Revelation2:2-10
When I look at how easily I complain and get discouraged, I feel a bit like a "Spiritual Wimp" when I look at that challenges that were faced by the church in Smyrna.
The city of Smyrna was the jewel of Asia Minor. It was a city that had been destroyed and then rebuilt from scratch - one of the few cities that had been properly surveyed, planned and laid out. Although it was a free city, it's residents were fiercely loyal to Rome and there was a large Jewish Population.
The letter to Smyrna speaks of the afflictions (Greek: "Huge Pressure") and poverty (literally "destitution") of the church. It speaks of the strong resistance and persecutions that they experienced.
What is chilling is how prophetic this letter turned out to be. Some sixty years after this letter was written, the Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna was put to death by burning and in the account of this we read that the Jews brought wood for the fire even though it was a Sabbath. (This is why the letter speaks of the Synagogue of Satan.)
What rattles my cage is the brevity of the letter. It is terse and crisp - kind of like orders passed on a battlefield. Jesus doesn't spend a lot of time saying "O shame, you poor dears going through such a tough time..."
Here are the key thoughts:
1. Smyrna was rebuilt, but Jesus died and rose again!
2. God knew their suffering and poverty.
3. They experienced a richness of faith in spite of the challenges.
4. There's more trouble coming - so brace yourselves!
5. Be faithful and you'll receive His reward.
The letter to Smyrna reminds me that I have no right to plain sailing or smooth roads. It reminds me that faith requires courage and perseverance. And it reminds me that my ultimate hope lies not in this life's comfort, but the eternal life that Jesus offers me.
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
