Revelation

The City of Smyrna

The first letter had been written to the church in Ephesus.  If you traveled north from Ephesus for 35 miles you would come to Smyrna and enter it by what was called the Ephesian gate.  Smyrna was another very large and proud city, one of the finest in all of Asia, once known as 'The lovely' or 'The crown of Ionia' and 'The ornament of Asia'.  It was home to 200,000 people at the time John wrote this letter to them.  Located on a protected harbor of the Aegean Sea, it was connected to a major system of roads.  This made it one of the wealthiest cities in Asia.  Its wealth was only exceeded by Ephesus.  The guilds were a powerful presence there; guilds of basket-fishermen, tanners, silversmiths, and goldsmiths among others.  To be a member in a guild you had to sacrifice to the guild's pagan deity, and probably to the emperor as well.

It was built to be a model city and once made the claim of being "The Glory of Asia!"  It's prominence, affluence and location made it a center of learning and culture.  The city had beautiful, well paved streets lined with colonnades.  The city had a public library, a theater that would seat 20,000, a grain market, a world-famous gymnasium. There was one street call 'Street of Gold.' 

Religion of Smyrna

In general, Smyrna was committed to idol worship.  It was the center for the worship of Dionysus, the god of wine.  The 'Street of Gold' was long and strait street and famous because of all that was located on the street. 

• At one end, towards one of its harbors, near the sea was the temple of Cybele (earth goddess associated with mountains, hawks and lions.) 
• At the other end of the street was the temple of Zeus. 
• All along the street were various other temples to Apollo, Asklepios and Aphrodite. 
• In the day this letter was written one of the most pressing forms of idol worship was the worship of the emperor of Rome as if he were god.

The letter is written to the 'angel' of the church in Smyrna.  This was likely a reference to the pastor and not some sort of guardian angel.  Although, this should not be ruled out.  The word is used to speak of God's supernatural messengers as well as His human messengers. 

There is a different title for Christ in every letter.  The First and Last is a title originally associated with Yahweh.  Jesus links His identity as the Lord over the church with Yahweh of the Old Testament.  As the First, He preceded all things:

And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Col 1:17-18)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God.  ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

Jesus is the First and the Last, from eternity past to eternity Future.  He is not ruled by time, yet He entered time as a man (John said One like the Son of Man).  He lived a perfect life and died for punishment and overcame death.  This is an important point to a persecuted people.  He stepped from eternity to humanity to die a brutal death He did not deserve so that we could step from humanity to eternity avoiding a judgment we absolutely deserve.  This is the gospel of grace, He died for us that we might live as He lives, a conqueror of death.  

How do you threaten someone who completely understands that if you persecute them unto death, they will arrive in paradise sooner?  They become fearless!  Think about Paul who had already been given a glimpse of heaven.

He was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (2 Cor 12:4)

Note: Paul was caught up to Paradise, but the most notable thing he mentions is not what he saw but what he heard?  He heard things too sacred to repeat.  He heard things that could not be expressed in words.  There is a saying someone could be 'Too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.'  If there is any truth to this, Paul was given a thorn in the flesh.  This would certainly balance his life with some humility.  God taught him His grace was sufficient.  To have our minds on the things above, the life beyond this life (its only a heartbeat away for any of us), is to be empowered and emboldened to face anything in this life. 

Part of Jesus' identification is with death as a basis for overcoming it.  Smyrna means Myrrh, which is a fragrant gum resin drawn from certain trees.  It was associated with death, as Myrrh was used in embalming.  When Jesus was born the wise men from the east brought Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.  The Myrrh they brought to Jesus probably came from this area. 

Note:  The First use of the word Myrrh was in Genesis 37 when Joseph is sold to a caravan headed to Egypt.  That caravan was hauling Myrrh.  The effect of that caravan to Jacob was as if his son was dead.  The last time we see the word Myrrh in the bible is when Nikodemus joined up with Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus.  Nikodemus brought a 100lbs of Myrrh and aloe mixture.  The myrrh most likely came from Smyrna.

Revelation 2:9

Smyrna's Commendation

In each of the seven letters to the seven churches the Lord knows their works.  Whether they acknowledge Him or are aware of it, He is the head of every church.  He is active and alive and engaged in them.  As such, He knows their tribulation and poverty.  These two words are linked closely.  The trade unions and guilds were powerful in Smyrna, many were linked to idols, gods or goddesses.  To get work in the city, an allegiance to the guild was required and part of that was offering worship to their god and swearing allegiance to it.  As a Christian, if they refused to bow before these gods, they were not allowed in the guild.  Now work, no paycheck and they were quickly thrust into poverty.   Their tribulation could be as little as interfering with their employment to as much as physical suffering or martyrdom.  Their poverty appears to be abject poverty.  This word for 'poverty' is only used one other place (but two times) to speak of the Lords becoming poor

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.  (2 Corinthians 8:9)

The city of Smyrna was among the richest cities anywhere. The church had nothing.  They had no money but they were rich in the eyes of Jesus.  It's better to be a church poor in the world, rich in Christ than to be a church rich in the world and poor in the eyes of Jesus.  To be a Christian in Smyrna was to accept a life sentence of persecution and poverty. In their poverty, they were a stark contrast to affluent culture around them. 

Not only were the Christians feeling the pressure from the world around them, they also felt the persecution of the synagogues, the religious center of Jewish life.  The Lord knew of the blasphemy in their midst, coming from those who said they were Jews but were not.  Paul wrote about a similar group in his letter to Romans: 

You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? ²² You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? ²⁴ For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written. (Romans 2:21-24)

The synagogue was a place where the scriptures were read, prayers were offered, where they worshiped the Lord and heard from him in the presence of other believers.  A synagogue of Satan implies the work at that synagogue no longer honored the Lord, but was doing the work of Satan.  These Jews who weren't really, all claimed to know God but did not.  Their synagogue was not a meeting place for those seeking God.  Jesus knew the real church; he wasn't fooled by this facade.  The real church didn't have to worry about this blasphemous group being associated with them.

Revelation 2:10

Note that there is no condemnation for this church.  In the place critique and a remedy, is the Lord offering encouragement to persevere a season of suffering.  There was no heresy present, no false teachers or goofy doctrine.  Those people had all run away and their false teaching all gave way and crumbled under pressure.  Tribulation has a way of purging and purifying – false believers, part-time and notional Christians ease out the back. 

The Lord instructs them not to fear the things coming to bring suffering.  In fact, the exhortation seems a little closer to a command to 'Stop being afraid!"  It implies that some were afraid and that there were things that look awful and powerful and scary, but they were lions without teeth; they were a façade to bring fear.  These are things that will scare normal people, unprepared people or unbelieving people.  However, they should not scare the believer encouraged by the Lord.  The devil will throw some in prison and test you.  It was going to be a test through which they could stand up by the power of the Lord.  This test would be a testimony and strengthen their faith.  Faith is always strengthened and grown when it is tested.

The first one to be encouraged by these words was John himself who was enduring the severities of exile on a barren, rock island as he wrote the letters.

The tribulation would last 10 days, probably an idiom for the ten years of the rule of the emperor Domitian, which ended in 96.   Others see this as 10 different periods of persecution across the ages.  Regardless of the exact meaning, they were in a season of suffering.  The Lord called for them to be faithful, even if it meant the tribulation brought death.  As bad as that may seem, there were worse things.  Many seek living at any cost, compromising liberty, love and zeal for life; only to find out what they had wasn't life, but only existing.  The Lord said be faithful, have a zeal for the fullness of life right to the end.

Example:

Just a year after Polycarp returned from Rome he was the pastor at Smyrna.  It was then a great persecution broke out against the Christians of Smyrna.  His congregation urged him to leave the city until the threat blew over.   Polycarp heeded the warning.  He left the city and hid out on a farm belonging to some Christian friends.  One day while he was praying, Polycarp had a vision of his pillow engulfed in flames.  He was sure what God was telling him and he told his friends, "I see that I must be burnt at the stake." 

While in hiding the chief of police issued a warrant for the arrest of Polycarp.  They arrested one of Polycarp's servants and tortured him until he told them where he was.  Later that day, the police chief and a band of soldiers came to the farmhouse.  When the soldiers found Polycarp, they were embarrassed when they found him to be a frail, old man.  They reluctantly put him on a donkey and walked him back to the city of Smyrna.

On the way to the city, the police chief and government officials tried to talk Polycarp into offering a pinch of incense before a statue of Caesar and simply say "Caesar is Lord."   That's all he had to do, and he would be set free.  They pleaded with him to just do this simple act and save himself the awful penalties.  Polycarp was silent, as if considering it, then he gave them his answer, "No!"  The police chief was frustrated with the old man's stubbornness.  The chief pushed him out of his carriage and onto the hard ground.   Polycarp got up and walked the rest of the way to the arena.

The games at the arena had already begun.  A large, bloodthirsty mob had gathered together to see Christians tortured and killed.  One Christian named Quintis had boldly proclaimed himself a follower of Jesus and said he was willing to be martyred.  But when he saw the vicious animals in the arena, he lost his courage and agreed to burn that pinch of incense to Caesar as Lord.  Another young man named Germanicus didn't back down.  He walked right into the arena and faced the lions.  He died an agonizing death for his Lord Jesus Christ.   Ten other Christians gave their lives that day, but the mob hadn't had enough.  They cried out, "Away with the atheists who do not worship our gods!"   In their eyes, Christians were atheists because they didn't worship the gods of Rome and Greece.  In time, the crowd started chanting "Bring out Polycarp."

When Polycarp was brought into the arena, he and the other Christians heard a voice from heaven.   The voice said, "Be strong, Polycarp, play the man."  He stood before the proconsul and they tried once again to get him to renounce Jesus.  The proconsul asked Polycarp to agree with the crowd and shout "Away with the atheists!"  Polycarp looked sternly at the bloodthirsty mob, waved his hand towards them and said, "Away with those atheists!"   The proconsul tried one last time, "Take the oath and revile Christ and I'll set you free!"   Polycarp answered, "For eighty-six years I've served Jesus; how dare I now revile my King?"  The proconsul gave up, and announced to the crowd the crime of the accused: "Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian."

The crowd shouted, "let the lions loose."  But they had already been put away.  The crowd demanded his death and settled on him being burnt at the stake.  Polycarp remembered the dream about the burning pillow, and took courage in God.   He said to his executioners, "It is well. I fear not the fire that burns for a season and after a while is quenched. Why do you delay? Come, do your will." 

They arranged a large pile of wood, and set up a pole in the middle.  They tied Polycarp to the pole, As he was praying: "I thank You that You have graciously thought me worthy of this day and of this hour, that I may receive a portion in the number of the martyrs, in the cup of Your Christ."   When his prayer was completed, he gave thanks to God and they set the wood ablaze.   A huge flame shot up around this huge pile of wood, but the flame never touched Polycarp.  God had set a hedge of protection between him and the fire.  When the executioner saw that Polycarp wouldn't burn he responded in a furious rage stabbing the old man with a long spear.

Immediately, streams of blood gushed from his body and seemed to extinguish the fire.  At the same time, witnesses say they saw a dove fly up from the smoke into heaven.   Again, at the very same moment, a church leader in Rome named Iraenus, said he heard God say to him, "Polycarp is dead."   (The story of Polycarp was rewritten from David Guzick commentary)

This is an example of rich faith born out of poverty and persecution. 

The faithfulness unto death would be rewarded with the crown of life.  This refers to eternal life itself being awarded to the believer.  The crown of life comes by way of physical death. The crown of life is to be ushered into His presence, to receive a glorified body and live life eternal in paradise.

Smyrna was located by Mt Pagus.  On top of this mount were several temples that glittered like a crown.   These temples resembled a crown when seen from the city.  In fact, Mt Pagus, was known as "the Crown of Smyrna." Smyrna was also known as "the Crown City."  It seems Smyrna offered a crown of its own to all who would subscribe to its ways; to all who would worship a false god on the street of gold; to all who would seek the riches of this world and remain poor in spirit. 

The contrast to that is the crown of life given by the One who overcame death.  Though they were poor in this world, crushed and beaten, they would be crowned in eternity.  Barnhouse said, "What matters the frown of the world if we have the smile of God?" 

Revelation 2:11

We, the people with ears, are to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  This letter was first written for their encouragement, growth and edification; then it was given to use for the same.  What does the Spirit say?

Among other things, I think we can see these points:

1. Death is conquered and not to be feared. 
   1. The Lord started the letter reminding them of His eternality.  He was dead and came to life.  He was the first fruit of the grave with many to follow in a greater harvest.
   2. Jesus is bigger than death.
2. To be poor in Spirit is to be rich in the Lord.
   1. To be poor is to recognize that we have no righteousness whatsoever.  Our righteous account is one of abject poverty.  It brings utter appreciation for what He's done for us. 
   2. We are rich because we are known by Him.    
   3. Jesus said (Matthew 5):

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

3. Just Don't°.
   1. Don't be surprised when persecution comes from within.
      1. As the synagogue became a tool of the Devil, some churches are already moving that way.  Don't be surprised when persecution comes from within.
   2. Don't fear.
   3. Don't compromise.
4. Be faithful, all the way.
   1. Theirs is a crown of life.
   2. There are no awards for partial faith or minimal compromise.
   3. To be faithful is to Overcome.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy from Rome, as the day of his martyrdom approached, he said:

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.  (2 Timothy 6-7)

Once again, this message is addressed to all who would hear.  The second death was a Jewish rabbinic expression for the total extinction of the utterly wicked.  The second death is to be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.  We'll see this in Revelation 20.  To die to self and be born again means this flesh of sin will die some day but we will live for eternity.  To Die in the sins is to die physically and the suffer an eternal, spiritual death.

Born twice, die one.

Born once, die twice.

Today, the city of Smyrna is called Izmir and it seems there is a church there today.  The church of Smyrna was the only of the seven to survive.