The letter to the church at Smyrna, found in Revelation 2:8-11, addresses a persecuted church, highlighting their tribulation and poverty but affirming their spiritual richness. The Lord presents Himself as the first and the last, who died and came to life, understanding their suffering and urging them not to fear impending persecution. Despite internal strife from those claiming to be Jews but belonging to the synagogue of Satan, the church is called to be faithful unto death, with the promise of receiving the crown of life and not being harmed by the second death.
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Now we shall continue with our studies in the book of the Revelation, the last book of the Bible. And today I want to read to you a few verses from chapter two. In our last lesson we looked at the first seven verses of chapter two and studied a little of the letter that was sent to the church at Ephesus. You will recall if you were listening that was the loveless church. The church that had left its first love. Now today we're going to look at verses eight through eleven. And here is the letter that was sent to the persecuted church.
The church in Smyrna. Let me read these verses. And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write. These things, says the first and the last. who was dead and came to life. I know your works, tribulation and poverty, but you are rich. And I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. I am sure the Lord will bless to us the reading of these verses. Shall we bow for prayer? Our Father, In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we bow our hearts in thy holy presence. Will thou be pleased today to cause that thy blessing shall rest upon everyone who is listening to this broadcast? Yea, we would ask for thy blessing upon all thy people everywhere, no matter where they may be at this time, for some may be in circumstances that are difficult to bear.
O God, look down in mercy upon thy people. and bless them. And grant also for those who have the care of this country and those who are the leaders of other nations. We pray, O God, that some wisdom may be given to each of them so that we may continue to have peace and quietness and be able to live our lives in all godliness and honesty. Take now our thanks and answer our prayers for the Lord Jesus' sake. Amen. Now as we look today at this second letter, the letter to the church at Smyrna, I remind you again that what is said concerning each of these churches can be applied to any church at any time in any place.
I think we ought to keep that in mind. But each time that you read these letters, I suggested that first of all, you should consider the church that is being addressed, and then the character in which the Lord is presented to them. For instance, now the first one was the church at Ephesus. If you want to learn something about that church, of course you go back to the Acts of the Apostles. And you learn how the church came into existence in Ephesus. You'll also learn there how they expressed the intensity of their love for the Lord who had saved them.
But now when you come here into Revelation chapter two, you have the full-blown picture of the declension of that church and how they left their first love. But now you move from there. to this second one, and here it's the picture of a persecuted church. Of course, we also set forth the fact that these churches, coming in the order in which we find them here, set before us prophetically now a picture of what would be the historical record of the church from the start.
right up to the end. After the days of the apostles, things changed one generation after another. Until you come right up to the very last one, as we shall see, it's the final form of the church in the Laodicean age. But now here today we're looking at the persecuted church. It was the church at Smyrna. Now, you cannot find anything about this church back in the Acts of the Apostles. The only thing you can do is assume that this was a church that was established through the efforts of the great Apostle Paul, perhaps during his second missionary journey.
But whether it was or not, the fact must be faced, there was a church in the city of Smyrna. Now, this letter that we've read here, verses eight through eleven, of the seven letters, this is the shortest one, sent to this church that was the persecuted church. Others have pointed out, and perhaps rightly so, although you may question this, the Lord does not give any word of rebuke. in this little letter. We must not, however, suppose that everything was perfect in the church at Smyrna, because it's obvious it wasn't.
God allowed the church in that period to go through much tribulation. It is as if the Lord, jealous of the affection of his people, permitted the persecution as a means of recovery. Now grasp that. The first stage was in the first letter to the Ephesians. They had left their first love. Is it possible now that God, in his sovereign dealings with his church, allowed this persecution to come in order to divide the chaff from the wheat and to draw the genuine back to himself?
The prophecy is here given that the devil should cast some into prison, and that tribulation for ten days should be the portion. There were indeed ten distinct pagan persecutions according to history, so that this was fulfilled in that way. Now, doubtless, persecution generally marked the whole period, but there were those ten distinct outbursts. How encouraging the reward then to the overcomer that he should not be hurt of the second death. Man may kill the body, but he has no power to kill the soul.
But now looking at this church in Smyrna, we've got to consider the name of the city where this church was located. For after all, the church in Smyrna was located in a city that was well known for this great spice. The city got its name from one of its principal commercial products, namely Mer. It has been said that for many centuries it was notably a prosperous seaport city. It's called the Port of Mer, situated about forty miles north of Ephesus.
So this word Mirna simply tells us something of the product that was commercialized in that city. But surely there's a significant meaning behind it. When you go down through your Bible, you'll find that this particular gum or spice, call it what you like, it was a gum resin taken from a tree, it had a very bitter taste. It was used as an ingredient in making perfume according to Psalm Fortify. It was one of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil for the priests according to Exodus chapter thirty.
It was used for the purification of women according to the book of Esther. It was used for in banning according to John chapter nineteen when they came and brought their spices for the body of the Lord Jesus. It is most significant that our Lord spoke as he did to the assembly at Smyrna, for this church was in the midst of bitter sorrow and suffering. Now here then you have the persecuted church, passing through a time of affliction. And it's a good thing that the Lord understands this. And he says, I know.
No, it's wonderful if you're passing through times of suffering and trouble that you can look up and you can know this with absolute assurance that the Lord understands it and the Lord says, I know. It may be that someone is listening to me today and you're thinking that Nobody knows what you're passing through. I sometimes think of that old spiritual, you know, that a lot of people used to sing, nobody knows the troubles I've had. But the fact of the matter is, Jesus knows. Nobody knows but Jesus. He says, I know. And my friend, even if no one else knows, if your best friend doesn't know what you're passing through, you should know this, the Lord knows.
I want you to take note again of the character in which the Lord is presented to this church. These things says the first and the last who was dead and came to life. You see, the character of the Lord here as he is presented to the church that's passing through the time of persecution and affliction is this. He is presented as the living one. And this was the one who was able to say, now I understand, I know, because I also passed through death.
If ever a person was persecuted in this life, the Lord was persecuted. You remember he was cast out of his own town, the town of Bethlehem. And when he was down in Jerusalem, The people took stones with him into the temple area, intending to stone him to death. He was hounded, no doubt, from town to town. He went to Capernaum, lived there for some time, and then left Capernaum. He knew what persecution was. He knew what it meant to be slandered. He said, I knew. You see, he was the first and the last, and he says, I'll go a little further.
I'm the one that was put to death. They took the Lord Jesus Christ. They condemned him. They placed him on a cross and left him in all his shame to die on that center cross and Calvary. So he's presented here as the one who was dead. Having gone into death, he was able to take the sting out of death. and there's no sting in death now for the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see how then he is presented to this church, to the Christians who were passing through times of trial, times of trouble.
He's presented as the one who knows, the one who understands what they're passing through. He had gone into death, but now he's telling them, I'm alive again. In plain words, here is the encouragement. If you live for me now, and you're able to live for me, and if it means having lived for me, you'll have to die, remember this, I'm alive again. Join that with the teaching of First Corinthians, and you'll see that his resurrection is the first fruits, pointing on to the fact that his own shall be raised at his coming.
The worst that men can do to you is destroy the body, but they cannot destroy the soul. And we have not to fear them that destroy the body, but fear him, who after the body is destroyed, can cast the soul into hell. Now, you see, he's presented here then as a conquering one, the living one, the one who has conquered death and lives in the power of an indissoluble life. but then notice again the commendation for what is correct. I know your works, your tribulation, your poverty, your rich, and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
As been well pointed out, he was a church that was like the burning bush, passing through the fires of affliction, but they were not consumed. In the midst of all the troubles, There were those that stood the test. It's a remarkable thing when you read down through church history how Christians have been persecuted wherever they've gone, at some time or another, even today, in countries where Christianity is very prominent and where Christians have all the liberties that they require. In those same countries there was a time when... Christians were persecuted when they were shot, when they were killed with a sword, and there were places when they were thrown to the wild beasts.
Oh yes, there have been a lot of persecution, trial, tribulations, afflictions that have come upon the people of God. But in the midst of it all there have been those who have stood the test. You only require to visit some of those countries. I could take you to places in my own native land where still they have the monuments to the memory of the Christian martyrs. Those who were tied to the stake and left there till the tide came in and drowned them. And they were placed in such a position that one could see the other one being drowned before the water rose to their level.
But they were prepared to pay the full price. They had lived for the Lord. They were prepared to die for the Lord as martyrs. And then you can read, if you like, that famous book, Fox's Book of Martyrs. And there read of men and women who were put to death for their testimony for God. And out of all the persecution, men and women have stood the test. It started a way back there. This letter was written to the church at Smyrna. There were those there that were passing through tribulation. He goes on to say this, that indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested and you will have tribulation ten days.
You see, not only were the passing through times of trial then, but the letter here warns them that worse was to come, that they would get more persecution. So you take this principle and you apply it down through the succeeding generations even to the present time. And it may be there are some churches today, some groups of Christians today, if not in the United States, Then in other countries there are those who are being persecuted for the testimony of Jesus Christ. We should never forget that if the lines have fallen unto us in pleasant places and ours is a goodly heritage, we should never forget.
There are others who are not having it as easy as we are having it. There are some being persecuted. But the Lord knows about that. But not only were they having trouble from without, this church was having trouble from within. He says, I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Now here is a kind of charge in connection with faults and failure. Right inside this very church that was being persecuted, there were those who were playing the part of the traitor. You might say there was a Judas in the camp here.
He says, I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Now it's obvious that these were not on the outside. These some way or another had stolen their way to the inside. You know, the devil doesn't always come along like a roaring lion. When he does come as a roaring lion to persecute, you can understand and you know who he is and the channel from which your persecution is coming. But sometimes the devil can act like an angel of light. He can act from the inside.
Here were those in the inside and they were speaking blasphemy. First of all, they were claiming to be Jews, but he says they're not. He says they are of the synagogue of Satan. Now what does that mean? Simply this, they were of a congregation that were being governed by Satan. Yet they had got somehow or another into the church at Smyrna, under disguise perhaps. You know, the Lord tells us that wolves could dress up in sheep's clothing. That is, he was telling us of false prophets. And so the devil himself can dress up like an angel of light. He can get in.
And what he's doing here is this. He is seeking to teach Judaism in the church. And now you go back to the epistle to the Galatians and you find the same thing there. There were those who were seeking to teach Judaism. They wanted to have all the ceremonials. They wanted to have all the show, and they thought this was wonderful, but it got them away from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus. There are people today who seek to introduce these things into church life, or they want the show, or they want to see the men dressed up in fancy garments, they want to see all the ceremonials, and they want to introduce the keeping of the law, and they want salvation by works instead of salvation by grace.
They have corrupted the simplicity of the gospel. He calls them here those that are of the synagogue of Satan. But now he says, do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. for the simple reason, be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. You know, you must admit with me, it's not an easy thing to start and think of persecution. It's not easy to think that perhaps you will be put to death for your testimony. But then others have had to face this, and now he's calling them to do the right thing.
He wants them to be faithful unto death. And I will give you the crown of life. Someone says, how can I be faithful unto death? Well, just be faithful in life. That's all. Day by day be faithful to the Lord in life. And he'll give grace to be faithful at the hour of death. Many a man has gone to the stake to be burned. And he's been calling on God to remember those who are causing him all the trouble. Just as the Lord on the cross said, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Many a martyr has prayed in the hour of his death for the very men who were causing him all the pain were afflicting him and persecuting him, putting him to death.
Even Stephen the first martyr, when he was being stoned to death, he started to pray, calling on God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit. And he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. Now you see, God gives the grace at the time. And so it is that those who were being persecuted at Smyrna and would suffer more persecution. It says, I want you to be faithful unto death. Faithfulness is expected, you know, in servants. A steward, a servant must be faithful.
Be faithful unto death. Ah, and here's the reward. Here is the promise. I will give thee a crown of life. Something to look forward to. All that their enemy could do was give them death. All that Satan could do was persecute them to the death. But the Lord Jesus Christ says, I will give thee a crown of life. You see how in the beginning he said, I'm the first and the last. I was dead, but I'm alive again. Now he is the one who has passed through death, has confounded all his foes, and now he says, I want you. to be prepared to be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life he can give us that great reward now again he comes on and he says he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches now I've pointed out that this is said in each lesson so that not only is it a message for the church then, and there was an application to the church at Smyrna.
Then there was an application to that particular era in the church history when they were persecuted. But it also is an application to everyone in each generation who may be persecuted. And now he said, put your ear to this and listen to it and take the message. Then. the overcomer. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. That is important. You may have to pass through the article of the first death, which is physical death. But if you're a Christian, And you are associated with the Lord Jesus Christ, who died and is alive again.
Remember this, the second death has no claim upon you. You cannot be hurt of the second death.