Reviews and Views

The Revelation (2:8-11) – Smyrna (persecuted believers)

Smyrna (the Persecuted Church) – Christ watches what they are doing and knows of the coming persecution they face.  “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Revelation 2:8-11 NASB
[8] “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:  The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: [9] ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.   [10] Do not fear what you are about to suffer.  Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.  [11] ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

The church at Smyrna was in continual persecution.  John McArthur wrote, “Throughout its history, the more the church has been persecuted, the greater its purity and strength.”  We can be assured that the church at Smyrna had a strong fellowship and pure in their faith.  Notice that they received no condemnation from Christ.  Take notice of how many Christians today are persecuted and killed for their faith in the Middle East now.

But why the persecution of the church in Smyrna?  The city was founded by Alexander the Great.  During the decades that followed, there were many wars and battles fought that left parts of the old city destroyed and rebuilt over time.  However, by John’s writing of the Revelation, it had become one of the most beautiful cities in Asia; called “the Crown of Asia”.  As a center of science and medicine, Smyrna had a large public library and a museum.

It also was a center for pagan and emperor worship as many of the cities listed in Revelations.  Annually, the citizens were expected and commanded to ofter a sacrifice to the emperor.  Those not doing so could be executed or fined or both.  So all citizens and thus the Christians of Smyrna were confronted with the need annually to choose between saying, “Jesus is Lord,” or “Caesar is Lord.”  It meant a great deal of pressure and persecution to not say “Caesar is Lord.”  How would many of us respond if we were required to say “Allah is Lord”?  Just a thought.

There were two extremes that these Christians lived with constantly.  On one hand, they had a very rich, warm, and loving fellowship within the church which strengthened their faith.  But on the other hand, outside the church, they were faced with continuous hurtful and unfair treatment by the citizens of Smyrna which resulted in persistent hostility.  The Smyrna Christians were considered ‘rebels’ because they refused to offer sacrifices in emperor worship and as ‘athesits’  because they refused to participate in the pagan religious.  All this cost many of them the loss of their possessions and livelihoods; hence the “your poverty (but you are rich)” reference in verse 2:9.

Lesson for me
True Christians are meant to persevere regardless of the personal cost by keeping their eyes on the eternal rewards mentioned in James 1:12.  Or will the Western culture so influence me that I remain silent when I should be bold?

POEM:  Author Unknown
I counted dollars while God counted crosses.
I counted gain while He counted losses.
I counted my worth by the things gained in store,
But he sized me up by the scars that I bore.
I coveted honors, and sought for degrees.
He wept as he counted the hours on my knees.
I never knew till one day by a grave,
How vain are the things that we spend life to save.
I did not yet know, ’til a Friend from above,
Said, richest is he who is rich in God’s love!

October 5, 2014 - Posted by Bill Wyler | Bible, Religion