“Fear not, be faithful” -Jesus
(Rev. 2:8-11)
*Commendation: Works, tribulation, poverty.
*Condemnation: none given.
*Counsel: Fear not, be faithful.
*Challenge: “To him who overcomes…” will not be hurt by the second death–the Lake of Fire.
The early church in Smyrna was heavily persecuted in a city of wealth that despised Christians. It was here that Polycarp, the famed disciple of the apostle John and once bishop of the Smyrna church, was executed circa AD 155. His martyrdom (among others) was actually triggered by a large sect of apostate Jews, i.e. “synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9), who were agitating Roman city officials against Christianity.[1] Recall Jesus’ former biting words to the Pharisees: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do” (John 8:44).
That the word smyrna (from myrrh) means “bitter” seems to prophetically correlate to the severe persecutions endured by Christians in this region. Myrrh was used in embalming the dead and had to be crushed to release its fragrance–likewise the Church.
In Revelation 2:10 Jesus encourages believers to be fearless and faithful even unto death as they endure the suffering of trials, imprisonment, and torment. A warning of “ten days” of tribulation is given. Most commentators agree that the “ten days” is a symbolic reference alluding to both a short duration and “to the ten general persecutions of the early Christian Church which all historians recognize…”[2]
Though this understanding is possible, I believe such a specific reference also carries an immediately literal fulfillment for those believers who first received the letter to the church at Smyrna. Jesus’ words and the supernatural circumstances surrounding their record and timing of deliverance would have offered a threatened church the necessary resolve to personally withstand violent persecution and death with holy boldness (James 1:12).
Not many details are known concerning the history of the church at Smyrna beyond what is offered in the book of Revelation; however, the city was founded by Alexander the Great little more than three centuries before the birth of Christ and was eventually known for being conquered by Attila the Hun in the fifth century AD. Also prominently known was the fierce loyalty to Rome that Smyrneans possessed, an attribute rewarded by Rome’s own laud for Smyrna’s populace. What Scripture does tell us is that the church at Smyrna was very faithful (to Christ, not Rome) despite relentless persecution. Thus we can predict that Jesus will reveal this church to be a most noteworthy local body of believers in all of church history.
A History of Spiritual Warfare
Prophetically, the Smyrna era of church history is likely the greatest time of persecution the church has ever known; after all, the greatest mystery of the ages (the passion, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus) “kept since the world began but now made manifest” (Romans 16:25-26) birthed an unwelcome entity (the Church) into Satan’s earthly kingdom. When Satan realized that the apostolic church and its faithful preaching of the Gospel was a threat to his godless/pagan empire, he unleashed an unholy offensive against the church in an attempt to annihilate it.
However, he learned an invaluable lesson, for his attack was unsuccessful. The more Satan attacked the church, the more the church overcame the one condemning characteristic of the apostolic age–that of having left its first love. Therefore, not one condemnation was uttered against Smyrna. As a result, the supernatural nature of the Church was evidenced in the fact that it reached its greatest numbers in proportion to world population during this period of persecution.
The works of the Smyrna church, in addition to the establishment of churches around the world, included the production of numerous hand-copied manuscripts of Scripture and the translation of Scripture into many languages. The more that Scripture was dispersed and studied, especially amidst persecution, the more the church advanced in number until it reached a level of influence within the Roman Empire that resulted in Christianity being officially legalized by Constantine in AD 313, and soon thereafter established as the state religion in AD 323.
In response, Satan craftily initiated a check on persecution which proved to be a masterfully effective strategy, leading to great tragedy for the church. The devil then buttressed his tactics by infiltrating the church from within through the avenues of indulgence and endorsement. This is outlined in Jesus’ next message to the church in Pergamos which became plagued by paganism and complacency.
Along with physical and spiritual persecution, the Smyrna church also suffered immense poverty, in what amounts to financial persecution. Because of such widespread hatred of Christians, economic security for believers was hard to achieve for the common individual or family. This affected the church in that there was little, if any, donations, tithing, or other inroads of financial support.
Have We Learned From History?
These dire circumstances were often the catalyst for spiritual growth, as could be seen in the strength of Smyrna’s local church and the associative church era of the second and third centuries. This reveals a stark observation that the churches of the first three centuries were marked by material poverty and spiritual wealth, while the churches of our day are marked by material wealth and spiritual poverty. The lesson being that the more we suffer for Christ, the more blessings God will provide as we turn to Him in our weakness and humility (Philippians 4:19).
Referencing again the blessing of having no condemnation brought against her, the church at Smyrna would appear to be the ideal church model that Jesus laid the foundation for when He said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20). And it is upon this foundation that the apostle Paul (in Ephesians 3 and 4) outlined a dual purpose for the church:
*Edification is needed for equipping the saints for the work of ministry so that disciples can be made of all nations (Ephesians 4:12). Without being edified (built up, encouraged, strengthened) disciples would lose their zeal and effectiveness; indeed a must when martyrdom becomes a method of evangelizing at any given time or place.
*Glorification of Christ: To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen! (Ephesians 3:21)
Notes:
1. Apostate Jews often were the most volatile instigators of Christian persecution. The book of Acts records some of their heinous machinations against Christian leaders in Antioch (Acts 13:50); Iconium (14:2, 5); Lystra (14:19); and Thessalonica (17:5).
2. J.B. Smith, A Revelation of Jesus Christ, (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1974), p67.