Chapter 5 Burning with Tested Faithfulness

Revelation 2:8-11

Recall that that these seven churches of Asia formed a rough circle of congregations in cities located in what is now modern day Turkey. The city of Smyrna is now called Izmir, Turkey. Though the earthquake heard about round the world that struck Turkey in 1999 resulting in the deaths of thousands was centered not here in Izmir, but in Izmit (note the spelling!) which is in northern Turkey, it is worth mentioning for this reason. Jesus is warning the church of Smyrna she is about to go through a trial that will shake her deeply. Like the great earthquake whose tremors were felt throughout Turkey, believers need to understand that trials come that can shake our very lives to the core.

When winds, storms or floods come, one can at least seek refuge in high and strong places. But when the earth itself shakes, what do you do? No place to escape exists, for the very ground under your feet is unstable. So it can be when certain trials are brought upon the people of God. We cannot escape them. We have to face them. When our world is shaking all around us and in danger of collapse, God wants us to recognize that our only foundation is in Christ.

The Lord wanted the believers in Smyrna to realize this, as He brings them a difficult message to hear. Times have been difficult for you, but in the near future they are going to worsen. What will you do? Jesus bestows upon them three key components to persevering through trials.

Trials come from the hand of the sovereign, victorious Christ

Smyrna was a city in west central Turkey set on the Aegean Sea at the eastern end of what is now known as the Gulf of Izmir. A beautiful city located on the sea, Smyrna was in an idyllic, peaceful setting, situated on some hills overlooking the sea. As the city of Smyrna developed, it became a favorite get away spot for the growing Roman Empire. It was filled with impressive Roman buildings, including temples to the goddess Roma and one for Caesar Tiberius. These buildings gave Smyrna a grandeur and beauty, as many viewed it as a crown of the powerful Roman Empire. One ancient stated that this "city is most beautiful of all cities under the sun, and makes the sea its own with....its crown of porticoes" on its hills. Perhaps that is why Jesus uses the imagery of a crown in verse 10. Here in this paradise-like setting, the church was founded, probably from Paul's ministry spreading from nearby Ephesus. In Acts 19:26 we read that when Demetrius of Ephesus accused Paul of ruining his idol-making business, he stated "You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people."

In such a beautiful setting then, one would hardly expect a terrible violence to occur. Yet Jesus warns that is exactly what is about to take place. Trials are coming on the church, and they must be prepared. To prepare them, He sends this message we have in this passage. Notice that it begins as all the letters to the churches of Asia begin, by the Lord defining who He is. "I am the first and the last,” He states in verse 8.

This title is lifted right out of the Messianic section of Isaiah, as Jesus again identifies Himself as Jehovah (or the LORD of the Old Testament). We can see why He uses this title when we consider the passages where this title is used. We need to read these descriptions, and recognize they are describing Jesus, because most people do not believe in the Jesus they describe. Yet listen to the Lord as He speaks for Himself.

In Isaiah 41:1-5, note this title is used when the coastland peoples (remember where Smyrna is situated) are warned of an impending judgment “Keep silence before Me, O coastlands, and let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; let us come near together for judgment. Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, as driven stubble to his bow? Who pursued them, and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feet? Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last I am He.’ The coastlands saw it and feared, the ends of the earth were afraid; they drew near and came.”
In Isaiah 44:6-8 we hear the same command that Jesus gave to the Smyrna church against fear during trial: “ Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’”
As the Lord reminds Israel of a coming test in Isaiah 48:10-12, note the similarity in the language with Revelation: “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another. Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.”

Just as the Lord Jesus of the Old Testament told Israel that that every trial they would experience was coming from His sovereign hand as a test for them, so it is now for the Smyrnan believers.

Do you believe that? Do you believe that not only has every good thing you have enjoyed been a blessing from Christ, but that every single trial, difficulty, or pain was in the plan of Christ for your life? Like Joseph of old, can you declare to the perpetrator of your trial, be it illness, enemy or tragedy, "You meant it for evil against me, but Christ meant it for good"? To help the church at Smyrna receive this difficult message, the Lord also reminds them that He died and yet has come to life again (verse 8). His death has been swallowed up in the victory of the resurrection. Certainly trials do come from His Sovereign hand, but we are to never lose sight that it is also a victorious hand. In trial will be seen the victory of the faithful.

Trials are sent to test the reality of our faithfulness

Most likely the believers in Smyrna were already facing economic trials (verse 9). Like the believers to whom Hebrews was written, they were to have “accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one" (Hebrews 10:34). We know that believers during this time were being singled out and having their jobs taken away or not offered because of their Christianity. Who was accusing them and creating trouble for them? Jesus tells us in verse 9 that it was “the Jews.”

These Jews of whom Christ speaks were those Jews who through the Diaspora (the “scattering” of the Jewish people that had taken place in the Old Testament captivities – see II Kings 17:7-23; Acts 2:5; I Peter 1:1) settled in many of these Asian cities. They had generally become rich in trade, and many God-fearing Gentiles had been attracted to their synagogues. Wives of powerful leaders in business and government were often found among them (see Acts 17:4 for instance), and this gave the Jews an inroad to politics. They and the powerful Gentiles they intermingled with and prompted against the Christians regularly accused the believers of several things:

They called the Christians "cannibals" because they talked of eating the body and blood at the Lord’s Supper.
The Christians held “love feasts, “ and the unbelievers labeled these fellowship meals as orgies.
They claimed that Christians were breaking family and societal relationships because of the separation that came when a person followed Christ and often was disowned by his family members.
They called Christians ”atheists” because they did not use an idol or a temple you could see.
They testified that Christians were politically disloyal because they would not claim that Caesar was Lord.

What happened in Smyrna was most likely the type of thing that had happened in Thessalonica, when the Jews roused business leaders and indeed the city against the Christians (see Acts 17:5-8). In so doing, they were revealing the true nature of their gathering. For in verse 9,Jesus says they are not really Jews, but a “synagogue of Satan.” He is using their favorite expression - assembly of the Lord – against them.

Verse 10 must be translated carefully. The NIV version has Jesus saying, "I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you." It sounds like devil is doing the testing. No, an accurate word-for-word translation of this says clearly, " Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested.” This would be for ten days (verse 10). Satan is working to stir the hearts of their persecutors up, but the Lord is sovereignly using this as a test.

In his Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin explains how man, Satan and the Lord can all be working with different purposes in the same event as he discusses the trials of Job.

"Take as an example the calamity inflicted by the Chaldeans upon the holy man Job, when they killed his shepherds and...ravaged his flock. Now their wicked act is perfectly obvious; nor does Satan do nothing in this act, for....the whole stems from him. But Job himself recognizes the Lord's work in it, saying that the Lord has taken away what had been seized through the Chaldeans. How may we attribute this same work to God, to Satan, and to man as author, without either excusing Satan as associated with God, or making God the author of evil?"

Calvin answers his own question by saying "Easily!", for we must consider the purpose of each:

"The Lord's purpose is to exercise the patience of His serrvant by calamity; Satan endeavors to drive Job to desparation; the Chaldeans strive to acquire gain from another's property contrary to law and right...Therefore we see no incosistency in assigning the same deed to God, Satan, and man; but the distinction in purpose cause God's righteousness to shine forth blameless, while the wickedness of Satan and of man betrays itself by its own disgrace." (Emphasis mine.)

Trials do come from the acts of Satan and evil men, but they are opportunities for believers to show forth the goodness of God. As with Job, God’s desire is to show the reality of our faithfulness. In other words, we say we believe, but do we? God brings trials to show in whom is our trust, and in whom deliverance will come.

Trials successfully endured will be gloriously rewarded

Here is where you must listen closely, friend. As one has said, "There is only one kind of Christian, and that is the faithful one."

Consider these verses. In II Timothy 2:12 we read that, "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us." Elsewhere our Lord says that "You will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). The Biblical standard for faithfulness is being true even unto death. So what is to become of those who claim to be in Christ, yet fade away when difficulty arises? Stop going to church when they run into conflict? Give up after trying to run the race for a while? The believers were losing jobs, being slandered, and going to jail for their faith in Christ. You must see learn to see trials experienced in your Christianity as opportunities to demonstrate the reality of your faith in Christ as Lord. Show the world that Jesus is both the author and the perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2) and your faithfulness. For those who are His will persevere to the end.

To those who do, the Lord promises the crown of life (verse 11). The Lord is using the imagery of this city to speak to His church. He is saying to the poor, beleaguered believers, “Do you see the powerful around you, on the hilltops in their Roman buildings considered the crown of Asia? Do you see the athletes competing in the Smyrna games with their winners receiving the laurel wreaths? Do you see the magistrates crowned with honor when they finish terms of office, and the false worshippers wearing crowns as they go into temples to their gods? All these high people are against you, and the Jews in envy have stirred up their anger. You are a poor, lowly, despised people. Yet in me you are rich. You will receive the crown of life.”

That is why it is important for us to remember the lives of the martyrs. Their faithfulness can encourage us to the same. History tells us that the faithful spirit lived on in Smyrna for several generations, as we hear of one who came from Smyrna who regarded it as an honor to die for Christ. He was Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. In February of 155, the city was filled with crowds to observe athletic games. In a desire to seem more excitement, a chant started that was picked up by the peoples and turned into a mob frenzy: "Away with the atheists (i.e. Christians)! Let Polycarp be found!” The location of the eighty-six year old church leader was betrayed, and the officials, eager to please the constituents and guests of the city, came to arrest Polycarp. He asked them if they would eat a meal that he provided while he prayed for an hour, which they granted to him. As he was being led to the arena, the police captain did not want to see the kindly old man die and so begged him, "What harm is to say, ‘Caesar is Lord?'" Yet Polycarp steadfastly refused to do so.

When they came into the arena, the proconsul gave Polycarp the choice of cursing Christ and making a sacrifice to Caesar, or death. Polycarp responded, "Eighty and six years have I served him and He has done me no wrong? How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" When the proconsul told him to at least curse the Christians by crying out, “Away with the atheists!”, in presence of mind Polycarp calmly turned to the riotous mob that had gathered to witness the spectacle and pointed to them, saying, “Away with the atheists!” Then threatened with burning, Polycarp stated, "You threaten me with a fire that burns for a time, and is quickly quenched, for you do not know the fire which awaits the wicked in judgment to come and in everlasting punishment. Why wait? Come, do what you will." The Jews in the crowd, undoubtedly the ancestors to the ones of Revelation 2, brought wood for the fire even though it was their Sabbath.

Polycarp told the official it would be unnecessary to bind him, and then as he stood there with the flames beginning to consume him he prayed, “"O Lord God Almighty, Father of...Jesus Christ, through whom we have received full knowledge of Thee, God of angels and powers, and of all creation, and of the whole family of the righteous, who live before thee, I bless Thee that Thou hast granted me unto this day and hour, that I may share, among the number of the martyrs, in the cup of Thy Christ, for the resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and body in the immortality of the Spirit. And may I be received among them, before Thee, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as Thou, the God without falsehood and of truth, hast prepared beforehand and has shown forth and fulfilled....I bless Thee, I glorify Thee through the eternal and heavenly high priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved child, through whom be glory to Thee with Him and the Holy Spirit, both now and for the ages that are to come. Amen."

Conclusion

With that, Polycarp succumbed to the flames and was given the crown of life. For those who are faithful to the end and receive the crown of life will not taste the second death (verse 11), the death that all those who are seeking and wearing earthly crowns must taste. Friend, are you listening to what the Spirit is saying to His churches? Be faithful even to death. For it is only faith that trusts Christ that much that brings life.