In this study, the following are to be considered:
In this study, the following are to be considered:
The significance of the name p.2
The importance of the historical and geographical status of the city p.2
Other scriptural references p.2
Titles of the Messiah p.2
The synagogue of haSatan p. 4
The Second Death p.6
References and credits p.6
Smyrna – The Persecuted Assembly
Rev. 2:8-11
Each future assembly would have a particular problem highlighted in the letters, but there are all aspects of the letters apparent in varying degrees at all Church Periods.
This assembly was typical of assemblies from Diocletian in 170 C.E. to Constantine in 312 C.E. The early Church Fathers were moving away from the teachings of the Tanakh and the Jewishness of the style of worship. In this period, it can be seen that the ‘Christian’ church wanted to disassociate itself from any connection with the Jews who were seen as being anti-Rome and Caesar (Larkin p. 21).
What is another word for persecution? Tribulation.
Smyrna follows Ephesus in this letter. Now if we consider the church from the present day to the Snatching Away, will be an Ephesian Assembly, can this Assembly be typical of another future church? “I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the set apart ones, and with the blood of the martyrs of Yahushah. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.” “I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you do not receive of her plagues,’” (Rev.17:6; 18:4). After the Snatching Away, Believers will undergo increasingly severe persecution and will be typical of the Smyrna Assembly. Even at so late a time, the Risen Messiah calls Believers to flee the Church lest they too are subject to its judgement.
Therefore, the Smyrna Assembly is also typical of Believers between the Snatching Away and the Second Coming of the Messiah to the earth. During this time, true Gentile Believers will be as one with true Jewish Believers, all being persecuted by the Church.
Rev. 2:8 – The Greeting
“To the messenger of the assembly in Smyrna write: ‘The First and the Last, who was dead and has now come to life says these things:”
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The city
Name: Smyrna means myrrh, the ointment of death (Larkin p.21).
Smyrna is still a thriving port and city now known as Izmir.
It was a city of major commercial, religious, political and cultural importance, and was considered as the ‘Crown of Asia’ (Sweet p.86 r).
Geographical status: Smyrna was the chief rival to Ephesus as a commercial centre, commanding the Hermus Valley and served by the safest harbour in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Political status: It was a free city and the first city ever to erect a temple to the goddess Roma and was chosen by Rome over Ephesus to build the first temple to Tiberius.
Religious status: It was considered the most beautiful city in all of Asia Minor, surrounded by the Pagos Hills covered by wonderful buildings and pagan temples and within the city were temples to Zeus, Cybele, Apollo, the Nemesis, Aphrodite and Asclepios ((1)Barclay p. 90).
Population: It was a cosmopolitan city with a very large and influential Jewish community.
Nicolaitanism may have spread from here to Ephesus sometime after Ignatius’ visit in 107 C.E. (Thomas Vol. 1 p. 220). Polycarp was Bishop who was martyred in 155 C.E. probably instigated by the Jews.
The original city was destroyed in 600 B.C.E. and remained in ruins until 200 B.C.E. (dead but now alive (1)Barclay p. 91).
Titles of the Messiah
The First and Last refers to the Messiah begin from eternity past to eternity future (cf Isa. 44:6; 48:12; Heb. 13:8). He who was dead and is alive again.
γίνομαι gin-o-my #G1096 was. This is of a temporary nature meaning became.
Dead – the Master’s death purchased salvation;
ζάω za-oh #G2198 – alive. This is an aorist action, one that was in the past and thoroughly completed and permanent.
Alive – the Messiah applies this salvation to a Believer’s life (Henry p. 1381).
See also The Introduction to the Seven Assemblies – The Authorship p. 3 and The Scene p.11.
Rev. 2:9 – The Persecution
“I know your works, oppression and your poverty (yet you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say there are Yehudim and are not, but are an assembly of haSatan.”
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θλῖψις th-leep-sis #G2347 – pressure. This denoted the torture of piling heavy stones on to the victim’s chest.
πτωχεία ptocheia toh-khi-a #G4432 –abject poverty or destitution.
Believers were generally from the lower classes or slave castes;
Believers’ homes and businesses regularly attack and destroyed;
Believers were under constant threat of arrest at the whim of the governors and imprisonment usually ending in death ((1)Barclay p. 96).
Believers work tirelessly for the Messiah. Although they may be temporally poor, they are spiritually rich, “He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, But the hand of the diligent brings wealth.” (Prov. 10:4) (Henry p.1381).
Those calling themselves Yehudim by virtue of their physical descent from Abraham were accused by the Messiah as blasphemous. This was because true Yehudim, by spiritual descent from Abraham, were considered by Sons of Yahuah and not of haSatan, “Do not think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that `Eloakh is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” (Matt. 3:9).
“For he is not a Yehudi who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Yehudi who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from Yahuah.” (Rom. 2:28, 29). “But it is not as though the word of Yahuah has come to nothing. For they are not all Yisra’el, that are of Yisra’el. Neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children. But, ‘In Yitzchak will your seed be called.’ That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of Yahuah, but the children of the promise are counted as a seed.” (Rom. 9:6-8).
Roth summarises this in Rom. 9:6 #44, “Therefore, regardless if a person is born Jewish, Israelite or otherwise, the seed of promise are those who enter into the Malchut (Kingdom) of Elohim in Y’shua and permit Torah to be written upon their hearts.” (AENT p.478). Clearly, physical descent has no part to play in determining true spiritual descent.
Σατανᾶ sa-tarn #G4567 שָׂטָן sa-tarn #H7854 adversary, enemy. This word has long been taken as the name of the embodiment of evil. However, the Hebrew word has been transliterated into Greek and English but is not necessarily a proper name.
“But the princes of the Pelishtim were angry with him…and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary (שָׂטָן satan) to us…” (1Sam. 29:4); “But He turned, and said to Kefa, ‘Get behind me hasatan! You are a stumbling-block to me…’” (Matt. 16:23). In both of these verses, Dawid and Shimon Kefa have not been processed by the evil one, but simply being an adversary, coming against the plans of another party.
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The Yehudim were probably the main, but not the only, instigators of the persecution, “But the disobedient Yehudim stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers. When some of both the Gentiles and the Yehudim, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them,” (Acts 14:2, 5). These were due to slanderous accusations of:
Cannabalism when ‘eating’ the body of the Messiah and ‘drinking’ His blood;
Agape love feasts were orgies;
Destroyers of family relationships;
Atheists by not worshipping in local temples;
Disloyal to Rome and the Emperor by not swearing annual allegiance and oath to ‘Caesar as lord’;
Inciting arson by their end time’s view of the world ending in flames.
The synagogue of haSatan
Those who say that they are of Yahuah’s people but lie are said to be of the assembly of haSatan. They are those:
(i) who profess to worship Yahuah but:
(a) really follow false gods;
(b) do so in a false manner, “You worship that which you do not know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Yehudim. `Eloakh is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:22, 24). Philadelphia was the home of a large Hellenistic Yehudim community whose ancestors came from Bavel and Mesopotamia. They proclaim their Yehudim ancestory but promote the Greek pagan culture ((5)Fairbairn p.231).
(ii) who call themselves Yehudim but the Pharisaic Yehudim who look upon themselves as spiritually superior. As they are of Abraham’s physical seed and their mechanical obedience to the Law of Moshe and the traditions of their fathers, they consider themselves as Yahuah’s people (Matt. 3:9);
(iii) who call themselves ‘Christian’ who likewise consider themselves as spiritually superior because of their mechanical obedience to the creeds, doctrines and traditions of the Church Fathers and are saved from the wrath to come, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Master, Master’,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works? Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’” (Matt. 7:21-23).
Both the Pharisaic Yehudim and the supercilious ‘Christians’ that have persecuted Yahuah’s remnant will have to come before Believers, not to worship, but to repent, “The sons of those who afflicted you shall come bending to you; and all those who despised you shall
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bow themselves down at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you The city of Yahuah, The Tziyon of the Set Apart One of Yisra’el.” (Isa. 60:14).
Those of the synagogue of haSatan will want to know in truth, the Risen Messiah when persecution or trials beset them. They can only look upon the true Believers and the peace they possess even under persecution. They will know that the blessings of the Messiah are solely due to the love the Messiah has for His followers.
The Throne of haSatan would most likely be a reference to this centre of Caesar worship where Jews and Believers were forced to deny Yahuah as the one true `Elohiym. The refusal to make the oath would incur retribution and persecution.
When the Persians conquered Mesopotamia in 539 B.C.E. under Cyrus the Great (famousdaily.com), there was a distribution of captives from that area to other parts of the Persian Empire (cf Ezra 1:1-11) including Asia Minor. From Bavel via Pergamos and Asia Minor, the religious cults of sun, Saturn and haSatan worship expanded into Rome by 133 B.C.E. (kotipetripaavola.com).
Rev. 2:10 – The Exhortation
“Do not be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.”
The Messiah has experienced the worst that haSatan (through Man) can accomplish, but has come through as the perfect example for Believers. Thomas goes further in that he calls all institutions that oppose the doctrine of the Messiah, whether as a person or corporate entity should be classed as satans (Thomas Vol. 1. P. 234). This would include Rome and all its officials, religious, secular and military, leaders of ‘Christian’ denominations, Judaisers or pagans. These would eventually amalgamate into a One World religion, set upon the destruction of the Truth as preached by Scripture. Nevertheless, there is the embodiment of evil that instigates all adversity to Yahuah, His Messiah and all who proclaim His Truth. In these studies, this will be called haSatan. Therefore, Thomas concludes that all that support and make possible the persecution and the destruction or perversion of the Truth are devils or demons (Thomas Vol. 1 p. 243).
Although there is an assurance that Believers will be persecuted, “yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.” (Matt. 13:21), nevertheless there is an equal assurance of their reward, “Yet, looking to the promise of `Elohiym, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to `Elohiym, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform.” (Rom. 4:21).
The reference to ten days may refer to:
(i) The Ten Great Persecutions from Nero in 64 C.E. to Diocletian 310 C.E.;
(ii) The last ten years of fiercest persecution under Diocletian;
(iii) Ten days referring to a short but severe period that was imminent (Larkin p. 21).
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The Messiah calls the Assembly to be loyal unto death. The citizens of Smyrna knew what it meant to be faithful as the city was rewarded for its loyalty to Rome and Caesar. The Messiah promises two rewards for this faithfulness:
(i) Crown of Life – this means that the crown was made from life, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Messiah promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12) and is the martyr’s crown. This crown is utterly suitable as the crown is given for their poverty and of life who gave up theirs for the sake of the Messiah.
στέφανος ste-fa-nos #G4735 – This is the type of crown worn by:
(a) A victorious athlete upon winning the race. Believers are called to win the race (1 Cor. 9:24-27).
(b) A magistrate for loyal service. The Believers will receive the crown for faithful service to the Messiah and fellow Believers.
(c) Banqueters at a feast. Believers are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, “He said to me, ‘Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’’ He said to me, ‘These are true words of `Eloakh.’” (Rev. 19:9).
(d) Pagan worshippers going to temples. Believers may have to wear an earthly ‘crown of thorns’ before they get the heavenly ‘crown of life’ and access to the presence of Yahuah ((1)Barclay p. 101).
(ii) Not hurt by the second death (Rom. 8:38, 39; Rev. 20:6, 14; 21:8). This is an eternity of dying.
Rev. 2:11 – The Warning
“He who has an ear, let him hear what HaRuach says to the assemblies. He who overcomes will not be harmed by the Second Death.”
The Second Death is that of all unrepentant sinners at the end of the Millennial Reign and is when they are all cast into the lake of fire for all eternity, “Death and She’ol were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the Second Death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:14, 15). The First Resurrection takes place immediately prior to the Snatching Away of Believers, “For the Messiah Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the chief angel, and with `Eloakh’s shofar. The dead in Messiah will rise first,” (1 Thess. 4:16). Over these the Second Death had no hold, “Blessed and set apart is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the Second Death has no power, but they will be priests of `Eloakh and of the Messiah, and will reign with Him one thousand years.” (Rev. 20:6).
Ears
ἀκούω akoo-oh #G191– means not only to hear but to consider, understand and to act upon what has been said and is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew שָׁמַע shema shar-mer #H8085.
Him: this personalises all the letters. The Messiah addresses the warnings and promises of this and all the other letters to each and every Believer throughout the ages;
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Assemblies: this generalises all the letters. The Messiah addresses the warnings and promises to each and every Assembly throughout the ages.
The promise is given to those who endure to the bitter end.
Yahuah bless you and keep you
Yahuah make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,
Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.
All glory be to Yahuah,
Ameyn.
References and Credits
In using these references, it is in no way agreeing to or condoning the theological viewpoint of the authors.
(1)Barclay W. (1960) The Revelation of John, Vol I, Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh,
Henry. Rev. M. (1828) An Exposition of the Old and the New Testament, Vol. III,
J.R. & C. Childs, London.
Larkin C. (1919) The Book of Revelation, Moyer & Lotter, Philadelphia, PA.
Strong J.(1994) Strong’s New Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, World Bible
Publishers Inc., Madison. (Denoted by #H or #G).
Strong J.(1996) The New Strong’s Complete Dictionary of Bible Words, Thomas Nelson,
Nashville. (Denoted by #H or #G).
Sweet J. (1979) Revelation, SCM Press, London.
http://www.famousdaily.com/history/cyrus-the-great-of-persia-conquers-babylon.html
http://www.kotipetripaavola.com/seatofsatan.html
AENT “Scripture taken from the Aramaic English New Testament Copyright 2008. Used by permission of Netzari Press.”
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HNV The Hebrew Names Version is based off the World English Bible, an update of the American Standard Version of 1901. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.
King James Version (KJV) Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown. This Bible is printed and published by Cambridge University Press, the Queen’s royal printer, under royal letters patent. The text commonly available now is actually that of the 1769 revision, not that of 1611. The text used by BLB is the current 1769 edition.
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First Generation Assembly 