Message to the church of Smyrna
Jesus’ Message to the Church of Smyrna
The seven messages sent by Jesus to the seven churches in Asia Minor are presented according to one pattern.
– Him introducing himself
– His appreciation of the good qualities of the congregation
– Pointing out the weaknesses, shortcomings and obstacles in the assembly and giving instructions to correct them
– Announcing any special blessings that will be given to the ‘winners’ by acting according to His instructions.
i. Background facts about the Smyrna church
The city of Smyrna, located about 35 miles north of Ephesus, was a very beautiful and wealthy city with a population of about 200,000.
Smyrna is said to have been personally designed by Alexander the Great, and the city was a center of imperial worship in the Roman Empire. There were many temples in Smyrna.
ii. Jesus introducing himself to the Church of Smyrna.
Revelation 2:8
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
Jesus is the “first” because he is the one at God’s left from the beginning.
Jesus is eternal, and He holds the key to death and the underworld.
iii. Jesus’ appreciation of the good qualities of the Smyrna church.
Revelation 2:9
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.
Children of God, our Jesus suffered many persecutions when he lived in this world as a human being. The words that Jesus, who suffered in this way, said to the church in Smyrna, He also says to us today. Therefore, children of God, live faithfully and obediently to Jesus.
It is possible that no human knows that sorrow unless they say, “I am the only one who knows my sorrow”. But Jesus, who lives in heaven and gave his life for you, sees everything.
The church in Smyrna was a very prosperous city, but the church later became a poor church. Reasons why
– Using various wrong ways by the society to earn money.
– Majority of the Jews, who worshiped the Emperor, protested against the Council of Smyrna and did not give them jobs.
But Jesus said:
“But you are rich”
Because of the love Jesus had in the church of Smyrna, they were economically poor but spiritually rich.
iv. Obstacles to the Church of Smyrna
“The Blasphemy of Satan’s Synagogue” The Hebrew word Satan means “accuser.”
Romans 2:28-29
A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
v. Jesus’ advice to the church
Revelation 2:10
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
The devil is going to send us various afflictions, and we should not be afraid of them. Because the future of our lives does not depend on the devil. It depends on Jesus.
Peter 1:6-7
In all this you greatly rejoice, although now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
vi. The winner’s reward
Revelation 2:11
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Overcomer here means “one who is faithful in tribulation”.
Children of God, are you born again? (Have you been born spiritually?) Then you have been born twice.
Thus one who is born twice dies only once. But one who takes only one birth (physical birth) dies twice, the second death is fire.