Revelation 2:8-11: The Letter to Smyrna
Revelation - The Lamb is Victorious • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Scripture
Scripture
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 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. 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.’
Outline
Outline
Revelation 1 - Introduction
Revelation 1 - Introduction
Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction
Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction
Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man
Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches
Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches
Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus
Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna
Revelation 2:8 - Address
Revelation 2:9-10 - Message to the Church
Revelation 2:11 - Command to Hear
Purpose of Book
Purpose of Book
The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.
The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.
Main Point
Main Point
Jesus encourages the church in Smyrna to persevere in their faith despite the persecutions they are facing and would face from the Devil
Jesus encourages the church in Smyrna to persevere in their faith despite the persecutions they are facing and would face from the Devil
Revelation 2:8 - Address
Revelation 2:8 - Address
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.
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
To the angel of the church
Celestial being responsible for oversight
There is help for them in the heavenly realm
In Smyrna
Lexham Geographic Commentary on Acts through Revelation Chapter 48: The Social and Geographical World of Smyrna (Revelation 1:11; 2:8–11) (David A. Desilva)
Key Points
• Smyrna, as it was known in the Roman period, was founded under Alexander the Great and his successors, who established the new city as a thriving commercial port.
• Smyrna had a long history of pro-Roman sentiments, building a temple to Roma even while the Seleucid Empire was at its peak and expanding fast in their direction.
• The city showed its devotion through significant involvement in promoting the imperial cult, which was likely a source of stress for Christians in the city.
• Archaeology has not shed light on the role that the Jewish community played in the harassment that the early Christians addressed by John were experiencing or would soon experience.
Write
Command given to John
The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
The first and the last
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
“I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.
12 “Listen to me, O Jacob,
and Israel, whom I called!
I am he; I am the first,
and I am the last.
The Father and Son having parallel attributes thus revealing the high Christology in John’s writings
John encourages the readers, like Isaiah did to the exiles, that Jesus is sovereign over the course of history
Who died and came back to life
9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Revelation 2:9-10 - Message to the Church
Revelation 2:9-10 - Message to the Church
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. 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.
***No Rebuke to Smyrna***
***No Rebuke to Smyrna***
I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich),
I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich),
Your tribulation
The church in Smyrna faces pressure/distress/trouble because of their allegiance to Christ
Your poverty
Economic and social hardships as a result of being Christians
You are rich
And the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
And the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
The slander
Charges of wrongdoing from a legal perspective
Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan
Keep in mind that John is a Jew
John is not writing to spite the Jews in Smyrna, but to encourage the church not to join them/renounce Christ due to persecution
These are ethnic Jews who have rejected God’s saving work through Christ and have partnered with authorities to persecute Christians
Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
Do not fear
Command
What you are about to suffer
Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested,
Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested,
The devil
Job
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
Jesus
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Throw some of you into prison
Officials responding to complaints of the Jews
Prison was not used for minor offenses
Tested
Means to be tempted by the Devil, but tested by God
The Devil meant imprisonment for evil, but God intended it to be a way in which the believers are matured/strengthened
And for ten days you will have tribulation.
And for ten days you will have tribulation.
Ten days
Not literal tens days
Means that the testing will be limited
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Be faithful unto death
Command
Devotion to Christ is the highest priority, regardless of persecution leading to death
I will give you the crown of life
The reward is eternal life just as Jesus has
18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Revelation 2:11 - Command to Hear
Revelation 2:11 - Command to Hear
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.’
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Let him hear
Command
Meant to provoke to get the church to hear and obey
9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
9 And he said, “Go and say to this people, ‘You will hear by hearing and not understand; and although looking, you will look and not see.’ 10 For the heart of this people has been thickened; and they have heard heavily with their ears, and they closed their eyes in case they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I will heal them.”
Reality that there are believers and non-believers who hear this message in the churches
Some will be enlightened, some blinded
Spirit
The Spirit is active and at work through Jesus’ letters to the seven churches
To the churches
Both to the church in Smyrna, but also to the churches of all ages
The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
The one who conquers
Those who conquer the tribulation that is faced on earth and continue in perseverance
Will not be hurt by the second death
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Application
Application
Though persecution is a reality, faith and trust in Christ is our primary focus
Though persecution is a reality, faith and trust in Christ is our primary focus
The ones who are faithful to Christ throughout persecution will not be hurt by the second death
The ones who are faithful to Christ throughout persecution will not be hurt by the second death
Main Point
Main Point
Jesus encourages the church in Smyrna to persevere in their faith despite the persecutions they are facing and would face from the Devil
Jesus encourages the church in Smyrna to persevere in their faith despite the persecutions they are facing and would face from the Devil