Revelation 2:8-11 Smyrna: The Suffering Church
The City of Smyrna:
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Smyrna was a port city located about 35 miles from Ephesus
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Smyrna was referred to as the "Glory of Asia"
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It was a center of learning
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It was a center of culture
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Smyrna was a wealthy city
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It stood at the end of the road which served the Hermus River Valley
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All the trade from that valley flowed into and out of the Smyrna port
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Smyrna was a city deeply committed to idolatry
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It was home to the Temple of Cybele (the mother of the gods)
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It was home to the Temple of Apollo
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It was home to the Temple of Askiepios
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It was home to the Temple of Aphrodite
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It was home to the Temple of Zeus
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Smyrna was a city deeply committed to Emperor worship
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They built the Temple to Dea Roma (the goddess of Rome) in 196 BC
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They built the first Temple for Emperor Tiberius Caesar in 23 AD
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Smyrna had a large Jewish population
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The Jews in Smyrna compromised with the Smyrnan culture
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They participated in idol worship
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They participated in Emperor worship
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The Jews in Smyrna persecuted the Christians
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They persecuted the Christians because of their faith in Christ
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They persecuted the Christians because of their refusal to compromise their faith in Christ
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Romans 13:14
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2 Corinthians 6:14-15
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Matthew 6:24
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James 4:4
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Christ is familiar with suffering:
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Isaiah 53:3
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Christ was despised
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Christ was forsaken
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Christ was a man of sorrows
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Christ was acquainted with grief
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Isaiah 53:4
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Christ bore our grief
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Christ carried our sorrows
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Isaiah 53:5
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Christ was pierced for our transgressions
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Christ was crushed for our iniquities
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Our chastening fell on Him
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Christ was scourged
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Isaiah 53:7
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Christ was oppressed
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Christ was afflicted
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Christ was led to slaughter
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Isaiah 53:8
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Christ was oppressed
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Christ was judged
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All believers will suffer persecution:
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Acts 14:22
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2 Timothy 3;12
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1 Peter 4:12
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Philippians 1:29
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1 John 3:13
To the angel of the church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8):
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Christ is the first and the last
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This speaks to the eternalness of Christ
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Isaiah 41:4
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Isaiah 44:6
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Isaiah 48:12
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Christ is the one who was dead and who had come to life
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This speaks to Christ as being victorious over sin and death
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Death could not hold Christ (Hebrews 2:14)
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Death cannot defeat believers (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)
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I know (Revelation 2:9):
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I know your tribulation
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Tribulation here is the idea of a monolithic rock crushing whatever lies beneath it
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Tribulation here is the idea of intense and constant pressure
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Christ knew what the Christians in Smyrna were facing
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Christ knows what you are facing right now
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I know you poverty
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Poverty here is a reference to the most hopeless level of poverty that you've ever seen
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The persecution that the Smyrnan Christians faced led to this abject poverty
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Christians were robed because of their faith
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It was not considered a crime in Smyrna to rob Christians
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Christians were not able to work because of their faith
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Those that had jobs were fired at their first refusal to compromise their faith
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The Romans would not hire Christians because they refused to worship the Emperor
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The Jews would not hire Christians because they were followers of Christ
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Christians lost their home because of their faith
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Christians were considered outcasts (worse than lepers) because of their faith
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Christians were considered traitors because of their faith
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They were traitors to the Romans because they refused to worship the Emperor and the Roman gods
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They were traitors to the Jews because they worshipped Christ
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I know that you are being blasphemed
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Blasphemed means to speak irreverently about
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The Christians were being blasphemed by those that claimed to be Jews
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Christ says that these people were not Jews, but rather a synagogue of Satan
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A true Jew would never reject Christ as the Messiah
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The Jews, of the 1st Century, knew the Old Testament prophecies and promises concerning the coming of the Messiah
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The 1st Century Jews rejected Christ as Messiah because He didn't fit their expectations of what the Messiah would be
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Synagogue of Satan
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Synagogue is a local Jewish congregation
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Matthew 23:27
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Matthew 7:22-23
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You will have tribulation for 10 days (Revelation 2:10):
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This persecution was from Satan (Ephesians 6:12)
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The tribulation mentioned here refers to a trouble that they would not have to endure if they had not been Christians
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10 Days
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Some argue that the 10 days equals 10 years
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Some argue that the 10 days is a Greek expression meaning a short time
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Some argue that it is a reference to a literal 10 days
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Some argue that John was predicting coming persecution under 10 different Roman Emperors
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Domitian
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Trajan
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Marcus Aurelius
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Septimus Severus
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Maximus Thrax
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Decius
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Valerian
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Diocletian
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Licinius
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Julian
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Our trials are used by God to purify and discipline us
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1 Peter 1:6-7
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Romans 8:17
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James 1:12
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Job 23:10
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1 Peter 4:12-19
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Great truth: Our present suffering is temporary
Christ encourages the believers at Smyrna (Revelation 2:10):
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Do not fear
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Fear = False Evidences Appearing Real
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2 Timothy 1:7
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John 14:1
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Joshua 1:9
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Isaiah 43:1
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Any church that is grounded in the Word of God is a threat to Satan and will face attack and persecution
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Be faithful
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The word faithful means to be loyal, to be steadfast, to be resolute, to have unswerving commitment
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All believers are commanded to be faithful
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Deuteronomy 5:32-33
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Hebrews 10:23
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Christ promises the Crown of Life to those that are faithful
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1 Corinthians 9:24-25
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1 Peter 1:3-4
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James 1:12
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He who has an ear (Revelation 2:11)
He who overcomes (Revelation 2:11)
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He will not be hurt by the second death
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The second death was a Jewish rabbinic expression for the total extinction of the utterly wicked