Revelation 2:8-11 Series

Revelation 2:8-11

To the Church in Smyrna

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

Here in verse eight we see again Jesus is establishing to the church in Smyrna that it is He “the first and the last” which is similar to “the alpha and the omega” that we say in Rev. 1:8.

The first and the last sets an understanding that He was here in the beginning and will always be here because He is God. Though we know God always was and is so really there is no beginning or end for God.

As the verse ends it states an important fact about Jesus that He died and rose again which is a key fact about Jesus or even the key fact. If Jesus did not die and rise again from the dead he would not have been the true Messiah. The fact that he did and over 500 saw Him alive again is the proof.

There is assurance in this verse for us that as He died and rose again so will we also as scripture says we will.

9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

The tribulation for this church in Smyrna was the fact that the Jews were harshly against the Christians there and because of that reason Jesus says that these Jews and their synagogue were of Satan.

Any person or group that comes against another who is a believer or that person and the work they are doing for Christ is of Satan. I can't tell you how many people, Christians and churches have done this to other Christians and the work they are doing for Christ and it happens all the time.

These professing Christians and churches don't even realize the harm they are doing to the kingdom, all they can think about is themselves.

There has always been a lot of discussion from churches and or prominent Christians against para-churches. The word “para-church” describes a Christian ministry or organization that is not under church authority. Honestly if I had to be under church authority for every ministry I have done over the decades there would have been no ministry done at all, and that would have been a great loss.

I don't see anywhere in scripture where a church has to be in control of every Christian thing that goes on around it, and many do their best to make sure no other Christian things go on around it that they don't control.

10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer.

Many Christians fear everything else but God at times and really God is the only one or thing we are supposed to fear. Yes even as Christians there is a healthy fear of a holy God. (Romans 3:18 ~ There is no fear of God before their eyes) Fear is one of the ways God motivates us to be dedicated to the work He has called every Christian to. God being a righteous and Holy God will hold us to account for our daily lives and will bring things into our lives to move us in the right direction.

Any good father does this when raising a child, punishment is out of love for the purpose of correction and for the betterment of a child. Many Christians will argue this but God will even bring harsh things about if a believer didn't even do something wrong at all but just for the purpose of further refinement or to show a persons strong faith as in the story of Job.

Fear is an emotion believers should have like any other about God. We may feel at times love, grace, mercy, blessings, conviction and yes even fear.

Any emotion we feel towards God is for sure better than feeling no emotion about God at all and we see this far to often as well.

Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.

In the Book of James it begins with some of the greatest words in scripture there are in my opinion. I feel this because I truly believe being strong Christians is an extremely important attribute for us.

James 1:2-4 ~ Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Unfortunately weakness has been taught for so long in the church as being a good Christian attribute that weakness constantly gets in the way of the work Christian's are called to do. I can assure you no one around the time of the early church thought that the Apostle Paul was a weak and helpless person. Paul was fearless of the things of the world and understood well “to live is Christ and to die is gain” and understood it very well.