Revelation 2:8–11 (ESV) — 8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. 9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto 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. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’ "
Smyrna, the modern city of Izmir, Turkey, has been called “the first city of Asia.” In ancient Smyrna, the city had temples built for pagan worship to the emperors of the Roman Empire. The city was so committed to worshiping the emperors as gods that it became a center for the cult worship of these men, who were deified. The worship of these emperor gods became radical to the point that anyone who would not worship the deified emperors would be put to death. This is the social, political, and cultural environment at the time that this letter was read to the church in Smyrna.
As if that were not enough to contend with, there was a Jewish population that worked to destroy the Christian faith within the city. Jews hated the Church because the Christians believed Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. This was blasphemous to them. Yet, there was another reason. We have a hint of the other reason within Jesus’ letter to them.
The Jews, like the Church, were also targeted by the government for not worshiping the Roman gods. They were an enemy of the State. The Jews came up with a strategy to divert the attention of hatred and treason against them by the government over to the Christians. History clearly records that the Jews in Smyrna fueled the hatred of the city against the Christians. They publicly and politically slandered the Christians as traitors to the Roman gods, as well as practicing immoral acts and being pagan worshipers of a false god. This is why Jesus calls the Jews in Smyrna, “a synagogue of Satan.” Jesus said, “These people call themselves Jews, but they were not God worshipers. They were vessels of Satan.”
Their intent was to stamp out the church of Christ, but they had no idea that the persecution against Christ’s church was like throwing water on oil. It only caused it to spread.
A quick review of the letter to the Church in Ephesus that we looked at last week. The Church in Ephesus received commendations and the worst threat from Jesus that a church could receive. This warning and threat were to the church. Jesus was not threatening individual Christians with being kicked out of the kingdom of God. He was threatening to leave a church, to remove his glory and presence.
There are Christians who are attending dead, lifeless churches that Jesus has left long ago. These Christians may be staying to bring life back to the church, or staying because their family has attended for generations. The latter is not a good reason to stay in a church that the Lord has written Ichabod on the doorway. If the glory of the Lord has departed, and the leadership of the church is unwilling to repent and rekindle the lost first love, then those Christians need to seek out a church where the love and life of Jesus are present.
Let’s turn our attention to the letter Jesus dictated to John the Apostle to the church in the city of Smyrna. In this short letter, I believe the main point that Jesus is making to his church, and to us, is in Verse 10: “Be faithful unto death.” We will walk through this letter to see Jesus’ point.
We begin with verse eight. Jesus speaks of himself as “the first and the last.” Earlier, He identified himself this way to the Apostle John (Rev. 1:17). As you remember, Jesus is stating that he is the beginning and the end. All things are in his control and authority—whether they appear to be or not. This is His reminder to these believers and to us. He was in the beginning with all power and authority, and he will forever be with all power and authority. This includes the devil and his works. It also includes the road that you are traveling on in life. It includes your enemies. It is like Jesus saying, “I am the bookends of all that exists, including in your life, including your church. Trust me.”
Still in verse eight, Jesus tells them, “I am He who died and came to life.” This reminder brings great comfort to those who are in the midst of affliction, sorrow, and discouragement. In this church in Smyrna, some of their number have already suffered martyrdom—"Dying rather than Denying Jesus Christ.” Others of them are most certainly approaching the place of death through their loyalty to Him. This is why the Lord announces himself as the living One who has passed through death. He reminds them that he is the Master of the darkest conditions. He is the One who possesses the keys of death and of Hades. He has experienced death, but death is not the end. I came to life. Death did not defeat me or end me; it will not defeat you or end you. Life awaits.
These words of Jesus also remind us that the enemies of God’s people (including the devil) are not the gatekeepers of death; Jesus is! Hollywood and books have created the fictional character, The Grim Reaper. This character comes to take someone’s life and take them to the grave. This is fiction, the idea of some death spirit holding the keys of death and grave haunts people’s minds. It is the God of life and death, Jesus, who holds the keys of death and Hades.
To the believer, death is the doorway to greet Jesus. Jesus is telling the Church of Smyrna, Do not be afraid of death. There is nothing to fear. I was dead, but I am alive.
To the unbeliever, death is the doorway to eternal alienation from God and from the mercies of God. To the unbeliever—non-Christian, death should be the greatest fear. Death is the point of no return. It is too late to repent and have forgiveness for your sins. Death is not the end for the unbeliever or believer.
Looking at verse nine, Jesus points out three things he knows about them. He says, I know your tribulation. I know your poverty, and I know the slander against you, that comes from those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
These three words—Tribulation, Poverty, and Slander (or blasphemy; smearing lies against them) describe the desperate condition of this church at the moment when the Master sent His message to them. [1]
First, “I know your tribulation.” According to G. Campbell Morgan, this is a strong word, not often made use of in scripture. It signifies a pressure of persecution. Jesus did not say I know thy trials, the occasional testings of faith, those experiences which are common to all the saints and necessary for their perfecting, but thy tribulation.” Our word tribulation suggests the stripe of the Roman whip, but the word that the Master used suggested rather the pressure of the stones that grind the wheat, or that force the blood out of the grape. It is a word that throbs with meaning. These people were being pressed even to death on account of their loyalty to Christ, and as He looks at the church, He says in tones of infinite tenderness, “I know thy tribulation.”
I think of a garlic press. Have you used a garlic press? The crushing pressure, that is the tribulation that Jesus says this church is experiencing.
He also says, “I know your poverty”. Again, G. Campbell Morgan helps us understand this statement from Jesus. “This word, ‘poverty’ (Greek, ptocheia) indicates actual beggary. It speaks of the crushing poverty of not being able to meet even the basic needs. It has no reference to a poverty of spirit. In all probability, these people had suffered the loss of all things in the persecution that had broken out against them, loss of trade, loss of social position, loss almost of the bare necessaries of life, reduced to beggary. They lost everything simply because of their commitment to lead holy lives before the Lord.”
They lost all things for the sake of Christ. I think of the Apostle Paul writing to the Church in Philippi, “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him (Phil.3:8).”
Those four words are the only words of encouragement given to this church--“but you are rich”. Yet, there was more in that small phrase than the unbelieving world will ever know. It is a truth that we, the church, must grasp. Smyrna counts you poor. I count you rich. The blasphemy of the Jews and the persecution of pagans have robbed you of everything, but you have lost nothing. Jesus knows this himself. He knows the pinch of poverty, He knows its pain, and yet He never lost the riches of spiritual wealth. While He was still upon the earth as a man, He did not relish in wealth and power, and yet His Father was with Him. “I know your poverty (but thou art rich).”
We, the church, must learn and live this truth. Physical riches are not true riches. What are true riches? The apostle Paul understood the depth of this statement. 2 Corinthians 6:8–10 — “We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” Those last words of Paul, “as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” True riches are not earthly, temporal wealth and power and materialism. Christ is the true treasure that surpasses all. The great riches are found Christ Jesus—a new, fatherly relationship with God; Eternal life to be with God forever (as opposed to the alternative); to be cleansed and acquitted of all my sins, shame, and guilt; to see the smiling love and acceptance of Christ Jesus; to have the treasures of heaven as my inheritance; to one day live in perfect life, joy, fulfillment, paradise. Do I need to go on?
One of the new hymns we sing as a congregation, Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me, reminds us of this truth. “What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer. There is no more for heaven now to give. He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom. My steadfast love, My deep and boundless peace.” Yes!!! All earthly treasure and riches are as dung compared to Christ and the inheritance He has in store for us. Jesus tells them, “I know your poverty, but you are rich”.
Next, Jesus says I know the slander against you. Here, Jesus reveals his intimate knowledge of the causes from which all the trouble has proceeded. In all probability, the vilifying, slander of the church by the synagogue had issued from their hatred of Jesus of Nazareth and of his followers. This slander put the spotlight on this small church, deflecting political hatred against themselves as a synagogue. He knows all the wicked slander against them. He knows the vile slander against them.
To gain the full impact of Jesus’ three “I knows” about them, we need to look closer at what Jesus means by, “I know.” He says, “I know,” and the force of the word is not merely that He knows by watching, but by His own experience. Jesus tells them and us that he knows what is happening to them, how they feel, what it is like. He knows.
Many people believe and know that God is watching them and “knows” what they are going through. But this is different. Jesus is not saying, I am observing and watching you suffer, but I know personally what you are experiencing. Jesus is saying, I know from my own experience the pain of being slandered and lied about. I know the want of poverty. I know the physical, emotional, mental, and social stress and pain of tribulation. I know all of them to their deepest depths. I know!
Hebrews 4:15 tells us Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because He has been tempted as we are. He has felt it. He has gone through it. He has tasted it and he has endured through it into victory.
What these followers of Christ are going through is, in many senses, almost identical to that through which Jesus himself has passed. The force that encompassed His death was the blasphemy of the Jews, acting upon a pagan nation, that stripped Him of all He possessed and gave Him only death. The persecution that culminated in His own passing had begun within the synagogue, at the very center of supposed religion, and had proceeded along the line of pagan power to its terrible issue.
Knowing Jesus knows what you are suffering, what you are experiencing, what pain, what emotions, what temptations, what fears you are facing, is what afflicted believers need. They need to know their Savior and God knows what they are going through. How encouraging to our faith to know that He is not disconnected from us. He is actually connected. That he knows the very physical pain, emotional and mental pain and anguish, the pain of rejection, and the slander of your name.
Knowing He knows helps us follow him, wherever he leads us. The words of the old hymn by Fanny Crosby, “All the Way my Savior Leads Me” comes to mind.
"All the way my Savior leads me, Cheers each winding path I tread; Gives me grace for ev’ry trial, Feeds me with the living Bread. Tho' my weary steps may falter, And my soul athirst may be, Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see."
Jesus is that Rock we stand on and trust through every valley and every step on our way to see Him face-to-face. Amen!
We move to verse ten, which, when you read it carefully, is very interesting. Jesus says, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer.” He doesn’t say, “Do not fear, I will remove the suffering.” He says, “Do not fear as you suffer.”
I think that a part of what he may be saying to them is, “Do not be afraid, more suffering is coming, but I have not left you. Do not be afraid that I have forsaken you. I will never forsake you and leave you on your own.”
Brothers and sisters, this is important. Suffering, loss, tribulation, the world falling down on you—does not mean that God is punishing you. It does not mean Jesus has turned his back on you. It doesn’t mean any of that. Do not be afraid that you are suffering on your own. Jesus is faithful. He is with you. Can you find comfort in that?
Moving on to the second part of verse ten, Jesus says, “Be faithful unto death.” The NIV translates, “be faithful even to the point of death.” Or, “Be faithful entering into death.” Or, “Be faithful to the end.” Simply put: Remain faithful to me. They have remained faithful, and when the tribulation, poverty, and slander get worse, they remain faithful. Isn’t that the bottom line for all of us as his disciples? He has called you individually, and this church, to be faithful to the end. No matter what we experience. No matter what the devil throws at us. No matter what the government does to stifle or stop us, or the culture slanders against us, we are to remain faithful even unto death.
It helps to point out what Jesus did not say. He did not say, “Be faithful until you are broken and hurt and things are not going your way.” Jesus did not say, “Be faithful until your life turns upside-down.” Jesus did not say, “Be faithful until following me is difficult or uncomfortable among your unbelieving family and friends.”Jesus did not say, “Be faithful until you are crippled or poor or suffering.” He said, “Be faithful even to the point of death!” Oh, if we could tattoo this on our hearts, and when we are crushed to the point of death, the tattoo screams to us, “Be faithful unto death.”
A book titled131 Christians Everyone Should Know lists a pastor of the church of Smyrna from the first century. His name is Polycarp. History holds that Polycarp was consecrated as Pastor of the church of Smyrna by the Apostle John Himself. In fact, at the time that this letter from Jesus was read to this church in Smyrna, Polycarp may have been twenty-seven years old. It is quite likely that he was present when the letter was read in the congregation. It is quite possible that Polycarp actually was the one who read aloud the book of Revelation when it arrived from the apostle to that church.
Polycarp had become a revered leader throughout Christendom in the first century, and one day, the Romans hunted him down and arrested him. Almost sixty years after reading that letter written by John, the Romans arrested him, and the governor gave Polycarp an ultimatum: “Swear by Caesar’s fortune; change your mind; or face death in the stadium.” But this prisoner would remain faithful unto Christ, even unto death. The words from that letter to his church nearly sixty years ago were probably still burning in him. “Do not be afraid.” “be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
The local police chief urged the old man, “What harm is it to say ‘Caesar is Lord’ and to offer a sacrifice to our gods?” But Polycarp could not bring himself to show disloyalty to his Savior, Jesus. His reply to the governor was recorded. “For eighty-six years, I have served him, and he has wronged me in no way. How, then, can I revile and blaspheme my king, who rescued me?”
With that refusal, the elderly Polycarp was publicly burned at the stake and, when the fires failed to do the job, stabbed to death. Polycarp, faithful to the end, unto death. He received the promised crown of life from his Lord.
Let us remain faithful through each day of this life. No matter what we go through—suffering, slander, sickness, or sorrow. Let us remain faithful to Him who is the First and Last, who died and came to life—Jesus Christ our Savior and Master.
Before we close out this letter to the church in Smyrna, we need to review what we have learned about God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. One, Jesus Christ is in control and regulating wickedness, suffering, and Satan. Where do we see this in the letter? Jesus warned His church of the coming persecution and controlled the extent of persecution and suffering they would have to endure. “You will be tested, and for ten days, you will have tribulation.”
Jesus wants us to trust Him in the circumstances we find ourselves in. Remain faithful, is what we calls us to do. He is in control and regulates all things to His will. Knowing this, we can remain faithful. The Apostle Peter reminds us (1 Pet . 1:4-5) that our heavenly inheritance is kept in heaven for us, and our salvation is being guarded by God’s Power. With that promise, we can remain faithful to the end.
Secondly, Jesus may allow you to go through tests and suffering to refine your faith in Him. We are told by the Apostles James and Peter (James 1:2-4; 1 Pt.6-9) that various trials are designed to test the genuineness of our faith, which results in praise and glory when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. Knowing this about our suffering and trials, we can remain faithful to the end.
Third, sometimes silence is God’s approval, not His absence. Did you notice that Jesus did not commend them for any good works like He did the Church of Ephesus? He was silent about what they were doing right in His name. It is because they were not doing any good deeds in his name? Far from it.
Just because God seems far from you and heaven seems silent, do not equate that God has turned his back on you, or that He is not with you. Sometimes silence means, “keep doing what you are doing.” Sometimes it means, “I am well pleased.” For example, Jesus was on the cross. God the Father was silent, so it appeared. We know He was not silent. He was executing the plan of redemption through the Son of God.
Another example is with Job’s suffering; God was silent, so it appeared. But he was involved and gave Job the grace he needed to endure. God was also listening to the counsel Job was hearing. God was entirely involved.
There is an old and beautiful story told of how a nun had a dream in which she saw three other nuns at prayer. As they kneeled in prayer, the Master approached them. As He came to the first of the three, He bent over her with tender solicitude, and smiles full of radiant love, speaking to her in words of softest tenderest music. Leaving her and approaching the next, He only placed His hand upon her head and gave her one look of tender approval. But the third woman, He passed almost abruptly without word or glance.
The woman having the dream said to herself, “How tenderly the Lord must love this first of His children. The second, He is not angry with, and yet for her has no kind word like those bestowed upon the first.” She wondered how the third had grieved Him, so that He gave her no look, no passing word. As in her dream, she attempted to account for the action of the Lord, and the Master Himself confronted her, and addressing her said, “Oh woman of the world, how wrongly you have judged. The first kneeling woman needs all the encouragement of My constant care to keep her feet in the way of faithfulness. The second has stronger faith and deeper love. But the third whom I seemed to pass abruptly by has faith and love of the strongest rock, and her I am preparing by swift processes for the highest and holiest service. She knows and loves and trusts Me so perfectly as to be independent of words or looks.”
If God seems quiet, do not be afraid of His absence, brothers and sisters. That silence is not a sign of disapproval; it could be a sign of approval. If in the midst of tribulation and suffering, there is no voice, it may be that the silence of the Lord is calling you to focus on Him. Draw near to me, the silence is whispering, and you will find the strength to be faithful. Be faithful in times of joy and sorrow, be faithful. Be faithful in the valleys of life and on the mountain tops. Be faithful even to the point of death.
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