24–25 CSB

24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. 25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.

The crown of life is for all believers, but is especially dear to those who have endured suffering, who bravely confront persecution for Jesus, even to the point of death.

In Scripture the word Life is often used to show a relationship that is right with God. It was Jesus who said in John

John 10:10 CSB

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Here in our text of Revelation 2:10b we are encouraged to be faithful by contemplating what awaits us after death, namely, eternal life.

No matter what we are faced with here on earth, we must remember that we have eternal life awaiting us, and that we may face a little suffering, a little persecution here but it is nothing compared to the greatness of God, the perfection of paradise that we will enjoy when we get into paradise.

2 Corinthians 5:8 CSB

8 In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Then in verse 11, we come to the same three things that we see at the end of all seven letters, anyone who has ears, listen to what the spirit has to say to the churches. The one who conquers.

Listen up, The Holy Spirit has something to say church, if you will overcome, if you will conquer the fear of persecution and make it through even if that means death, then there is a promise.

See because true believes will keep their eyes on Jesus, I am reminded of Stephen when he was being stoned to death for preaching Jesus.

Acts 7:54–60 CSB

54 When they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he fell asleep.

Stephen was facing death but he conquered his persecutors by keeping his eyes on Jesus, he did not allow them to get the best of him, he did not allow fear to overcome him.

Verse 11, tells us that if we will overcome or conquer than we will never be harmed by the second death.

This is referring to all believers here, that if we overcome Satan’s deceptions, Satan’s lies, his leading astray, then we will not be harmed or hurt by the second death.

What is this second death, first is the physical death, then we see what is referred to as the second death in Revelation 20:15

Revelation 20:15 CSB

15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Unbelievers, those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives, that have not been washed in the blood of Jesus, have not been forgiven of their sins, and covered by the blood of Jesus, their names are not written in the Lamb’s book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire.

The term second death does not mean that unbelievers will die spiritually, or that they will no longer exist, or that they perish, their souls will also live for eternity but they will live in the lake of fire, where they will be tormented for eternity.

But as believers, as conquers, as overcomers we will not be harmed by the lake of fire, because will spend eternity in paradise with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

We must stand the test of times, just like the Smyrna believers, we may not see the persecution here in America right now like they did in Smyrna, but there is that kind of persecution in other countries, and it can come here very easily.

Therefore, just as Jesus told the believers at Smyrna, we must not be afraid, but be courageous, stand firm and be faithful, keep our eyes on Jesus.

We may face things here on earth but it will only last for a brief moment compared to the time we get to spend with Jesus in paradise for eternity.