seven churches

Smyrna—The Persecuted Church
Rev 2:8-11


 Persecution—the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church
 Great Martyr books
o Foxes Book of Martyrs
o The Martyr’s mirror.
The ten major persecutions in the early church, parallel to the ten plagues of Egypt. These ten persecutions are:
 Persecution under Nero (c. 64-68). Traditional martyrdoms of Peter and Paul.

 Persecution under Domitian (r. 81-96).

 Persecution under Trajan (112-117). Christianity is outlawed but Christians are not sought out.

 Persecution under Marcus Aurelius (r. 161-180). Martyrdom of Polycarp.

 Persecution under Septimus Severus (202-210). Martyrdom of Perpetua.

 Persecution under Decius (250-251). Christians are actively sought out by requiring public sacrifice. Could buy certificates (libelli) instead of sacrificing. Martyrdoms of bishops of Rome, Jerusalem and Antioch.

 Persecution under Valerian (257-59). Martyrdoms of Cyprian of Carthage and Sixtus II of Rome.

 Persecution under Maximinus the Thracian (235-38).

 Persecution under Aurelian (r. 270–275).

 Severe persecution under Diocletian and Galerius (303-324).

*More recent instances (this year!)
 Belarus: Church Evicted
Forum 18 News reports that on Aug. 20, New Life Full Gospel Church in Minsk, Moscow, was issued an eviction notice by government officials, forcing them to abandon their church building purchased in...
 Nigeria: Pastors Beheaded
On July 26, 12 Christians were killed, including three pastors, in northern Nigeria after members of the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram launched attacks on police and government bases, according...
 Bangladesh: Pastor Tortured by Police
On June 7, police raided an evangelism meeting, arrested and tortured a pastor and two others in Boalia, Bangladesh, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. Pastor Habibur Rahman, of...
 Pakistan: Eight Believers Killed
On Aug. 1, a mob of angry Muslim extremists attacked Christians in Gojra district, Punjab province, killing at least eight believers, including a seven-year-old child, according to The Voice of the...
 Iran: Women: We Love Christ!
UPDATE: On Aug. 8, Marzieh and Maryam were summoned to an Iranian court and ordered to deny their faith verbally and in a written statement, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. Marzieh...
 VOM: 1 Million NT's Mailed
On Aug. 5, 2009, The Voice of the Martyrs’ Bibles Unbound (BU) ministry reached an exciting milestone with its shipment of the 1 millionth New Testament. VOM is grateful to believers all across...
 VOM: 140,000 Bibles for China
On June 10, 2009 Shi Weihan was sentanced to three years in prison in China. His crime? He "violated the regulations of the state in printing illegal publications," according to Shi's official...
 China: Youth Camp Raided
On July 23, a Christian youth camp was raided by Public Security Bureau (PSB) and Religious Affairs Bureau (RAF) officials in Nanyang city, Henan province. PSB and RAF officers took away more...
 Pakistan: Muslims Attack Christians
On July 30, Muslim extremists attacked Christians, burning more than 50 homes and animals in Faisalabad, Pakistan, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. Muslims falsely accused...
 Eritrea: Christian Dies in Prison On July 23, Yemane Kahasay Andom, a Christian imprisoned for his faith in Eritrea died after authorities denied him medical treatment, according to Compass Direct News. Yemane is the third Christian...

 China: Pastor Sent to Labor Camp—On June 29, Pastor Dou Shaowen who is currently serving a one-year sentence for “engaging in illegal activities” was secretly transferred to Shifo Re-education Through Labor Center in...

 Pakistan: Day of Prayer—Christians in Pakistan are inviting believers around the world to join them in prayer for their nation and for the blasphemy laws to be repealed, according to The Voice of the Martyrs...

 China: Persecution Increases—In recent weeks, Chinese officials have raided house church meetings and arrested believers throughout the country, according to reports from China Aid Association. On July 3, a house church was...

 Iraq: Seven churches bombed—On July 11 two bombs targeted churches in the cities of Baghdad and Mosul and killed at least four people and injured 30 others, according to VOM contacts. Two bombs ripped through the St. Joseph...

 Pakistan: Christian Homes Burned—On June 26, more than 150 Muslim extremists launched a devastating attack on more than 150 Christian families

 Somalia: Christian's Sons Beheaded—16 –Islamic extremists have beheaded two boys in Somalia because their Christian father, 55 year-old Musa Mohammed Yusuf, refused to give them information about an underground church leader, according to...

 Yemen: Christians killed—On June 12, nine Christian relief workers were abducted and three killed, reportedly because they were suspected of being involved in evangelistic work, according to The Voice of the Martyrs...

 India: Pastor & Family Attacked—On June 14, a pastor and his family were brutally attacked when Hindu extremists barged into their church during a prayer meeting, accusing them of forcible conversions, according to The Voice of the...

 Laos: Christians Released—UPDATE: Praise God! On June 13, Christians arrested by plain clothes police, after visiting Christian villages in Laos, were released without incident, according to The Voice of the Martyrs...

(James 1:2-4) "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

(1 Pet 5:10) "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you."

(Acts 14:22) "strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.""

(2 Tim 3:12) "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."



1. How Jesus Presented Himself to The Church at Smyrna—(Rev 2:8) "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life…”

a. Christ presented Himself to them as Eternal God, and as crucified, buried, and resurrected Man.

b. First, He presents Himself as Eternal God—“…the First and the Last…”

(1) This is the essential starting point for all Christology—the Deity and manhood of Jesus

(2) The key formulation in the Deity of Christ is that He is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, and is of the same essence.

(a) The Arians, the most dangerous and successful of the Anti-Trinitarian cults of the early church, gave (they thought) a high position to Jesus—

(b) He was, they said, the highest of created beings, and that He had created everything else, but that He was of a different essence than the Father.

(3) But of course, that is both a heresy and faint praise, because Christ and His Father are One.

(4) So when the crucified, risen, and glorified Lord says, “I am the first and the last…” He is expressing the same Truth wrote by John in (John 1:1-3) 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.

(a) In this passage, the “was” verbs are all in the imperfect tense—continuous activity in times past. Since the “time” is eternity, then these verbs carry the meaning of “in the beginning, the Word already was,” which is how it is said in the NLT for this verse. John 1-1-3 “… In the beginning the Word already existed….The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him,and nothing was created except through him.

(b) The Father, Son, and Spirit are co-existent, because the Spirit is of the same essence as the Son, who is the same essence as the Father—John 10:30, 14:15-17,

(c) The Father, Son, and Spirit Son are co-eternal—Jn 1:1-3 and Heb 9:14

(John 6:63) ""It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."

(John 7:39) "But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

(John 14:17) ""the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."

(John 14:26) ""But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

(John 15:26) ""But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me."

(John 16:13) ""However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."

c. He is God, but He is also Man—the Eternal and Immense came as an embryo. “…who was dead, and came to life…” Why is this part of His humanity of particular usefulness here?

(1) They were under persecution, some of them had died, and it is likely that many more would die—no matter how strong a believer one is, when we are facing old, cold, river Jordan, we need a reminder and encouragement.

(2) He was dead—“…Which was dead (hos egeneto nekros). Rather, “who became dead” (second aorist middle indicative of ginomai) as in 1:18….” (ATR)

(3) But He Was Not Dead For Long—“…And lived again (kai ezēsen). First aorist (ingressive, came to life) active of zaō (ho zōn in 1:18). Emphasis on the resurrection of Christ. …” (ATR)

(4) The Impact—

(a) In His Life, Christ Died. He died a painful, humiliating, gruesome death. He passed through Old Jordan on the stormy side. He walked the path that many of these persecuted believers will have to walk. He has had to go through assigning his mother to a close friend for care. He publicly was shamed and cursed, and made a public spectacle. And, not just these persecuted Christians or only the persecuted face this. Unless Jesus returns first, we will all have to cross Old Jordan.

(b) He Came back to life—not a passive verb, mind you, but an active verb—He got up, and He stayed up! (John 10:17-18) ""Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.""

(c) Again, a central doctrine that is of great practical use—the persecuted church of Smyrna needed to hear about eternal life!

2. The Providential Position Of The Church at Smyrna—(Rev 2:9) "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich)…”

a. To be known is more vital than to know…(Phil 3:8-10) "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…"

b. He Knows their works

(1) We are not saved by works, but if we are saved, there will be works—Eph 2:8-10

(2) But look at the grace in this statement—as God counts things—our works? Without Him, there would be no works, but in His mercy, He graciously gifts this suffering church, crediting them with what they had done aright, and passing over anything negative that might be there.

(3) And, we often, because we believe in Grace, ignore the importance of works

(4) But evangelical works, those done as a result of salvation, those for which no merit is claimed, these works of the Spirit in our lives, God honors—but we must always let Him do the honoring, and we should not be much in love with our own works.

(1 Tim 2:10) "but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works."

(1 Tim 5:10) "well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work."

(1 Tim 5:25) "Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden."

(Titus 2:7) "in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,"

(Titus 2:14) "who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."

(Titus 3:8) "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men."

(Titus 3:14) "And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful."

(1 Pet 2:12) "having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation."


c. He knows their tribulation—thilipsis, pressure, like that of an olive press.
(Mat 24:21) ""For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be."

(John 16:33) ""These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.""

(1 Th 3:4) "For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know."

(2 Th 1:4) "so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,"

(2 Tim 3:12) "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

(1 Pet 5:8-10) "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you."

d. He knows their poverty as this worlds goods go—kai ptōcheian—MacArthur says that this word indicates not “the working poor,” not someone who struggles to survive, but it indicates those who have nothing at all

(Acts 3:6) "Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.""

(Acts 8:2) "And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him."

(Mat 8:20) "And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.""

(2 Cor 6:10) "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

(2 Cor 8:9) "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."

e. He knows how rich they are

(1) They have the riches of eternal life
(2) They are joint heirs with Christ
(3) They have the wealth of the universe
(4) They are rich in the things of the Spirit

f. The Persecutions Against Smyrna, Past, Present, and Future—(Rev 2:9-10) " … I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. {10}… Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. …”

(1) There was a synagogue of lost Jewish people there in Smyrna.

(2) They, however, were more than that—they were called by John a “synagogue of Satan.” Their unbelief was particularly powerful and their actions more evil because they were supernaturally influenced and empowered by the Enemy

(3) Note, it isn’t the Roman authorities nor the false Jews who were going to put the church in Smyrna to the test, but Satan, the Accuser of the Brethren

(Zec 3:1-2) "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?""

(Rev 12:10) "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down."
3. Christ and the Persecuted Church

a. Christ’s Exhortation to Smyrna—(Rev 2:9-10) "…(but you are rich)… … that you may be tested……Be faithful until death…”

(1) They are going to be tested

(2) Some are obviously going to die, and they will have to take the ultimate stand.

(3) But many of the rest will be under this attack, and Jesus exhorts them.

b. Christ’s Promises to Smyrna— (Rev 2:9-10) "… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life….(Rev 2:11) "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'

(1) For those who will die—the crown of life— The crown of life (ton stephanon tēs zōēs). See this very image in James 1:12, a familiar metaphor in the games at Smyrna and elsewhere in which the prize was a garland. See also 3:11. The crown consists in life (2:7). See Paul’s use of stephanos in 1 Cor 9:25; 2 Tim 4:8. (ATR)

(2) What about the other crowns?

(1 Cor 9:25) "And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."

(Phil 4:1) "Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved."

(1 Th 2:19) "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?"

(2 Tim 4:8) "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."

(James 1:12) "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

(1 Pet 5:4) "and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."

(Rev 2:10) ""Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."

(Rev 3:11) ""Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown."
(Rev 4:4) "Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads."

(Rev 4:10) "the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:"

(3) For those who overcome—the saved, we shall be saved from the second death.