"Seven Churches of Asia Minor" - Pt 2

Scripture Reading: Rev 2:8 -11
Scripture Text: "And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 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. 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. 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."  Rev 2:8 -11 (KJV)

The city if Smyrna is no longer called by that name, and in fact, has no reflection on the name given to the city back during that time period. The name Smyrna as you may or may not know, means "suffering". There is nothing suffering about the city there in Turkey today and which is now called IZMIR.

Let me tell you that the city of IZMIR is the Central city there in Turkey and has been said that it will one day very soon pass up the city of Istanbul, and is already more commercialized than that of Istanbul. But when people come to this area in the current day, they must go by way of Smyrna or IZMIR because that's where the main seaport is and that's where the airport is. Then just 65 miles south is that Great city of Ephesus that we spoke of yesterday; and 70 miles to it's north is the city of Pergamum.

As I have mentioned, Smyrna means "suffering" and it is because of their great suffering for the Sake of Jesus that He does not bring on them any condemnation. In fact, He foreknew the suffering that was to come to them, and when he mentions the "10 days of suffering" he was speaking of that very thing. These precious people were yet to suffer some 200 years farther into the future than they had already suffered at the time of the writing of Revelation. That means their suffering for Christ extended at least another two generations - and we'll talk more about that in a bit.

Now, it is said that there are very few Christians left in this city, and those that are, are very discreet about it being in a predominantly Muslim country where Christians are still persecuted. If discovered or in this case uncovered it could mean their death. We forgot to mention that in yesterday's lesson on the church at Ephesus, and I think it is important enough to mention it now, there are absolutely no reports of ANY CHRISTIAN activity underground or otherwise in the city of Ephesus, since that city is now totally Muslim. That is a testimony to the truth of God's WORD when He told them to take note of how far they had fallen and repent or He would remove their candlestick which is what has happened.

Smyrna, or IZMIR as she is called now, is one of the most beautiful cities of Asia. She has been called "The Flower of Asia", and also "The Ornament of Asia", as well as "The Crown of all ASIA". She is said to have beautiful rows of hedges and flowers encircling the city and dense with Myrtle Trees.

Even back in the times of Christ, Smyrna was a very CULTURALLY RICH SOCIETY - having one of the first ODEUMS in the land (Roof covered Stadium/Arts and Music center) In fact Polycarp was said to have been martyred there in 155 AD

Since I mentioned Polycard (also known as the Bishop of Smyrna) it would be good of me to mention for those who may not know that Polycarp was converted by, and a disciple and friend of John the Apostle. He was also a friend of Ignatius of Antioch who was also martyred for his faith. History tells us that Polycarp was to be burned alive in that very stadium there in Smyrna; but the flames did not harm him, so they ended his life with a dagger. It is said that Ignatius of Antioch was thrown to the Lions with other Christians and of course ripped to pieces for the cause of Christ. So we see just some of the suffering there in that city of Smyrna, now called the "Crown of Asia" - and I think that is significant to those who died there and I will tell you why in a little bit.

As we mentioned, most of what Jesus spoke to the church at Smyrna about was their continued suffering for the cause of Christ. The persecution and suffering was said to go on continually from 70 A.D. to 314 A.D. when with the Edict of Constantine the persecution of the Christians was ended. During that time it is said that over 5 million Christians gave their lives for the Cause and Faith of Christ.

This letter was the Briefest to the Seven Churches - but that does not discount it's message and the comfort and strength it brought to the Church of believers there in Smyrna.

We begin with Jesus going back to that first Chapter of the Revelation and pulling out this description of Himself. He says,

"And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;"

Now I thank the Lord for quickening me to go back and take a deeper look at the churches because in this alone I found a deeper fellowship and relationship with the Lord; and I want to say to all of you out there who suffer, the Lord is speaking to "you" here. I'm not just speaking to those who are suffering persecution for the cause of Christ, I'm speaking to someone today who has been a longtime in the grip of illness and physical peril and the Lord is saying to you today....

"These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive..."

Now, that phrase "First and the Last" means that there was nothing before and nothing to follow. Believers who are suffering need to know that about Our Lord. He knew about your suffering before you did, and counted you worthy to be one that would suffer joyfully for His sake. What about being healed? What about calling things that are not as though they were? Well, I don't know why some 5 million people were so brutally slain for the cause of Christ and I to this day live as a free man, but I know that God knows. I know why you suffer the way you do and are not healed when others are, But I know that God sees your suffering right now and He wants you to know that He is enough for you. He is the Beginning and the End; and if you just "continue for Him" He says, "I will give you the crown of life."

He tells them that He is not just The First and the Last, but He is "He which was dead, and is alive". What a great comfort to those who were dying for their faith in Christ to know that it was through their association with Christ that they too would be raised from their death to the full eternal life promised by "He which was dead, and is alive".

He goes on to say...

I know thy works - and what He is saying is that He knew:

...Their tribulation - (this is not to be misconstrued as the Great Tribulation)
...and their poverty
...the blasphemy of them which said they were Jews, and are not, but were the synagogue of Satan.

So He then Commends them in their tribulation - a commendation for their faithfulness in going through it. In their poverty - denotes a commendation for their lack of personal Possessions or their need of it.

Personal Note: So many in this day and age clamor for the things of the world to horde earthly possessions to their bosom. My wife and I went past a house going garage selling the other day (That's often the way we get our Christmas gifts for our Grandchildren - we have 13 now), but we came across this one house in the Suburbs that had so much stuff in their garage they couldn't close it. Out on their deck and the veranda there they were loaded with things that they probably never used - telling by the way they were piled there. one can't help but to wonder how they would have fared facing the poverty and suffering of these people mentioned here in the Church at Smyrna.
Our Lord then goes on to commend them as He tells them they are rich - blessed with all spiritual blessings - because they stayed true to the faith and to themselves.

He gives them a commendation for enduring those that were blaspheming saying they were Jews, and weren't, but are the synagogue of Satan.

And here's a real important one because there are a lot of folk out there that are just like Jobs friends saying that his trial and his sickness and extreme loss was because of sin in his life. Jesus tells the church in Smyrna that their suffering was not for their own chastening nor judgment, but that it was being done by evil men doing evil things in the power of an evil Satan. Can I just say here that there are many out there today who have been mocked and accused by "so-called" Christians saying that your illness is a chastening for some sin in your life. While God "does" deal with people in that way, there are many today who are merely suffering the taunts of the devil. You may be going through serious financial struggles today that are beyond your control because you made a mistake - maybe years ago, and now the system has you in their debt for the rest of your life and it seems as though you will never get out. You may have given your heart to the Lord and be living for Him, making sure that your tithe is paid every week, yet you don't have the skills or the opportunity to make more than minimum wage, and your suffering financially for it. God wants you to know that He sees your plight and He blesses you and commends you for your faithfulness to continue for Him under such conditions.

Lastly, He commends them for their suffering they "have" gone through and the suffering that they "will" yet go through. He says:

"Fear none of those things that you will 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 ten days...."

These TEN days are actually TEN intense periods of suffering under TEN roman emperors

Notice that it was during the reign of NERO that the Apostle Paul was beheaded for the cause of Christ.

It was during the reign of Domitian that John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos. It was during the reign of Trajan Ignacius was thrown to wild animals - meaning Lions. It was during the reign of Marcus Arelius that Polycarp was Martyred. In fact during the following reign of emperors such as Severus, Maximenius, Decius, Velarian, Aurelion, Diocletian, who was said to be the "Worst of All" that over 5 million Christians were martyrred.

They were faithful unto death... and that is the commendation that the Lord gives here to this group, and he offers the same promise to you and I as well in James 1:12

"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."

Now, that "Crown of Life" - is a "special crown" for those who suffer, and yet endure. You may be one who feels today that you are enduring about all you can endure. Be mindful of the fact given in Scripture that He that is "the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;" knows your suffering. He knows your tribulation, and poverty, and if you will be faithful unto death, and He will give thee a crown of life".

D.L. MOODY once said, "He that is born once will die twice". "He that is born twice will only die once".

In closing I leave you with this observation. The dear saints there at Smyrna were promised a crown of life - which they one day will wear in heaven. While the city of Smyrna no longer bears it's name, and their are very few Christians left in that city, yet she is called by the very name that was a promise to them of the Lord. As I said, there is still a remnant there, and the "Crown of Asia" as she is now referred, is not in the eyes of the Lord speaking of the city of IZMIR, but the "Crown of Asia" is the echoing remembrance of a promise to those who gave their lives there for the cause of Christ. She is a Crowned Jewell in the eyes of The Lord - not for what she has become, but what she has been - and even her persecutors do not know that it is the Lord that has caused them to call her that. Now, how awesome is that?

"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." (vs.11).