What was Jesus' message to the church in Smyrna in Revelation?

"And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the First and the Last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." Here the Lord meets the declension by sore tribulation. Milder means had not answered the end. This is no uncommon case though they may have thought that some strange thing had happened to them. But all their afflictions were known to the Lord, measured by Him, and ever under His control. "Ye shall have tribulation ten days." The period of their sufferings is exactly specified. And He speaks to them as one that had known the depths of tribulation Himself. "These things saith the First and the Last, which was dead, and is alive." He had gone through the deepest sorrow, and through death itself — He had died for them, and was alive again. They had this blessed One to flee to in all their trials. And as He looks on, and walks in the midst of His suffering ones, He says, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Thus He holds in His hand the martyr's crown, ready to place it on the head of His faithful overcomer.

"Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev.2:10). Thus the Lord further encouraged the Church of Smyrna to be faithful to Him unto death and not to fear the things the devil would cause them to suffer. Christ was allowing Satan to persecute them for a limited time, figuratively, ten days. He was allowing it for their spiritual and eternal good. How good to know that our God is over everything, over all the devices, power and purposes of the enemy, and that only what He allows falls upon us, and only as long as He allows it.

But their tribulation and poverty did not tempt them into tolerating evil. They rejected the false pretension which claimed the position of Jews, but is here called the synagogue of Satan. Judaism is a religion fitted for this world, and for man after the flesh. Hence it put man under law, and had a worldly ritual and priesthood. This is just what Satan has brought into Christendom. From the first Paul withstood the judaising of Christianity, which sapped the very foundations of the gospel committed to his charge, and the heavenly truths of which he was the special minister. In Smyrna this doctrine, whatever form it took, was as busy as elsewhere; but the poor tried saints remained true, and "earnestly contended for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints," in opposition to this attempted corruption. The Lord notes and approves their fidelity.

He then speaks of what was before them, and gives them words of encouragement and comfort: "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (v. 10.) He does not promise deliverance, but sustaining power. "In the world," Christ tells His disciples, "ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33.) So the apostle could say, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Rom. 8:37.) In like manner here, they should suffer; but they were to look forward to their sufferings without fear, for Christ's power was above Satan's. True, God permitted the devil to try them, as he did Job, but it was only that they might come all the brighter out of the furnace. He was allowed to cast some of them into prison, and some were put to death, but his power was restrained even as to the duration of the evil. It was to be for "ten days," at all events a limited time. They are exhorted to be "faithful unto death," and they should receive a "crown of life."

353 There were all sorts of opposition to the faithful in this church, but what does the Lord say to them? "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer" (v. 10). It is the constant effort of Satan to produce in us fear and discouragement when passing through trial; but the Lord says, "fear none of those things." In like manner the Philippians are told to be "in nothing terrified by their adversaries"; again in Peter we read, "be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled." Our wisdom is ever to rest confidently in Him who is "the First and the Last," who rises up in as great power at the end as at the beginning. The Lord does not say to this church, "I will save you from suffering," for suffering was needful in order to prevent it from tumbling headlong into decay; just as Israel was obliged in consequence of its sin to go a long way round the desert, and yet the Lord says, as it were, to some among them who were faithful, Do not be the least uneasy. So here His word is "fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer."

In the beginning of the failure in "the churches" the promise to the "overcomer" in the midst of the decay was, that he should eat, in security and peace, of the "tree of life"; so again here, in a time of especial suffering and trial, there is held out, as a stimulus (to the new man of course), a recompense of reward. If they lost everything, they should gain everything. The Lord's own voice encourages - "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." He may be hurt of the first death, but not of the second - the only real exclusion from the presence of God.

There were all sorts of opposition to the faithful in this church, but what does the Lord say to them? - "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer." (v. 10.) It is the constant effort of Satan to produce in us fear and discouragement, when passing through trial; but the Lord says, "Fear none of those things." In like manner the Philippians are told to be "in nothing terrified by their adversaries;" again in Peter we read, "Be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled." Our wisdom is ever to rest confidently in Him who is "the FIRST and the LAST," who rises up in as great power at the end as at the beginning. The Lord does not say to this church, 'I will save you from suffering,' for suffering was needful in order to prevent it from tumbling headlong into decay just as Israel was obliged, in consequence of its sin, to go a long way round the desert - and yet the Lord says, as it were, to some among them who were faithful, 'Don't be the least uneasy;' so here, His word is, 'Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.'

In the beginning of the failure in "the churches," the promise to the "overcomer" in the midst of the decay was, that he should eat in security and peace of the "tree of life;" so again here, in a time of especial suffering and trial, there is held out as a stimulus (to the new man of course) a recompence of reward. If they lost every thing, they should gain every thing. The Lord's own voice encourages "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." He may be hurt of the first death, but not of the second - the only real exclusion from the presence of God.

The word to Smyrna is short. Whatever the malice and power of Satan, at the utmost, if permitted, he has but the power of death. Christ is First and Last, beyond as before death, God Himself; but more than that, has met and gone through its power. The saints were not to fear. Satan would work, be allowed to sift, to imprison. Let the saints only be faithful to the extreme point of his power; all beyond was beyond him, was Christ's; and the faithful one would receive from Him the crown of life. Tribulation, poverty, the contempt of those who pretended to have the legitimate hereditary claim to be God's people — always the persecutors, be they Jews or Christians — was the portion of the assembly here; and God suffered it. It was really mercy to the declining assembly. Their hope was beyond it all when Christ gave the crown of life. This made the assembly, sliding into the world, or about to do it insensibly through decline of its first love, sensible that the world was in Satan's hands — was not the rest of saints. But, if the Lord permitted, He limited, the tribulation. All was in His hands. Not only was there the crown for the sufferers, but whoever overcame, his portion was secure: the death of judgment, the second death, would not hurt him.

There is nothing in this Church calling for reproof. They were poor as to this world, but rich in faith, suffering much outward persecution and trial. One of these trials was the blasphemy of some calling themselves Jews, who were not; but the Lord assures them that He knows that, and also informs them that the persecution will be only for a limited time — "ten days." He encourages them to "fear not." He presents Himself to them as "the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive," and thus stands on the other side of death with a "crown of life" for any who are faithful unto death. James tells us that God has promised "the crown of life" to "those who love Him," and speaks of it in connection with enduring trial. (James 1:12.)

The overcomer is encouraged and comforted with the assurance, that though he may die the first death for the name of Jesus, yet he "shall not be hurt of the second death."

Verses 8-10. The Lord addresses Himself here to the church of Smyrna, as being "the first and the last, which was dead and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the devil shall case some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." It is very evident that the promises, and the character of Christ, apply to the circumstances of that church. Here is something striking. It is not a question of knowing how far the heart responds to Christ; but of knowing if it is worth while leaving everything, even one's own life, in order to enjoy the privileges which are in Christ.

8 And to the angel of the church that is in Smyrna write, These things saith the first and the last, who was dead and lived: 9 I know [thy works and] thy tribulation and poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but a synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast of you into prison that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall in no wise be hurt of the second death.

The Lord graciously adapts Himself to these circumstances. "And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things says the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive." (v. 8) Judge as He is, He never forgets His people's wants, and in trial and suffering He is still with them. But his care is not shown now as in the Old Testament. Then He was not known as the Conqueror of death, and His way of intervening for His saints was to save them from death, delivering them out of the furnace, or shutting the mouths of the lions. Satan might try Job, but a limit was imposed "Behold, he is in thine hand; only save his life." (Job 2:6.) Here, however, is no such restriction; they were to be "faithful unto death." No deliverance on this side the grave is promised. And why? Because a believer now knows Christ, not only as able to save from death, but as having triumphed over death. He is "the first and the last," that is, God having all power in Himself; but He is also the One which was dead, and is alive;" for He, as man, has borne death in our stead, and been "raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father." (Rom. 6:4.) The believer is therefore secure. The death of the body is only a door leading into Christ's presence; and from the second death, the lake of fire, he is already delivered.