A Message to the Church #2: Are You Fearlessly Faithful?

(In case you missed the first post in this series asking the question "Have you left your first love?" you can find it HERE.)



“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say 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 cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until 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. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’ ~ Revelation 2:8-11 (NASB)



Symbolism

Just like with the first church mentioned, this letter to the church in Smyrna was veiled in symbolism to protect those mentioned in case the letter was intercepted by Roman authorities. Obviously, the One described as "the first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life" is Jesus, our resurrected Lord who defeated death. So it is He who is dictating the letter to the apostle John.



The synagogue of Satan mentioned is a reference to those who claimed to be Jews (the people of God), but were actually serving Satan instead. Historically, the Jewish community in Smyrna were antagonistic toward early Christians.



The number ten in the Bible usually signifies completion (as in the Ten Commandments), so I assume it means the same here. However, so scholars think it might refer to ten distinct periods of persecution from Nero to Diocletian. The main point remains that the church in Smyrna would suffer persecution.



What They're Doing Right

Plain and simple, they are spiritually rich, in spite of their afflictions and poverty. Throughout history, the persecuted church has been spiritually rich because of their utter dependence on the Lord and fellow Christians.



What He Has Against Them

Nothing is mentioned. That fact, in and of itself, is a great commendation.



What They Need To Do


Be Fearless - Following Christ does not mean that we will never suffer. In fact, Jesus told His disciples that they would experience suffering because of Him. Though none of us welcome suffering, we should remember that God can and does use it for our good and His purposes. Because of His power and His promises, we can be fearless.
Be Faithful - The test of all Christians is their ability to be faithful in the face of opposition. Christ left us a perfect example of how to do this in the story of His life. Notice that the faithfulness mentioned is "to death."

The Warning

This warning was unlike the warning to the church in Ephesus, whose warning dealt with possible judgment unless they changed their ways. Here the warning is about what they would soon suffer:


imprisonments
tests
tribulation (not necessarily ten actual days, but possibly until the time was completed)

The Reward

Again, God's Spirit is mentioned as the source of the message. The reward is two-fold:


a crown of life (v. 10) - A crown of life is the reward for those who are faithful under trial or unto death. (See James 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:14.)
not hurt by the second death (v. 11) - The first death is the end of our human life; the second death comes at the judgment when those whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15).

Application

It's worth noting again in this second post of the series, that the church is a community of believers rather than a building. As the church, we need to heed the message the Spirit says. There may come a day when we suffer persecution, possible imprisonments, tests, and tribulation because of our faith in Christ as Lord. We should stay spiritually ready so that we're not caught off guard during opposition and so we can be fearless and faithful--to death if need be.



Heavenly Lord, Thank You for being our resurrected Lord! Because of Your power over death, we can be fearless and faithful in the face of persecution. We confess that the persecution we face today is miniscule compared to what the Smyrna Christians face. We are oftentimes spiritual weaklings, quick to back down during confrontation. Oh, Lord, give us holy boldness to follow the example of Christ, who bore suffering for Your purpose and plan. May we be found fearlessly faithful for You and Your Kingdom's work! Amen.