Lark Murry

Revelation 2:8-11 - Church in Smyrna

Text: Revelation 2:8-11 (ESV)

Topic: Faithfulness brings a Crown of Life

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
r
your tribulation and
your poverty (but you are
rich) and the slander of
those who say that they
are Jews and are not, but
__Picture source pexel
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 means ‘suffering’ originated derive from a Hebrew word Mar/Marah which means ‘bitter’

Brief Background

The city of Smyrna was located in 40 miles in the north of Ephesus which was founded by Alexander the
Great. It was a city where Olympian, games were celebrated. In those days the believers in Smyrna faced
lot of persecution. They were under extreme suffering for being a Christian, because the Gospel was
spreading everywhere like a fire. Many people coming to an understanding of what the apostles were
proclaiming abut Christ Jesus. It was the most persecuted Church in that era. The persecution came
mainly from the Jews, who thus showed that they were not God’s people, but Satan’s (8-9). But worse is
to come, for the Roman authorities are going to launch a fresh attack on the Christians. Many will be
imprisoned and some martyred, but this fierce attack will last only a limited period. Their Saviour, the
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eternal one who has himself conquered death (see v. 8; cf. 1:17-18), will not allow death to touch their
souls. Through him they have victory and eternal life (10-11).

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.

Jesus Christ addressed who He is that the church in Smyrna might know “The Word of the first and the
last” defines who Christ is as well as it shows the authority and the power of Him. In Chapter 1:8 Christ
Himself said “I Am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” (Is 44:6, Rev 21:6, 22:13). He
is the beginning. The whole world was born in Him. The word of God tells us that He is the First and
everything came out through in Him (Gen 1:1-4, Col 1:15-21, John 1:1-5), there’s nothing that exists by
itself. In every beginning there is an end and since the world began in Him so do, it will end in Him when
He comes (Rev 22:12). And the word of God is vividly crystal that mankind or all things on earth will
exist no more when He comes (Rev 6, Matt 24, 1 Thess 5).

Christ also the one who died and resurrected again on the third days as the scripture said “they will kill
Him and on the third day He will rise” (Luke 18:33) “who died and came to life”. He conquered death.
Christ is the resurrection and the life, He gives life even to the dead (John 11:25-26). Christ is the Lord of
the dead and life. He’s the Lord who died and raised from the dead and who lives (John 20:15-17, 19, 26;
21:4-).

V. 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.

I know your tribulation – the Church in Smyrna was going through lots of hard time. Since when they
accepted Christ Jesus and allowed the Spirit of God to ruled them they became transformed person and
different person from others. The joy they had inside their hearts makes their face shone. It was so crystal
image of who they were and people started jealous of them, and out of jealousy and frustration people
began to hate and persecuted them because they were different.

Huge persecution arose in against of the Christian and the Christians were in extreme suffering which was
hard even to imagine of what the Church had gone through. To an extreme they were ex-communicated
from the society because of their faith and for that they even faced struggles even to survive life,
physically. It was so titanic persecution of what the Church faced.

Therefore, Christ counseled “He knows of what they were going through”. He knew their pains, struggles
and the poverty even to survive life. Every pain and struggles they faced Christ knew it very well because
they were in Him. Christ was (is) with the Church and the believers were in Him, so He knew how people
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treated them. They were poor, helpless in the eyes of people but Christ knew it so He said that “they are
rich” even though they were persecuted. Their faith was rooted in Christ even in spite of their poverty,
struggles, trials and persecution. Their faith was not shaken and did not lost hope in Christ. They hold on
Christ Jesus.

On the other hand Christ also knew those who are blaspheming making a false statement that causes
people to have a bad notion of someone (slander) and those who say that they are Jews and were not. In
Smyrna some people tried to pretend like Jews even they were not. They gave fancy speech and flattering
words to make people confuse and doubt. They seem to be wise in their own but Christ called them “Satan
of Synagogue” for they were confusing people by their flattering words and blasphemy against the gospel.

V. 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.

“Do not fear what you are about to suffer” In every single day of their lives Christ was watching them and
all the affliction they were going through, and He also knew what they are going to face because of what
they have believed. In this verse Christ is giving and awareness about what is coming in their future. They
had gone through sufferings and many are coming in their ways, but Christ was encouraging them not to
panic of what they are about to suffer. They will put into prison by devil and also Satan is going to trouble
them harder than they had gone through. And more than that they will be tested for ten days and then they
will be having the greatest suffering, tribulation which is ten times worse suffering. Satan even tried to
control them who ever allows. Since from the very beginning Satan can’t see mankind to obey and
worship God, he had been trying to destroy the communication between man and God. Satan is working
constantly to catch and track them always.

“Be faithful unto death”- Christ knew the pains and the sufferings that was going and facing by the
Church. So Christ asked and encouraged the Church to be faithful till the end as they had been faithful.
Christ wanted them to hold on of what they have believed in Him. He encouraged them not to go back or
go astray from Him again, but to bear in and with Him of their sufferings because Christ has kept reward
for them. They were asked to hold and bear a little while of their sufferings for it going to get over soon.

“I will give you the crown of life” – In every action there is a result, so do Christ has kept the crown of life
for those who believe in Him which He has kept from the very beginning of His creation. It is the desire
of God to give life to everyone who believes in Him. So Christ is encouraged the Church that the crown of
life is for those who run the race faithfully, but not for unfaithful once. And once we have received it from
Him, no one can ever take it away because God has given to us (who believe). Therefore, the Church was
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facing sufferings for Christ’s sake, because the reward has kept for them to live with Him, reign with Him
in glory (1 Timothy 2:11-12a).

V. 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”.

In this verse Christ is calling to all to live with Him with free will to obey and follow Him. It is an open
door for those who are willing to go and live with Him “he who has an ear, let him hear”. He has
conveyed the message and encouraged to be faithful till the end. In a meanwhile He also warned the
Church for the persecution that is coming for them because of what and whom they have believed. But
Christ kept the door open to believe what He has said. He does not want to vigor or force anyone, but just
asked and encouraged them to hear what the spirit was saying to them. In which He was saying there is a
reward behind for who listen “one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
In a final words to the Church in Smyrna He encouraged them to hear what He was saying for one who
remain faithful till the end – holding on Him alone will be face second death no more, but will live with
Him in glory. “He who has an ear, let him hear” (cf Mark 4:9, 23).

Application

The Church in Smyrna faced many sufferings because of what they believed. They were persecuted so to
say highest persecution in their era for the sake of Christ, but they hold on Christ. Satan tried to destroy
their communication and relationship with God but they didn’t leave Christ Jesus. Because they
understood that only Christ can give life, peace, and rest, even if they faced sufferings. The society
opposed them. Even though they were poor from the society Christ gave them the biggest
recommendation ever that they are rich ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty, but you are rich’ (v.9).

So what do we believe and whom do we hold? In the era of Smyrna the persecution happened and will go
on and on until Christ comes. But the question is what do we believed? Or how do we believe that we
really believe in Christ in times of sufferings? Satan is trying his best to destroy us because we believe in
Christ Jesus as he did to the Church in Smyrna. Our faith will be tested when we face sufferings like the
Church in Smyrna. Actually in present scenario Satan is working ten times harder than before, to mislead
us, Satan really doesn’t want us to obey God and follow Christ Jesus. But, hold on little while we are
about to finish the race in Him. And in spite of sufferings He is with us to overcome. Once you (we)
finished the race He will give us the reward He has kept for us.

Even now the word of God encourages us to be faithful till the end in spite of suffering we are facing
through. Once we conquer we will be crown with a new life, and we will face second death no more. If we
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only remain faithful we will live and reign with Him forever. So if you are going through sufferings and
pains, just hold on and bear it for a little while it’s going to get over. He is going to give you rest. Let us
all remain faithful in our faith in Christ Jesus. Listen to what the spirit of God says to you (us) today that
you may live and reign with Him.

Amen………