AGOGCI - The Seven Churches of Asia Minor- Smyrna: The Persecuted Church

The Seven Churches of Asia Minor
Revelation 2:1, 3:22
Part 2: The Church At Smyrna
Revelation 2:8-11
IntroductionThe Church of Jesus Christ is sometimes called upon to suffer terrible persecution. This has always been true down through history and it was certainly true of the church at Smyrna. The name Smynra means bitter. Smyrna received its name from the gum-like resin myrrh obtained from the tender bark of a shrub known as the flowering myrrh plant which when pierced and crushed becomes a bitter, fragrant spice. Myrrh was one of Smyrna’s chief commercial products. In biblical times, myrrh was used in making perfume, [Ps. 45:8] and oil, [Ex. 30:23]. It was also used for embalming, [John 19:39] for purification of women, [Esther 2:12] and for relieving and dulling pain [Mark 15:23]. The church at Smyrna was experiencing what its name denoted bitter sorrow, affliction, and persecution. Smyrna was a fitting name for this 1st century church because it gave off the fragrance of Christ throughout the region while being pierced, crushed, and

afflicted under persecution.The church was under powerful
satanic oppression from two sources, the Jewish community in which it was located as well as the religious establishment. Yet it stood fast for the truth against all attacks, remaining
faithful to Christ and His mission. John wrote what was true of their persecutors when he said, “For every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” [1 John 4:3] The persecutors of the Church claimed to know God while denying the Son of God, their Messiah. The same word in 1 John 4:3 is also true of those who attempt to mix law and grace. Paul also said, “I am surprised and astonished that you are so quickly turning renegade and deserting Him Who invited and called you by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ, the Messiah, [and that you are transferring your allegiance] to a different, even an opposition gospel. Not that there is [or could be] any other [genuine Gospel], but there are [obviously] some who are troubling and disturbing and bewildering you (with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel) and want to pervert and distort the Gospel of Christ, the Messiah

[into something which is absolutely not].But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to and different from that which we preach to you, let him be accursed -anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment! As we said before, so I now say again, If any one is preaching to you a gospel different from or contrary to that which you received [from us], let him be accursed—anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment!” [Gal. 1:6-9]Persecution came from within the church as well as from without. There were apparently a large number of politically influential Jews in Smyrna who, of course, were steeped in Old Testament theology and tradition. They despised the true believers in the Smyrna church and reacted towards them with harsh brutality and severity. Historical writings in conjunction with Scripture make it apparent that these unbelieving Jews did all they could to influence the city officials to annihilate out the church.