Revelation The Letter to Smyrna Chapter 2:8-11 APARABLE: LUCY WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD. She didn t remember her father because he had been over seas with the government since she was two years old Her mother constantly talked about him She would also say things like; Your father wouldn t want you to do that! or Your father would be proud of you. Lucy had two uncles and they would also tell her about her father. In addition she received letters from him, but these she just put aside preferring to hear about her father then to hear from him. I suspect if you could talk to Lucy you might ask Why aren t you interested in your father s letters? Surprisingly enough the church often reminds us of Lucy. While there is a great deal of emphasis of the teachings of Scripture regarding Christ, which is certainly appropriate, there is a tendency to ignore the letters that He has written! The focus in essentially only on the Gospels and epistles which wile a vital part of Scripture are never-the-less only part. We started reviewing these letters and so this morning I want to continue by examining the letter to the church at Smyrna. V The Letters to the Seven Churches Chapters 2-3 C. The Letter to Smyrna Verses 8-11 1. Introduction 2. Analysis 1. Introduction: While this letter is written to the historic church at Smyrna we also clearly recognize that it was intended for all churches that make up the body of Christ. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Revelation 2:11 ESV). This letter as with the others was dictated by Christ and sent to us through the Apostle John. a. How Christ is pictured: Christ introduces Himself as the eternal God and the One who has died and been resurrected. This focus would be of great comfort to those who were facing martyrdom. His resurrection was the promise of theirs. As the first and last, nothing is before Him and nothing will follow after Him. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God (Psalms 90:2 ESV). The final dispensation of God s judgment is in His hands.
b. Background: To understand the thrust of the letter it is necessary to have some idea of the environment in which these believers found themselves. The city of Smyrna still exists today. It is Izmir in Turkey. It lays due north of the site of ancient Ephesus in Asia Minor. It was known as the first city of that region. The city was the birthplace of the poet Homer. Smyrna was one of the major ports in the area, being also the natural terminal of a great inland trade route between the east and west. This led to the city being a political, cultural and economic center and though it was destroyed in 677 BC it was rebuilt in the 4 th Century BC. Politically the city always ended up in the winning side of the numerous Roman civil wars. In fact it was a free city, that is not subject to Roman taxes and was self governed. As a result of this, the city was a major center Caesar worship. This was one of the problems for believers. They were expected to place a pinch of incense on the altar of Caesar and the refusal was perceived not as a religious issue but one of political rebellion. As you can see religion and politics really overlapped seems familiar, but religiously the city was essentially pagan. Located there was the temple to Dionysius. As is true with the religious liberal they had no objection to the worship of Christ as long as He was just one of the gods. Christ s demand that He was the only way was a bone of contention and the basis for more persecution of believers. Also found in Smyrna was a community of Jewish believers exempt from Roman religious requirements under an agreement with Rome. In conclusion the city was renown for its schools of science and medicine, wide paved streets, etc. In other words it was prosperous, beautiful and pagan. An environment which was similar in many ways to the one in which a number of believers find themselves today. Smyrna was a city in which to be a Christian meant to be persecuted. In fact it was the site of the martyrdom of Polycarp the Bishop of Smyrna and the disciple of the Apostle John. c. Commendation: While they suffered from poverty, Christ considered them wealthy. And while they were being persecuted, they were promised future reward. d. Condemnation: They were condemned for nothing. This doesn t necessarily mean they were totally without fault, but because of the nature of their situation, the Lord had nothing given against them. e. Counsel: They were to be fearless and faithful. f. Challenge: The would receive a crown of life and not be effected by the second death. 2. Analysis: The letter is directed to a representative of the church be it angel or pastor. The word can be translated messenger, but it is intended for all believers as already noted. As already noted, Christ refers to Himself in a specific role, the eternal God the first and last. All time and creation are encompassed in Him. This relates to His words to John ) 58 (
I am the first and the last, (Revelation 1:17 ESV). But more than that He is the one who died, that is became a corpse, and became alive again. the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore (Revelation 1:18 ESV). He is the one who was victorious over death which is quite a comfort to those who are facing death at the hands of Rome. Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:54 57 ESV). It is on the basis of Christ s resurrection that the hope of these believers is founded. But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:13 14, 17, 20 ESV). Do you ever feel that when things are really going down hill that you are totally alone, that the Lord doesn t know what s happening? Well it appears that these believers may have felt this way for the Lord reassures them that He is aware of what they are going through. He knows their suffering and poverty. Vs. 9-10: I think one reason this letter regarding suffering and death is going to this specific church is because the city is named Smyrna which is the same word as myrrh, the spice brought by the Magai to the baby Jesus. It was used with wine as an anesthetic and so would have been provided to Him at the cross and it was also used in burial spices. It brings to mind the crushed, suffering, martyred nature of this church. The sources of their suffering came from a number of causes: 1. They were being persecuted by the government for political reasons already noted. 2. They were poverty stricken not just poor but destitute. Willmington notes that Smyrna ran on a guild system and so when individuals became Christians they were expelled couldn t conduct business and so lost everything. 1 This also may have occurred due to the refusal to participate in Emperor worship. But as for as the Lord is concerned they have the true riches. 1 Willmington, Dr. H. L., Willmington s Guide to the Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, 1981., p.542. ) 59 (
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward (Matthew 6:19, 21; Ephesians 3:7; Hebrews 11:26 ESV). This is a hard teaching for those of us who are so well off materially. 3. The third source of their suffering was slander generated by the Jewish community we don t know what the slander was but its motive obviously was to increase the persecution of the church. The Lord s verdict of these people was that they were false Jews. They were physical decedents of Abraham, but not his spiritual children for they rejected the Messiah and His church. Paul speaks to this when he said 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. His praise is not from man but from God (Romans 2:28 29 ESV). and Jesus made the same point previously; And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father, for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham (Matthew 3:9 ESV). We can only speculate on the reasons that this group of Jews were persecuting the members of this church. When the Roman government moved into an area, it grand fathered in the indigenous religions. Judaism was consequently protected. And Christianity, which is perceived as a sect of Judaism was also covered. Some Jewish leaders because of their fear of Christianity, informed the government that Christianity was not a sect of Judaism, but in reality a cult. It appears in Smyrna they were going beyond this with the spreading of lies against the believers. The important points here are the charge is not an indictment of all Jews only this specific group and that the true source of the slander is Satan. Where Satan had previously persecuted essentially the Hebrew, now he attacks both Israel and the church. The Lord understands their suffering. Now he has a command, Stop being afraid! Wouldn t we be afraid I suspect so, and on top of being told to stop fearing they are told more is to come. Satan is the source of these also. They would be imprisoned, suffer more tribulation whether for 10 days or ten periods of great persecution isn t the real issue just more suffering and they were to remain faithful even to death. What is meant by the ten days isn t spelled out. It may refer to literal days, or as Alan Johnson sees it: ) 60 (
it may be a Semitism for an indeterminate but comparatively short period of time. Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, Wherever you turn, they will attack us. Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink (Nehemiah 4:12; Daniel 1:12 NIV) 2 Those who tend to interpret these as periods generally break it down as the ten periods of persecutions by ten emperors: 1. Nero - 64-68 AD Paul beheaded 2. Domitian - 95-96 AD John exiled 3. Trajan - 98-117 AD Ignatius burned at the stake 4. Pius - 137-161 AD Killed Polycarp 5. Marcus Aurelius - 161-180 AD Killed Justin Martyr 6. Severus - 193-211 AD Killed Orgen s Father 7. Thracian - 235-238 AD Commanded all Christians leaders to die 8. Decius - 249-260 AD Determined to exterminate Christianity 9. Valerian - 253-260 AD Killed Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage 10. Diocletian 284-305 AD The last & most severe persecution 3 Whether this is the intent behind the ten days, it is clear that the church, including Smyrna was facing a time of persecution. The reason they shouldn t fear is because of who Christ is. He understands their suffering for he suffered even as they. Also he promises a specific reward to those who suffer death, the crown of life. What is it? I don t know, but if the Lord desires to give a reward it is something they should desire. This is one reward I d as soon skip as I don t really want to be a martyr. Vs. 11: The concluding statement reminds us that through the work of the Holy Spirit what has been said is for the edification of all believers. And the promise made to all believers is that of eternal life. Those who are born once die twice and those who are born twice die once, and if the rapture occurs not even once. The choice is the individual s. If they accept the death and resurrection of Christ as payment for sin, they are born again, and have eternal life. If not they face the second death, eternal existence in Hell. Application: Now how does this letter directly apply to us. Oh, as believers it always is reassuring to be reminded of God s mercy in that by belonging to Christ we don t face eternal judgment. And while there are believers today that face death for Christ it is still unlikely as things stand that we will. Though we may face some persecution for obedience, after all a group of elders were sued and lost in court for carrying out the Biblical injunction of discipline and a Christian neonatologist lost her job for refusing involvement with abortions, at 2 Johnson, Alan F., The Expositor s Bible Commentary, Revelation, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1981, p. 438. 3 Willmington, p. 542. ) 61 (
least at the moment in time most of us aren t facing the kind of persecution that these believers were. Then there was the physician who was willing to go to jail for force feeding a woman rather than letting her commit suicide. I don t know if this doctor was a believer, but are we ready to lose our jobs, homes, everything if it is necessary in order to serve the Lord? Are we willing to even face embarrassment for Him. Is he really Lord or our lives or does He live with us in private? But I thing there is a general principal that is broader behind this letter. God knows where we are hurting. He cares that we are hurting and He acts, not necessarily to take us out of our suffering, but to strengthen us in it. Christ is not a bridge over troubles waters. He doesn t take us above our troubles, but through them. If He was writing to you what would he say. I know you are out of work. You don t know how you are to make ends meet. FEAR NOT STOP BEING AFRAID! Or He d write; I know that your marriage is in trouble, that you re terrified that the one you love is going to forsake you, leaving you alone. I understand how you feel. Remember what I said on the cross. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46 ESV). I tasted the ultimate loneliness, I tasted Hell so that you wouldn t. I understand! I m still here with you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20 ESV). FEAR NOT STOP BEING AFRAID! Maybe He d write; I know that the world around makes you fearful Is there going to be world? What of the rampant crime? Another food item is found to be harmful but remember; I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33 ESV). FEAR NOT STOP BEING AFRAID! We must always remember that no matter how much we are hurting that God understands, that He when He was here suffered even as we. He was hungry, He was tired, He lost loved ones and wept at the grave of Lazarus. He was betrayed by one close to Him, Judas, but He went through this because He loves us. And we must remember that He sent one to us to comfort and give us the strength to go through our pain. ) 62 (
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you (John 14:16 17; Acts 1:8 ESV). He himself is also the source of our strength. I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13 ESV). Finally all that happens in under His will and in His hand even though we may not understand the reasons we are where we are. When we are in His will we can say with Paul, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV). ) 63 (