REVELATION 2: PART 2 • RICH IN FAITH: THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA

Time: A.D. 100–313

Smyrna—“myrrh”

The church of Smyrna, by their faithfulness to the gospel of Christ and the truth of Scripture, had an influence for righteousness, which was like sweet-smelling incense to God.

Revelation 2:8

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

“Which was dead, and is alive”

Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. (Romans 6:9–10 NLT)

Because of our sins he was given over to die, and he was raised to life in order to put us right with God. (Romans 4:25 TEV)

In Revelation 2:8, Christ is spoken of as the first and the last. This expression is used four times in the book of Revelation. It shows Christ’s divine nature, for He is from everlasting to everlasting. Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification. He is the conqueror of death.

This understanding of Christ was especially meaningful to the church of Smyrna because of the persecution of this period. It was an encouragement to the believers to know that Christ, the risen one, was a conqueror over death. His victory and strength was theirs. Because Christ died and rose again, the believers in Smyrna had the hope and assurance that “because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19).

Revelation 2:9

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.
 
“Tribulation”

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. (Philippians 1:29)

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; 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. (Romans 8:16–18)

The church grew in the early centuries under difficulty from tribulation and poverty. But Christ assured them He was with them still and that they were truly rich.

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:35, 37)

The Roman emperor Trajan (A.D. 98–117) brought forth the first official Roman policy toward Christianity. In the famous ninety-seventh letter, written to Pliny the Younger, his governor in Bithynia and Pontus in Asia Minor, Trajan outlined his policy for dealing with Christians, who were at that time an illegal religious society. His policy stated that Roman officials were not to seek Christians out for arrest or persecution, but that if persons were brought before them for other offenses and were found to be Christians, they were to be executed unless they recanted.

For two centuries, Christians were constantly subject to the possibility of sudden arrest and death for their faith. Their temporal fate depended in large measure upon the ill will or good favor of their pagan and Jewish neighbors, who could either leave them in peace or bring a complaint against them before the government authorities.

The emperor did not take the initiative in persecuting Christians but left it to the discretion of his representatives and the various local authorities to take such measures against Christians as they deemed appropriate. This is not much different from some communist countries past and present, which have so-called religious liberty in their constitutions, but use other laws to label Christians as subversive. Therefore, the level of persecution varies from area to area according to the whim of local authorities.

During times of stress and social upheaval, as with famine, earthquake, storm, and other disasters, Christians found themselves under suspicion. During such times it becomes easy for unbelievers to blame the religious minority as the cause of the problems. The pagan citizens believed that the Christians had brought divine wrath upon their region by refusing to worship the gods of the Romans.

There were times when the Roman government carried on aggressive persecution against the church. Some Roman officials understood the evangelical nature of Christianity and its constantly increasing influence, believing that it was fundamentally incompatible with the Roman way of life. Many of the more forceful emperors refused to allow any rival philosophy or religion to gain strength. They were the ones who most actively persecuted the church. Those leaders of the empire who took their responsibilities less seriously, and who reigned to satisfy their own carnal pleasures, were usually content not to molest Christians.
 
The emperor Decius issued an imperial edict that sought the suppression of Christianity by means of torture, death, and the confiscation of property, resulting in the systematic persecution of the church. This policy waned with the death of Decius in A.D. 251, but was revived again by Valerian (253–259) a short time later. With his death the policy again lapsed, and the church did not face another major crisis until the reign of Diocletian and his successor, which lasted ten years (from 303 to 313). In 313 the emperor Constantine issued an edict of religious tolerance that paved the way for the rise of a paganized Christian church, the system of antichrist that will play a major last-day role, as represented in Revelation chapter 17, where it is called “Mystery Babylon.”

“But 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? (James 2:5)

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. (Proverbs 8:10–11)

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life. (Proverbs 22:4)

I [wisdom] love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honor are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. (Proverbs 8:17–19)

Jesus gives us assurance that He knows the trials of His followers and He will sustain us. While the world may despise and persecute us because of the holy name we bear of Christian, and we be left poor in this world’s eyes, yet in God’s sight we are rich. Jesus wanted the believers in Smyrna and throughout all time to understand His care for them, and what constitutes true eternal riches, lest they grow weary and faint, and fall away.

“Blasphemy of them which say they are Jews”

Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:41–44)

Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (Romans 2:21–24)

But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. (Psalm 50:16–17)

By not living the truth while claiming to serve God, we vilify God and thereby commit blasphemy. Therefore, this expression “blasphemy of them which say they are Jews” refers to professed Christian believers. This phrase can also refer to Jews in John the Revelator’s day, for though Jews joined the early church, making up many of the converts, there were also Jews who were the early church’s opposers. The book of Acts records the apostle Paul’s numerous encounters with unbelieving Jews. They vilified the early church, and thus God, by their actions, as noted in the following texts:

[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 Thessalonians 2:15–16)

But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. (Acts 13:45)

But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, they were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about. (Acts 14:2, 4–6)

But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. (Acts 17:5)

The spirit revealed in the above texts testifies—not only of long ago, but even today—to the attitudes and actions of many who claim to be Christians yet do not reflect Christ’s love in their treatment of fellow believers. We, as well as the church at Smyrna, are admonished by Christ to stand firm against these attacks, even as the Lord did when He was treated in the same manner.

“Synagogue of Satan”

Synagogue—an assemblage of persons; specially a Jewish synagogue (the meeting or the place); by analogy a Christian church¹

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7)

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. (Matthew 23:27–28)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21–23)

For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. (Job 15:34)

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. (Proverbs 21:16)

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:16)

I know the slander of those opposing you, who say that they are Jews—the children of God—they aren’t, for they support the cause of Satan. (Revelation 2:9 TLB)

The church of which we are truly a member is determined by our actions, not our profession. Claiming to serve God but disobeying Him proves that our church membership is not the one in which we profess membership, but that of the church of the adversary, “the synagogue of Satan.”

Revelation 2:10

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.

“Fear none of those things”

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. (Isaiah 41:10, 13)

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

The admonition to the believers was to not fear the things they would suffer and to be faithful even unto death. In these words Christ promised the believers in Smyrna, and all believers throughout time, that He would strengthen them in affliction and trial. Whatever they were to suffer was to be endured in His strength, not their own. Many were cast into cruel bondage and others were killed; nevertheless, Christ’s church overcame.

The strength given to Christ in His hour of suffering and mental anguish will be given to those who suffer for His name’s sake. This is why He can say to us, “Fear not.” This was the source of strength for the Christian martyrs who, being as weak as we are, overcame Satan’s agents even when it meant death.

“Tribulation ten days”

This expression has been understood in two ways. It can refer to a brief period of persecution experienced by the church in Smyrna. Or on the basis of the day-year principle of reckoning prophetic times, it would refer to the period of ten years of severe imperial persecution (a.d. 303–313) begun by Diocletian and continued by his successor, Galerius. Under this emperor there was an attempt to wipe out Christianity by burning the Scriptures, destroying church buildings, and imprisoning the leaders.

The messages to the seven churches describe conditions and events in John’s day as well as subsequent conditions in the church at different periods. Smyrna covered that time of the church from the days of persecution beginning about A.D. 100 to the time when the religion of Christianity gained acceptance under Constantine’s edict of 313, granting religious freedom to Christians. Thus was to begin the rise of the popular church and the subsequent falling away from truth as seen in the church of Pergamos. Thus the ten days is understood to be a literal but short time of persecution and hardship experienced by the church in apostolic times as well as ten literal years in the era of church history represented by the church of Smyrna.

“Be thou faithful”

It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us. (2 Timothy 2:11–12)

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:16–19)

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Firmness in adherence to the truth and to the duties of religion, even in the face of difficulty and persecution, was required by the faithful during the time of the Smyrna church. Christ’s command is a promise to His followers in every age, for He will help us to be faithful if we trust in His grace and strength.

“I will give thee a crown of life”

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. (James 1:12)

And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 5:4)

Being a believer in the times of the Smyrna church was not always easy. Some “had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment” (Hebrews 11:36). To the believers in Smyrna who underwent hardship and difficulty, the belief in a Savior who had already passed through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4) gave them hope and courage as they passed through their times of darkness.

They had the assurance that Christ was there to guide them into the way of peace. By faith the believers in Smyrna and during the era of the Smyrna church “endured, as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27).

Revelation 2:11

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.

“To him that overcometh”

The following are the things the church of Smyrna, as well as you and I may face. And we  will need to overcome in order to receive the promise.

• Tribulation and suffering

• Poverty and affliction

• Prison

• False believers, the “synagogue of Satan”

The Overcomers’ Promise:

“He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death”

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

The reward for the faithful is to escape the death of the wicked. The ones who made the lives of the faithful miserable would eventually be brought to an end for all eternity, while with joy unimaginable the faithful will see the reality of what John saw merely in vision.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:2–5)

This promise is given to the overcomers in Smyrna, as well as to us. Therefore, by the grace of Christ, let us also be victors.


Endnotes

1.  James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1987).