A King Who's Patience Will Wear Out: Letter to the Church at Thytira (Revelation 2:18-29)

Did anyone wake up this morning seriously concerned about whether or not they were going to have any food to eat today?  Probably none of us woke up this morning facing such a scenario.  However, some believers in the church at Thyatira that we are going to look at today did face such a scenario.  Thyatira was known for its many trade guilds, which were groups of tradesmen or women in partnership with one another.  Thyatira was a city with a guild for nearly every trade and each guild was dedicated to a particular god or goddess (pagan or imperial), so that participation in the guild would include idolatrous worship of that god or goddess as well as participation in the pagan festivities associated with them.  In order to make a living and to buy life’s basic necessities, one had to participate in this system. 

Rather than allow participation in such immoral and idolatrous practices, Jesus rebuked the church at Thyatira for their toleration of immorality and idolatry and charged to them to repent and hold fast until His return.  This letter to the church at Thyatira is the longest of the seven letters and is perhaps the most disturbing of them all.  We must listen closely to the message of this letter because the church today is also under tremendous pressure to compromise with the pagan culture around us.  The difference is that our pressure is a pressure to “fit in,” while the pressure these believers faced was to survive.  If Jesus’ words are this strong for a church simply trying to survive, how much stronger and more disturbing would His words be for the toleration of sin in the church in our culture? 

[18] “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. [19] “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. [20] But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. [21] I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. [22] Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, [23] and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. [24] But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. [25] Only hold fast what you have until I come. [26] The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, [27] and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. [28] And I will give him the morning star. [29] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Revelation 2:18-29 ESV) Let’s consider four truths from this passage.

I.     Even a Messed-Up Church can Get Some Things Right (19)

Jesus begins His diagnosis (19-21) of the church at Thyatira with a commendation that He knows their good “works” and that their “latter works exceed the first.”  The good works mentioned here are “your love and faith and service and patient endurance.”  In other words, there was a faithful remnant in this church and there was some faithfulness on the part of this church. These words become all the more significant when you consider that many of the faithful believers in this church would be looking for their next meal for refusing to partake in the immorality and idolatry around them.  That’s the type of “patient endurance” that their “faith” required of them.  It is also commendable that there were other believers in the church willing to “love” them and serve them so they could survive.  Unlike the church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7), this church was gradually becoming a more loving church rather than a less loving church. 

I take from this commendation that even a messed-up church can get some things right.  Even a church that has gone off the deep end can have a remnant of faithful believers in it.  We must strive for balance in how we approach tolerance of sin in the church and our critiques of other church’s tolerance or intolerance of sin. The church at Ephesus was commended for being intolerant of sin but rebuked for being unloving.  The church at Thyatira is commended for being loving but rebuked for being too tolerant of sin.  In our critiques, may we follow Christ’s example by commending what is commendable and rejecting what is condemnable. 

II.   Toleration of Immorality and Idolatry in the Church and in Our Lives is a Serious Matter (20-21)

We see how serious a matter the toleration of sin in the church and in our lives is in (1) the allusion Jesus uses and in (2) the language Jesus uses.  Jesus’ rebuke is that this church is tolerating “the woman Jezebel” (20-21).  Please catch that: He does rebuke Jezebel and her followers, but His rebuke for the church is that they are tolerating Jezebel and her followers.  In the Old Testament, Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, King of the Sidonians, who married King Ahab of the Northern kingdom (1 Kings 16:29-33).  She enticed Ahab to worship Baal and Asherah, enlisting some 400 prophets of Asherah and 450 prophets of Baal.  She also slew many of Yahweh’s prophets and “programmatically led the northern kingdom into Baal worship and sorcery,”[1] which was marked by ritual prostitution and licentiousness.  1 Kings 21:25 says, “There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.”  For her wickedness she was thrown from a window in Jezreel, trampled by horses, and eaten by dogs (2 Kings 9:30-37). 

“Jezebel” is probably a reference to a prominent woman who is a false teacher in the church.  Jesus says that she “calls herself a prophetess,” but is in actuality “teaching and seducing” His servants to “practice sexual immorality” and to “eat food sacrificed to idols” (20).  This “Jezebel” was encouraging believers to partake in the immoral and idolatrous practices of the city in order to maintain their social status and livelihood.  Jesus calls this teaching the “deep things of Satan” (24).

The language that Jesus uses here is also disturbing.  Whereas with the other churches, their diagnosis is followed by a prescription to repent, this toleration of Jezebel here has apparently worn out God’s patience because He says that He has already “gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.”  These people have HAD their chance to repent.  This teaches us that rebellion (refusing to repent) is a serious matter, because God’s patience will eventually wear out. 

“Sexual immorality” is a reference to literal sexual immorality and is also a metaphor for rebellion and idolatry (21-22).  This too is a day when sexual immorality is rampant in the church.  Sexual immorality doesn’t just mean sex at a pagan festival.  Sexual immorality is any sexual activity that takes place outside of the boundaries of marriage as defined by Scripture.  Your body is not your own; it belongs to God, your Owner and Creator (1 Corinthians 6:18-20) and is only to be shared by your spouse.  Also, no man or woman’s body whom you aren’t married to belongs to you.  I hope you see the gravity of this sin in these two letters to Pergamum and Thyatira.  You will encounter the wrath of God if you persist in sexual immorality.  One reason that sexual immorality is so serious to God is that it is a picture of spiritual adultery, and we see it used that way in this letter. 

We also can identify with the temptation to comprise with world around us in order to save ourselves.  Many believers compromise today in an effort to keep their jobs and social status.  Have you? 

III.Toleration Immorality and Idolatry in the Church and in Our Lives Provokes the Wrath of God (18, 22-23)

There are two ways in which we see God’s imminent judgment in this address.  It is seen in Christ’s description of Himself (18) and in the pronouncement of judgment that Jesus issues (22-23).  Jesus’s description of Himself as “the Son of God” is very important.  Together with verse 26-27, this addressed is wrapped in an allusion to Psalm 2.  

Psalm 2:1-9: [2:1] Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? [2] The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, [3] “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” [4] He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. [5] Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, [6] “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” [7] I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. [8] Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. [9] You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”  This allusion communicates God’s judgment upon the nations.  Judgment is also communicated His “eyes like a flame of fire” and His “feet like burnished bronze.”  These two images communicate Christ’s penetrating insight and intent to judge what He sees, and also the power to judge what He sees.  This is confirmed by verse 23: these flaming eyes search “mind and heart” in order to give to everyone what they deserve.  Jeremiah 17:10 says something similar: “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”  This is not a picture of a sweet and gentle Jesus.  This is an image of a man of war.  Jesus is a Divine Warrior in Revelation.  

Christ also pronounces judgment upon three groups within the church at Thyatira, giving one of them space to repent (21-23).  He spells out the consequences for “Jezebel”, “her children,” and those who have committed spiritual adultery with her.  “Jezebel” herself will be thrown “onto a sickbed.”  She has been seducing Christ’s servants to crawl into her “bed” of immorality, so now Jesus will “throw” her onto a “bed” of sickness and death (a bed of judgment).  Jezebel’s “children,” or followers, will be struck dead.  This is a group who has become so loyal as her disciples that they too are beyond repentance and can expect only judgment.  Ironically, Jezebel and Ahab’s seventy sons were killed as a consequence for their rebellion as well (1 Kings 21:20-24). 

Finally, “those who have committed adultery with here will also be thrown into great tribulation (terrible suffering, the kind that unbelievers will experience in Revelation), unless they repent of their works.”  Notice that this group still has time to repent and the connection between sexual immorality and spiritual adultery here.  This means that there has to be some distinction in dealing with immorality in the church between those who are in an outright struggle and those who are in open rebellion.  People who are struggling need to be afforded opportunity to repent.  This is the beauty of redemptive church discipline: it affords every possible opportunity to repent, so that by the time someone is removed, it has become clear that they have set their face like flint to rebel. 

Notice also that Jesus wants this display of wrath to be seen and for something to be learned from it (23b).  Jesus says that He wants all the churches know that He is the one “who searches mind and heart” and based upon that knowledge will “give to each one of you according to your works.”  The church learns something essential about the character of Christ through His judgment: that He is holy!  This is one of the functions of not tolerating sin in the church (church discipline): to communicate Christ’s intolerance of sin and His faithfulness to judge so that others may fear (1 Timothy 5:20).  May I just add here that the vindication of who God is matters way more to God than we do. 

This is very disturbing and sobering message for the church.  Jesus will be faithful to judge sin, even if the church isn’t.  What is more is that He will even judge the church for tolerating what He refuses to tolerate.  We learn here that Jesus’ patience CAN run out.  People who call themselves Christians should never presume upon God’s grace and use it as an excuse to sin.  We must always repent while there is time, because if we do not there may not be time.  This may be the last chance some of us in this room ever have to repent. 

IV. The Rewards Promised to the Church are Far too Great to Tolerate Immorality and Idolatry in the Church or in Our Lives (24-29)

Thankfully, there was a group of believers in this church who had not crawled into bed with Jezebel (24-25).  For the rest of the Christians in Thyatira (1) who do not hold to Jezebel’s teaching and (2) have not learned what some call “the deep things of Satan,” Jesus promises not to lay upon them any other burden. His only prescription for the faithful is to “hold fast what you have until I come.”

Those who do so will receive the promise given to those who conquer (26-29).  Notice here how it is reiterated that one who conquers is one who holds fast until Jesus comes.  A conqueror is one who keeps “Jesus’ works until the end” (26).  This does not mean that Christians work for their salvation, but it does mean that people who have experienced salvation WORK until Jesus comes!  They make it, by God’s grace, to the end.  God’s people don’t go AWOL indefinitely. 

The one who conquers will be given two things that both signify a share in Christ’s end-time reign.  They will first be given “authority over the nations” and will exercise this authority by ruling (shepherding) them with a “rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces.”  This image is again an allusion to Psalm 2.  Psalm 2 makes this statement about the Messiah Himself, but here we see (as we do in other places in the New Testament: 1 Cor. 6:3, 2 Tim. 2:11-13, Rev. 20:4, 22:29-30) that those who endure to the end will share in Christ’s reign over the nations.  They will also be given the “morning star” (28).  Jesus is said to be the “morning star” in Revelation 22:16 and these are probably allusions to Numbers 24:14-20, which is also language used of the Messiah and His coming reign.  So those who conquer get Jesus and get to share with Him in the Messianic reign to come.  Remember what this promise means to these Christians in Thyatira.  If they hold fast, there is coming a day when they will rule over their oppressors. 

Please don’t let this call to hear what the Spirit says to the “churches” go in one ear and out the other.  These are glorious promise of eternal life and God’s protection from everything that this world can throw at you, even death!!!  In the same breath, these are also sober promises of judgment for anyone who refuses to repent, who is more fearful of man than of God and is willing to tolerate sin, and who does not remain faithful until the end.  Don’t be ignorant of Satan’s devices, for he desires to do something very elementary, but also very eternally devastating: to lead you astray from “a pure and sincere devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3).  Embrace Him today as the reigning Son of God in your life.  He has borne all the judgment of God on your behalf so that you could spend eternity with Him. 

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[1] Grant Osborne, Revelation, 155

A King Who Will Have No Rivals: Letter to the Church at Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17)

What does it mean for two teams to be rivals?  The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a “rival” as “one of two or more striving to reach or obtain something that only one can possess.”  Rivalries come in many different forms, but we all understand that in a rivalry only one side can win.  Spiritually, there is a rivalry that goes in the heart of every human being: the war to worship our Creator or to worship some rival to His glory.  This rivalry has eternal consequences, for our Creator has declared that there are to be no rivals to His throne.     

In Revelation 2:12-17, Jesus reminded the church at Pergamum that He was a King who would suffer no rivals and charge them to repent.  This is a timely message for the church today.  We must remember that Jesus is a King who will suffer no rivals in our church or in our lives.  My prayer today is that we would recognize any rival to Christ’s glory in our lives, repent of that idolatry, and swear full allegiance to Jesus Christ. 

[12] “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. [13] “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. [14] But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. [15] So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. [16] Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. [17] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’ (Revelation 2:12-17 ESV)

I.              Jesus Will Not Allow His Church to Serve Two Masters (13-14)

Remember that Satan attacks the church from both without (as a roaring lion: 1 Peter 5:8) through persecution and from within (as an angel of light: 2 Corinthians 11:14) through corruption.  We see both of these attacks here upon the church at Pergamum.  What we are going to see is that they were standing up to one but not the other. 

Jesus commends the church at Pergamum for faithfully enduring attacks from without (13).  Like Smyrna, Pergamum was a place where worshipping Jesus as Lord would get a person persecuted and possibly even killed.  Jesus calls the city where they dwell the place “where Satan’s throne is” and “where Satan dwells.”  This church was planted in Satan’s front yard.  Most commentators believe that Pergamum is described this way because it was the capital city of Asia Minor and was the official center for imperial worship.  It was the first city to build a temple to a living Emperor (Augustus in 29 B.C.).  Pergamum was also a center of pagan worship as well, with temples to Zeus, Athene, Dionysos, Asklepios.  It was the seat of satanic power in Asia Minor. 

In spite of the persecution that this church was facing, they were holding fast to His name.  He says that they had not denied His faith even in the days when His “faithful witness” Antipas was killed.  The point is that this church was being faithful against Satan’s persecution.  They were holding up against the attack from the outside.  Notice also that this is the fourth time that we have seen the truth that those who belong to Jesus will suffer in a world hostile to Him (1:9, 2:3,9-10). 

“BUT” Jesus also has a rebuke for this church (14-15).  He has “a few things” against them: they are not faithfully enduring attacks from within.  They have a group of people in the church who are teaching believers to engage in idolatry and immorality.  The connecting phrase, “so also,” in verse 15 implies that the “Nicolaitans” are leading this church astray in the same way that “Balaam” led the sons of Israel astray.  So “the teaching of Balaam” (14) is an illustration of “the teaching of the Nicolaitans” (15). 

Jesus says that Balaam “taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel” (14b).  This account takes place in Numbers 22-25.  Balak was the king of Moab when the Israelites were traveling through the wilderness to the Promised Land.  Since he feared the Israelites, he decided to hire the prophet Balaam to curse the people of Israel.  Though God would warn Balaam not to, he eventually agreed and tried to curse them multiple times.  However, each time Balaam tried to curse God’s people, he ended up blessing them because no spirit speaking through Balaam could curse what God had already blessed.  So according to Numbers 31:16, Balaam then advised Balak to send the daughters of Moab among the sons of Israel to seduce them.  This way, God would judge them!  This is the “stumbling block” that Jesus mentions here.  This resulted in Israel sacrificing, eating, and bowing to the gods of Moab and so kindled the wrath of God that 24,000 Israelites were killed in a day. 

Likewise, in the church at Pergamum, there were false teachers called the “Nicolaitans” teaching believers that they could eat “food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality” (14).  Now this is not the same issue of Christian liberty that Paul addresses in some of his letters (Romans 14:13,21; 1 Corinthians 8:4-13; 10:18-31).  This is more in line with what the Jerusalem council decided in Acts 15:20-21, namely, “meat that was eaten at pagan feasts rather than that sold in the open market after having been offered to idols.  ‘Sexual immorality’ should also be understood literally as a part of the pagan festivities.”[1] The “Nicolaitans” were teaching Christians that they could partake in the idolatrous and immoral feasts that would take place at many of the imperial and pagan temples.  Jesus here REBUKES this church for thinking that way and for tolerating that teaching.

Worldliness had crept into this church.  They were a church that was trying to serve two masters.  Jesus said this was impossible (Matthew 6:24).  Remember that in a rivalry, there cannot be two winners.  Likewise, no church and no Christians can serve two masters, because Jesus will not suffer any rival to His throne.  We either worship Jesus or we worship some rival to His throne, which we call an idol.  Idolatry is simply the worship of something or someone other than the one true God of the Bible.  It is the worship of some rival to His glory.  Here’s why this is important: WE ALL WORSHIP because God created us as worshippers.  It is not a question of “if” we will worship, but of “what” we will worship.  

This is such a relevant word for the church in America today.  We seem to live under the same illusion that we can claim to belong to Jesus and worship all the gods of American culture as well (money, possession, recreation, entertainment, sex, power & fame, etc.).  Worldliness has crept into the church once again.  Much has been written about how little difference there is between the world and the church in this country.  We pursue the same goals, we’re in just as much debt, we have similar values, our marriages are just as pitiful, etc.  Could it be that we are living under the illusion that we can serve two masters?  God help us when we are more passionate about watching some stupid television program than we are about the fame of Christ’s name!  What rivals to God’s fame are present in your life?

II.            Jesus Promises to Judge Those Who are Unrepentant (12,16)

Because this church was trying to serve two masters, Jesus’ prescription for them is to “THEREFORE REPENT” (16a).  Repentance for this church will certainly mean repenting of idolatry and immorality the part of some, but repentance as a church will also mean refusing to tolerate these false teachers, their doctrine, and the immorality in the church.  This church is a contrast to the church at Ephesus, which was commended by Christ for not tolerating false teachers and immorality in the church (2:2,6). 

Jesus says that if they do not repent, He will come soon and “war against them” with the sword of His mouth (16b).  Did you notice this description of Christ given to this church in verse 12?  He is the one “who has the sharp two-edged sword.”  This sword is an instrument of judgment.  Revelation 19:15,21 says that this sword is for the striking down of the nations.  It is a weapon of war that Jesus will use to wage war against the unrepentant. 

These are serious consequences for idolatry and immorality in the lives of people who call themselves Christians and in the life of the church.  One of the beautiful things about the book of Revelation is how interconnected it is.  Both idolaters and the sexually immoral are found in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8).  This means that Jesus’ waging war against the unrepentant will result in their eternal judgment. 

In a conversation this week I was warned that if a church actually took some of these warnings seriously and refused to tolerate sin within the church that it would cause more harm than good.  I was told that it would simply stir up too much.  It is true that the type of intolerance that Jesus commends will not go over well with everyone in such an age of unqualified tolerance and everyone thinking, “that’s none of your business.”  While I admit that I am somewhat fearful of the fallout that could ensue from removing someone from a church’s membership, I am much more fearful of this image of the risen Lord Jesus ready to wage war against the church that tolerates immorality!  May we remember who we are called to ultimately be faithful to and that He WILL be faithful to judge both immorality and the toleration of it in His church. 

III.         Jesus Promises to Reward Those Who are Repentant (17)

There is good news.  Jesus also promises to reward those who are repentant.  The “one who conquers” will be given two things.  He will be given (1) “some of the hidden manna” and (2) “a white stone” with a “new name” on it that “no one knows except the one who receives it.”  Now there are several things that the “hidden manna” and the “white stone” could mean, but at a bear minimum, they refer to the conqueror’s eternal reward.  I say this because all the promises to the conquerors in these seven addresses seem to be promises of eternal life or reward (2:7,11,17, 26-28, 3:5,12,21). 

Having said that, I take this to mean that the one who conquers will be given a personal ticket to the Messianic banquet in God’s future kingdom.  There was a Jewish tradition, or legend, that believed that Jeremiah had taken a pot of manna and hidden it in the ark before the Temple was destroyed in the Old Testament.  According to tradition, when the Messiah came, He would restore the Temple for good and the ark and would partake of this “hidden manna” with His people.  The meaning of the “white stone” that most fits this picture is those given to gladiators who were victorious at the games.  They could use these white stone for admission to prominent banquets that common people and slaves were not allowed to attend.  It was sort of like a “VIP” pass.  Here it functions as a promise that for refusing the idolatrous, immoral pagan feasts, they will participate in Christ’s end-time feast.  I take the “new name” to be a reference to Christ’s name (3:12).  That no one knows this name except those who receive it does not mean that it is a secret, but that simply that the unrepentant cannot know or experience this reality. 

Notice again that persevering, or conquering, involves repenting.  In other words, that Jesus is not to be rivaled in your life doesn’t mean that you won’t have to repent from time to time.  True believers still find themselves seeking to serve two masters at times, but true believers will repent when they see what is taking place.  The reason we do so is because we see, with the eyes of faith, a King who offers an infinitely better sustenance and satisfaction than anything this rival world offers.  In John 6:22-59, Jesus said that He was the “manna” that had come down from heaven for the eternal sustenance and satisfaction of His people and that the way He would accomplish their eternal sustenance and satisfaction was by dying for them.  All one has to do to experience this is to come to Him and embrace Him as King above all other rivals.  Will you do so today?

The address to the church at Ephesus taught us that Jesus is a King worthy of utter devotion.  The address to the church at Smyrna taught us that Jesus is a King worth dying for.  This address to the church a Pergamum teaches us that Jesus is King who will suffer no rivals. Church, He is worth forsaking any rival to His glory.  Never forget that. 

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[1] Mounce, Revelation, 81

A King Worth Dying For: Letter to the Church at Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11)

How do we determine the value of something?  If I have a sports card with an estimated value of $1,000.00, but my friend John will not pay more than $100.00 for it, how much is it worth?  I would say that it is worth $100.00 to John, because the value someone places upon something is determined by the price they are willing to pay for it.  I bring that up today in order to ask you this question: how much is Jesus worth to you?  If we follow this logic, Jesus is only as valuable to you as the price you are willing to pay for Him.

In Revelation 2:8-11, Jesus charged the church in Smyrna to pay the ultimate price for His name’s sake.  He called them to be fearless and faithful in the face of suffering and death, and He could ask this of them because Jesus is worth following even into suffering and death.  We must remember just how much Jesus is worth today because believers are still called to be fearless and faithful in the face of suffering and death should we have to face it.  My prayer is that God would use this text today to help us see Jesus as a King worth dying for.

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. “‘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. 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. 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.’ (Revelation 2:8-11 ESV)

I.              Hearing the Text:

Again, each of these seven addresses to the churches has the same basic structure: an introduction (8), addressed to the angel of the church and containing a description of Christ, a body (9-10), containing a diagnosis of the church and a prescription for faithfulness, and a conclusion (11), containing a closing exhortation and a promise.  The theme of each address is a call for the church to persevere in order to experience eternal life. 

a.     Introduction (2:8)

This address is given “to the angel of the church in Smyrna” (9a).  Smyrna was a beautiful and proud Roman city where worship of the imperial court was pervasive.  It was home to temples dedicated to the goddess Roma, Zeus, Cybele, and Tiberius.  There was also a large Jewish population in Smyrna that was actively opposed and hostile towards Christianity. These two factors made for an environment in which a faithful church would suffer greatly, which is exactly what we see in this passage.  This was a persecuted church. 

This again reminds us that those who truly belong to Jesus will suffer in a world hostile to Him.  We’re not even a full two chapters in yet and this is the third time we have seen this theme of the church being a people that are “siblings” and “partners” in patiently enduring persecution and suffering for the sake of Christ’s kingdom (1:9, 2:2).  Probably none of these seven churches identified with this reality more than the church at Smyrna.

This reality also helps us see why Jesus describes Himself as “the first and the last, who died and came to life” (9b).  This would speak volumes to these suffering believers, reminding them that Jesus is the Sovereign Ruler and Victor over suffering and death.  He RULES over all history as “the first and the last,” controlling the past and the future.  He RULES over suffering and death, having displayed this power in His own resurrection from the dead.  As we saw in Revelation 1:17-18, Jesus is the one who holds “the keys to Death and Hades.”  What an encouragement to believers who are suffering for His sake! 

b.    Body (9-10)

What is interesting about the church at Smyrna is that it is one of only two churches that receive no rebuke from Jesus in these addresses.  That means that this was a faithful church, and this faithful church would also be encouraged by Jesus’ diagnosis of their current situation.  Here Jesus reminds them that He is fully aware of His people’s suffering.  Remember that a major truth we learn from the letters to the churches is that Jesus KNOWS His church.  He has omniscient knowledge of their situation.  We see first that He knows the content of their suffering.  The suffering of the church at Smyrna is described as their “tribulation,” their “poverty,” and their “slander” (9a).  In the book of Revelation, “tribulation” refers to persecution when it concerns believers (which is does here) and God’s judgment when it concerns unbelievers.  Part of the persecution that these believers suffered included property destruction, loss of employment, and being barred from buying or selling in the local trade guilds, leaving them in “poverty.”  Notice that even though these believers are experiencing poverty, Jesus also knows that the greater reality is that they are “rich” in Him!  The church at Smyrna also experienced “slander” from a group of people who “say that they are Jews and are not.” 

This shows us that Jesus also knows the source of their suffering.  He knows who is persecuting them, their true identity, and the ultimate power behind them.  Jesus says these slanderers that are claiming to be Jews but are really not are actually part of a “synagogue of Satan.”  This is a reference to the Jewish presence in Smyrna that was hostile to Christianity.  History reports that these Jews would often align with the Romans and encourage them to persecute Christians.  As Paul would explain in Romans 2:28-29, these Jewish people were not truly “Jews.”  Though they claimed to be the people of God, they were in fact tools of Satan, the ultimate source of their persecution.  We’re reminded here that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)  In the book of Revelation, we learn that Satan desires to attack the church both from within (corruption) and from without (persecution). 

Jesus’ prescription for this church reveals that He also knows the extent of their sufferings.  They are “about to suffer” even more (10a).  The “devil” is going to throw some of them “into prison” and they are going to have to be “faithful unto death” (10b).  I take this to mean that some of them are going to have to die for their faithfulness to Jesus.  Church history records that a later pastor of this very church, Polycarp, would be burned alive for his faithfulness to Christ.  But notice that as severe as this suffering will be, it is not something that they should fear.  I’m reminded here of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:26-33: [26] “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. [27] What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. [28] And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. [29] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. [30] But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. [31] Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. [32] So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, [33] but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

This prescription also alerts us to fact that Jesus knows the purpose of their sufferings.  Their sufferings are so that they “may be tested” (10c).  As Sovereign Ruler over suffering and death, Jesus uses our suffering and dying in order to test us.  This “test” works in two ways: it distinguishes genuine believers from nonbelievers and it strengthens the faith of genuine believers through the very tests that they endure.  This is what is means to be more than a conqueror in Christ (Romans 8:37): to have the very trials that we endure serve only to conform us more into the image of our Savior Jesus Christ!

A final thing we see in this prescription is that Jesus knows the reward of their suffering.  This reward is implicit in that their sufferings will be for a period of “ten days” and explicit in that their sufferings will be rewarded with “a crown of life” (10d).  The reference to “ten days” is an allusion to Daniel 1:12-16, and describes a brief period of time.  The allusion to Daniel 1:8-20 is extremely important.  Basically, king Nebuchadnezzar instructed his chief eunuch to take these young Jewish boys and turn them into good pagan boys.  Daniel and his three colleagues were being tempted to compromise with the pagan religion around them and to recognize the king as divine.  When they refused, they were tested for ten days.  So here Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah chose the possibility of being persecuted and even killed for their faith over partaking in the idolatry around them.  After their testing, God exalted them.  I think this allusion is meant to remind these believers that if they will be faithful for their “ten days,” that they will be exalted as well. 

The crown of life is a metaphor for eternal life.  It refers to a victor’s garland, or wreath, that someone would win at athletic games or military victories.  It means that they will be crowned, or rewarded, with eternal life.  This promise reminds us that the Christian life is a race (Hebrews 12:1-3) in which death is the finish line that Jesus stands at with open arms.  It is meant to remind us of what Paul said in Romans 8:18: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” 

c.     Conclusion (11)

Jesus issues another promise to the churches for those who have ears to hear.  He promises that the one who conquers will not be hurt by “the second death” (11).  This is a reference to “the lake of fire,” or the place of final judgment for the wicked (Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8).  This is another promise of eternal life.  It is interesting to note that “cowards” are listed among those who will experience the second death, because what being a “conqueror” will mean for these believers will be refusing to be a coward and remaining “faithful unto death.”  Again, in Revelation, someone who conquers is always someone who perseveres (remains faithful to God) to the very end, because true Christians persevere. 

II.            Heeding the Text:

This is a charge for churches and Christians to be fearless and faithful in the face of suffering and death.  Why can we do so?  Why should we do so? Again, the value of something is determined by the price someone is willing to pay for it.  We can and we should because Jesus is worth following even into suffering and death.  This is the main point that I take from this passage: that believers are called to be fearless and faithful in the face of suffering because Jesus Himself and the rewards that He promises are worth paying the ultimate price of suffering and dying. 

Make no mistake about it, the call to follow Jesus is a call to suffer and die.  As a matter of fact, if one is not prepared to do so, they cannot genuinely call themselves Jesus’ disciples (Luke 9:23-24).   Dietrich Bonheoffer said, “The cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise God-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ.  When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”[1] What is troubling to me is why we who would claim to be willing to die for Jesus are not willing to live for Him.  It is equally troubling to me why we try so hard to fit in with this world when Jesus stated clearly that we would hated by all nations for His sake (Matthew 24:9). 

Also, make no mistake about this: if the church is to fulfill it’s mission to preach the gospel to all peoples, then she must be prepared to embrace suffering and death for Christ’s sake.  There’s a reason unreached people are unreached.  Most of them are either extremely hard to get to or are extremely hostile to Christianity.  Consider the story of John and Betty Stam. 

“They were missionaries with China Inland Mission. Having met each other at Moody Bible Institute, they sailed for China separately—she in 1931, he a year later. They were married by Reuben A. Torrey on October 25, 1933, in Tsinan. John was twenty-six; Betty was twenty-seven.

The region was already dangerous because of the civil war between the Chinese Nationalist Party and the Chinese Communist Party. On September 11, 1934, Helen Priscilla was born. Three months later, her parents were beheaded by the Communists on a hill outside Miaosheo, while tiny Helen lay hidden where her mother left her with ten dollars in her blanket.

Geraldine Taylor, the daughter-in-law of Hudson Taylor (the founder of the China Inland Mission), published the story of the Stams’ martyr- dom two years after their death. Every time I read it, the compounding of the preciousness and the pain by the marriage and the baby make me weep.

‘Never was that little one more precious than when they looked their last on her baby sweetness, as they were roughly summoned the next morning and led out to die. . . . Painfully bound with ropes, their hands behind them, stripped of their outer garments, and John barefooted (he had given Betty his socks to wear), they passed down the street where he was known to many, while the Reds shouted their ridicule and called the people to come and see the execution.

Like their Master, they were led up a little hill outside the town. There, in a clump of pine trees, the Communists harangued the unwilling onlookers, too terror-stricken to utter protest—But no, one broke the ranks! The doctor of the place and a Christian, he expressed the feelings of many when he fell on his knees and pleaded for the life of his friends. Angrily repulsed by the Reds, he still per- sisted, until he was dragged away as a prisoner, to suffer death when it appeared that he too was a follower of Christ.

John had turned to the leader of the band, asking mercy for this man. When he was sharply ordered to kneel—and the look of joy on his face, afterwards, told of the unseen Presence with them as his spirit was released—Betty was seen to quiver, but only for a moment. Bound as she was, she fell on her knees beside him. A quick com- mand, the flash of a sword which mercifully she did not see—and they were reunited.’”[2] The only thing that can put a smile on the face of a mother and father facing execution is the persuasion of a better reward and that those left behind will be cared for by God’s sovereign hand. 

Finally, remember that when we speak of sufferings, especially Jesus’ awareness of them, we must always remember that Jesus’ awareness of our sufferings isn’t only a matter of His omniscience; it is also a matter of His experience.  Jesus is aware of our sufferings because He has tasted ultimate suffering for us.  He has suffered greater affliction than we ever will for us.  It is because of His victory over the grave that His followers can so fearlessly and faithfully stare death in the face and press on.  May we see Him as a King worth dying for today. 

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[1] Dietrich Bonheoffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 99

[2] John Piper, This Momentary Marriage, 13-14