mercury

To the Church in Smyrna Category: Bible Study Devotionals Views: 443 Revelation 2:8-11 8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. Christ's letter to Smyrna is unique in that it offers neither commendation nor reproach to the church. Instead, Christ's words to the church of Smyrna are words of comfort. Smyrna (current day Izmir) is another major port city in Asia. In Biblical times, Smyrna was very loyal to Rome, and was home to a temple to the Roman emperor Tiberius. As a result of such a strong Roman influence, devotion to Rome, even worship of the emperor, was compulsory for the citizens of Smyrna. As such, early Christians in the city of Smyrna were in mortal danger for parcticing their faith, and martyrdom was not uncommon. In this letter, Christ acknowledges both this danger, and the difficulty faced by the church in thriving in an environment where they were considered outlaws, and thus at an economic, social, and political disadvantage. He reminds the church of His eternal promise- of life after death and riches far greater than material wealth. While we certainly don't see this kind of persecution of the church in the western world today, this letter should still challenge all of us to live according to a hope that always looks ahead to Heaven. When our passion for Heaven is awakened, we are empowered and emboldened to thrive even in the most hostile environments.

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