Revelation 2:8-9 To The Angel In The Church In Smyrna /Greg Bahnsen /Part 9 of 63

Get underway and we'll have a word of prayer. Lord, we thank you for your word of truth. And thank you that you have not left us ignorant, that you have not left us in the dark, but rather have revealed yourself, and indeed, Father, have revealed your intentions for history, that you've let us know where we are in your plan. And we thank you, Father, that as part of that plan we've been called into your kingdom, have been made your people. We thank you, Father, that through all the ages the consummation song will be the victory of the Lamb over all the forces of evil. Lord, we pray this morning our hearts would be comforted with that message and that, Lord, we would be strengthened and emboldened to live in a way which is righteous before the world and honoring before you. As a result of reading and learning from the passages of scripture that we'll look at, we pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. Want to thank all of those who came out to our early morning fellowship breakfast this morning. We hope our next class function will be such that it will be a little more convenient for those of you who couldn't make it this morning because we'd really like to get to know you. I think those who came this morning know something about each other now, names, places and so forth. And I just wish that it was possible in this size class to have a little more personal interaction. And I, in that same vein, would continue to encourage you to stop me from lecturing so much to you. I believe in the lecture method of teaching, but I do intend to take whatever time is necessary to explain things to the class, to answer questions that are even perhaps obliquely related to the lesson at hand. So every now and then I'll try to remember to encourage you because once this horse gets started for barn, you may be afraid to try to reign me in. But don't raise your hand. Stop me at any point. Ask whatever question comes to mind. If anything is unclear, let me know. Today we come to the second letter of the seven that John, as a representative of Jesus Christ, sends to the churches of Asia Minor. We find the second letter, the letter to the church at Smyrna in chapter two of the book of Revelation, beginning at verse eight, beginning to read there. And to the angel of the church in Smyrna, these things saith the first and the last, who is dead and liveth again. I know thy tribulation and thy poverty, but thou art rich. And the slander of them that say they are Jews and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan, fear not the things which thou art about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison. That ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation 10 days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt. Of the second death to the angel of the church at Smyrna. Who is the angel of the church at Smyrna? Let's do a little review here. Anybody? Okay, the pastor of the church in Smyrna. Remember our traditional pattern here for the seven letters. The letter comes from Jesus Christ. In a particular designation, an appropriate, a relevant designation of Jesus Christ is given. And then Jesus will say to the church, I know something about you. Particularly, I know something which is commendable about you, but this I have against you. And then an exhortation after the warning, the exhortation. And then he that hath an ear, let him hear the promise to those who will overcome. However, you won't find that pattern followed here in the letter to the church at Smyrna. There's something missing. But this I have against thee. Just as last week, that ringing phrase that you have left, your first love is so prominent in that message to the church at Ephesus, so if you will, there's a blessed silence through the church at Smyrna. Jesus has nothing against this church. I think we could probably take an hour and just discuss that and the significance of that. Can you imagine that? Here is Jesus writing the most crucial message the church is going to receive in the very midst of 10 days of tribulation to come upon this church. And Jesus has not one word of condemnation for the church, not one word of. But I have found you failing in this area. Like I say, a whole lesson could be given there. But the outcome of the lesson would certainly be this. St. Paul's Presbyterian Church must be striving for that status wherein Jesus could write to us and say, but I have nothing against you. There would be no condemnation. Jesus acknowledges your hard work in the faith. And that's all there is to be said, an exhortation and encouragement, but no condemnation. No other church will be found to be in that condition. So when we read the letter to the church at Smyrna, this is certainly an outstanding and extraordinary kind of thing, but what do we know about the sick of Smyrna in which these Christians resided? Smyrna was some 35 miles north, almost due north of Ephesus in the ancient world, it was called the lovely crown of Ionia, the ornament of Asia. It was a beautiful city. It was an important city. It had a great natural advantage as a city being at the head of a well protected gulf and having an excellent harbor. It competed with Ephesus for financial transaction, for commerce in that area of Asia Minor. And it was a strategic outlet for trade from the rich valley of the Hermus as well in that area. It was a prosperous area. It was a rich area, a farm area, as well as having a harbor. And so it had a lot going for it, economically speaking. However, in 580 B.C. okay, now we're talking about 580 years before Christ, the city was leveled, it was destroyed, and it was rebuilt after that as a planned city, one of the earliest planned cities of the ancient world. And interestingly, well, it was rebuilt in 290, by the way. But as part of that rebuilding, it became famous metaphorically for its golden streets. It's an interesting thing to find out because later on, when John describes the new Jerusalem, that will be an important metaphor for the new Jerusalem. So Smyrna is a planned city. That is, it's laid out in advance, it's built up according to some scheme. And as a city being rebuilt with its allegedly golden streets, it boasted itself as being the very glory of Asia. Now, 290 it was rebuilt. In 195 BC, Smyrna erected a temple to the goddess of Rome. And so long before Rome came to the position of imperial might, Smyrna was already making religious and political ties with the city of Rome. And it is, according to historians, among the first, if not the very first, of the cities of the ancient world to engage in emperor worship. It built a temple to Tiberius in the time of his reign. And a number of cities in Asia Minor had competed for the privilege building this temple to Tiberius alone. That privilege was given to Smyrna. It became a seat of emperor worship, which is only natural given this history, and was a faithful ally of Rome even before Rome was acknowledged in the area and throughout Roman rule. The other thing that I. Well, the two other things I want to tell you about Smyrna that are important. It is famous for its games, its athletic games that were held there. And keep that in mind as we read the letter here. John's going to play upon that fact. He's going to play upon the fact that it's a rebuilt city famous for its games. And let me give you a little aside here. This is one of those Interesting things about New Testament. Well, Old Testament study too. But as I studied the Book of Revelation, one of the interesting items of authentication for the early date of the book, its genuineness, is how well John knows the local conditions in the various cities to which he writes. And he just weaves that right into his account of how he addresses the church there, knowing its past history and so forth. Well, I said there were two things I wanted to tell you. It was famous for its games, but Smyrna also was the center, a minor center for a large colony of Jews. Large colony of Jews who we know from history to have been very influential with the civil authorities in Smyrna. Not only influential with the civil authorities, but actively aggressive against the Christians in the city. Although it comes from some years later, you, those who have studied early church history will remember that the Jews were the ones who provoked the rabble of the city of Smyrna to make a mob to martyr Polycarp, one of the most famous bishops of the early Christian church. Polycarp was martyred there at Smyrna because of the instigation of the Jews who burned him and then refused to let the Christians give him an honorable burial. So this comes some years after this account. So you can see the kind of hostility that raged there from the Jews against the Christians through the avenue of political control. That in itself will be significant. When we read the letter now that background to the pastor, to the angel of the church in Smyrna write these things. These things saith the first and the last who was dead and lives. Again, the greeting and the title come from the one who is first and last. Now in chapter one, verses 17 and 18, when we read Jesus described as the first and the last, that is connected with what outstanding event in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus has the right to be first and last. He qualifies as first and last. He has the power of first and last because of what? In his life? Anybody. His resurrection. Exactly. It's because Jesus has conquered death that he is qualified, that he is designated appropriately as first and last. Remember what I said about John knowing the conditions of the city. Here's a city that had died and now lived again. But you see, the one who writes to the city is the Lord God Almighty, but the one who was dead and has conquered death itself. Not just metaphorically, not just a dead city come back to life, but in all truth, fully dead and now fully alive, forevermore the first and the last. By saying that he's first and last. I remind you that Jesus is claiming total sovereignty over everything. Jesus determines the beginning. Jesus will consummate at the end. Jesus controls all of history. He has sovereignty rather than the state. The state which would assert itself religious and political authority needs to acknowledge that Jesus is the one who is totally sovereign. And this is a sovereignty contrary to the occult of Sybil that centered also in Smyrna. That cult featured a kind of natural resurrection experience for the goddess Sybil. But Jesus actually was raised from the dead, not just mythologically, but in history. Was raised from the dead gains the position of first and last, the one who is totally sovereign. And this totally sovereign Jesus says, I know, and it's worthy of praise. I know thy works. I'm sorry. I know that you are in tribulation, that you are poverty stricken, and yet parenthetically you are still rich. And I know the slander of them that say they are Jews and are not. A good deal needs to be said about just these phrases here. Look at the various kinds of trouble the church of Smyrna is in. Jesus knows it's tribulation. Jesus knows it's poverty. Jesus knows the railing of the enemies against the Christians there. And I don't know, I don't believe I'm reading this into the passage, but it just strikes me as I read the Greek here that these phrases come so easily. They're spoken with a kind of familiar light reference, a kind of an accustomed feeling. I know you're in poverty. I know you're in tribulation. I know how they slander you. It's not as though there had been some outstanding event of slander, some outstanding event, but it was the common lot of these Christians. Jesus says, I know the condition in which you live from day to day. I know this garden variety kind of tribulation that you have to be in continually. I know your tribulation, that serious trouble, that suffering that you're in. I know your poverty. The Greek here denotes an extreme state of being destitute. I know that you're almost to the point of having nothing to wear, nothing to eat. And I know the railing of the pseudo Jews, the reviling and the defaming, the slander. I remember I mentioned Polycarp, the bishop of the church here who was martyred at Smyrna, the Jews who had been jealous for his execution, by the way, so much did they hate Polycarp that the Jews who condemned Sabbath violation and condemned gathering wood on the Sabbath, gathered wood on the Sabbath to burn polycarp. And they were only able to gain his execution by bringing false charges against him. They said that he claimed certain things against the Roman state that he never had said. So the railing of the Jews, the poverty which appears here to be connected with the tribulation of the saints, apparently their tribulation amounts to their decapitalization. They are actually being plundered of their holdings. They are being discriminated against in the marketplace because of their Christian faith. And we see a similar kind of thing in Hebrews, the tenth chapter, verse 34. Verse 34 is what we'll focus on, but let's back up and put it in context, beginning at verse 32. But call to remembrance, the author says, the former days in which after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly being made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly becoming partakers with them that were so used for ye. Both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession, an abiding one. I wouldn't want us ever to lose sight of the stark historical realities of what it means to be a Christian. For the Christians in Smyrna, that meant discrimination economically. That meant they were being robbed, they were being taken advantage of, even to the point of being destitute in tribulation for their commitment to Jesus Christ. But notice how Jesus says, I know how you're destitute. And he says, but you are rich, all right. Now, if you're looking for a contradiction to be found in the Bible, one might think, well, there it is, boy, side by side. You're rich and yet you're poor. Obviously, these designations of rich and poor are applying to different spheres, or else we would have a contradiction. It's unlikely that Jesus would be poor praising them for their spiritual poverty, isn't it? I know, and commend you for being so poor spiritually. Now, there's a difference between being spiritually poor, that is destitute of spirit, and another thing, to be poor of spirit, as Jesus speaks in the Sermon on the Mount. We won't get into that. My point here is that he's saying, yeah, I know that you're without financial gains. I know you're destitute economically, but you're very rich spiritually. And there's a great contrast between the praiseworthy church of Smyrna and that of laodicea. In chapter three, verse 17. Notice what we read about Laodicea. Because thou sayest, I am rich. And have gotten riches, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art the wretched one, and miserable and poor, and blind and naked. Just the opposite condition. The people in Smyrna appear to be poor, but Jesus declares, as the sovereign who knows the truth, but you're rich. But the people in Laodicea, they claim to be rich. They have really taken care of themselves. But Jesus says, I know that you are poor. And think about that Christian, what you want Jesus to say of you. The appearance is opposite of the reality. In both these cases, the church in Smyrna appears so poor, but Jesus says, you are rich. You are rich. In my eyes, you're rich spiritually. That has got to be an exhortation to us as Christians to not financial irresponsibility, but an exhortation to putting our finances in their proper place, in the proper focus and perspective. And in order for us to do that, this morning I put together a long list of passages from the Old and New Testament that will help us to see how God views poverty and how God views richness, both physical or financial and spiritual. And so let's look at a long list of passages beginning in the Old Testament, in the Psalms. Psalm 49, 16, 18. Psalm 49, beginning at verse 16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased. For when he dies, he shall carry nothing away his glory shall not descend after him though while he lived he blessed his soul, and men praised thee. When thou doest well to thyself, he shall go to the generation of his fathers they shall never see the light. Psalm 52, 5:7. God will likewise destroy thee forever. He will take thee up, and pluck thee out of thy tent, and root thee out of the land of the living. The righteous also shall see it, and fear and shall laugh at him, saying, Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. Psalm 73, beginning at verse 3, reading through verse 8. For I was envious at the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm they are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck violence covereth them as a garment their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than heart could wish they scoff, and in the wickedness utter oppression, and speak loftily. Verses 12 through 19 behold, these are the wicked, in being always at ease they increase in riches. Surely in vain have I cleaned my heart and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. If I had said, I will speak thus. Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children. When I thought how I might know this, it was too painful for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God and considered their latter end. Surely thou settest them in slippery places. Thou castest them down to destruction. How are they become a desolation in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors. There's that old appearance, reality contrast. They appear so firm even going into their death. They don't have the sorrows of other men, the worries of other men. They are set solid. Then the psalmist says, when I went into the sanctuary, however, when I went into the place where I praised God and realized their latter end, he said, they really set on slippery places. Ezekiel 7:19. It's been suggested that Proverbs was written by Solomon to Israel because they were so rich and so wealthy at the peak of their power that they had taken everything for granted and were quickly turning away from God because it was so easy for them. Yeah, that's a great insight. When we get down with this list of verses about the rich and their latter destruction and we start reading about the true wealth, we're going to be reading a lot in Proverbs here in just a minute. Ezekiel 7:19 they shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be as an unclean thing. Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of Jehovah. They shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels, because it hath been the stumbling block of their iniquity. But what a strong passage. Ezekiel, the prophet says, they're going to come and take and throw their silver and gold in the streets and want to do away with it because it's their stumbling block in the day of God's wrath. They want to put it away as an unclean thing. Can you imagine yourself going out and throwing your money in the street right now? I mean, I know the condition of a good number of you here. I mean, I don't know specifically, but I mean, it comes hard, doesn't it, making the ends meet? Imagine taking that little bit you do have and throwing it in the street. And God says the rich will want to throw their money away when they see the wrath that is to come upon them. Matthew 19:24. And again I say Unto you it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. There's only one thing that I feel sorry about with respect to this verse, and that's that the Christian church, at least the Christian church as I've known it in the 20th century and for my short years, has been so avid to explain what this doesn't mean, that we so often fail to get the real punch of what it does mean. It is true rich people can be saved. What is impossible with men is possible with God. But I've heard so many sermons stressing the. But, you know, the. Although the qualification that, you know, we just need to let that sink in for a minute. Jesus says it's hard for a rich man to go to heaven. He doesn't say they don't go, but he says it's very hard, like a needle trying to go. Like a camel trying to go through a needle's eye. And I don't care whether you interpret that verse in terms of a literal needle that you sew with or the needle's eye. You know, that was the center of the gate in Jerusalem that the camels had such a hard time going through at night after the gates were closed. Either way, Jesus is saying it's terribly hard for a rich man to enter heaven. When we get done with this set of passages, I hope some of you will at least see some reason to be glad for your poverty. Luke chapter 6, verses 24 and 25. But woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you ye that are full now, for ye shall be hungry. Woe unto you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep. That's one thing for a rich man to enjoy his riches. But Jesus says, woe unto you, because you see you've already received your consolation. That's it. And all of a sudden when you realize that there's a lot more that must be gained in life, in fact, there are some riches that are a lot more important. You say, that's a pretty piddly prize if that's all the consolation we're going to have in this life. Luke 12, 15, 21. Especially notice verse 21 when we get to it. Luke 12, beginning at verse 15. And he said unto them, take heed and keep yourselves from all covetousness. For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he reasoned within himself, saying, what shall I do, because I have not where to stow my fruits. And he said, this will I do. I'll pull down my barns and build greater ones, and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. But God said unto him, thou fool, this night is thy soul required of thee, and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? Jesus says, so is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. The same language is in Revelation. Here's a man who's laid up treasure for himself, but he is not rich toward God. Outreach toward God first Timothy, chapter 6, verses 17 to 19. Paul says to Timothy the pastor, charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not high minded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on life, which is life indeed. Tell the rich that if they want to really be rich, let them use their physical riches to gain spiritual riches. That's, if you will, the message between the lines here. Let them lay up for that final day when they'll have to demonstrate spiritual richness then James 1:9 11. But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate, and the rich in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth. So also shall the rich man fade away in his goings. James 5:1, 2, 3 Come now, ye rich, weep, and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches are corrupted, your garments are moth eaten, your gold and your silver are rusted, and their rust shall be forever a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh and fire. Remember Ezekiel, the rich will want to throw their gold and silver away from them in that day. James says, those riches will eat their flesh like fire, the fire of God's judgment. And one last passage in this run of passages we'll look at the miseries of the rich. Hebrews 11:26. Speaking of the faith Of Moses, he is commended as accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. For he looked unto the recompense of reward. Pervasive theme throughout the Bible. Moses considered spiritual riches greater than physical riches. Now, that doesn't come anywhere close to what this passage teaches us. It says he considered what the reproaches of Christ greater riches. There's the key to understanding how Jesus can say to the church at Smyrna, I know you're destitute. I know you're in tribulation, but you are rich. Rich in tribulation. It's true to scripture to say that a man is rich despite tribulation. All right, we've seen that there are those you see who are in slippery places because of the riches and those who are on the firm ground of trusting in Jesus Christ. There are those who are rich toward God, even though they may be poor toward the world. So yes, there are those who are poor and yet, despite that fact, are rich. Here we are told, though, that the very richness of Moses faith is in his reproach. It's not you're reproached, but nevertheless rich. You are rich because of the reproach. You are rich in the very fact of the reproach. You see, all those who shall live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer what, persecution? And you find a man who is persecuted for his Christian faith. Now I say for his Christian faith, not for the hardness of his personality or the fact that he is offensive rather than showing the offense of the cross. But you find a man who's truly in tribulation and suffering because of his Christian testimony. There's the richest man you can find, just like Moses, rich in the reproaches of Christ. Now, set over against that long list of passages we've been looking at that teach the problems of wealth, we see there are passages throughout the Old and New Testament that tell us about true wealth as well. Back to the Psalms. Psalm 37, verse 16. Psalmist says, better is a little that the righteous hath than the abundance of many wicked. Maybe that's the sort of verse you should write out and put above your desk. You know, when you make out your bills, pay your bills, and you remember, and you are tempted to lust after the wealth of those who are at ease here in our society who have enough to pay their bills. Better is a little. That little bit that you can pay out is much better than the abundance of the wicked. Proverbs, the 10th chapter, Proverbs 10, 2, 22 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivereth from death. When all is said and done, you see, those riches aren't going to keep you from dying, but righteousness will profit you in the midst of your death. Verse 22 the blessing of Jehovah it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow therewith. That's a nice thing about Jehovah's riches, He doesn't add to it. The bitterness that comes as well, I don't know. I would imagine most of us, a good three quarters of us here, know people who are well off in this world and yet are very bitter and very sorrowful. God doesn't bless his people that way when he gives them riches, whether they be spiritual or physical. By the way, when he enriches a man, he doesn't add sorrow to it. Proverbs 11:4, 28 Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death. Verse 28 he that trusteth in his riches shall fall, but the righteous shall flourish as a green leaf. Proverbs 13:7, 8 There is that which maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth. The ransom of a man's life is his riches, but the poor heareth no threatening. God doesn't have to threaten the poor. They know their position, they know their need for the richness that he can provide. Righteousness will guard the upright, but those who are wicked, those who have riches, will be thrown into the pit. Proverbs 15:16. Better is a little with the fear of Jehovah, then great treasure and trouble therewith a similar theme to God doesn't add sorrow with the riches he gives better as a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox, and hatred therewith. Proverbs 16, verse 8 better is little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. And turn to the New Testament. We'll look at a few passages there too. Matthew the sixth chapter, verses 19 to 21. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, and there will thy heart be also. Pity. You see, with respect to so many poor people, is that with that empty wallet they've got empty hearts too. It's where their treasure is, there their heart is. Matthew 19:21. What does Jesus say to the man who was traditionally called the rich young ruler Jesus said to him, if thou would be perfect, go sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor. Then thou shalt have treasure in heaven. Come and follow me. Where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. Jesus says, you decapitalize yourself, get rid of all these riches, and then your heart will be in the right place, then you'll have treasure in heaven. Verses 28 and 29 of the same chapter. And Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you that ye who have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. And every one that hath left houses or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands for my name's sake shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit eternal life. First Timothy 6:6. God makes restitution to his people, who in the midst of their tribulation have become destitute, who have had to give up so much for the kingdom, and he restores a hundredfold as well as eternal life. First Timothy 6, verse 6. Godliness with contentment is great gain. The word there for gain is the same as you know, the spoils, the riches of the world, that is great gain, great capital to have. In Genesis the 15th chapter, you need not turn to it. But in Genesis 15, verse 1, Jehovah says to Abraham that I, I am thy exceedingly great reward. All right. Now with all of this is he taught in the Scriptures with respect to true wealth and what, what wealth we are to desire. You can understand how much is. Well, all of that, you see, lies this kind of water dammed up behind this verse in Revelation chapter two that just breaks forth, you see, with just that little indication, Jesus says, I know you're destitute. And then he can just say parenthetically, but you're rich. And then you see, all of this that the Bible teaches about the terrors of those who are rich but wicked and the blessings of those who know the reproaches, the riches of the reproaches of Christ and yet are rich toward God is all being communicated to the church. See, that little bit is enough to encourage a church that has nothing to be condemned. I know your tribulation. Remember, you're rich. And Jesus has said it. That's sufficient. The Bible has taught pervasively how to put our wealth in proper perspective and how to see true wealth before God. I'm not intending to attack the person, but I'm just wondering about how this would fit in, for example, with Gary North's idea of hoarding up things. I'm thinking in particular of that one article in the Remnant Review. I think you were commenting on it. So you're familiar with it. Yeah, I think if you want to speak of the person now here, some of you know the views of Dr. North with respect to Christian stuff, stewardship. I learned a good deal of what I just taught you here this morning from Dr. North about riches. You must remember that all of this is put in its proper context. That is, one must have a biblical outlook on economics in general. And then in particular, what are you to do with what little you have or what great you have? And that's a different question. How do you morally control the amount that God has given you? And in that regard, Dr. North may feel it's right to hoard corporate and to lay up for the future, not everlasting future, but one must take care of his family. You know, the Bible teaches also that a man who doesn't manage his finances well is worse than an infidel if he won't make, you know, provision for his family. So what I'd say is you just have to remember that all this is put in the overall context of Christian economics. I'm thinking of it. In other words, if we looked at the Church of Smyrna, were they doing this sort of thing? They couldn't. Oh, they couldn't. And at least somebody who knows Dr. North and his. And his way of living and his way of giving. I realized too, that if he lived in Smyrna, he may say that as a matter of theoretical fact, if you have the money, you have to do your best with it. But he certainly wouldn't be. He wouldn't be stingy about that. Those who are destitute don't have positions of power with money and can't advance the kingdom financially. But those who do have wealth, those who do have money, have to do it responsibly. And I think that's the best way to summarize what he's saying. All right. To the church at Smyrna, I know your tribulation. I know your poverty, but you are rich. And I know the blasphemy are actually the slander of them that say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Well, I'll tell you, it's one of the most pungent verses in the New Testament. I know the slander of those suicide Jews who are really a synagogue of Satan to be a Jew, according to John means more than outward. Membership in the race means more than physical circumcision. Paul himself teaches this message in Romans the second chapter, Romans 2, verse 25, and then verses 28 and 29. For circumcision indeed profiteth if thou be a doer of the law, but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. Verse 28. For he is not a Jew who was one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew who is one inwardly. And circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. True Jews are inwardly so they are true Jews because they are inwardly circumcised. To be a Jew is not then to be a member of the race, not even to have circumcision in the flesh. So In Galatians the third chapter, verses 7 and 29, Paul teaches us further who the genuine people of God are, the genuine sons of Abraham are who the true Israel is. Know therefore, that they that are of the faith the same are sons of Abraham. And if ye are Christ, then ye are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise. In Philippians 3, 3, Paul puts it even more definitely when he says, for we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. He says, we're the circumcised ones. Even if it's not circumcision in the flesh, we're the genuine circumcision. We are the true Jew. We are the true sons of Abraham. We are the true heirs of the promise. So the Jews who have rejected the Messiah, and those who confirm their rejection of the Messiah by in perversity, persecuting the Messiah's church, they are pseudo Jews. And why are they such pseudo Jews? What does that come from? How is it that the Jews are in this position Jews in the flesh, but are pseudo Jews before God? It's due to Satan's deception. We learn in 2nd Corinthians chapter 3. The reason I'm bringing this out is because of the connection John's going to make with Satan in just a moment. But let's look at 2 Corinthians 3, 12, 18. Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech and are not as Moses who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look steadfastly on the end of 18. Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech. And are not as Moses who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away. But their minds were hardened. For until this very day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remaineth it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ. But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. Now, if you're familiar with this passage, you have to stop and put yourself remember, when Moses is read. When is Moses read to the Jews in the synagogue? Paul says, and when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Now, where the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. And look at verses three and four of the next chapter. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving. That the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them. When Moses is red, a veil is on their heart. You see, that veil keeps out the glory of Jesus Christ, the glory of the Gospel, that veil on their heart. And where did that veil come from? It is veiled in them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving. Paul's talking about a definite specific providential dealing of God in history whereby Satan has blinded the eyes of the Jews. They rejected the Messiah, they persecute the Messiah's people, and God has blinded their eyes so that when Moses is read in their synagogues, they do not perceive that Moses himself spoke of Christ. So it's very significant that John describes the persecutors of the Christians at Smyrna in the language we've read. I know the slander of them that seek. Say they are Jews and are not, but rather are a synagogue of Satan. You see, Satan controls their worship. Satan blinds their eyes. Satan impels their activities. That's a synagogue of Satan. Now this is. You have to really meditate on this to pick this up. But you see, very subtly, John teaches us a lesson that's true to human nature as well. Those with false pretensions as to themselves, those who pride themselves on being Jews but are really pseudo Jews. Those with false pretensions as to themselves are usually the most quick to make false accusations against others. You find a man, whether it be in the Christian church, usually outside, that's what we're talking about here. But you find a man who is so quick to bring accusation against somebody else, so quick to slander somebody else, that man usually has a false conception of himself. Those who are pseudo Jews make the slanderous charges. The Jews were effectively charging Christians before the Roman officials with lies, with slander. Now, before we go on to look at what we learn about the tribulation and how it's to be handled, when John draws this very definite distinction between physical Israel and spiritual Israel, and when after drawing the distinction between those who are true Jews and those who are false Jews, he calls, I'm sorry, between physical Israel and spiritual Israel. And he calls physical Israel pseudo Jews. And that speaks a very definite word. I think it speaks a compelling and a conclusive word about the hopes of dispensationalism and the perspective of the apostles. There is no future for physical Israel as such. Physical Israel is now pseudo Jew in God's eyes. And so the hope that there is. We're now in a parenthetical period in which the emphasis is upon a gentile church. But God will come back to national, physical Israel and deal with them in the future on the basis of their nationality is of course scuttled by John saying they're the synagogue of Satan. They are pseudo Jews. And John says in that that God will have nothing to do with them. I do believe that national Israel has a future, but not as such as national Israel stops being pseudo Jews and becomes true Jews, they will be regrafted into the olive tree of God's glorious and gracious dealings with his people. In other words, Romans 11, that all Israel shall be saved. That's my interpretation. But I want you to be very careful to note that it's only as they are engrafted into the olive tree that God cares for the Jews as a nation. Not as a nation, but as a national people, as a physical people any further. As such, they are pseudo Jews. They are not the spiritual Israel and they are the synagogue of Satan. A synagogue, of course, was used by Jews throughout the Hellenistic world on the sabbath for their place of worship. But the gathering of those pseudo Jews does not bring together God's people, does not bring together the heirs of the promise, does not bring together the seed of Abraham, but brings together a synagogue of Satan. Now we've said that Satan, you see, lies behind the activity of the Jews here. And what is the activity of the Jews here? Slandering God's people. And what is Satan's basic activity? In scripture he does a lot of things, but he's given the name Satan because of what? Henry? That's right. He accuses the brethren falsely. Look at Revelation, chapter 12, verse 10. I heard a great voice in heaven saying, now is come the salvation and the power and the king kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ. Because the accuser of our brethren is cast down. Who accuses them before our God day and night? Satan is the great slanderer. Satan is the one who brings accusation against God's people. And Satan the slanderer has made the synagogue of Satan, has made the pseudo Jews slanderers against the people of God as well, just like Satan. And the Jews slandered, slander the believers in Smyrna. The religious perspective, the religious affiliation of a man is the crucial one. It doesn't make any difference if he's outwardly a Jew in God's sight, he can be seen as impelled by Satan. But one last, although there's a lot more, one last thing I'll say this morning about this, this little verse here teaches us also that Satan uses as one of his great weapons religion. That's a hard one to swallow. But Satan makes a great deal out of religious persecution from other religious groups, if you will. You'll find Satan, sure, you'll find him in the pub. But if you really want to find Satan at his best as an angel of light, look for him in the pulpit. So those who are religious can in fact be the synagogue of Satan. As we've said already at this point, there is no word of reproach uttered against Smyrna. There is no I have this against thee. We have rather the beautiful silence of Christ as he passes from the acknowledgment of their tribulation and poverty and the slander of the pseudo Jews against them. To fear not the things which thou art about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried that ye shall have tribulation 10 days. Notice how the imprisonment is ascribed to the devil. But we know from history that it's the Jews who threw the Christians into prison. It's the Jews using the secular arm of the Roman state to throw the true believers into prison. Satan is a slanderer. Satan uses political circumstances to his advantage and he works through the machinery of government to work against the people of God. This probably ties in, I think, with the synagogue of Satan, that it's the Jews, the reviling Jews, the slanderous Jews impelled by Satan goes to the machinations of the government, goes to the political machinery, and uses it as now Satan's tool, tool to get at the people of God. I want to take a minute here to show you that this is, although you don't usually think about political and religious persecution in this way, Paul himself considered the most deadly of persecutions against the people of God to be impelled by Satan. And that comes through the instigation of the Jews through the machinery of the government. So let's look at this as we find it next. And so, 17th chapter. I'd like to read the first 13 verses. This is going to be historical background to Paul's work in Thessalonica. And then looking at the two Thessalonian epistles, it'll be interesting to see how Paul theologically describes what went on. Okay. Acts 17. Very quickly, when they had passed through Amphibious and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews, similar language, a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead. And that this Jesus, whom he said, I proclaim unto you, is the Christ. And some of them were persuaded and consorted with Paul and Silas, and the devout Greeks, a great multitude, and of chief women, not a few. But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar. And assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people. And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, saying, these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also whom Jason hath received. And these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king Jesus. And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea, who when they were come thither, went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, and that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures Daily. Whether these things were so many of them therefore believed also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Berea also, they came thither, likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes. And then immediately the brethren sent Paul away by sea. All right. Now, that's Paul's experience in Thessalonica. It was bad enough that the Jews get the whole city in an uproar against the Christians. And he has to flee, you see, to get away from the city, because the rulers of the city are going to take vengeance against him. But then the Jews even pursue him to Berea to stir up trouble against him. And so now I give that as historical background. I want you to see how Paul deals with this situation. In First Thessalonians, chapter 2, verses 13. I'm sorry, verses 14 through 18, First Thessalonians 2, beginning at verse 14. He's talking to the very Christians that had helped him escape from Thessalonica now. All right. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God, which are in Judea, in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the sin same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out. And those who please not God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved. To fill up their sins always. But the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short sin season in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire. Because we would fain have come unto you. I, Paul, once and again. But Satan hindered us. Paul says, I wanted to speak to you face to face. I wanted to be in Thessalonica. I wanted to comfort the saints there who were undergoing the same thing as the Christians in Jerusalem. Their own countrymen were bringing the opposition against them, leading them to their deaths. I wanted to be there, but Satan hindered me. Now, who hindered Paul? Historically, the Jews and the city rulers of Thessalonica. And Paul says, but Satan hindered us. And then if that isn't. I mean, that's very striking. It's striking to me. But if that isn't enough, look at Second Thessalonians, chapter two. Now, Second Thessalonians and his Church, the Second Epistle. For these same people, I'll Read verses three through twelve, but pay special attention to verse nine, beginning at verse three. Let no man beguile you in any wise, for it will not be, except the falling away. Come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed. The Son of perdition. He that opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped so that he sits in the tent of God, setting himself forth as God. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things. And now ye know that which restraineth to the end, that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of his lawlessness does already work. Only there is one that restrains until he is taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall sweep with the breath of his mouth and drink them not by the manifestation of his coming. Even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness. For them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be saved, judged, who believeth not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. What's interesting is that now Paul refers to the greater power that be, if you will. He refers to that very emperor who lies behind the use of Roman opposition to the Christians. And he says his coming is according to the workings of Satan. The man of lawlessness is specifically seen as the guise for Satan. The man of lawlessness is Satanic, and the man of lawlessness is offered to him. In Paul's day he goes, you know these things. We experienced them right when I was there in Thessalonica, that Satan uses the Jews and through the Jews, political authority to persecute his people. And the Jews are the agents of Satan by means of the Roman authorities. Well, there's an awful lot packed in here to the church of Smyrna. I guess we'll have to finish it up next week. But let's just recapitulate what we we have thus far. To the pastor of the church in Smyrna write these things, saith he who is the first and the last, who was dead and lives again. I know your tribulation and I know your poverty, but you are rich. And I know the slander of them that say they are Jews, but are not, but are rather a synagogue of Satan. Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer, for the devil is about to come. Cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried. Ye shall have tribulation 10 days. But be faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. The crown of life. By the way, you might be thinking about this for next week really is the wreath of life in Smyrna, which is a grand city for the athletic games, where the one who ran the best race was given the wreath, the victor's wreath. Jesus says, but you see, you be faithful unto death, and I'll give you the wreath of life that protects you from the second death. Let's pray. Father, we ask that this day you would forgive us, for not a one of us could sit here and confess, Father, that we have been faithful and pure and righteous before you in those respects that we've studied. Lord, take away our lack of faith. Enable us to trust you even for those physical needs of our lives. Lord, make us rich in the reproaches of Christ and able to endure against financial poverty, being destitute, knowing that we are rich in faith and rich toward God and rich in the kingdom of God and rich in eternal life. Help us to see our lives in proper perspective. And, Father, help us also to know that that persecution, that opposition that comes to us as believers in Jesus Christ comes from one who has so much to suffer before you in the final day. Help us to see, Lord, that our opposition is satanically inspired, but that if we will endure in the face of Satan, even as Christ our Savior did, the crown of life is ours. And the second death can hurt us not a bit. How we thank you, Father, for the true riches and the true promises that are given to us as your true people in Jesus Christ, in his name.