The document summarizes a passage from the Book of Revelation addressing the church in Smyrna. It describes Christ identifying himself and acknowledging the church's afflictions, poverty, and slander from non-believing Jews. It notes the church will face suffering and persecution, possibly imprisonment, for their faith but urges them to remain faithful until death, at which point they will receive the crown of life. Any who are victorious will not be hurt by the second death.

2. Patmos

3. Smyrna:
• Address - “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:”
•Identification - “These are the words of him who is the First
and the Last, who died and came to life again.”
✴ First and the Last - (Ref. 1:17) Suggests both the pre-existence
and the eternity of Christ. No matter what
circumstances life may hold he is acquainted with them and
presides over them.
✴ Who died and came to life again - (Ref. 1:18)
✴Death and Resurrection - Their Expected Fate
✴History of the city - Destroyed by Lydians in 627
B.C. it was little more than a village for 300 years.
Rebuilt by Lysimachus on of Alexander the Great’s
Generals

4. Smyrna:
• Account: “I 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.”
✴ Afflictions - Carries connotation of extensive
tribulation
✴poverty - understated, lack of basic needs
✴Rich - Spiritually - no negative assessment
✴Slander - Cannibals, Love Feasts, Atheists, etc
✴Synagog of Satan - Rom. 9:6-8, Spiritual

5. Smyrna:
• Assessment: “Do 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, an you will suffer persecution for
ten days.”
✴ Don’t be afraid...I will give you the crown of life
✴ Persecution - Very real “The Dilemma”
✴ Ten Days?
✴ Short Duration
✴ Unknown duration
✴10 distinctive persecutions
✴10 days of preparation or imprisonment for
gladitorial combat.

6. Smyrna:
•Exhortation: “Be faithful, even to the point of death,
and I will give you the crown of life.”
✴ Faithful - faithful witness
✴Death
✴Martyr
✴Polycarp (69AD - 155)- Irenaeus (hearer or
Plycarp) and Tertullian say disciple of John
✴Crown
✴ Layout of the city - Apollonius of Tyana
(Greek philospher) crown of porticos
✴ Spephanos - victor’s crown (not diadema)

10. Smyrna:
•Promise: “the one who is victorious will not be hurt at
all by the second death.
•Call: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit
says to the churches.”

11. As a result of the
rejection, "initiative
supporters filed a
lawsuit"--Woodfill
v. Parker--and the
city responded by
subpoenaing "a
number of area
pastors, demanding
to see what they
preach from the
pulpit and to
examine their
communications
with their church
members and
others concerning
concerning the city
council's actions."