LESSON2

THECHURCHOFSMYRNA

You are wel

come t
o anot
heredit
ion of
 I
nsi
ght
sf r
om God's Wor
d,a Bibl
e study
programmethati
scommitt
edtoshari
ngGod'sWordbyal
l
owingtheBibl
etospeakfor
i
tself
.

Inthi
sediti
on,wecontinuewit
hourserieson 
TheSevenChur ches.Thetopi
cforthi
s
studyi
s: 
TheChurchofSmy r
na.Forustohaveacompleteunderstandi
ngofthechur
ch
ofSmy r
na,t
helessonhasbeengroupedi
ntosevensub-
sect
ionsasf oll
ows:

1)HI
STORI
CALBACKGROUNDOFSMYRNA

Smy rnawasabeaut if
ulandweal t
hyci tywithabust li
ngseapor t
.Itwasl ocatedont he
AegeanSeaabout35mi les( 56km)nor t
hofEphesus.I twast hehomeofHomerand
thet empl eofAt hena.Smy rnaat t
ractedal argei nfl
uxofJewswhower ehost i
let o
Chr istians.Ev ent hought hismadet heChr i
st iansi ntheci tyuncomf ortable,thei rmai n
causeofal ar
m hadt odowi tht heof fici
alpaganedi ctwhi chmadet heci tyt hecent r
eof
mandat edemper orwor ship.Thi sedict,event hought houghttoshowacl earloy alt
yt o
the Roman emper or and st ate,st ood i n di rect cont r
adicti
on t o t he second
commandmentoft heDecal ogue.Her ewasanedi ctthattheChr istianswhost ayedi n
theci t
yofSmy r
nacoul dnotcompl ywi th.Thei rrefusalt ohonourt heemper ort hrough
directwor shi
pl edt ov ar iousf ormsofper secut ionsuchasl ossofl egalci t
izenshi p
statusandev enmar tyrdom.Butbef orethef ai thoft hi
sunj ustl
yper secut eddi sciplesof
Chr istcoul dbecr ushedout ,Jesussendst hem at imel
yl ett
erofencour agement .
Scr i
pt ur eissi lentabouthow t he chur ch ofSmy rna wasf ounded.Howev er,iti s
presumedbysomecomment atorst hatthechur chmayhav ebeenest ablishedbyt he
apost l
ePauldur inghi smi ssionar ywor katEphesus( seeAct s19:10) .Themeani ngof
Smy rnai sa" sweetsmel li
ngi ncense"andi ssy nony mouswi t
hmy rrh,akeysy mbolf or
suf feringwhi chf i
t stheexper i
enceofGod' speopl ewi thinthecity.Li kethel ambst hat
wer eof feredi nsacr i
ficeatt heal t
aroft hesanct uar y( seeGenesis8: 21;Lev iti
cus3: 5)
,
theper secution oft heChr isti
ansatSmy r nagav eof fasweetsmel l
ing ar omaof
faithful nesstoGod.

1
2)GREETI
NGWI
THASPECI
FICDI
VINEATTRI
BUTEOFCHRI
ST

"
Andunt
otheangelofthechurchi
nSmy r
nawrit
e;Theset
hingssai
tht
hef
ir
standt
he
l
ast
,whi
chwasdead,andi
saliv
e;"(
Rev
elat
ion2:
8)

KeyExpl anat ion:I nt hi

sgr eet i
ng,Jesuscommandedt heapost l
eJohnt owr i
tet ot he
angeloft hechur chi nSmy rna.Thewor d" angel"wast r
ansl atedf rom theGr eekwor d
"aggelos"whi chl iterall
ymeans" amessenger ;...byi mplicat i
onapast or :
"( St r
ong' s
Concor dance) .Int histext,Chr istaddr essedt hepast ororel deroft hechur chinSmy rna
whohadt her esponsi bili
tytor eadt hel ettertotheent i
rechur ch( seeRev elat i
on1: 3, 4).
InHi sgr eet i
ngt ot hechur ch,Chr i
staddr essest hecongr egat i
onast heOnewhoi st he
fir
standt hel ast ,
whowasdead, andi sal ive.Inthisgr eeting,Chr istdr awst heat tention
oft hebel ieversatSmy r
nat oHi set ernalnat ure;thef actthatHei st hefirstandt helast
andt hatnot hingi nt hepast ,pr esentorf utureescapesHi sat tention.Thr ought histitl
e
Chr i
stassur est hebel i
everst hatHei sawar eoft hei rbr utalsituationofper secut i
onand
willnotf or saket hem i nsuchadi f
ficultt i
me.Her emi ndst hem t hatev ent hought hey
maydi ef ortheirf aithinHi m, Hei salsot heOnewhowasdeadandi sali
v ef orever mor e.
Thet itl
et hatChr i
stut i
l
isedf ort hechur chofSmy rnaencour agedt hesuf feringbel i
ever s
i
nnosmal lway .Theywer er emi ndedt hatt hei
rLor dhadt hr eadedt hesamepat hof
sufferingev enunt odeat handasar esul tunder st oodt heirbr ut
alsi tuation.Butmor e
i
mpor tantlyt heywer eencour agedbyt hef actthatt heirLor dhel di nHi shandt hepower
thatov ercamet hedr eadoft het omb( seeRev el
at ion1: 18)—f ort heirSav iourandLor d
wast heOnewhowasdead,andi sy etal ive,t
hekeyr emi ndert heyneededt opr ess
forwar dinf aithev eni fthatfai t
hwi l
l l
eadt othelikel yfatemar tyrdom.

3)COMMENDATI
ONFORTHECHURCH

"Iknow thyworks,andtr
ibul
ati
on,andpovert
y,(butt
houartri
ch)andIknow the
blasphemyofthem whi
chsayt heyareJews,andarenot
,butar
ethesynagogueof
Satan."(
Rev
elat
ion2:
9)

KeyExpl
anati
on:Theli
ter
alchur
chatSmyr
nawasthepr
imar
yrecipi
entoft
hismessage
fr
om theapost
leJohn.Butthemessaget
othechur
chatSmyrnaalsohadapropheti
c

2
appli
cationt othesi tuati
onandspi r
it
ualconditi
onoft heChrist
ianchur chfrom A.D.100
— 313.Dur ingt hisper i
od,usuall
yreferr
edt oasthepost apostoli
cer a,t
hef oll
owersof
Chri
stwer ev ici
ousl ypersecutedbytheCaesar soft heRomanEmpi r
e.Yetthedi sci
ples
ofChr i
stwhol i
v eddur i
ngt hi
seraarecommendedf orthei
rgoodwor ks,tr
ibulat
ionand
spi
ritualweal th despi t
et heirmateri
alpov ert
y.Theheatofper secut
ion instead of
ext
inguishingt hewor koft hegospelratherencourageditduri
ngt hisera.AsTer t
ull
ian
wil
llatersuccinct l
yputi t
:"Theblood[ofmar t
yrs]i
st heseedoft hegospel".

I
tisi mpor t
antf orust onot et hatint hisverse( i.e.Rev elation2: 9), thewor dJewsi snot
uti
li
sedi nt hel i
teralsense.Thi si swhatwer eadi nr elationt ot hispoi ntf rom Ur i
ah
Smit hinhi spopul arwor konDani elandt heRev elat
ion:" Thatt het erm  Jew isnother e
usedi nal i
ter alsense,i sv eryev ident.Itdenot essomechar acterwhi chwasappr oved
byt hegospelst andar d.Paul ’
sl anguagewi l
lmaket hispoi ntpl ain.Hesay s( Romans
2:
28, 29) :“Forhei snotaJewwhi chisoneout war dly; neitheri sthatci r
cumci si
onwhi ch
i
sout war dint hef l
esh; buthei saJew[ inthet rueChr ist i
ansense]whi chi sonei nwar dly;
andci rcumci sioni st hatoft hehear t,inthespi ri
t,andnoti nt hel etter,whosepr aisei s
notofmen, butofGod. ”Agai nhesay s(chapter9: 6,7) :“Fort heyar enotal lIsraelwhi ch
areofI srael ;nei t
her ,becauset heyar etheseedofAbr aham,ar et heyal lchi ldren.”
I
n Gal ati
ans3: 28,29,Paulf urthert ell
sust hati nChr i
stt herear enosuchout war d
di
stinctionsasJeworGr eek;buti fwear eChr ist’s,thenar ewe  Abr aham’ sseed  (inthe
tr
uesense) ,and  heirs accor dingt othepr omi se.Tosay ,assomedo,t hatt het erm Jew
i
snev erappl i
edt oChr i
stians,i stocont r
adictal lt hesei nspi reddecl arati
onsofPaul ’
s,
andt het est imonyoft hef aithfulandt rueWi tnesst ot heSmy rnianchur ch.Somewer e
hypocr i
ticallypr et
endi ngt obeJewsi nt hi
sChr i
stiansense,whent heypossessed
nothingoft her equi sitechar acter.Suchwer eoft hesy nagogueofSat an." —( DAR352. 2)

4)REBUKEFORTHECHURCH

Christdidnotut teranyr ebuketot hechur chi nSmy rna.TheOnewhowei ghedt he

heartsofmeni nthebal ancesknewper fect
lythatt hefaithoft heSmy rnianChr isti
ans,
event houghsev erelytri
ed,wasst il
lef f
ectualint hegoodwor ksoft hegospel .Ev en
thought heirfaithhadbr oughtuntot hem apr event abl
ef or m ofmat erialpov erty,the
Lordacknowl edgedt hatt heywererichinspi r
itualthings( review Revelation2: 9) .How
ful
fil
li
ngi twi l
lbeunt othoseofuswhol i
veinear th'sf i
nalday sthattheSear cherof
heartswi l
lfindnocauset outteruntousanyr ebuke.Oh!I fthiswast heexper ienceof
theChr i
stiansatSmy rna,socant hatbeourownexper i
encei fwemakeChr istourdai l
y
exampl eandcont inuetor estinthemer itsofthesal vationt hatHehasf ul l
yandf r
eely

3
of
fer
edust
hroughHi
sat
oni
ngsacr
if
iceont
hecr
oss.

5)PRESCRI
PTI
ONFORTHECHURCH

"
Fearnoneoft hosethi
ngswhi
chthoushaltsuf
fer
:behold,thedev i
lshal
lcastsomeof
y
oui nt
opr i
son,thatyemaybetried;andyeshallhavet r
ibulat
iontendays:bethou
f
ait
hfulunt
odeat h,
andIwil
lgi
vet
heeacr ownofli
fe.
"(Revelat
ion2:10)

KeyExpl anat i
on:Event hought heSmy rni
anshadbeenf ai
thfulunderi ntensepressure,
yett hewor stexperiencewast ocomeupont hem i nthenearf utur e.I nthewar ning:
"Fearnoneoft hoset hi
ngswhi chthoushaltsuffer:behold,thedev ilshal lcastsomeof
youi ntopr ison,thaty emaybet r
ied;andy eshal lhavet ri
bulat
iont enday s:bet hou
fai
thf uluntodeat h,andIwi llgi
v et
heeacr ownofl ife"(
Rev el
ati
on2: 10) ,ourLordJesus
Christwhoknewt hemeasur eofthetroubleswhichl ayaheadoft hisal readysufferi
ng
saintssawt heneedt olovi
nglypreparetheirmindssot heycanbeabl etogot hrough
thewor stforHi ssake.

JustasChr isthadpr edi

cted, t
hemostsev ereper secut ionwhi chwast ocomeupont he
churchofSmy rna,l
ayr i
ghtahead.Accor di
ngt otheday -yearpr i
nci
pleofr eckoningt i
me
propheci esi nScr i
pture(seeEzeki el4:6;Number s14: 34),t
het enday stri
bulati
onwhi ch
theLor dpr ophesiedconcer ningt heSmy r
nianChr isti
answasact uallyat eny earf i
er y
tri
alt hatwas soon t o break upon t he church.The i ntense per secuti
on oft his
postapost olic chur ch took place f rom A. D.303- 313 undert he Roman Emper or
Diocletian.I nf act,historyhel ps us to underst and t hatdur ing the y earA. D.303,
Diocletian launched a del i
berately crueland v iolentper secution ofChr i
sti
ans t o
compl et el
yanni hi
l
at eChrist
ianitywithintheRomanEmpi re.Hisef fortwassoi ntense
thatev ent houghhedi edinA. D.305, theactualper secut i
onofChr i
stianst hathebegan
endedi nA. D.313whenConst ant i
net heGreatissuedt heEdi ctofMi l
an,whi chgr anted
Christi
ansr eli
giousf r
eedom.

Chri
st'
swordstotheChri
sti
ansatSmy rna;"bet
houfait
hfuluntodeath,andIwillgi
ve
theeacrownofli
fe"(
Rev
elat
ion2:10)wasl i
keastr
ongropet hr
ownt oadrowningman
atsea.Thecrownofhumanpr oper
ty,r
ichesandli
fei
tsel
fwer elostsi
ghtofwhent he
beli
ever
s'f
ait
hheldandembr acedthecrownoflif
ewhicht hei
rLordhadpr omisedto

4
givethem att heendoft heage( seeJames1: 12;1Pet er5:4) .Fortheirper secut ion,
event houghsev ere,wasbutf orashor tperi
odoft enday s,andcoul dnotbecompar ed
tother ichesofet er
nallifet hatChristhadpr omisedal lthosewhocamet obel iev ein
Him.Li ket hechur chofSmy r na,manyofGod' speopl et odayar eper secutedi ndi verse
way s.Thr ought heapostlePaul ,anencouragementt hatissi mi
lart owhatChr istof fered
theSmy rnianChr i
sti
ansi sal soof f
ereduntoal lofsuchsuf fer
ingbelievers:"17Forour
l
ightaf fl
iction,whichisbutf oramoment ,wor kethf orusaf armor eexceedi ngand
eter
nalwei ghtofglory;18Whi l
ewel ooknotatt het hingswhi char eseen,butatt he
thi
ngswhi char enotseen:f orthet hi
ngswhi char eseenar et empor al
;butt het hings
whichar enotseenar eet ernal"(see2Cor i
nthi
ans4: 17, 18).

6)APPEALTOHEARTHESPI
RIT'
SMESSAGE

"Hethathat
hanear
,lethi
m hearwhatt
heSpi
ri
tsai
thunt
othechur
ches;
"(Rev
elat
ion
2:11)
.

KeyExpl anat ion:Themessageoft hi

stextsuggest st hateachi ndiv i
dualmemberi nthe
churchofSmy r
nawassupposedt opaycl oseat tentiont othecont entsoft hemessage
thathadbeensentt ot heent ir
echur ch.Themember soft hechur chwer enott ov i
ew
themessageasbel ongingt osomeot herf ol
ksi nthechur chbutunt ot hemsel ves.Her e
wear et ol earnsomet hingofpr imei mportance.Messagest hattheLor dsendsunt othe
churchmustbeconsi deredbyeachi ndivi
dualmemberasbei ngappl icableunt ohimsel f
orher self.Mor eov er,thephr aseologyoft het extalsocar r
iesauni versalappl i
cationof
themessaget oal lofGod' speopl ewhowi llfindt hemsel vesi nasi mi l
arsi tuationof
persecut i
onasexper i
encedbyt hepost apostolicchur ch.Mor epar ti
cularly
,t hewar ni
ng
thatChr istgav et heSmy r
nianChr ist
iansconcer ni
ngt heper secutiont hatl ayaheadof
them shoul dbecr iti
cal l
yponder edov erbyal lofGod' speopl ewhol iveint hesecl osi
ng
moment sofear t
h'shi story;forjustast hechur chofSmy r
nawasper secut edf ornot
compr omi singont heirstancei nrelati
ont oemper orwor shipandot herpaganedi ct s,
so
areGod' sendt imepeopl egoi ngtochoosebet weenwor shippingt heCr eatorGodort he
creaturei nt hefor m oft heend- ti
mebeastpowerofRev elati
on( seeRev elation6: 9-11;
Revelation13: 1-18) .

7)BLESSI
NGFORTHEOVERCOMER

5
"
..
.Het
hatov
ercomet
hshal
lnotbehur
toft
heseconddeat
h."(
Rev
elat
ion2:
7)

Inthist ext,Jesuspr omi sest hechur chofSmy r

nat hatev enthought heymaybeki l
led
forthei rfaithnow,t heywi l
lnotbehur toft heseconddeat h.Theseconddeat hi s
ment ionedf ourt imesi ntheent ir
eScr ipturesandal loftheser efer encesar efoundi n
thebookofRev el
ati
on( seeRev elati
on2: 7; Rev el
ati
on20: 6; Rev el
ation20: 14;Revelation
21:8).Thi sdeat hconst i
tutest hef inalsepar ationofsi nner sfrom t hear msofal oving
Father .Itist hest rangeactofGodt hatal lowst hewi lloft hewi ckedt obe,and
separ atesthem f rom Himsel fet ernally( seeI saiah28: 21).Befor et hewi ckedaref inall
y
annihilatedf oreverfrom exi stence,t heygot hrought hef i
eryexecut ivej udgementof
God.Wer eadaboutt hesor didexper i
enceconcer ni
ngt heseconddeat hi nRev el
ation21
asf ollows:" Butt hefearful,andunbel i
ev ing,andt heabomi nabl e,andmur derers,and
whor emonger s,andsor cerers,andi dolat ers,andal l l
iars,
shal lhav et heirpartinthel ake
whichbur nethwi thfi
reandbr i
mst one: whi chist heseconddeat h"(Rev el
ation21:8) .

From theagonyoft hisseconddeat hexper ience,t heSmy rnianChr isti

ansar espar ed.
Thepr omiset hatGodgav et hisgroupofsuf f
eringChr i
stiansal sogoesf oral lthose
whowi l
lsufferpersecut i
onandmar ty r
dom f orthesakeofChr i
st.From Rev elation20,
wer eadofsuchapr omi setoal lbelievers:"Blessedandhol yishet hathathpar tint he
fi
rstresurr
ect i
on:onsucht heseconddeat hhat hnopower ,butt heyshal lbepr iestsof
GodandofChr i
st,andshal lreignwi thhim at housandy ears"( Revel
ation20: 6) .Friends,
thi
spr omisebecomesev ensweet erasJohnex pandsont hebl i
ssoft hesav edi nt he
cit
yofGod:" 3AndIhear dagr eatvoi ceoutofheav ensaying, Behold,thetaber nacleof
Godi swi t
hmen,andhewi lldwel lwi ththem,andt heyshal lbehispeopl e,andGod
himselfshallbewi tht hem,andbet heirGod.4AndGodshal lwipeawayal lt earsf rom
thei
rey es;andt hereshal lbenomor edeath,nei thersorrow,norcr ying,nei thershal l
ther
ebeanymor epai n:forthef or
mert hingsar epassedaway "(Revelati
on21: 3,4) .

Exhort
ati
on:Fr
om thepenofi
nspi
rat
ion,wer
eadt
hef
oll
owi
ngr
emar
ksconcer
ningt
he
churchofSmyrna:

"
Underthefier
cestpersecut
ionthese[postapostol
ic]wit
nessesforJesuskepttheir
f
ait
hunsull
i
ed.Thoughdepr i
vedofev er
ycomf ort
,shutawayf r
om theli
ghtoft
hesun,
makingt
hei
rhomei nthedarkbutfr
iendl
ybosom oft heear
th,t
heyutter
ednocomplai
nt.
Wit
hwordsoffait
h,pati
ence,andhopetheyencouragedoneanothertoendur
epri
vati
on

6
anddistress.Thelossofever
year t
hlybl
essi
ngcouldnotfor
cethem torenouncetheir
bel
iefinChr i
st.Tri
alsandpersecut
ionwerebutstepsbri
ngingthem near
erthei
rr est
andtheirreward.
"—( GC41.
1)

"Li
keGod' sser vantsofol d,manywer e“ t
ortured,notacceptingdel i
verance;t hatthey
mightobtainabet terr esurrecti
on.” Ver se35.Thesecal ledtomi ndt hewor dsoft heir
Master,t
hatwhenper secut edforChr ist'
ssake,t heywer etobeexceedi nggl ad,for
greatwouldbet hei
rr ewar di nheav en;f orsot hepr ophetshadbeenper secutedbef ore
them.Theyr ejoi
cedt hatt heywer eaccount edwor t
hyt osuff
erf orthetruth,andsongs
oftri
umphascendedf rom t hemi dstofcr ackli
ngf l
ames.Looki ngupwar dbyf ai t
h,they
sawChr i
standangel sl eaningov ert hebat tl
ement sofheav en,gazingupont hem wi th
thedeepesti nterestandr egardingt heirsteadfastnesswi t
happr oval.A v oicecame
downt othem f r
om t het hroneofGod:“ Bet houf ai
thfuluntodeath,andIwi llgi
v etheea
crownoflife.
” 
Rev elation2: 10.—( GC41. 2)

"I
nv ainwer eSat an'seffortst odest roythechur chofChr istbyv i
ol ence.Thegr eat
cont rov
ersyi nwhi chthedi sciplesofJesusy iel
dedupt heirli
vesdi dnotceasewhen
thesef aithfulst andard-bearersf ellatt heirpost .Bydef eatt heyconquer ed.God's
wor kmenwer esl ain,butHi swor kwentst eadil
yf orward.Thegospelcont i
nuedt o
spreadandt henumberofi tsadher entstoi ncrease.Itpenetratedi nt
or egi onst hatwere
i
naccessi bleev ent ot heeagl esofRome.Sai daChr i
sti
an,expost ul ati
ngwi t
ht he
heat henrulerswhower eurgingf orwar dtheper secution:Youmay“ killus,t ort
ureus,
condemnus. .
..Youri nj
usticeist hepr oofthatwear einnocent  
..
..Nordoesy ourcruelt
y
...av ai
lyou.”I twasbutast rongeri nvit
ati
ont obringot herstot heirper suasion.“The
oftenerwear emowndownbyy ou,themor ei nnumberwegr ow; thebl oodofChr i
sti
ans
i
sseed. ”—Ter tulli
an, 
Apology ,paragraph50.( GC41. 3)

I
nournextst udy,wewil
lconsiderthetopic:
 TheChurchofPer
gamos.TheBibl
estudy
ref
erenceforthi
sstudyi
s Revel
ati
on2:12-17.Pleasedowel
ltogothr
oughthi
spassage
befor
et henextst
udyisr
eleased.

St
aybl
essedandkeepshi
ningf
orKi
ngJesus.

Mar
anat
ha!

7
Power
edbyWhi
teThr
oneMi
nist
ri
es