The Seven Churches- Smyrna
Rev.2:8-11
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;
Jesus identifies himself to Smyrna as the first and the last, which is a clear declaration of his deity. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. (Isa.44:6) God identifies himself as the first and last indicating his complete sovereign works from the beginning even unto the end (Isa.41:4, 48:12-3, 1Chr.29:29, Rev.22:13). All things were created by him and for him (Col.1:16,Heb.1:10, Eph.3:9, Jn.1:1-3) and will be gathered together in him (Eph.1:10) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Rom.11:36)
Because of the trials this church endures Christ reminds them that he is the resurrection and the life (Jn.11:25), it was not possible that he should be held by death (Ac.2:24). They need not fear death itself for Christ has removed the sting of death, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Cor.15:55) and again, O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction (Hos.13:14). Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me (Psa.23:4).
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 Lord reminds this church that he likewise knows their works (v2) and their tribulation. Tribulation is necessary to purge out the hearts of men by exposing the thoughts and intents. He who receives the word yet have not root in himself, may endure for a while: however, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. (Mt.13:21) Paul and Barnabas spoke to the early church exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (Act.14:22) Paul expounded later that we “glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience” (Rom.5:3) Jesus instructed us that “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (Jn.16:33) There is no taking our ease (Lk.12:19) for the Christian lest the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mk.4:19) We are to endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. (2 Tim.2:3-4)
This church also suffered poverty. This is a trial churches face at times, as the churches of Macedonia who had a great trial of affliction and suffered deep poverty (yet gave their own ‘widow’s mite’ unto their brethren 2 Cor.8:1-4,Lk.21:2, Mk.12:43). We do not know whether it was through famine (Gen.45:11) or not but it was through no fault of their own as the Lord confirmed their faith that indeed “thou art rich”. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (Jam.2:5) In our day we have false teachers inundating the churches who despise the poor in this world that are indeed rich in faith. These false teachers suppose “that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Tim.6:5-6)
The church at Smyrna had to endure blasphemy from those claiming to be Jews but were liars. Perhaps these were Gentiles who moved from the gospel of Christ into a pseudo-Hebrew roots, works based salvation as we see steadily rising in our culture (Gal.1:6-10, 2:12-21). So many have falsely believed that God was finished with the physical descendants of Abraham and replaced them with the spiritual descendants; in this they greatly err (Rom.9:3-5, 11:11,15,20-29). But it is very likely here that Jesus is referring to a Jew, which is one outwardly in the flesh but is not a Jew which is one inwardly; where circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Rom.2:28-9) Jesus said to those Jews according to the flesh and not according to the spirit “I know that ye are Abraham's seed” but “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” (Jn.8:37-44) They blasphemed Christ the Son of God as well as the Holy Ghost to their own damnation (Mt.12:32). The synagogues of the Jews are where the law of Moses is read and taught every sabbath day (Ac.15:21, Lk.4:15-6). Also, it was where trials were held concerning the law of Moses (Mt.23:34, Lk.12:11, 21:12, Ac.9:2) and they could cast you out of the synagogue (Jn.12:42, 16:2) which would ostracize you from the community. Jesus warned “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” (Jn.16:2-3) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. (1 Jn.2:22-3)
Paul warned about the synagogue of Satan as well: For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. (1 Thes.2:14-16) Paul said again, For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. (Tit.1:10-11)
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.
Interestingly the Lord says they will have tribulation 10 days. We assume he means actual 24 hour days (Rev.9:15). Here in verse 10 we find the number ten connected with testing or proving as we see frequently in scripture. From the ten plagues upon Egypt (Ex.7-12), Jacobs wages changed 10 times (Gen.31:7,41); the children of Israel tempting the Lord 10 times (Num.14:22), the 10 spies giving an evil report to Israel (Num.13), the Lord giving the law in 10 commandments (Dt.4:13, 10:4). The tithe given to Israel was for them to prove the Lord (Mal.3:10); God caused the shadow of the sun dial to move 10 degrees forward and backward for Hezekiah (2 Ki.20:10). The kingdom of Babel (Gen.10:10) ends in Babylon falling with its 10 kings (Dan.2:42, 7:7, 10, 24, Rev.12:3, 13:1, 17:12 etc.), Daniel and his friends were proved for 10 days and found 10 times better than the wise men of Babylon (Dan.1:12, 20). Job said his friends had reproached him 10 times (Job 19:3) and the Jews were threatened 10 times rebuilding the wall (Neh.4:12). So clearly there is some significance to this number similarly as we see with the number seven.
The destruction of the poor is their poverty (Prv.10:15) These poor and faithful saints were chosen to suffer great things but were instructed not to fear. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Rom.8:17-8) For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake (Phil.1:29). If we suffer, we shall also reign with him (2 Tim.2:12). Paul suffered many things of his own countrymen because he refused to preach circumcision but determined to know nothing save the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal.5:11, 1 Cor.2:2). For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing; if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed (1 Pt.3:17, 4:16). Sometimes it is God’s will as in this case to allow the devil to sift them as wheat to try their faith (Lk.22:31). God permits the devil to test his saints (Job 1-2) and sometimes as here, unto death (Heb.2:14,Heb.11:36-38); with a blessed chance to receive the crown of life. There was no rebuking the devil and casting him away here, this was his hour, and the power of darkness (Lk.22:53, 2 Cor.12:7-9). Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (Ja.1:12) May we be by his grace be counted faithful to such a calling.
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.
Smyrna needed the fear of the Lord here in this time of trial, and not to fear what man could do. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Mt.10:28) And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Lk.12:4-5) This is the first use of the phrase ‘second death’, which is where the body and soul is resurrected and cast into the lake of fire forever (Rev.20:14, 21:8). The most horrifying terror imaginable, and yet men deluded in sin and corrupted in their own iniquity, defiled in mind and conscience (Isa.1:5-6, Tit.1:15), have no fear of God before their eyes (Psa.36:1, Rom.3:18). They refuse to repent of their idolatries and their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts (Rev.9:20-1). How hard can the heart of the wicked be? His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone, as his father the devil (Job 41:24), for whom everlasting fire was prepared (Mt.25:41).
Yea, to these who overcome they shall be resurrected unto eternal life (Dan.12:2, Jn.5:29). Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power (Rev.20:6)
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