Smyrna covers the second church period from approximately from 100 C. E. to 323 C. E.; the Age of Martyrdom, 200-250 years during the second and third centuries C. E. I went home that night and I got angrier the more I thought about it. Rest in His presence. My exhortation for us with this is that we should be thankful. In Him, we are more than overcomers. You are struggling. With a population of over 3 million, Smyrna continues to thrive today as the modern Turkish city of Izmir. Why do we do it? (NASB). But, when we trust in Him, He will give us the strength to endure. Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History). Ch 1 Pt 2, Kingdom 104: Where Are the Masculine-Thinking Men? 3. In verse 9 when He says, I know your tribulations. That word used here for tribulation literally means pressure. Many were placed on the rack where they were stretched so far that their legs and their arms were pulled out of their sockets. 7. These early believers could have participated in a few cultural customslike sprinkling incense on the fire that burned in front of the emperors statue. Smyrna: The Suffering Church Revelation 2:8-11 - Israel My Glory Kingdom 103: Honoring the Father Through the Son, Kingdom 103: Living in the Kingdom Culture, Kingdom 103: Power and Authority in His Name, Kingdom 103: Many Little Kingdoms, But Only One is True, Kingdom 103: Kingdom Citizens Are Examples. How does this ruin a church? 3. It is emphatic in the Greek. It is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible other than these four verses, but it is believed it is with the other churches that were founded while Paul spent two years in Ephesus on his third missionary journey. I do not like it when life is hard. Its streets were wide and paved. In Revelation 2:9 He says, , 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. He wants to stop us. 9. Trust me. At one end of its most famous street, the 'Street of Gold,' was the temple of Cybele, and at the other the temple of Zeus. Well, you know, God never promises us as a believer that life is going to always be fun. The Bible tells us that. Thank you for being that ultimate victor who won victory over death so we might have life eternal. When we refuse to heed His call, it will just be a short time until we are thrown away, given to the devil, since we are working for him anyway. Do not let him use you. Kingdom 103: Where Does the Governor Reside? What are the 7 Churches in Revelations? Bible Meaning Explained 8. The closest that I have ever come to feeling that kind of pressure was when I was perfusionist at Texas Heart Institute in Houston. The Message to the Church at Smyrna. Kingdom 103: What Gospel Are You Preaching? What is in the way of these precepts affecting me? Throughout history, Smyrna has suffered its fair share of hardship. Suffering either gives me my self or it destroys my self. We may not be worshipping Satan, but when we run the church by our ways and agendas, we are, in fact, worshipping Satan, because Christ is not only ignored, He is being opposed! It went on and on. How does knowing that Christ, the Creator and Lord of the universe, approves you help you cope with "feeble mortals" telling you dishonorable things? Every day there is just a wonderful surprise and you are just in a great season of life. c. Slanderings. Jesus lived life in purity and sinlessness for our benefit, to enable us to have eternal life and partake in His fellowship. But, we are going to experience suffering on this earth without doubt. 6 Stott, What Christ Thinks of the Church, 43. When Jesus refers to the crown of life, is He referring to eternal life or to a reward for those who are faithful through tribulation on this earth? The question we have to ask ourselves is, are we operating to the opposite tune that Jesus commands as this Synagogue and the church of Smyrna were starting to? Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. - Psalm 37:7. . Into Thy Word Ministries. He is aware of the enemys plans and the afflictions we face (Hebrews 2:17-18). Welcome to the home of Intentional Worship! - Facebook If you receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people. Oswald Chambers5. As we look at this letter to Smyrna, this letter gives us insight into suffering. Have I done something to offend you? This is true of the Evangelistic and . I know your afflictions and your povertyyet you are rich! He is the overcomer and it says here in Revelation 2:11. What can you do to grow in this area and to glorify Him more fully? I came back that fall and I was so on fire for the Lord. If I am trusting God then I should not be afraid. It is eternal torment. And whenever we do, the vision of Jesus standing among us in all His glory, and the words of promise He speaks, will sustain and guide us.7, I hope you all have had a great week studying about suffering. Kingdom 102: Kingdom of Light or Darkness? When we go through the troubles of life, we can either take shelter in Him or seek to go it alone in our fears and pride. I do not agree with that. Such was the case for the ancient church at Smyrna. Judging from the characteristics of his appearance, Fuming gave him a very good impression now arctic diet pills Shuerjia can only keto fuel pills review form his first impression based on his appearance. What caused them to turn out to be a church of bitterness and strife? Jesus had a reason for mentioning this fact. She read, He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. (NIV). I had not ever said anything about the Lord to her. They might face death. I will be the first to admit to you that I do not like to suffer. Faith and fear are opposites. Smyrna was named for the word myrrh, an aromatic gum resin that is bitter to the taste but sweet to the smell. How would these verses encourage you in the midst of tough times? Smyrna was a church where people's agendas were in opposition to Christ's. They had sufferings to overcome and learn from, but most chose to run the course their way and tarnish His Way. What does it mean to be faithful until death? What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? 1.4 . I cried and I prayed and I said, God, I do not think I can do this. We will be rewarded for staying strong until death. Thus, it is not that much of a stretch or even a job relocation to be a church of Satan, since we are already such a place. They had absolutely nothing. Third, at the end of Smyrnas letter, Jesus makes this promise to whoever has ears to hear: He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death (Revelation 2:11, KJV). They were once a vibrant, healthy church that was now starting to die. Maybe someone in your family is causing you some grief. Then, I got my purse and I drove home. Jesus was reminding these suffering Christians in Smyrna who may be facing death in the near future. Who is it that overcomes the world? The city rivaled Ephesus in grandeur and influence. 5. I would leave every night saying, God, why do I have to go to these events? because I did not feel like I was having a witness. Even if these believers face death at the hand of the persecutors, it is not the end for them. 2. Whatever it is, it is a hard season of life. They had sufferings to overcome and learn from, but most chose to run the course their way and tarnish His Way. WEALTHY WITHOUT WEALTH In the church Ephesus, the Lords finds a decay of first love, in Smyrna, we see Him voiding Satan's malice to restore the former freshness. The trade unions would have nothing to do with them. Because I was on staff here and was one of the instructors, I had to go to all the parties, all the festivities, and all the graduation dinners. I need strength. She started and began by reading from Isaiah 53 about Jesus the suffering servant. 2 Corinthians 4:4, http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=43133&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0, http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=43139&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0, http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=43138&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0, http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=43137&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0. Yet, we tend to fill His call with the void of our stubbornness, recklessness, and selfishness. They were Jews by race and that is it. Throughout the history of the Church the more that the Church has been persecuted the greater its purity and strength. 5. I shut the door and I stood there. Ephesus is the first of the seven letters. They were poor. How would Jesus words in Luke 12:4-7 encourage someone about to suffer for his faith? They were reporting false allegations to the government about these believers, saying things which were not true about them. Most scholars agree that the name Smyrna was a reference to the myrrh, which was the chief export of the area. Things are smooth. Another kind of pressure they were under was a pressure to worship the pagan gods and goddesses. Give it to the Lord, trust His hand, and look ahead to the blessings that await you eternally. He who overcomes is any believer, anyone who has placed his trust in Jesus Christ as his savior. What does God want me to share with someone? You cannot do them at the same time. The name of Smyrna was equated with myrrh. Home values, sales prices, taxes, school data, and more. According to Revelation 1:11, on the Greek island of Patmos, Jesus Christ instructs John of Patmos to: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven Churches: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." The churches in this context refers to the community or local congregations of Christians living . A third form of suffering for them was persecution in verse 9. She used the Word of God to just muzzle me. There was coming another form of suffering and that is prison in verse 10: Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for 10 days. Thank you for the strength that You give us when our flesh just does not have it. What Do We Know About the Ancient city of . You know, I was just going to let her know and express that I am glad you are going to hell. Ask what you dare if you will let me. They already were in the midst of tribulation (v. 9) and Jesus had no rebuke or condemnation for them.
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