Post by Messenger on Aug 27, 2005 10:00:33 GMT -5
Now, we look at the church in Smyrna.
Revelation 2:8-11 (New International Version)
To the Church in Smyrna
8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Smyrna is a church in physical poverty. But notice how Jesus encourages them-by telling them, that physically they may be poor, but they are rich!
Does this sound a bit contradictory? Not at all!
The richness that He is talking about is spiritual richness.
Look at:
1 Corinthians 2:9 (New International Version)
9However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"
This is the promise for all those who hold fast to what they KNOW is right-what God has for us, can't even be imagined! If that doesn't give encouragment to the downtroden & poverty-stricken, than nothing will!
Jesus talks about all sorts of persucution that believers will face in Matthew 5:11-12. Yet even as He talks about is-notice that there is always a second half to it-in this case, it is what is known as the crown of life.
This is more symbolic, that an actual crown. An actual crown is just an object. I believe that this is represenitive of the fact that Jesus gives rewards to all those who remain faithful to Him. The crown of life is probably refering to the gift of Salvation, which Christ offers to all who will come to Him!
As for the second death-That is refering to escaping the condemming of a persons soul, to the lake of fire! Right now, all those who have died NOT knowing Christ are in Hell. But look at:
"Revelation 20:14 (New International Version)
14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
At the end of the Millenium, there will be one last judgement, of all unbelievers, in which even Hell itself, will be cast into the Lake of fire! We can infer, that as bad as Hell probably is, this is going to be even worse! :926: :926: :926:
But, Believers need not fear this, because, as we will see, when we get to the Church at Sardis:
Revelation 3:5 (New International Version)
5He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
As Believers, our NAMES ARE in the Book of Life, because of our choosing to follow Christ!
And that, is reason enough to rejoice in ANY circumstance!
Be Blessed!
Bill
Revelation 2:8-11 (New International Version)
To the Church in Smyrna
8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Smyrna is a church in physical poverty. But notice how Jesus encourages them-by telling them, that physically they may be poor, but they are rich!
Does this sound a bit contradictory? Not at all!
The richness that He is talking about is spiritual richness.
Look at:
1 Corinthians 2:9 (New International Version)
9However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"
This is the promise for all those who hold fast to what they KNOW is right-what God has for us, can't even be imagined! If that doesn't give encouragment to the downtroden & poverty-stricken, than nothing will!
Jesus talks about all sorts of persucution that believers will face in Matthew 5:11-12. Yet even as He talks about is-notice that there is always a second half to it-in this case, it is what is known as the crown of life.
This is more symbolic, that an actual crown. An actual crown is just an object. I believe that this is represenitive of the fact that Jesus gives rewards to all those who remain faithful to Him. The crown of life is probably refering to the gift of Salvation, which Christ offers to all who will come to Him!
As for the second death-That is refering to escaping the condemming of a persons soul, to the lake of fire! Right now, all those who have died NOT knowing Christ are in Hell. But look at:
"Revelation 20:14 (New International Version)
14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
At the end of the Millenium, there will be one last judgement, of all unbelievers, in which even Hell itself, will be cast into the Lake of fire! We can infer, that as bad as Hell probably is, this is going to be even worse! :926: :926: :926:
But, Believers need not fear this, because, as we will see, when we get to the Church at Sardis:
Revelation 3:5 (New International Version)
5He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
As Believers, our NAMES ARE in the Book of Life, because of our choosing to follow Christ!
And that, is reason enough to rejoice in ANY circumstance!
Be Blessed!
Bill
