02.07. 7 Churches- 2- Smyrna
SMYRNA (Suffering Saints: Revelation 2:8-11) Seven Churches of Asia
Introduction:
1.Review Chart of the Seven Churches of Asia 2.We do not know when and by whom the church was planted in Smyrna.
3. Smyrna’s loyalty to Rome led her to be the first city to erect a temple to the goddess Roma in 195 BC. The Caesar-cult was strong here.
4. It lay 42 miles north of Ephesus and was built at the end of a large arm of the sea possessing a most unique double harbor. It is estimated to have been a city of 200,000 in John’s day.
5. Polycarp, one of the early church fathers, was an elder in the church at Smyrna and had studied at the feet of the Apostle John. He was burned at the stake when he was 86 years old.
1. ADDRESS Revelation 2:8
1.The letter was addressed "to the angel" (messenger) of the church and was to be read by him to the congregation. 2.The writer was John, but the words he wrote were the words of Christ.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPEAKER Revelation 2:8-9
1."The first and the last" The description of the speaker is always emphasizing some attribute which has a direct association to the church he is addressing and his spiritual relationship to them. a.Revelation 1:11 "Alpha and Omega, first...last" The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. This expresses the omnipotence of Christ, that he is ever-existing, and is eternal. b."first"... John 1:1; John 8:58; Colossians 1:15-17. He should be first with man (Matthew 6:33). c."last"... Revelation 22:13. When others are gone he will still be there. The author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). 2."Who was dead and liveth again." We are reminded of His power over the grave. Wicked men also killed Him, but the grave could not contain Him. His death burial, and resurrection are the fundamental facts of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). a.Died for our sins (Romans 5:8) and arose for our justification (Romans 4:25). b.With His credential of the fact of the resurrection He addresses this persecuted church. c.This is especially relevant because the Smyrna church is the suffering and persecuted church. He comforts with assurances of his victory over death. d.This fact would be of special encouragement to Smyrna inasmuch as they were in danger of death at the hands of the wicked. But they were serving a Master who had conquered death (1 Corinthians 15:23-26, 1 Corinthians 15:55-58). 3."I know"... Proverbs 15:3 "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."
3. WHAT IS RIGHT WITH THE CHURCH -- (Commendation)
1."Thy works" Revelation 2:9. Will be judged according to works (Revelation 20:12). a.The Lord also "knows" what we are doing! 2."Thy tribulation" Revelation 2:9. ( 2 Timothy 3:12; Matthew 5:11-12) a.The word "tribulation" originally meant to be "pressed under a bolder." b.Persecution from Jewish elements is named. This indicates also that the time frame is before AD 70 because after that date the Jews lost status, and political and economic power throughout the empire. The persecutors claimed to be Jews, (but they are not, says the Lord) for the real Jews today are Christians (see Romans 2:28-29; Romans 4:12-14; Romans 9:4-8) Lesson: Sometimes people are not always what they say.
c.The persecuting Jews were said to be really of the synagogue of Satan. d.The church is exhorted to "fear none of those things" that was to come upon them. Often, great men in the Bible were told not to be afraid. Christians have no reason to fear what men can inflict. 3."Thy poverty" Revelation 2:9. Here begins the big difference from all other churches addresses. a.Evidently this church was extremely poor in this world’s material goods. Ephesus was rich and apparently the congregation there was well to do. The Ladiocian members were extremely wealthy in this world’s goods. Not so for Smyrna. b.The city of Smyrna was rich. It was a very prosperous city, but not so for the church of Christ there. c.The poverty may have resulted from oppression and robbery on the part of her enemies, from the last part of Revelation 2:9. (See also Hebrews 10:34.) d.Christians (and churches) can be poor but rich! Earthly poverty is no hindrance to spiritual riches. 4."Some in prison" Revelation 2:10. a.Satan, through people in the world, may persecute us to death but it is not over yet. 5."Ten days" The number "ten" in Biblical symbolism indicates a complete testing, or trial to the limit of human endurance. a.Thus Jacob complained that Laban had changed his wages "ten times" (Genesis 31:7, Genesis 31:41). b.The plagues of Egypt were "ten" in number (Exodus 7:1-25, Exodus 8:1-32, Exodus 9:1-35, Exodus 10:1-29, Exodus 11:1-10, Exodus 12:1-51). c.Israel was tested with "ten" commandments (Exodus 20:1-26) d.God’s patience had been tried to the limit. He said, they had tempted him now these "ten" times (Numbers 14:22). e.Daniel requested that he and his companions be tested "ten" days (Daniel 1:12-15). So the church at Smyrna was to be fully tested, as the persecuted church.
5."Be thou faithful unto death..." If necessary, be faithful even if it means your martyrdom.
6.THREATS-- (None) 7.PROMISED REWARDS Daniel 2:10-11
1."Crown of life" Daniel 2:10. Smyrna wore the title "The Crown of Asia" and to the faithful Christians there, the Lord said "I will give thee a crown of life." To Ephesus the promise was the "tree of life;" to Sardis, it was having their "name in the book of life," but to Smyrna it is a "crown of life."
a.There were in essence two kinds of crowns. 1) The victory crown, as given in athletic games, etc., and 2) the crown of royalty. b.The crown here promised is the garland crown of victory-- victory over death (1 Corinthians 9:24-25; 2 Timothy 4:8.) c.While these promises were intended for individuals who "overcame" in another sense, Smyrna, as a city, has been given a Crown of Life, it has survived through all the centuries and is now a large city with a population of 2 million, its modern name is Iz-mir. It has the largest "Christian" population of this strong Islamic area. 2."He that hath an ear..." An exhortation for them to listen to the words of the spirit. This indicates this letter and this particular admonition is for others as well as for Smyrna. 3."He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." a.The second death is explained in Revelation 20:14-15. b.Physical death is the separation of the body from the spirit. The second death is the separation of the spirit from God and from all that it has been created for. (1)A separation that results in its everlasting abode in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10, Revelation 20:14-15). c.Christ is saying, "They may take your goods, imprison you, burn you, feed you to the lions, but they can’t inflict the second death." The condition: "he that overcometh" "Keep yourselves true until death, an d I will keep you after death."
CONCLUSION:
1. Thus the Bible reveals two deaths. And there are two births as well as two deaths. Have you been born the second time that the second death will not have power over you?