Smyrna
Smyrna (100 - 312)
· 8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last,
which was dead, and is alive;
The church at Smyrna was experiencing great persecution, so Jesus reminded them that He is the one
who created all things and the one who will end all things. He is in control. Persecution cannot stop
Him. Crucifixion couldn't even stop Him. He rose from death.
· 9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of
them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Sa-tan.
Jesus knows what his church is facing. He knew they were serving under the most difficult of
circumstances. Their property was being seized and many had no source of income.
Yet, he declares that they were rich. How? They were rich in God. They were spiritually rich. They
were laying up treasures in heaven.
Mt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you.
There were plenty who were rich, but poor.
Mr 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the
right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
We can either be rich in the temporary things of this world or rich in the permanent things of heaven, but
we cannot have both. There are many wealthy believers today who are true believers, but their wealth
means little to them. Their priorities are not on money and they know how to be content with such as
they have.
This church is apparently a church in revival. They heeded the warn-ing to the Ephesian church.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, suppos-ing that gain is
godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Jesus also knows of false brethren who enter the church to destroy it. False Jews, false brethren, who
were of the synagogue (church) of Sa-tan and not of God.
(A synagogue is a Jewish house of worship.)
· 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into
prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life.
We need not live in fear if we belong to Jesus.
Mt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which
is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
In reality, Satan has no power but that which God allows him. Satan may test us, but only because God
allows it in order that we may be strengthened. Remember Job? Satan could only go as far as God
al-lowed him.
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on
every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put
not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
". . . and ye shall have tribulation ten days . . . "
Exactly what is meant by these ten days of persecution is not certain, but history reveals that there were
ten distinct periods of intense per-secution during the Smyrna period. Christians were beaten, jailed,
tor-tured, and killed, yet Jesus urged faithfulness. He even promised a crown of life to those who stood
fast.
10 periods of persecution identified by their Roman Emperors:
1. Nero (64-68 AD) - burned Rome and blamed Christians; crucified and threw Christians into pits
with wild animals; executed Paul and possibly Peter.
2. Domitian (90-96) AD) - killed thousands in Rome; banished John to Patmos.
3. Trajan (104-117 AD) - outlawed Christianity; burned Ignatius at the stake.
4. Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD) - tortured and beheaded Christians.
5. Severus (200-211 AD) - burned, crucified, and beheaded Christians.
6. Maximinus (235-237 AD) - executed Christians.
7. Decius (250-253 AD) - tried to wipe out Christianity and executed those he could find.
8. Valerian (257-260 AD) - tried to wipe out Christianity; executed the Bishop of Carthage.
9. Aurelian (270-275 AD) - persecuted Christians any way he could.
10. Diocletian (303-312 AD) - burned the Scriptures.
" . . . be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
Heavenly crowns mentioned in scripture for overcomers:
1. The Incorruptible crown
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain
a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
2. The crown of rejoicing
1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our
Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
3. The crown of life
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall re-ceive the crown
of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
4. The crown of righteousness
2 Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
5. The crown of glory
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not
away.
· 11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second death.
What is the Second Death? It is the lake of fire.
The Bible teaches that there are two deaths. The first death is physical. The second death is spiritual.
Think of death as separation. The first death is separation of the soul and spirit from the body. The
second death is a separation of the soul and spirit from God. The second death is described as being
cast into the lake of fire forever and having eternal separation from God.
If we are born just once, we will die twice. But if we are born twice, we will die just once.
· 8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last,
which was dead, and is alive;
The church at Smyrna was experiencing great persecution, so Jesus reminded them that He is the one
who created all things and the one who will end all things. He is in control. Persecution cannot stop
Him. Crucifixion couldn't even stop Him. He rose from death.
· 9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of
them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Sa-tan.
Jesus knows what his church is facing. He knew they were serving under the most difficult of
circumstances. Their property was being seized and many had no source of income.
Yet, he declares that they were rich. How? They were rich in God. They were spiritually rich. They
were laying up treasures in heaven.
Mt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you.
There were plenty who were rich, but poor.
Mr 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the
right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
We can either be rich in the temporary things of this world or rich in the permanent things of heaven, but
we cannot have both. There are many wealthy believers today who are true believers, but their wealth
means little to them. Their priorities are not on money and they know how to be content with such as
they have.
This church is apparently a church in revival. They heeded the warn-ing to the Ephesian church.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, suppos-ing that gain is
godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Jesus also knows of false brethren who enter the church to destroy it. False Jews, false brethren, who
were of the synagogue (church) of Sa-tan and not of God.
(A synagogue is a Jewish house of worship.)
· 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into
prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life.
We need not live in fear if we belong to Jesus.
Mt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which
is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
In reality, Satan has no power but that which God allows him. Satan may test us, but only because God
allows it in order that we may be strengthened. Remember Job? Satan could only go as far as God
al-lowed him.
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on
every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put
not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
". . . and ye shall have tribulation ten days . . . "
Exactly what is meant by these ten days of persecution is not certain, but history reveals that there were
ten distinct periods of intense per-secution during the Smyrna period. Christians were beaten, jailed,
tor-tured, and killed, yet Jesus urged faithfulness. He even promised a crown of life to those who stood
fast.
10 periods of persecution identified by their Roman Emperors:
1. Nero (64-68 AD) - burned Rome and blamed Christians; crucified and threw Christians into pits
with wild animals; executed Paul and possibly Peter.
2. Domitian (90-96) AD) - killed thousands in Rome; banished John to Patmos.
3. Trajan (104-117 AD) - outlawed Christianity; burned Ignatius at the stake.
4. Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD) - tortured and beheaded Christians.
5. Severus (200-211 AD) - burned, crucified, and beheaded Christians.
6. Maximinus (235-237 AD) - executed Christians.
7. Decius (250-253 AD) - tried to wipe out Christianity and executed those he could find.
8. Valerian (257-260 AD) - tried to wipe out Christianity; executed the Bishop of Carthage.
9. Aurelian (270-275 AD) - persecuted Christians any way he could.
10. Diocletian (303-312 AD) - burned the Scriptures.
" . . . be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
Heavenly crowns mentioned in scripture for overcomers:
1. The Incorruptible crown
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain
a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
2. The crown of rejoicing
1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our
Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
3. The crown of life
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall re-ceive the crown
of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
4. The crown of righteousness
2 Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
5. The crown of glory
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not
away.
· 11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second death.
What is the Second Death? It is the lake of fire.
The Bible teaches that there are two deaths. The first death is physical. The second death is spiritual.
Think of death as separation. The first death is separation of the soul and spirit from the body. The
second death is a separation of the soul and spirit from God. The second death is described as being
cast into the lake of fire forever and having eternal separation from God.
If we are born just once, we will die twice. But if we are born twice, we will die just once.