Apologetics

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SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS

From Patmos, Through the 20th Century to the Church of Acts
Looking at the Perfect Church


II
The Church of Smyrna

Revelation
Verse 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:”

Once again, Jesus begins His message to this church by proclaiming who He is. He tells John to write to the messenger that “the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive” is the one speaking to Smyrna. He has told us in Chapter 1 verse 11 that He is the Alpha and Omega. And we know from the accounts of His crucifixion and resurrection that He was dead, had His life restored and is alive. Death itself could not conquer the power and authority of Jesus. He is reassuring this body of believers of His power and sovereignty over them. This letter was to encourage them to be faithful unto death if necessary. The Church at Smyrna is labeled the ‘persecuted church’ and is the first of only two that Jesus did not rebuke and instruct to repent.

Verse 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.”

The church at Smyrna suffered tremendous tribulation and persecution. The people of Smyrna had the foresight to see the rise of Roman power and the temple built there for pagan worship. It later became a city for a cultic religion and emperor worship. This church also struggled against a large Jewish population who opposed Christianity. Any person, thing or idea allowed to replace our Omnipotent God from priority is idol worship, false religion, and cultic. The believers at Smyrna knew this and rejected the influences brought into their city as it fell into emperor worship proclaiming “Caesar is Lord”.

The Pagan world ridiculed the Church for their worship of God, the Creator of all, and oppressed their opportunities for physical necessities. The Christians of Smyrna were driven into poverty. It is much the same throughout the world now. Christians are being oppressed, persecuted and driven to poverty in many, many countries for their belief in Jesus Christ the Risen Savior. However Jesus says, “but you are rich”. We are given and promised so much if we remain faithful to Him. Most importantly, we’re given Salvation from an eternal hell and a promise of life eternal in His Kingdom. How much better we are to be ridiculed and hated by the world, but rich in Christ and under His eternal protection.

In verse 9, we also see Jesus sighting blasphemy. Nothing written in the Word of God is by mistake. He points at those who ‘say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” The synagogue of Satan refers to those who were serving Satan’s purposes - not God’s, when they assembled to worship. I believe they are representative of Satan’s attack on a people who were getting it right. We anger Satan when he loses the battles for our service. Therefore, we can usually expect persecution from those in service to the enemy when we are submitted to God. This segment of Jews claimed membership to the ‘synagogue of God,” but were actually of the ‘synagogue of Satan’. This equates activities at Smyrna to the sins addressed to the next church. ‘Satan’s seat” was in Pergamos (Rev. 2:13) and where ‘Satan dwells’. Those practicing Judaism were loyal to the Roman emperor, they were therefore shown favor and escaped the harsh punishments imposed on the Christians.

Verse 10: “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

The message is that God is in control and His promises are reliable. Though the church here faced the extremes of being a loving and faithful church and the suffering of hostile persecution, Christ presents himself as their intercessor. Their written message was to offer a great encouragement. They are being told once again of His promise for a “crown of life”. In this verse He shows them three encouraging things to strengthen and remind them of where their true hope lies.

First, Christians will be tested and perhaps imprisoned for our faith. However, we will not be given more than He enables us to bear and we will grow stronger from each trial. We learn through adversity just how much we have grown and that our true strength comes from relying on God. He alone gives us grace to endure. Is it any wonder that sinners don’t understand how we can still have joy when we are faced with trials? But it is that joy of the Lord that gets us through the toughest of situations. We know we cannot do it by our own strength. But the Lord has told us to ‘fear not’. What a great witness we can be to non-believers when we exhibit the joy of the Lord during trying times. We are that Lampstand displaying His light when our own may seem dimmed.

We in America have only a slight concept of Christian persecution. Yes, as the latter part of the 20th century passed into the 21st, we’ve heard a lot about ‘political correctness’. People have crowed about the misperceptions of “separation of church and state”, and the more of our freedoms ‘of religion’ have turned into freedom ‘from religion’. Our western persecution has barely begun.

September 11, 2001 was a wake up call to the citizens of America and the free democratic world. Despite the biased and often inaccurate reports on our nightly news networks, many, many Americans are God-loving, Jesus-serving Christians and we know that our hope does not lie in this government’s protection. We know that God, not Allah, is sovereign and honors His word. He warns, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” in Psalm105: 15. God is speaking of His Holy People, His Spiritual Israel.

Our Father has furthermore said in Genesis12: 3 “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee”. Clearly stated, He warns in Isaiah 54: 15 that ‘If any nations gather together in a cause that brings harm to Israel, it won’t be by my direction.’ This is in direct opposition of what the Islamic faith teaches their Allah says. He is clearly not the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that we know to be the one true God.

God’s Church is not just in Israel or America, but worldwide to all who accept His Son Jesus Christ. Do you think about countries like the Sudan, with its southern Christian population being bonded into slavery and imposed starvation by its northern Muslim control? These Christians are also God’s church. Let’s realize that they are our brothers and sisters, part of our church family. When they suffer such horrific persecution and genocide, we all suffer it. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” 1Cor.12: 26

Secondly, we’re told here that our trials are for a limited time, “ye shall have tribulation ten days”. Obviously, we don’t know how long each trial might persist or why some seem to face hardships at every turn throughout their whole lives. But we do know that in the twinkling of an eye, someday our tribulation will end. We will inherit peace and will dance with the joy of the Lord for all time in His presence. While many are jumping on the Jabez bandwagon in pursuit of prosperity, do you think God is forgetting about the Christians of third world countries like Honduras and Zambia? He is not. Yet, they too are given the same promises for remaining faithful and reaping the ‘eternal riches’ of His glory, and the crown of life.

Thirdly he says, “be faithful”. He will reward us. Faith is the backbone from which we become joint heirs with Christ. All He has in the Father’s Kingdom is also ours. Romans 8:17 states, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” In verse 18, Paul says that the suffering of our present time will not even compare to the glory that will be revealed in us.

Verse 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.”

Jesus is speaking to you and me in the first 15 words of this verse. If you want to hear, then ‘Listen to what is being said by the Spirit to the church’. He obviously is not only speaking to the people of Smyrna. The words are for all that ‘hath an ear’. In the rest of the verse, Christ promises that we will ‘overcome’ and ‘shall not be hurt of the second death’.

What is the second death? It is referred to in both Chapters 20 and 21 of Revelation. Chapter 21:8 gives us a clear definition. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Will the parents leading their children into the theaters to watch “Harry Potter” be among those overcoming the ‘second death’? Not according to the previous verse! Those writing such books and movie scripts leading our young into the dark world of the occult will be held accountable. Those who are advertised as psychic marvels - inviting you to a free 5-minute phone call will also ‘have their part’. Even the prominent, such as Presidents of nations who twist and distort truth will ‘have their part’ as will anyone guilty in forcing oppression upon God’s people. Of course, we cannot leave out the science and public television networks that propagate the lies of evolution and earth religions. There is an absolute truth and God’s Spirit reveals it to all who ‘hath ears to hear’ and will repent.

The Life Application Bible (KJV) offers this in its commentary on the verse. ‘People who overcome (sin) will “endure unto the end” (Mark 13:13). They will receive the blessings God promised: 1] eating from the tree of life (Rev. 2:7); 2] escaping from the lake of fire (the “second death” (2:11); 3] receiving a special name (2:17)… God will reward those who can endure the testing of evil and remain faithful.

This is the point Jesus is making to the church of Smyrna in 2:11. He recognizes their struggle and success of walking in faith. Whether we experience a physical death before His return or are transformed into our permanent spiritual bodies at Christ’s return for His Bride, the faithful will not suffer the second death. ~

SUMMARY POINT: PERSEVERE THROUTH ALL PERSECUTION WITH FAITH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, EVEN UNTO DEATH

Watch for Chapter III - Church of Pergamos

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