Revelation Vs by Vs Study: The Church At Smyrna Some History

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

My own personal journey

"A journey of studying what’s revealed to me!"

Jesus, His Outline for the Church, Your Outline for the Church

THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA- SOME HISTORY

REVELATION 2: 8 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Smyrna write:

These are the words of the First and the Last, Who died and came to life again:⁹ I know your affliction and distress and pressing trouble and your poverty—but you are rich! and how you are abused and reviled and slandered by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.¹⁰ Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. [Dismiss your dread and your fears!] Behold, the devil is indeed about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested and proved and critically appraised, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be loyally faithful unto death [even if you must die for it], and I will give you the crown of life.¹¹ He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). He who overcomes (is victorious) shall in no way be injured by the second death.

The persecuted church at Smyrna was the only church that got no rebuke or correction.  The only warning from Jesus was to be faithful to the end.  He also forewarned them (having preeminent knowledge) that they (some of them,) were about to be thrown into prison.  Many of us may never be persecuted to the point of prison or death but what if we were?  What if someone snatched you up and threw you into a prison, threatening to cut off your head if you didn’t renounce Jesus?  Would you renounce him to save yourself or would you lose yourself to KEEP him.  Here’s what Jesus says in Matthew 16: 24-28

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. ²⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

While we may say or think, “that’s for others,” it’s not!  Those that die because of their faith aren’t just found in foreign countries.  Persecutions come in many ways.  What about something as simple as what former friends think or what fun or material pleasures you have to give up in order to pursue Christ?  What if you were trying to lead someone to Jesus and they mocked you?  Would you let that silence you and throw you into the prison of testing?

The purpose of my study is not to read all of the history of the city called Smyrna.  I’m wanting to find what “THE BIBLE” says about it.  Did you know the church at Smyrna is only mentioned twice in the bible?  Why is that?  It’s because they were steadfast even in persecution.  They didn’t change from their beginning to their end.  They didn’t dry up.  They stayed hotly on fire for Jesus witnessing and spreading the gospel.  They contended for his name to the point some died and some were thrown into prison but all, after enduring, were able to see victory even if it meant waking up in the arms of Jesus!

If you would like further reading on the city of Smyrna, Biblegateway has an article here that further confirms what the bible has to say about Smyrna:  https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Rev/Message-Smyrna

Your sister in Christ,

Joyreaper