Smyrna | The Persecuted Church The Seven Churches of Revelation | Episode 3
The second church mentioned is Smyrna.
It is one of the oldest cities in the world,
with a very eventful history.
It is located about 40 miles north of Ephesus
and is the only one of the seven that still exists today as a major city,
being the third largest city in Turkey.
It was a beautiful city and rivalled Ephesus for prominence in the region
and was frequently referred to as the 'Ornament of Asia'.
It has survived sieges, massacres, fires, and plagues, but still stands today
and has a higher Christian population than most other Turkish cities.
[music]
It was famed for its schools of medicine and science, fine library,
magnificent temples, sacred festivals, and athletic contests.
On the slopes of Mount Pagus there was a theater
that sat 20,000 people, the ruins of which are visible today.
Mount Pagus lies here in the centre of this ancient city.
Its summit today is topped by a castle,
but in previous years it would have had a shrine to the Greek goddess Nemesis.
Sometimes the city was referred to as the crown of Iona.
Today it is a harbor city and its present name is Izmir.
[music]
The name Smyrna means sweet-smelling and is synonymous with myrrh.
This church is introduced by the One who was first and last,
who was dead and yet came back to life,
which is fitting to the experience they had.
In Revelation 2:9 they are commended for their works,
their tribulation, and poverty,
but in brackets it says, 'but you are rich'.
Though they were poor in earthly goods due to persecution,
they were rich in character and spiritual things.
[music]
In a literal sense, Smyrna has suffered over the
centuries and felt the full force of pagan Roman persecutions.
Smyrna was the home of Polycarp,
and the scene of his martyrdom here on Mount Pagus in 168 A.D.
When asked to renounce Christianity, he replied:
'Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong.
How then can I blaspheme my King and Saviour?'
In 1402 there was a massacre of the inhabitants of the city,
with a special focus on the Christians.
Smyrna was the last of the Christian cities to fall to the Turks,
and when it finally fell in 1424,
there was a special focus on killing the Christians.
Also in 1922 many of the Smyrnean Christians were put to death.
[music]
Even though the fires and intensity of persecution purifies any church,
they still had some who 'said they were Jews but are not'.
When this term is used in Revelation,
it refers not to a literal Jew, but to a believer in Christ,
just like the term is used elsewhere in the New Testament by Paul.
Their tribulation is spoken of with the promise
that if they're faithful unto death,
they would receive a crown of life and not be hurt of the second death.
[music]
The time period usually associated with this church is 100 to 320 or 330 A.D.
This time saw intense persecution of the church.
In verse 10 of chapter 2, it says, 'You will have tribulation 10 days'.
If we take this as prophetic time, whereby one day equals one year
as shown in Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6,
then this would match with 303 to 313 A.D.
when under Emperor Diocletian
there was a particularly intense period of persecution.
[music]
The church of Smyrna was agreeable and beautiful to Jesus.
Though persecuted unto death,
these attempts to crush it released a fragrance of love and grace
that was precious in the sight of God.
The promise to this church was not an earthly reward
but a crown of life which is eternal.
If they were faithful unto the first death
they would escape the second death.
If you are being persecuted today for a righteous cause,
hold fast to Jesus.
He is faithful.
The reward we seek is eternal, not earthly.