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Gary you'll open us up with a word of prayer.
Your father we come before you this morning, and we thank you for all that you do for us Lord God we thank you for this beautiful weather that we have the coolness or thank you for us being able to meet together and Listen to your word, and we just pray that you'll bless the elders as they teach us.
Bibles to Revelation chapter 2.
I.
Won't read.
Eight through eleven. And to the angel of the church in Smyrna right the first and the last Who was dead and has come to life says this I know your tribulation your poverty But you are rich. And the blasphemy by those who say there are Jews and are not But are the synagogue of Satan.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer and behold the devil is about to cast some of you into prison. So that you will be tested and you will have tribulation for ten days but be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.
And He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death. Well, this is the second letter to the churches and it opens up.
With.
Obvious.
Morning.
Once again to this angel and who's the angel we don't know. We'll probably continue to say that through the letters. We don't know who the angel is we. Speculation of who it is, but the angel is saying to the church at Smyrna.
Well, where was Smyrna? Well Smyrna was in the providence of Asia Minor. And it was about 35 miles North of Ephesus. It was a port city. What do we know about port cities?
Busy and wealthy.
Very wealthy. So even if we backed up a little bit to to Ephesus Ephesus was. It wasn't the provincial capital at that moment at the time of which this was written. It would be at some point they would move it from Pergamos to or Pergamum to Ephesus.
But it was the it was the political meaning. All the dignitaries would go through Ephesus because it was a port city. They needed to check in there when they came into Asia Minor and the population with Ephesus was of anywhere.
There's estimates from 150 150 ,000 to 225. Same thing with Smyrna it ran about 150 as well. So big port city. Smyrna had an interesting port. It kind of had like a bay. When you would if you were to pull up to it, it had a bay for receiving textiles and goods and and things like that it also had.
Good morning also had a necropolis. Anybody know what a necropolis is?
Anybody?
Stud Greek? Height a mountain there's would be a mountain where people would be up on high which obviously one to show that look how how distinguished we are from the rest of the cities around us and also.
For out if you're on a high point, you can be able to see if somebody's coming in. Not only see if ships or whatever dignitaries, whatever were coming in, but see if if enemies were coming in also in Smyrna was.
There was a mall. It was a mall there. It was made up of major structures built of stone and marble and it was called the crown of Smyrna. So if you were looking first century, this would have been the place to go.
It would have. Hey if women wanted to shop you got to go to Smyrna. Because that's where the place is with all the goods and furnishings and all the all the shops to go in and out but also in Smyrna. There was a temple to to Zeus.
And who was Zeus? Greco-roman. God there was a temple to the Cybele. Has anybody heard of Cybele? Might have heard it by Kybele. Well Kybele was a also a Greco-roman.
Religion and.
They were very they would have been the charismatic part of the pantheon. They had speaking in tongues and falling on the ground and flailing around and all that that would be in the temple of Cybele.
But then I also had the temple of Asclepius. Anybody have heard of Asclepius? Wow well Asclepius. How many of you have seen the staff with? Well the who we got a doctor of nursing here, okay, you should know who Asclepius is.
You take.
You see the the pharmaceutical Staff with the the two serpents around it. How many of y 'all have heard I have as a kid I'd heard all that's representative of the staff and which Moses held up with the with the serpents on it.
That is not what that's talking about. The pharmaceutical one is the one of Asclepius. Asclepius was the god of medicine and of healing and there was a in Smyrna. There was a temple made to him. Those serpents were the serpents that came to Asclepius and Gave him a piece of fruit and gave and offered him the powers to heal.
Well, you have what's the people that followed Asclepius were called. With the hypocrites not hypocrites. Hypocrites, so you have what's called the Hippocratic Oath. Okay, now that makes more sense, doesn't it?
Okay, and if you were to look at the ancient Hippocratic Oath, it would say we swear allegiance to Apollo and Asclepius. That's what it would say. Now obviously Western doctors and physicians have changed that to where it doesn't say that pagan, but hey even in Ancient culture they gave praise to this god of Asclepius as being the god of healing.
So you had that in Smyrna?
You.
You also had in Smyrna temples to the emperors this became one of the central locations for Imperial worship and maybe remember what we talked about what the Imperial cult is. What's the Imperial call?
Imperial cults the ones that bow down and worship give homage to the Emperor. It was not this point. It had not been Empire Empire wide Demanded they were not Demanded to do this under compulsory reasons either do this or die.
It had not happened. But Smyrna was one of the first places to put one to the Emperors.
And in.
20 26 BC Tiberius they know who Tiberius Emperor Tiberius was right? Who was he? He was the one that was around when Jesus was crucified. Tiberius was the one who came to Smyrna in 26 and offered them the status or granted them the status to build in a a Temple to the Emperor you couldn't just go.
Hey, we want to pop up a temple to the Emperor. They actually had to get permission from Rome in order to do that. Well Smyrna got that and They set up what was the Imperial cult there? Then you would have another one later down the road.
That would be to. That would be one they believe was to Demetian. They're not sure. But the other one was to Hadrian. Hadrian would have been the one that destroyed Salted Jerusalem in 135 and actually changed the name to Palestinia.
So if you ever talked to some Palestinian people who think that they own that property before well It was Hadrian that renamed the city of Jerusalem Palestinia to scourge the Jews because of their ancient foe the Philistines just a little more information on history.
So what we do know about Smyrna. Rich lots of temples place to party and The Imperial cult and as we walk through some of this we'll talk more about the Imperial cult. But hey, not only did they have the Imperial cult there but they also had a very.
When I say charismatic not as in blue and sounds and wonders charismatic, okay charismatic Jews very hostile towards Christianity. Remember Christianity for many years has flown under the umbrella of Judaism and Many of you say well, how did that happen?
Why didn't why didn't the Romans? persecute the Jews for not quote following the Imperial Cult or for bowing down to all these other gods that were there. Well, here's the reason and.
In.
Julius Caesar in between 48 or 49 and 48 BC he was trying to overthrow Pompey and He needed help with cavalry. He got cavalry to from the Jews and they helped him in 48 overthrow Pompey in the Battle of Philargus and in doing so.
He.
Granted Antipas who which would be Herod the Great's daddy granted them what we would say. I Don't like religious exemption. I like religious freedom because religious exemption means that they were able to.
They were exempt from everything and they were not exempt from everything. He gave them religious freedom. To worship the way that they wanted to in the confines of Judaism and that they inside their communities.
Would never have to put a a pagan temple up. Why why do you think all this time that the Roman Empire was? Basically Occupying Israel from Dan to bear Sheba. Let's just say that How come you never saw a temple to Asclepius Papa?
How come you never saw a temple to Zeus pop up in Israel. It's because of that because of the Religious liberty that they gave them an exemption to where they did not have to participate in their communities.
Whatever the Pantheon of Rome was now if they left Jerusalem and went to Smyrna. They could build them a synagogue, but they couldn't complain about Asclepius being next door you understand. So this would play a major role as we get down in history of how the how the Jews begin to collaborate with Rome in Persecuting Christians and we'll talk about that because I think that's what this is.
This letter speaks of and we know for a fact that when polycart was put to death and 155 It was the Jews that helped do that and we'll talk about that as we get to the end so it says The angel says to the church of Smyrna the first and the last.
This is an exact quotation. That's interesting that in the providence of God. We are going to read that quotation this morning in Isaiah 44 it is God who says I am the first and the last and then His recognition that he is Yahweh.
I am the first and the last but then he says Who was dead and has come to life? Who is that? That's Christ once again. Anybody ever tells you that Jesus never claimed to be God right there. You can't you don't need to go any further one verse.
I am the first and the last that's what Yahweh said about himself and if The one that was dead and has come to life means this has to be the one who was incarnated Jesus Christ himself, and he says and this is what I say.
I know your tribulation and your poverty. This is different than perseverance. This is different than what Ephesus was doing. Ephesus was persevering in Good works that were persevering and fighting against the the false teachers that were in the city.
They were Continually fighting against the false prophets the ones that came in claiming to apostles what this is much different. That's this is the word Philipson and it means to press to crush to squeeze.
And he says here that I know your tribulation. Well, what would have been the tribulation that they were going through in Smyrna? Well one dealing with all of the pressure and the persecution that was coming around them from all the Pre-idolatry temples and we're going to get down to see and the Jewish that were around them.
He says and I know your poverty. And if you're know anything about Smyrna as rich as it was why would these people be poor? That's good. I get a question. Why would these people be poor? Certainly part of the the pantheon of deity worship.
Yeah, they were. Well as we get further on.
Revelation, you'll see that The Covenant people of God will be shunned if you don't follow culture. Hey, you want to talk about the original count cancel culture? Right here you got to remember in a pantheon of God's hundreds.
If you were a Person that worked with medicine you better be closely associated with Asclepius if you were going to be.
Agriculture you better be closely associated with the God of agriculture if you were going to be. Any type of construction worker you better be in the the temple guild that offered up Oblations to the deity of rocks and stones and bricks or whatever his name is.
Okay, and if you didn't you would be ostracized. It'd be like me saying Gary's a cabinetmaker and I I am a I'm a stonesman. Gary does my cabinets for me? Well, I find out Gary was converted and he's not going to the God of cabinetmaking or whatever His name is.
Okay. He's no longer going there. He's a follower of Christ. All I have to do is whisper into John the plumber here's here. Hey. He's no longer part of this of us he wants to he's a good cabinet guy. But he's not he's not following the cultural norm here.
And what would happen to Gary's cabinet work? It would dry up like the morning dew. Okay, this is what happened and it happened a lot in the first century and even in.
Yeah.
Yeah, and I'm yeah I'm gonna get to that here in just a second because we do have an actual book that talks about at this specific time. Of writing there was property seized when I already brought it up.
We'll talk about it. Hey. In the book of Hebrews He specifically talks about the pressure and the tribulation that they were going through. The book of Hebrews is written to the Hebrew to the Hebrew Christians that were being coerced Under the persecution of Nero to go leave leave Christianity and go back to Judaism.
Why would that be the case? Because Nero being brilliant in this sense He saw the distinction between Christianity and between Judaism at that point in history.
Up until.
62.
Maybe I think Paul's I would say Paul's first defense was probably around 62. I don't know if anybody has probably around 62. I think he was killed between 60 around 64 66 somewhere on there, but Paul's first defense before Nero if you remember he says my first defense nobody was here.
I think it was at that point. That Nero I'm drawing a conclusion based on history. Okay, so if you disagree with me, that's fine. It is at that point as he makes his first defense in Rome that now Nero knows.
Oh, wow. The the Christian leader of the church who has gone to the Gentiles has now proclaimed to me there's a difference between Judaism and Christianity and it was just two years later that he would set Rome on fire and Not Paul.
But Nero it would set Rome on fire and then would blame it on the Christians. It would be at that point that Christians were being executed. They were in Rome. This was localized. He blamed it on the Christians.
They would be executing them putting them into the circus Maximus having them eaten by Wild animals putting beasts on them all that thing. Okay, that's where it would take place in Circus Maximus. Just let you know.
Those that tell you that that was happening in the Colosseum, you know, the Colosseum wasn't even built yet. I don't know if y 'all know that Colosseum wasn't even built. Colosseum wasn't built until 79 and it wasn't even completed into 81.
So just to let you know they were thrown into the Colosseum at the time of Christ. It wasn't even built at that moment. It's called the Flavin amphitheater.
But.
So it is at that point that that distinctions made. Nero is not persecuting Jews. He's persecuting Christians. So they know the distinction. So The book to the Hebrews was hey, man, if you go back to Judaism You're not going to be persecuted under this great neurotic persecution.
Which lasted from about 64 to 68 about three and a half four years. You go back to that you won't have to have you worry about your property being seized. Which is what they were doing to the Hebrews and the Hebrew Christians.
They were taking their property. They were taking their people off and putting them in prison. They were doing all of those things. And the book of Hebrews says hey, I know your tribulation. You have suffered these things you have lost all these things.
People have died family members have been put in prison and your property has been seized and You have remained faithful we have somewhat of that being said to the Christians here in Smyrna, he says and your poverty, but you are rich look man.
You've been stripped of everything. And by all means and purposes you are broke. The only thing that some of them people had was the the tunic around them and the cloak that surrounded them. And what is the Son of God say?
But you're rich. How could they be rich? How ain't got two ain't got two shekels to rub together. How could they be rich?
They have life.
Okay, life and what? Sure, yeah, not just walking around breathing air. Yeah. Yeah, they have life in Christ. Blessing on the poor in spirit for they will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Look, I look I'm all I like the comforts of this life.
But if the comforts of this life or to dry up tomorrow I know that my it would only be in comparison. Look, I understand as we suffer and we struggle we go through tribulation and suffering. It seems like it will never end in the moment.
How do you want to testify that I do? Matter of fact, I feel like I still ain't through it. Okay you go. You're never going to get through it, but when you look back. When it's done, it's gonna seem Like that in comparison to eternity and that's what we look forward to think about Christ.
What a good application when it talks about him and him looking Forward to the joy that would be set before him. He endured the cross. Look Jesus wasn't short-sighted. Was the cross suffer suffering bad, yes, and we're not talking about the suffering that he endured.
Oh, look, I'm not saying that being beaten half to death with a cat of nine tails being Hammered and stapled to a tree was not suffering although that that is and I believe the Depiction of that by the passion of the Christ was pretty brutal and I believe that's probably how it took place.
Okay, but you understand that that's not the suffering that Jesus endured on the cross. The suffering that he endured on the cross was the payment for every sin for every believer that would ever live that was the suffering and Jesus put that in the back of his mind and looked forward to the joy of Purchasing that which God had sent him to redeem.
That's what he did and that's how we should look at. This is that those men being men and women being impoverished.
Being.
Stripped of everything that they had property seized jobs lost in prison. We'll talk about that here in a minute and put in prison. Don't forget about that because you're rich. This is only temporary and with we how do we know it's temporary because he gives us a time frame here in a minute.
And it says here. And the blasphemy by those who? Say they're Jews and are not. What's blasphemy? Speaking anything against the Spirit of God or His representative Jesus Christ. And Jesus of speaking against God through the representative of his son.
Remember when Jesus said hey, he who blasphemes the Holy Spirit. It's unpardonable. Well, these people got to understand that the Jews had so much light. They had so much light even in the book of Romans.
It says.
That.
They.
Paul says well, you know, well, what advantage does the Jew have? It's almost like he catches himself when he said well. What advantage did you have? Well, wait a minute. Yeah, I guess there was some advantage.
What was it? You had the oracles of God. You had the law of God to be able to look at the God of all Creation and for him to say this is how you have offended me. You understand that that us having the law of God written on our heart and being able to look at this right here Is a blessing and a grace of God.
Hey did God have to give the nation of Israel a law and say hey. This is how you've offended me and now I'm showing you how to how to Be made right with me through the sacrificial system. Did God have to do that?
No, it was a grace of God to do that.
Well.
It says that they are blaspheme by those who say they're Jews and or not. Well, wait a minute. This sounds like a contradiction in terms they blaspheme God. They say they're Jews. Does anybody in here think these people are lying saying a were Jews.
Does anybody think that?
We think I think they were.
Claiming to be the true Israel and the church is the truth that I agree 100 and we can go back to The book of Galatians where that is brought up.
Who's of.
True Israel those who are of The faith of Abraham those who have not those who have Abraham's seed and that's how they saw that. Understand that the the call of Abraham the the the nation of Israel. Separated as a covenant people with a national covenant.
Okay, national ethnic covenant was given to. Those were all real but they were typological. They pointed to something greater. They pointed to something that would be on a grander scale when it said that.
Hey.
Abraham through your seed all the world will be blessed. But then it narrows down under the Mosaic Covenant to one group of people. Okay, immediate thought should be but wait a minute how's how just going to be.
Because it was going to be through that Mosaic legislation and through the the tribe of Judah that the Savior would come which would then open up salvation for all Jew and Gentile. So there was those who were saying wait a minute these aren't.
Really.
Followers of Yahweh we are. And Paul struggled. He he went through that time and time and time again. Matter of fact there was I think it was in Corinth and If you go back in Acts chapter 18.
The.
Jews said hey Christians ain't really the right group of people we are. They cause a disturbance within the city and The man on the judgment seat if I remember correctly someone wants to look up say I think it's Galileo.
They begin to cause a riot. The Jewish people then call begin to call Paul and the leader of the synagogue, they're basically Insurrectionist. Calling in that's not this is not the Jewish religion. It's not even connected to it.
Paul was making the statement that hey Jesus has come and fulfilled all of these things. You know, you know what the the Jewish people did in that synagogue. They grabbed I think his name Sosthenes they grabbed him and they are beating the tar out of this guy.
Right before the judgment seat and you know what Galileo the Roman procurator does.
Zero nothing.
Let's it go. Let's it go. Hey, this is just a Jewish thing. Let's it go. So we can also see where the Jews were persecuting the Christians. Who persecuted the Christians more in the first century was it the Romans or the Jews?
I mean the wrong. Yeah, the Romans are the Jews who wasn't.
Jews.
Once again Pointing all more to this book being written before.
Before.
70 AD the Jews were emboldened to persecute God's people. They were emboldened. Hey, and I mean Rome didn't really do anything about it. Hey, look y 'all got this Religious Liberty this religious y 'all Exercise your and because they thought that Christianity was part of that in just a sec.
Hey, you want to beat the tar out of the guy in the synagogue? So be it just don't kill him. And that's actually what they tell him. Hey, we got to calm this down. You can't kill the guy. You don't have the right to kill the guy but you can beat the brakes off of him and nothing be said.
Y 'all go read it's in Acts chapter 19 it just it says he beats that they beat him right in front of the judgment seat and Galileo just. Maybe good, but they are the synagogue of Satan. Now. That's a pretty harsh statement.
I Don't I don't know if there was a synagogue there that said hey, welcome to Satan worship. I think he's making a statement here of These people because they have rejected Christ. Because they have rejected the one that the scriptures had all pointed to they are this is no longer now a synagogue of worship.
Which would have been approved by God in the Hellenistic time until Christ came you understand that that's the synagogues were set up Actually in an intertestamental time so that people could worship synagogue wasn't something that had that that was going on until the center till the Intertestamental time so that people could worship God and that they could exercise their Their ability to worship as God had prescribed them without having to go.
200.
200 miles to Jerusalem. Okay. Now there was times that they had to make that three pilgrimages and all that so they could worship here the Word of God Taught here the Word of God read and preached to them.
But here he says because they have rejected that they blasphemed the only one that could have saved them which was in the scriptures. Now they are a synagogue of Satan.
Yes.
Do you think that that he's only saying that about these Jews in Smyrna or do you think that that was a that's a apropos description of the Jews across the Jewish area.
I think it's a rejecting that I think it's in Jews as a whole but because he's specifically speaking to the the the church in Smyrna. He's saying hey these these are these are ones that are persecuting you because remember got the the letter is specifically Addressing issues within that local assembly, but it does have a wider range application.
That's what all these churches were reading. Yeah, they're going to all the churches. Hey, so I'll let's just say for instance you get to fight IRA. You get there there is another let's say there's another synagogue there they're claiming hey these people are not True Jews were Jews were of the circumcision the same nonsense.
They were saying in Galatians. You don't think this would have been applicable to them. Certainly would have been. Sure and how do you think the Word of God got to Smyrna? Paul Paul it said for three years.
He was in in Asia Minor, and it said that all of Asia Minor heard it. So we can just say every one of those churches that was planted not just these seven. But everyone because you got one in Hierapolis you got Colossi you have Troas you have all these other churches, too.
That we can look at in Scripture when we get the church of Laodicea. We can see where those came up at. All these other churches are planted because of Paul you don't think Paul was fighting the Judaizers the whole time.
You don't think Paul had to set these people up. Hey, man. These are gonna be consistent things you're gonna fight with every time you go into a new city, and there's a synagogue. Yeah, what did Paul do.
Go to the city preachers at the synagogue cause a riot get beat up and leave that was Paul's church fighting method. But you are the synagogue of Satan you think about say you think Satan I should probably shouldn't even ask this question because probably nobody anybody ever attempt the Satanic Bible anybody I guess I'm the only one that has.
You know it's not about eating animals and killing your mother and drinking her blood and all this other nonsense. You know that it's not about any of that.
It's about doing what you want to do. It's about you know what man just worship yourself. Do what you want.
Make yourself happy. It's not all the you know people. You know. And upside-down pentagrams and slitting goats neck. They don't need you back. It's about doing what you want.
Satan would rather have you doing what you want Than following Christ. Doing what you want. Anything. Hey he doesn't care. Why is the road that leads to destruction. There is way leads to life. You be that find it and Difficult that way.
Easy way is to go the way of Satan which is it which is a pantheon of ways. Well lead to hell. Yeah. Sure yeah. That's right that is that is huh, oh, yeah, that's right. You were there. He was there you was burning down when he overalls.
And then he says in verse 10 do not fear what you're about to suffer. Okay, there already been this much tribulation. He's already said you broke. You're almost destitute. You've got these blasphemers that are punishing you or struck or Chastising you because you're not of quote the true Jews.
And he says but don't fear what you're about to suffer. I. That would be a little Little knee-jerk. Mike wait a minute. We're not already in great suffering and now you're telling I'm gonna suffer some more.
Can we get a reprieve here. That's not what he says. And he says who's gonna do it? Behold the devil is about to take some of you and cast you into prison. I was gonna talk about that point. I was gonna bring up those being cast into prison as Burt said you having a property taken and cast into prison at the time of the book of Hebrews was written.
But even at the time of Smyrna he's saying look this letter you're going to be somebody gonna be thrown in the prison. Some of you are going to be hauled off. Some of you are going to be cast into prison and it's going to be not because you didn't bow down to Asclepius.
It's not going to be because you didn't go to Zeus a steakhouse and get a prostitute. It's not because you didn't go to Dionysus Temple and bow down and throw some incense on the fire for him. That's not what it's going to be.
It's because you have claimed the name of Jesus Christ and made him exclusive. Like you said a minute ago all these people hey in a pantheon of deities. Yeah, you didn't matter what you worship. But when you say Exclusive that now there is only one way.
One judge one mediator between God man. It's at that point that people begin to get angry. Yeah, because there's so many gods there yeah 2 million or 200 something ridiculous. Yeah, yeah. Because they just add Jesus to it.
Yeah, and they just add Jesus to everything else that they believe. Yeah. No, that's a good point, yep. They said some of you gonna be thrown into prison and that you will be tested and you will have tribulation for 10 days.
There's that word again tribulation you were tested and tribulation. It's the same word. What's the difference of being tested and tempted? I'm sorry tempted and tested are the same word. What's the difference of being tempted and tested?
Jesus was taken out into the wilderness. Was he tested or tempted? Yes, he said yes he was tempted that's the same word here. But here it said you're gonna be tested. Temptation is set before you so that you can overcome testing is to increase your faith.
When it said that was did it was Abraham? Tempted to kill his son on Mount Moriah. It's tested he was tested. It wasn't tempted the Lord God test. No attempts. No one he will test you. He will test your faith.
I'm gonna tell you don't pray that God would increase your faith. If you don't want to be tested. Don't pray for patience because you know, the only way you get patience is through tribulation and trials.
So if you say hey Lord increase my patience buckle up. If you say Lord increase my faith. Buckle up. Because he may give you exactly what you think you want like that. You're and you're gonna go. I don't want this.
Don't want this.
Some of you be cast in a prison be tested for two or like ten days. All right, so this pressing To the point of squeezing the juice out of it tribulation flips. II. Ten days. Anybody here believe that's a real ten days.
I think I think is a real ten days.
Okay.
This is one of those times when we look at numbers through the book of Revelation and say It's probably impressionistic.
Probably.
Okay, the person gets arrested and they're thrown in jail. You don't think he's going. Man this sundial gives me nine and a half more days and I'll be out of here. I don't know. I think it's saying okay.
Seven years is long enough to begin to be a crisis, right? Right. Ten ten days. Is short enough to be super uncomfortable, but no there's going to be an end.
Just.
Like when we get to other passages in the book of Revelation We're going to have one where it says there was silence in heaven for a half hour. Just means it was real small and I believe that's that quietness is taking place right before a final judgment.
It also says when we get to the to I think it's chapter 12 and 13 where it says. And he will bait the the.
The basically the false prophet will give his their power to the beast for one hour. Meaning very short period of time this here meaning. Hey, this time is going to be long enough to test you. Long enough to try you but it's not going to be a crisis.
That's how I understand it.
And.
Then it says but be faithful unto death.
What?
Wait a minute. You've already told us we're already broke. All the thing we got the tunic we got on. Oh, we don't have any money. Our livelihoods been taken. We're going through this tribulation. Now.
You're saying this is only going to be ten days. It'll be a short period of time and now you're gonna tell us be faithful unto death. What is that telling you about these ten days. It's probably possibility those that you were put in prison are going to die.
Look, you got to remember the prison system in ancient Rome. There's nothing like it is today. You had arrested you were put in prison. You were very quickly going to Go to trial. If you went to trial.
You were and you were a Roman citizen you may have an attempt for an appeal but if you were convicted you went either to the chopping block or thrown to the lions. Normally that didn't happen to Roman citizens.
Most Roman citizens would be headed if you're not a Roman citizen. You were crucified. There was no rehabilitation system in Rome. Rome was smart enough to know you don't throw hardened criminals together and think they'll get better.
Okay they were smart enough to know that a What this person's convicted the best thing for him to do if it was punishable by death is to put the person to death carry. I agree. Solomon says because sentences aren't carried out swiftly meant the hearts of men grow cold or grow evil or that a word.
Yeah, they can yes set to do evil. It says that you'll be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life. The crown of life is only spoken of one other time in Scripture. It's in the book of James.
That crown of life I would say would be synonymous to eternal life. As I as we know in history about Polycarp and his martyrdom. This would have been something Polycarp would have read. This would have been something him being the bishop of Smyrna.
He was he was uh, he was executed in 155. He would have this would have been Polycarp would it would have known John. Imagine him reading this. Him already going through the suffering had already happened in in in Smyrna.
Already knowing what had happened. With the destruction of Jerusalem already knowing that hey, there's going to be more tribulation to come and then one of his Church members is then Apostatizes. You can read the the Polycarps martyrdom.
It's available free online. I would suggest that you read it. Fox Book of Martyrs has a small entry of it. You read the whole story of how it come about. They have preserved the writing of this from the first the second century when this took place.
At Polycarp imagine him reading this going man. This church is still being persecuted. This church is still being Under great tribulation and then he reads be faithful unto death. I can only imagine when it come time for them to come get Polycarp these.
These.
Words in his brain went this is what Jesus told John and Now it's my opportunity to be faithful unto death. So Polycarps friend church member was Pressed about the imperial cult. Localized he Apostatized said he would not He would not He would not follow Christ anymore.
He recanted you understand that the goal of putting someone Under pressure to get them to it's not to put you to death. You know that They don't want to kill you what they want you to do is to show how weak and worthless your faith is by.
Failing.
That's what they want. They want you to recant because then they can say you know what? That person that you serve that person that you hold dear to that person whom you said have secured your soul for all of eternity.
The one who has paid the your sin debt and has implanted the power of the Holy Spirit within you who is supposed to give you Those words at that moment when you were at your moment of death. Oh, he's not worth he's worthless.
He's incompetent for helping you that's what they want. Well that man that was That apostatized for Polycarp exactly what happened. He then led him place to place. Polycarp went on the run he was found out in a farmhouse outside Smyrna and They brought him back.
They said okay. What's the deal you want to recant? He says no he said they called the Christians atheists and it was at that point that the City legate said all right if you just say away with the atheists meaning the Christians Which were behind him on his side basically he said you say away with the atheists.
We'll let you go and he takes both of his hands and he says away with all of you atheists. Meaning the Romans and it was at that point. They said feed him to the lions the arena and Legate says we already fed people to the lions earlier today.
They're not going to eat him. They said well, then why don't we burn him at the stake. The Jews said we'll help and The Jews went around and picked up the stubble and the sticks in that city. To burn Polycarp to death and then Polycarp said 86 years to God has done me no wrong.
Why would I say anything bad about my Savior today? They slipped they tried to light the stubble. It would not light he Singing gotta read that this is a it is an amazing Recount of what took place. He began to sing stuff wouldn't light.
One of the guys got Aggravated and ran up there just stabbed him in his heart. And then when they stabbed him in the heart the stuff did light then his blood gushed out put all the fire. You know, so this is what they were dealing with in Smyrna and it says He who has a we got a close-up and he who has an ear let him hear what the church Says to what the Spirit says to the churches and he who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
Go through verse 11 next week and then we'll get into Pergamon because that is a continual statement that goes through each almost each one.
Of the.
Each one of the the letters. So we'll we'll come back to that next week. And then we'll maybe get into the Church of Pergamon. Andy. You'll close this out in prayer.