Dear friends, I find myself needing to take some time away from the electronic world. The past week or ten days have been challenging for me because of three separate verbal attacks that I have experienced as a result of some posts (ministry and non-ministry posts) I placed on Facebook. I recognize that Satan is the driving force behind the attacks, but I also know that I need to take a bit of time to sit before the Lord and hear from Him. I am scaling back my Facebook usage dramatically. Here at my blog, I will continue to post the Vital Signs lessons each Monday. Beyond that, I am making no promises, at least for the month of September. As the Lord directs, I hope to be back to my usual three times a week posting schedule in October. I would greatly appreciate your prayers, should the Lord bring me to your mind over the next few weeks.
Welcome back, friends, to Vital Signs: Lessons from the Seven Churches of The Revelation. Last week we began our visit with the church at Smyrna. We dubbed them ‘ The Rich Poor Church’, and today we will discover why. Let’s refresh our memory concerning Jesus’ words to the Smyrnan church.
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
9 I know your afflictions and your poverty–yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of 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 at all by the second death.
Jesus’s commendations for the church
- “I know your works, tribulation/afflictions and poverty”.
- The word afflictions in the Greek means extensive tribulation, while the Greek word used for poverty means severe poverty, i.e. being without basic necessities.
- One commentator likened the persecution of the Smyrnan church to that of the Jews in Nazi Germany. Because of their suffering, they had great value in God’s eyes.
- Jesus said they were rich in spite of the persecution and poverty. This church had what really mattered; not money, but faith and trust in Christ. James 2:5 is a very that ties in with this perfectly.
- The Lord encouraged them to not be afraid of the persecution, but to stand faithfully.
- The Jews who hated and rejected Jesus were just as much followers of Satan as pagan idol worshipers.
Rebukes by Christ to the church
- NONE!! – How wonderful! This church drew nothing but rave reviews from Christ.
Promises made to the church by Jesus
- Jesus used symbols and examples the people of the day would have understood. If they remained faithful Jesus would give them the crown of life. The word for ‘crown’ is stephanos rather than diadema. The diadema was worn by royalty, while the stephanos was worn by the winner of the athletic games.
- “Crown of life” would have been significant to the citizens of Smyrna. The city faced the coast of the Aegean Sea and was flanked by Mt. Pagos. On the top of the hill was a circle of pagan temples that looked like a crown sitting on top of the hill. This caused the city to be called ‘the crown of Asia.
- Jesus promised that the church would have tribulation for ten days. Although no one really knows the meaning of ‘ten days, there are several interpretations of ‘ten days’:
- A thorough persecution was coming upon them
- Ten distinctive persecutions
- Ten distinct periods of persecution under emperors – those who believe this believe it began with Domitian in AD 96 and ended when Constantine assumed power.
- A period of imprisonment for those in gladiatorial combat
- Ten actual days
- This is the first mention of the devil in the book of revelation when Christ tells the church that the devil will put some of them in prison. Jesus knew this and allowed it.
- Those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death – a promise of eternal life with God in heaven.
Takeaway for the church in 2013
- If we stand for Jesus, we will be persecuted, but Jesus will be with us. We can be encouraged to know that the Lord, not the devil, sets the limits to our trials.
- “It is a very remarkable thing that the church of Christ persecuted has been the church of Christ pure. The church of Christ patronized has always been the church of Christ impure.” G. Campbell Morgan (Wiersbe p. 24) James 1: 2-4, 1 Peter 5: 10
- Churches around the world grow under persecution, while the church in America and other countries has become soft and flabby.
- Jesus’ resurrection guarantees our resurrection. (source unknown)
- Jesus is seeking to purify His church as He walks among the lampstands and points out the problems of the church.
- We should not be surprised when persecution comes. As believers, we can engage in personal purification, and we should. It is this voluntary purification by individuals that will ultimately bring purification to the church corporately.
MEDITATION MOMENT: The church at Smyrna should cause us to consider whether we are rich in the things that have eternal significance. Are you doing the things that you need to do to deepen your faith so that when persecution comes, you will be prepared to stand firm?
