Letter # 2 – To the Church at Smyrna
Revelation 2:8 – “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:”
The First and The Last
In the letter to the church at Ephesus, Jesus begins by introducing Himself with the phrase, ‘The First and the Last,’ meaning that He was always there from the beginning. In Revelation 1:8 Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, and Jesus was using these letters to connect with His audience (who would have been familiar with Greek) to say that He is both the beginning and the end, meaning that He was there right from the beginning of the creation of this world and will always be there until the end of it.
Let’s remember
When this world was created Jesus was there. This is in some way similar to the introduction of Jesus by the same Apostle John in his Gospel in Jn.1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” By saying this, Jesus is making it clear He is all in all – He is the ultimate authority over the world and the church. Therefore what He goes on to way must be taken seriously.
Was dead and came back to life
In the same sentence, Jesus says that He is the One who was dead and came back to life. Jesus had just said that He was the first and the last, and now He goes on to say that He died but came back to life. He’s referring to His sacrificial death on the cross (while He was here on earth), to pay the penalty of the sins of the whole world. Not only did Jesus die, but He came back to life on the third day and will never die again.
Let’s remember
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then our faith in Christ would be futile, we would still be in our sins, we would never rise from the dead, we’d be believing in a dead person, we would not be justified before God, there would have no hope beyond the grave for us. You can read all of this in 1 Cor.15:12-19. No other person who claimed to be God, or whom people look up to as God, ever came back to life – only Jesus did, and that’s why our faith is meaningful, we have forgiveness for our sins, we have hope beyond the grave, and so much more. The God we believe in, is alive and will remain alive forever more.
Revelation 2:9 - “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”
Jesus commences by telling the church at Smyrna that He is aware of a few things concerning them. Let’s look at them one by one.
1. I know your Works
Jesus begins by telling them that He was aware of their works, referring to the way they lived their lives to honour and glorify Him in every way. This is the same thing He had said concerning the church at Ephesus. In fact, of the seven churches, this was one of two churches that received only commendation with no criticism at all. The other church was the church at Philadelphia.
What about us?
Can the Lord look at us individually, as a local church, as a city-wide church, a nation-wide or as the global church and say that He is pleased with the way we live our lives?
2. I know your Tribulation
Jesus then says that He is aware of the tribulation they face, which must have been on account of their faith in Christ. This was also one on the commendations that the church at Ephesus received from the Lord Jesus. Even when it seemed like no one was concerned about the tribulation they were experiencing, the Lord says that He was aware of it.
What about us?
Do we face tribulation on account of our faith or do we live in such a way that no one knows anything about our faith, and therefore we never suffer persecution or tribulation? We don’t need to go searching for persecution or tribulation, but we don’t need to live in fear of it either, because the Lord promised that we who live for Him will suffer persecution, and He called those of us who suffer persecution for His sake, “Blessed.”
Jesus said in Mt.5:11-12 – “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
We may not always suffer persecution in an open way like the church at Smyrna did but we can find ourselves facing persecution from family, friends, relatives or others for the stand we take for the truth and the stand we take against falsehood. Persecution may come in various ways, like being ostracised by family, friends, colleagues, and the like.
3. I know your Poverty (but you are Rich)
This church seems to have been a financially poor church. It’s always amazing to see how, so often it’s the poor who respond to the Gospel more than the rich. Perhaps it’s because they find it easier to rely on God than the rich who find it easier to rely on riches.
This city church may not have been affluent like other city churches but the Lord was reminding them that though they were financially poor, they possessed unseen, spiritual, and eternal riches that no amount of money could ever buy. In Ephesians 1:3-14, the Apostle Paul mentions several spiritual blessings that we as believers possess – blessings that we are so often not even conscious of, and therefore are not thankful to the Lord for. Below are a list of the spiritual blessings mentioned by Paul.
Spiritual Blessings
Ephesians 1:3-14 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
• We’ve been chosen by God to be holy and without blame before Him in love (v.4)
• We’ve been predestined to adoption as sons by Jesus to Himself (v.5)
• We’ve been accepted in the beloved (v.6)
• We’ve been redeemed through the blood of Jesus (v.7)
• We’ve been forgiven of our sins according to the riches of God’s grace (v.7)
• We’ve been revealed the mystery of the will of God – the plan of Salvation. (v.9)
• We’ve obtained an inheritance that’s laid up in heaven for us (v.11)
• We’ve been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the guarantee of the inheritance that awaits us in heaven. (v.13,14)
What about us?
How do we define ourselves? Is it based on our bank balances or our possessions or the property we possess, or is it based on the above spiritual blessings the Lord has already lavished on us, and promised us as an inheritance awaiting us in heaven?
4. I know the Blasphemy of false Jews who are a synagogue of Satan
This verse can be a little confusing at first glance – as if Jesus were considering the people of the Jewish nation as believers, though they have rejected Christ and are living in denial of His coming, and still expecting His first coming. But we need to stop and take a deeper look at what Jesus could have meant, keeping in mind that God’s ways of looking at people and our way of looking at people are not always the same.
Let’s take a look at the passage below where the Apostle Paul addresses the Jews who boasted in their relationship with God but in fact didn’t reflect His character in any way.
Rom.2:17-24 – “Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonour God through breaking the law? 24 For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,’ as it is written.”
Perhaps the Lord was referring to those who believe in Him (whether from Jewish or Gentile backgrounds) as Jews, because in a sense we’ve been grafted into the original olive tree though we were wild and now we all are nourished by the same sap. Read about this in Romans Chapter 11. Not all believers in Jesus are Jews in the geographic sense of the word but since we all share the same faith of Abraham, the faith that resulted in him and us receiving the righteousness of God as a gift, then just as he was the father of the Jewish nation, we too in a sense are his children and therefore in a spiritual sense, Jews.
The Lord seems to be telling the church at Sardis that He’s aware of those people who claim to be believers in Him but are actually giving the world reason to blaspheme the name of God on account of their bad behaviour. Jesus goes on to say that such people who live double-standard lives actually belong to the synagogue or church of Satan, because Satan always has double-standards, and promotes double-standard living. There is nothing true or authentic about the devil – He always comes across like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
What about us?
When we introspect our own lives, do we find that our lives reflect the character of Christ, or do our lives contradict what we profess to believe? If we aren’t reflecting the character of Christ in our lives then we too are giving reason for the world around us to blaspheme the name of Christ, and we would be also be guilty of belonging not the church of Christ, but the synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 2:10 – “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Don’t fear Suffering
The Jesus then goes on to tell the church that they were going to suffer (obviously on account of their faith), and He tells them to not be afraid. The church at Smyrna was already undergoing persecution on account of their faith in Christ, but here Jesus tells them that they are about to suffer more persecution. The Lord seems to be preparing them for the impending suffering but tells them not to fear, because He will be with them through their suffering.
What about us?
Aren’t there times in our lives when we go through suffering on account of our faith, and instead of things getting better they seem to only get worse? Let’s remember that during those times, the Lord whom we serve loves us, is close with us and will never let us go. Let’s remember the words of the Apostle Paul in the following passages.
Rom.8:18 – “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Rom.8:38-39 – “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Impending Imprisonment
He goes on to tell them that the devil was about to throw some of them into prison so that they would be tested. This sounds a lot like Jesus’ words to the Apostle Peter where He tells Peter that Satan has sought to sift Peter as wheat. Luke 22:31-32 – “And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” This was just before the time that Peter denied the Lord three times. But Peter repented and was restored and did strengthen his brothers and went on to serve the Lord in amazing ways.
In this passage it’s clear that Satan wanted to test Peter, as He also did Job, and in both places, we find that He first had to seek the permission of God before He did so. This is a comforting thought – to know that there’s no suffering, persecution or tribulation that we go through that God is not aware of; in fact nothing can happen to us without God’s permission.
What about us?
Do we find ourselves being persecuted on account of our faith in Jesus and if so, how do we respond to that persecution? Do we try to avoid it and blend in with the crowd or do we rejoice in the Lord for the privilege of suffering for His name? Let’s not for one moment think that the Lord has forsaken us or is not aware of our suffering. Nothing escapes His attention; in fact nothing happens in our lives without His permission. Remember Jesus’s words to His disciples (and to us) just before He ascended back into heaven. “…Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Mt.28:20
Ten Days
Jesus adds a little detail pertaining to the duration of the tribulation the church at Smyrna would face – ten days. Whether this refers to literal ten days or 10 weeks or 10 years, we’re not certain, but the Lord seems to let them know that it would end after a certain period of time, whatever that time period referred to.
What about us?
There are two questions that arise in our hearts when we face suffering of various kinds, the first question being, “Why” and the second, “How long?” Strangely, we may not always have the answer to either of these questions, and that can make the suffering all the more difficult to face. But let’s always remember that no matter why or how long the suffering, the Lord is in control of our lives and will see us through.
The Conditional Promise
Jesus then makes a conditional promise to the Church at Smyrna. He promises them the crown of life, referring to eternal life, provided they remain faithful during that time of tribulation. If they quit on their faith during that period of suffering, then they would be forfeiting eternal life.
Faithful until death
Jesus tells them to remain faithful until death. One might expect that the Lord would say, “Remain faithful until the tribulation is over,” but He doesn’t say that, instead He tells them to remain faithful to death, meaning that their tribulation would only end in death. For a person who does not know the Lord, death is something to fear and knowing that one’s suffering is going to end in death would not be a very welcoming thought, but for a believer in Jesus, we don’t need to fear death, because we read in 1 Thess.4:16-18 – “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.” So once we die, no matter how long it takes for the Lord to return, the next sound we will hear is the shout of the archangel and the trumpet of God at the return of the Lord Jesus.
What about us?
All of us who put our faith in Jesus have been promised eternal life, and we’re living in the hope of it every day, but are we willing to suffer for the sake of Christ, even if it means to the point of death? Quitting on our faith in the face of trials or suffering is forfeiting the gift of eternal life that the Lord paid so much for – with His own life.
Revelation 2:11 - “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Listen to the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit then tells all those who have the ability to hear, listen to what He has to say to the churches. Most of us have ears, but not all of us are good listeners, and more so, not all of us take the time and effort to listen to what the Lord says to us. The Holy Spirit says that all those who overcome the difficulties they face – persecution, suffering and tribulation, will not be hurt by the second death.
The Second Death
When a person dies here on earth, that’s the first and physical death, but the book of Revelation talks about another death, referred to as the second death. It’s because of the nature of this second death that Jesus came into the world to save the world from perishing once and for all. This is not something anyone can take lightly. There’s no turning back from this state of deadness. This is a state of existence that is eternal and filled with torment in eternal fire. Those who end up in this place will forever be aware of the torment they face and can never escape from it. That’s why it’s referred to as death.
Revelation 20:14-15 says, “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” It’s clear from this verse that all those who do not put their faith in Jesus, and walk in His ways will not have their names written in the Book of Life and will be cast into the lake of fire. This death is terrible and eternal, and must be avoided at all costs. The only way one can avoid this second death, is by putting one’s trust in Jesus and following Him right to the very end.
What about us?
Have we put our faith in Jesus, and are we following Him every step of the way on a daily basis? Are we fulfilling the call of God on our lives to be His witnesses and disciples by sharing our faith, and making disciples of all nations in whatever capacity the Lord has called us? Or are we waiting for another time to make that decision to follow Jesus – a time we cannot guarantee we will have?
The quicker we make that decision to follow Christ, the better for us, and for those we help evangelise and disciple. The longer we delay in making this decision to follow Jesus, the longer it takes for our lives to change and for us to get involved in The Great Commission of making disciples of all nations.
Let’s never tire of living for the Lord, no matter how hard the suffering. It’s worth the wait and worth the struggle.
