The letter in the Book of Revelation is addressed to the Messianic congregation at Smyrna. This devotional reading looks at the prophesy of persecution and how all disciples should expect to experience it.
Nuggets
- The city of Smyrna was into emperor worship.
- The congregation at Smyrna needed to know that persecution that included death was something with which Jesus and God were familiar.
- God provides us with a wealth that is beyond compare, even in difficult circumstances.
- Whoever is not for God is against Him.
- Jesus wanted the focus on the tribulations they were going to face.
- The trial prevalent in Smyrna was poverty.
- Whoever is not for God is against Him.
Where the Messianic congregation at Ephesus was trying to follow God’s Will, the congregation at Smyrna was already doing that.
We are also going to take two devotions to look at this letter. I am saving the connections and application to the next devotion.
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Devotions in the The Letters to the Congregations series
Smyrna
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: …” (Rev. 2: 8 ESV)
The city of Smyrna was into emperor worship.
Smyrna, a city of about 200,000 people in John’s time, held a belief the exact opposite of John. They were into emperor worship. (Remember, because he wouldn’t worship the emperor, he had been exiled to Patmos.)
In fact, this wealthy port city was as big a pagan worship center as Ephesus was.
We don’t know anything about how or when the congregation at Smyrna was planted. Rogers believed it could have been a mission start from Ephesus.
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That is logical given the proximity of the two towns. Plus, Paul, Timothy, and John had all been in the area. They may have taken a day trip from Ephesus to witness.
Or maybe new converts at Ephesus witnessed to them. Given both towns were pagan worship center, it is also logical that the new converts at Ephesus would have wanted to share their faith with those they knew needed it.
Smyrna has been incorporated into a city called Izmir, currently controlled by Muslims. It is believed that the persecution prophesied by Audio Man was economic tribulation brought on by the pressure of refusal to participate in cult worship.
Vision Man's Greeting
“… ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life” (Rev. 2: 8 ESV)
The congregation at Smyrna needed to know that persecution that included death was something with which Jesus and God were familiar.
We know that both Jesus and God were referred to as the first and the last. Think back to Revelation 1: 8. “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Rev. 1: 8 ESV).
Isaiah had called God the alpha and omega several times. Here, Jesus was connecting the dots in the first-century reader’s mind that He, too, is God without naming Himself.
But isn’t that SOP for Jesus? He didn’t want to take credit for His ministry. The purpose of the ministry was to honor God, not Himself.
First/last — alpha/omega — everything is under divine control. God will always be present and directing circumstances.
This also reminded the congregation of Jesus’ resurrection. The purpose of the letter to the congregation at Smyrna was to warn them of coming persecution.
Here, their attention is drawn to the fact that even Jesus — the Messiah and Savior — faced persecution. Even though the persecution resulted in His death, He overcame.
No, the Plan of Salvation ended at the cross when Jesus said it was finished (Jn. 19: 30). However, He would not be recognized as God until He was resurrected. Staying dead would prove nothing.
Smyrna's Commendation
“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” (Rev. 2: 9 ESV)
God provides us with a wealth that is beyond compare, even in difficult circumstances.
The letter to the Messianic congregation at Smyrna only has praise for what they are doing. It outlines some of the tribulation the congregation was going through.
Whoa! Wait!
In this translation, there was no, “I know your works but …” In fact, all modern versions leave out an important aspect that the King James Version includes (more on that later).
No validation that they were doing what they were supposed to be doing. No confirmation of their character.
I know we don’t like to hear just about what we are doing wrong. That gets depressing and discouraging.
But too many times, we shut down if we don’t get enough pats on our backs. We have to have the recognition to feel successful.
Our definition of success is different that God’s definition. Ours is that we are triumphant and prosperous.
God’s definition of success is obedience.
We don’t need the trophy for participation. We don’t need the attaboys and attagirls for doing our jobs.
We just need to focus on doing what we are supposed to be doing so we can glorify God.
When we do that, God will give us the attaboys and attagirls. He will show His pleasure with us.
Your Tribulation, Poverty, and Wealth
Jesus wanted the focus on the tribulations they were going to face.
Tribulation, poverty, prison are major things through which to be tested, but they are of this world.
Works
Back to this. The King James Version does translate the verse with works added. “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” (Rev. 2: 9 KJV emphasis added).
God knows and sees everything. He knows every aspect of us.
To me, this is important to make sure we don’t lose something after we just read the letter to the Ephesians. The Ephesians were performing the works without the love.
The Smyrna congregation was performing the works with the love – and going through temptation because of it.
Tribulation
Sometimes, our minds may associate tribulation only with the Great Tribulation. It isn’t. That refers to all kinds of trials.
The Messianic congregation at Smyrna was doing everything right. They didn’t get a condemnation. They were still going to suffer.
Satan really loves to throw a lot of different things at us at once. Have we heard of people with a loved one at end of life dealing experiencing car problems? How about someone who lost their job and then has a major medical issue?
The purposes behind the trials – from Satan’s viewpoint – is to destroy our contentment. He knows that is one thing that God wants from us.
Paul talked about contentment.
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4: 13 ESV).
If Satan can take away our contentment, he believes he can take away our faith. The congregation at Smyrna may have been experiencing the trials because they were standing strong in their faith.
Satan loves to bombard those with a strong faith to get them to backslide. Just think of what a coup that is for him. He is not only wrecking our faith, but he is also wrecking our witness.
Why settle for God losing one person’s testimony when he could have everyone who we could touch?
Poverty and Wealth
The trial prevalent in Smyrna was poverty.
The city of Smyrna may have been a wealthy city, but the members of the Smyrna Messianic congregation were poor. God acknowledged that.
God does recognize our secular condition. That, however, isn’t His primary focus.
There are so many more things in life in which we can be rich rather than just monetary.
One way in which we are rich is when we have Christ. “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” (Jas. 2: 5 ESV). We are spiritually rich when we are children of God.
God wants us to take our focus off the financial aspects and put it on grace.
When we look at the financial, we begin trusting in ourselves. We don’t think we need God.
Wrong.
God knows and sees every suffering we will endure. He knows the outcome before we begin the tribulation.
Sometimes, we interpret verses differently. “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (II Cor. 9: 8 NIV emphasis added).
Here, instead — I think — is the intent of the verse. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (II Cor. 9: 8 ESV emphasis added).
We only access God’s abundance through His grace and our faith. It isn’t unconditional.
God provides what we need when we need it. He always has the ability and desire to do that.
We can’t minimize a possibility of why the Smyrna believers were poor. Their change of allegiance from the emperor to God may have cost them many things. They may have lost their jobs, their social status, and their families. Yes, eventually, some did lose their lives.
Mankind has a tendency to cut off those who are not like themselves. Becoming a disciple of the true God makes us different because Christianity is counterculture.
God calls us to be different from the world. The world is not following Him.
It is God’s desire — and should be ours — that we become more like Him.
Don’t skim over the fact that, even though the congregation at Smyrna was rich in Christ, they were financially poor. Jesus does not preach a prosperity gospel. We aren’t guaranteed financial success at conversion.
Jesus is more concerned about our character than our bank account.
The account we should be focusing on is laying up treasure for Heaven. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt. 6: 19-21 ESV).
The currency we use is good works. “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (I Tim. 6: 18-19 ESV).
These treasurers are secure in Heaven, waiting for them to be presented to us.
- “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (II Pet. 1: 3-4 ESV).
- “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (I Tim. 4: 7-8 ESV).
- “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps. 84: 11 ESV).
- “I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread” (Ps. 132: 15 ESV).
We can depend on God’s promises.
Say They Are Jews but of Satan
Whoever is not for God is against Him.
Audio Man commended the congregation at Smyrna on three things in the modern translations: tribulation, poverty, and slander. The slander was from “… those who say that they are Jews and are not …” (Rev. 2: 9 ESV).
At first, I read this that these people were coming later to bring the tribulation. Rogers argued that they were there already.
I don’t know.
This is part of the commendation. Audio Man is commending them for holding firm now.
If it is a future tribulation, which all sources I read agreed that it was, this wouldn’t be part of the commendation. “Do not fear what you are about to suffer …” (Rev. 2: 10 ESV).
Oh, there are always pretenders within our congregations. There are those who believe they are strong disciples yet hold on to invalid interpretations. This may be because they were taught wrong or because they want to believe it is meant to be interpreted their way.
We have to accept that we may be wrong. Only God knows everything. We aren’t going to get everything right.
While there always may be some who are pretending to be true disciples, Audio Man would have hit them a little harder if this were the case. There would have been a condemnation.
But in most cases, the wolves getting into the henhouse were from the outside. Usually, we hear of the Jewish people causing trouble in the congregations to be those who want the disciples to return to the Jewish way of doing things.
Yes, the congregation at Smyrna were disciples of Christ, but they still probably considered themselves Jewish. Jesus fulfilled God’s law, not did away with it.
The problem was there was God’s law, and there was the Jewish way of interpreting God’s law.
The two weren’t the same.
The important piece of information here is that the false teachers came from “…a synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2: 9 ESV). Oh, they may not have identified as a Satan worshipper, but they were.
When we are not following God, we are following Satan – consciously or unconsciously.
Morris did a really good job of explaining who these Jewish men were. He wrote, “Jews by birth but not by character, not circumcised in the heart.”
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Rogers said that Audio Man was accusing them of blasphemy. That is a serious offense. Because of that, they could not be considered Jews.
They would have to be considered a disciple of Satan.
Father God. You are there for us in the good times and in the bad. Lord, we know we will be persecuted for our faith in You – and we choose You anyway. Help us to endure and grow. Amen.
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