Revelation: To The Church In Smyrna—I See You  | May 5, 2023

Revelation 2:9 ESV

⁹ “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 

 The Amplified version says it this way:

⁹ ‘I know your suffering and your poverty (but you are rich), and how you are blasphemed and slandered by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan [they are Jews only by blood, and do not believe and truly honor the God whom they claim to worship].

Smyrna was a dangerous place to be a Christian. Citizens were required to worship the emperor and to call Caesar their lord and savior. If they did not, they were excluded from the marketplace, unable to buy and sell. They couldn’t work or make money because of their profession of faith in Christ. 

In addition, they were slandered by the Jews who spoke evil against them, spreading rumors and lies. Sometimes they were imprisoned or executed for their faith. 

In the midst of their persecution, how encouraging it must have been to receive a letter to let them know that Christ knew all about their sufferings, and though they endured extreme physical poverty, they were rich in the promises of Christ.¹

^“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” (James 2:5 ESV)

Smyrna is the only church to not receive any rebuke. Could it be that their sufferings, though extremely difficult, helped them persevere?

^“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

The church in Smyrna encourages me to stay the course when I face my own trials, though they are small in comparison. If they can stay the course, so can we.

¹Walvoord, J. F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 934–935). Victor Books.