Let us turn again to God's Word
and turning to the book of Revelation. The book of the Revelation in
chapter 2 and I want to read from verse
8 one of those seven letters that the Lord Jesus addresses
to these seven churches. Therein in Asia Minor or Turkey
as we would now call it. Here at verse 8 then in chapter
2 we have the letter to the church at Smyrna. And unto the angel of the church
in Smyrna writes, These sing saith the first and the last
which was dead and is alive I know thy works and tribulation and
poverty But thou art rich, and I know the blasphemy of them
which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue
of Satan. Fear none of those things which
thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast
some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall
have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death,
and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that
overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. And for
our text I want to concentrate really on the words that we have
here in the 10th verse. Fear none of those things which
thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast
some of you into prison, that ye may be tried. and you shall
have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death,
and I will give thee a crown of life." And to take up the
theme of divine sovereignty in sufferings, divine sovereignty
in the midst of sufferings. Smyrna is evidently a persecuted
church as we see from the content of this particular letter and
in a sense that is a truth that holds good to the church of Jesus
Christ in every age, in all ages the Lord himself has said in
the world ye shall have tribulation be of good cheer I have overcome
the world And here at the end of course, the end of the letter,
we read those words, He that overcometh shall not be hurt
of the second death. Believers, all believers in a
certain sense, are spiritual martyrs. We know that there are
those who are literal martyrs, who suffered death in the cause
of Christ, but there is a sense in which that must be true of
every believer. because the word martyr, as we
have it in our English language, is simply a transliteration of
the Greek word, and that Greek word literally means a witness,
and all God's people surely are to be witnesses in this world. So, all believers are spiritual
martyrs. The hymn writer says, See the
suffering church of Christ gathered from all quarters, all contained
in that red list were not murdered martyrs. They were not all called
upon to testify even to blood, but there is that sense in which
spiritually they will know something of trials and troubles, saints,
and feel a load of sin, yet come off victorious, suffer martyrdom
within, though that seem less glorious. and thinking then of
the sufferings of the church, and yet the sovereignty of the
Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of all those sufferings. On the
Lord's Day we were looking at that verse in the Psalm, Psalm
94-12, concerning the manner in which the Lord teaches his
people, what it means to be in that school of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the blessed man, whom thou chastenest, says David,
and teachest him out of thy law. God's people know trials, troubles,
chastenings, corrections, that's their lot in this present world. And now, it was very much the
experience of the Apostle John as he declares in the opening
chapter I, John, who also am your brother and companion in
tribulation and in the kingdom and patience or endurance of
Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the
word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. He was suffering,
he was isolated, exiled, cut off from all fellowship with
his fellow believers and yet even in that sad situation the
Lord comes and grants to him the remarkable content of this
book of the revelation of Saint John the Divine and the title
that he bears in our authorised version. We know that all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution The Apostle
declares as much there in 2 Timothy 3.12, Yea, he says. Now he emphasizes
that truth, Yea, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall
suffer persecution. And so here, in this letter,
the Lord says at verse 9, I know thy works, and tribulation, and
poverty, but thou art rich. And I know the blasphemy of them
which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue
of Satan. Fear none of those things which
thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast
some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall
have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death,
and I will give thee a crown of life. How striking are the words then
here at the beginning of the 10th verse, fear none of those
things which thou shalt suffer. Aren't God's people often times
a fearful people? And you know there are a multitude
multitude of fear not scattered throughout God's words. Why so? Because the Lord knows these
people, he knows them better than they know themselves and
we have those words many times for example in Isaiah's book
and there in the 40th chapter of the book Isaiah 40 verse 10 bear with me while I find the
correct reference chapter 41 verse 10 fear thou not for I
am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen
thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right
hand of my righteousness. And then again, verse 13, I,
the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee,
Fear not, I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and
ye men of Israel. I will help thee, saith the Lord,
and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Again in chapter 43,
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he
that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name,
thou art mine." The blessings then of God assuring and reassuring
his people. Fear none of those things which
thou shalt suffer, says the Lord. Think of the words of the Lord
Jesus in the Gospel. Fear not, little flock, It is
your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Oh God
is mindful then of his people. And so as we come to consider
these words in verse 10 and take up this theme of divine sovereignty
in the midst of all the sufferings of the people of God I divide
the subject matter into two parts. First of all to say something
with regards to the Lord's people as a suffering people. And then
in the second place to consider Him who is their Savior, who
is sovereign over all things for them. First of all, these
people who are suffering, fear none of those things which thou
shalt suffer. And the context here does indicate
to us something of the source of those sufferings, from whence
those sufferings come. We see it in the context, don't
we? What he says in the previous verse, and particularly at the
end of that 9th verse. I know thy works, and tribulation,
and poverty, but thou art rich. And I know the blasphemy of them
which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue
of Satan. It is evident that in the early
church there was a great deal of persecution that came from
the Jews. Now they despised and opposed
those who were the followers of the Lord Jesus. We have this
expression, the synagogue of Satan. Time and again, of course,
in the Acts of the Apostles, we have mentioned of the opposition
that the Apostles met with, the hatred of the Jews. For example,
in the opening words of Chapter 14 there in the Acts, it came
to pass in Iconium that they went both together into the synagogue
of the Jews. This is Paul and Barnabas on
their first missionary journey. It came to pass in Iconium that
they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews and
so spake that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of
the Greeks believed. But The unbelieving Jews stirred
up the Gentiles and made their minds evil-affected against the
brethren. And then another example when
we find the apostle in chapter 17 in Thessalonica. What do we read there at verse
5? The Jews which believed not moved
with envy took unto them certain lewd fellows of the basest sort,
and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and
assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out
to the people." Wherever Paul goes, his pattern was initially
to go to the synagogue, He would preach there, he would preach
to Jews and to Jewish proselytes, and there were those who were
wonderfully wrought upon by the Spirit of God, but there was
also a great deal of opposition. And we know that previously,
of course, Paul had been a great enemy of the Christians. He acknowledges the same when
he writes to Timothy. there in the opening chapter
of his first letter to him. He was, he says, before a blasphemer
and a persecutor and injurious. And again when he's writing in
Philippians chapter 3 and there he sets out his pedigree really. He was a Jew. He was of the tribe
of Benjamin. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews.
And amongst those marks that set him aside as a very real
Jew, he says concerning Zeal he was a persecutor of the church. There was then much opposition,
enmity, persecution that came from those who were Jews, the
synagogue of Satan the synagogue of Satan but it's interesting
because with regards to what is being said in this ninth verse
Dr. Gill refers to what he calls
spiritual Jews not just those who were literally Jews but he's
speaking of professed believers. We know when Paul writes to the
Corinthians he says there must needs be divisions among you
that they that are approved maybe may manifest. There must needs
be divisions. The word as you'll see in the
margin is literally scissors amongst you that they that are
approved and what is a scissor? Well, it's where there are different
parties. And we know that there were those
who were professed believers, and in a sense, what were they? They were persecutors of those
who were the true Church of Jesus Christ. They were those legalists,
and now Paul has to continually deal with these characters. There's in the Acts of the Apostles
a clear identity between the congregation of the believers
and what was going on in the synagogues. Paul would always
go to the synagogue, that was his first place of call when
he goes preaching the gospel in various places until he turns
altogether from the Jews and turns to the Gentiles. But with
regards to the practice amongst the early Christians, they learnt
much from the way in which services were conducted amongst the synagogues.
And remember in James chapter 2 where James is speaking of
those who would come into the church, into the congregation,
and one might be a wealthy man and the other a poor man, and
he speaks out against those who would be partial, who would despise
the poor man. and give fiver to the rich man. He is rebuking that spirit there
in James chapter 2 and verse 2 and it's interesting he says
when these men come into your assembly that's the word we have
in the text but the margin tells us that the word is literally
the synagogue when they come into your synagogue the word
simply means an assembly but it's interesting that James should
use that specific word in reference to the assembly of believers
and so when we read here of the synagogue of Satan we're not
just to think in terms of those who were literal physical Jews
who were persecutors but there were those even in the Christian
assembly who were to a certain party, who were very much legalists. And remember, Paul certainly
is ever and always in his epistles contending against these men.
Principally we see it in the Galatian epistle, where he speaks
plainly, against the whole idea of causing Gentiles to submit
to circumcision as if Gentile converts to Christ have got to
become Jews. See how he writes there at the
beginning of the fifth chapter in that epistle? Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, he says. and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul, say unto you,
that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For
I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he
is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect
unto you. Whosoever of you are justified
by the law, ye are fallen from grace. these legalists were the synagogue of Satan really
and they were the ones who were the principal persecutors of
the real believers and how Paul speaks of them in the previous
chapter in Galatians 4 verse 22 he says it is written that
Abraham had two sons one by a bondmaid the other by a free woman He's
speaking of Hagar and Sarah. But he who was of the bondwoman,
Ishmael, was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman, Isaac,
was by promise. And what does he go on to say?
Verse 28, Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of
promise. but as then he that was born
after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit,
even so it is now." All this group of people, this party,
and it was there in the Galatian church, emphasizing so much the
importance of circumcision and wanting to bring believers under
the law, Christ and all that Christ had accomplished was not
enough for the salvation of the sinner, that's what they were
teaching. And these are the synagogue of Satan. And I read that passage
in in Acts 26 because there we're reminded of Paul himself how
he was one such a a persecutor of the true followers of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Remember what we read in that
portion from verse 9 following? He says, I have only thought
with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name
of Jesus of Nazareth, which I also did in Jerusalem. Many of the
saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from
the chief priests, And when they were put to death, I gave my
voice against them, and I punished them oft in every synagogue,
and compelled them to blaspheme. And being exceedingly mad against
them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. Whereupon
as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief
priest." And he speaks then of how the Lord meets with him. and addresses him. Why persecutors
thou murm? Because Christ is that one who
is the head of the body, the church. Or there is then, here
in this church at Smyrna, those who though they're not literal
Jews, as was Paul when he was a persecutor, but they are contending
for the same things, they are despising the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. There must also be heresies,
divisions, schisms amongst you that they that are approved may
be made manifest. And we know how throughout his
own ministry the Lord of course was ever always dividing amongst
the people. how there is a division amongst
them because of Him, how there is a division amongst them because
of His sayings. Three times in John's Gospel
we read those words, a division because of the person of Christ,
a division because of the preaching of Christ, a division really
because of the work that Christ has come to do, even the will
of His Father, and how He is so much despised by the Jewish
authorities, But there the Lord is that one who is taking forth
the precious from the vial. The mark of that true prophet
of the Lord, if thou take forth the precious from the vial, he
says through Jeremiah, thou shalt be as my mouth divisions, scissors. And here we read then of this
church at Smyrna and there's opposition, there are those in
the church They've made a profession, yes, but are they real believers? Are they in possession of the
grace of God, or is it simply a delusion that theirs is not
a real faith, a saving faith? I know thy works, says Christ,
and thy tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich, and I know
the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, That is true Jews. Remember, again, Paul makes it
plain, doesn't he? He speaks of what he does mean
to be one who is truly circumcised, writing to the Philippians. Beware
of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision, he says,
for we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and
rejoice in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. Even
to the Philippians you see, he's having to speak against those.
He doesn't call them the circumcision, he calls them the concision.
What are these fleshly cuttings? They're illegal things. They're
contrary to the law of God. We're the true circumcision. Those who know a spiritual circumcision. He is not a Jew which is one
outwardly, neither is circumcision that which is outward in the
flesh, he says, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision
is that in the heart of the spirit, not
of the letter, whose praise is of God. Paul then is quite clear
how that there are those who will be in the church and they'll
be persecutors of those who are the true Israel of God." As he
says here, they simply say they are Jews and are not, but are
the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which
thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some
of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation
ten days Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a
crown of life." Now, in the midst of all these troubles, trials,
difficulties, wherever they come from, the comfort of the people
of God is that there is one who is the Savior, and He is clearly
here seen to be a sovereign Savior. He's a sovereign Savior. It's
interesting, isn't it, what He says. He says, Behold the devil shall
cast some of you into prison. Now, the devil is no free agent. Remember the experience of Job. And when we read that opening
chapter of the book of Job we might conclude that When the
troubles come to Job and they come in the form of the death,
well the loss of all his possessions initially, and then the loss
of all his children. He's touched, he's touched in
his own family really, it's awful. And when reading that chapter
we might conclude that it's the devil who is sending the wind,
and sending the fire, but Satan has no control over creation
God is sovereign and when we come into the second chapter
I find it striking because Satan comes again before God and how
does the Lord challenge him? He speaks of how Satan has moved him Satan has moved him, as he says,
against Job. The implication, surely, is that
what comes from the elements, the way in which the trial comes,
isn't the work of Satan. But God is that one who is sovereign
over all these things. And so here, God's sovereignty
is absolute in any trials or troubles that are coming on this
church at Smyrna Christ is that one who is a sovereign saviour
thou art rich he says in verse 9 I know thy works and tribulation
and poverty but thou art rich what is the what are the riches
that belong to the people of God isn't it the great doctrine
of salvation and that doctrine that centers in the person and
work of the Savior and the absolute sovereignty of Christ. He is
that one now the head over all things to the church. He has
been exalted to the highest heavens and he is that one who is now
reigning in his mediatorial kingdom and he is fulfilling His great
eternal purpose of salvation, whatever befalls the Church of
Christ. The Lord Himself is sovereign
in all these things. And two things with regards to
this sovereign Savior. First of all, there is that great
purpose of God. And then secondly, there is the
promise that God has given His people. And what do we learn
with regards to these sufferings, be they what they may? Whatever
trials, troubles come upon the people of God, be it from those
who creep into the churches, as it were, and bring in false
teachings and legalistic teachings, or anything that is erroneous
and contrary to the gospel of Christ, albeit troubles have
come because there are trials and tribulations in this world.
In all of these things we are to recognize the Lord's purpose,
the Lord's sovereignty. And what do we see here? Well,
we see that the sufferings being spoken of in verse 10 are not
universal in the Church. What does the Scripture say? Well it speaks of some. Behold
the devil shall cast some of you into prison. Now I recognize that the word
some is one that's been introduced in the translation, that's evident
because it appears here in italics. But it is, it's rightly added
because it brings out the significance of the preposition that follows
of as cast of you not all of you but some of you the Lord apportions troubles
to his people individually and he does it in a sovereign fashion
he deals with one in this way he deals with another in that
way And so the sufferings, that particular suffering being cast
into prison, is not the common lot of all the people of God,
all the church of Jesus Christ. The sufferings are not universal. God deals with us in a very particular
fashion. That's the wonder of God's dealings.
Oh yes, he gathers his people together in local churches, local
congregations, but he always deals with us as individuals.
But also with regards to the Lord's purpose, we see that the
sufferings are not perpetual. It's not the only experience
of the church of Jesus Christ. What do we read? Ye shall have
tribulation ten days. Ye shall have tribulation ten
days it says there at the end of verse 10. Now, I don't want
to get into debate or speculate with regards to what the ten
days is specifically. Doubtless there will be some
who will want to make a certain interpretation of the number.
Numbers are significant. I recognize that. It's a symbolic
book. And numbers are very important
in this book. But the point I want to make
here is a very simple one. The 10 days reminds us that this
is a set period. It's a set period of time. And
so The sufferings, as they are not universal, so also they are
not perpetual. They are only for a set period.
Remember how Peter, when he speaks of the trial of your faith, speaks
of now, for a season. It needs birth. You are in heaviness
through manifold temptation. And now there is so much in every
one of the words that he is using there. now the force of that
just now for a season what is a season? it's a small period
of time not a long period of time the seasons of the year
they come and go now for a season there's an if
there's an if also they come if they're necessary they come
when they're necessary there's a need for it or sometimes those
trials and troubles are necessary but God deals in particular with
his people and so the sufferings are not continuous they have
their beginning but they also have their ending and they're
not sent to destroy it's the trial That's what's spoken of
here in the middle of verse 10, that ye may be tried. Oh, it's the trying of your faith,
much more precious than the gold that perishes. And the Lord knows. The Lord
knows how to try His people. He will never permit His people
to be tempted above what they're able. We read in 1 Corinthians
chapter 10 that with a temptation he makes a way of escape whereby
they are able to bear it. This is a way in which the Lord
deals with his people. The hymn writer says that flame
shall not hurt them. I only design thy dross to consume
and thy gold to refine. As we read in Job He knoweth
the way that I take when he hath tried me. I shall come forth
as God. For God hath a good end in view.
I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace,
not of evil, to give you an expected end. And what does he say here
at the end of the verse? Be thou faithful unto death. Be thou faithful unto death. At the end of verse 11, he that
overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Faithfulness,
isn't faithfulness bound up with that saving faith? John tells
us that whoever is born of God overcomes the world and this
is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Where
there is a true saving faith, a true justifying faith, there
will be that perseverance, that endurance. He that shall endure
unto the end, says the Lord, the same shall be saved. And so in all the trials, the
troubles, the persecutions, even those things that have come into
the assembly as it were, into the church, into the congregation,
those of the synagogue of Satan, all of these things, are under
the sovereign hand of God but besides the Lord's purpose there's
also the Lord's promise and it's fear not fear none of those things which
thou shalt suffer he says fear none of those things which thou
shalt suffer whatever one has to pass through, through fire
or through floods and again we can think of the language of
Isaiah and this time there in the 43rd chapter of the book,
the familiar words But now thus saith the Lord that created thee,
O Jacob and he that feared thee, O Israel, fear not for I have
redeemed you I have called you by thy name thou art mine when
thou passest through the waters I will be with you and through
the rivers they shall not overflow when thou walkest through the
fire they shall not be burned neither shall the flame kindle
upon them here is God here is the the word of God here is the
promise that God gives to his people or they're not to imagine
for a moment that the trial that comes to them is a strange thing. The trial will come, yes, but
together with the trial there is also the promise, as we see
there in Peter, 1 Peter 4.12 Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some
strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice. inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ's offerings, that when His glory shall be
revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. All besides
the trial there is the appearing, the appearing of the Lord, the
revelation of the Lord in it all, and that rejoicing that
will follow in Him. And what does the Lord say here
as He reassures His suffering people? I know, He says. The
beginning of verse 9, I know thy works and tribulation and
poverty. Well this is that one of course
that we read of in the opening chapter in that vision that John
is favoured with where he sees the glorified Christ and His
eyes his eyes as a flame of fire all he sees all things those
all seeing those all searching eyes he knows all things he is
that one who is the eternal one we have it again there in the
opening chapter he is the first and he is the last chapter 1
and verse 17 as John falls dead at his feet he lays his right
hand upon him saying fear not fear not I am the first and the
last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive
forevermore amen and have the keys of hell and of death And
so here, as the Lord begins to address this Smyrna church, in
verse 8, these things said, the first and the last, which was
dead and is alive, I know thy works. All of this surely is
given in order to comfort the people of God, to reassure them. And what does the Lord say at
the end of our text? I will give thee, I will give
thee, the crown of life. What has He made, His church?
Well, we're told there in chapter 1 again in verse 6, He has made
us kings and priests unto God and His Father. To Him be glory
and dominion forever and ever. These are all the promises These
are all those things that the people of God, the church of
Christ, is in possession of. They aren't rich. As he says
here in this parenthesis in verse 9, in the midst of all troubles,
tribulations, persecutions, heresies, schisms that come amongst
the people of God. Our comfort is found by continually
looking to the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is what the Lord has
ordered for His people. Remember how that great 8th chapter
of the Roman Epistle concludes. Oh there we see so much of the
sovereignty of God that sovereignty that reaches from eternity to
eternity that golden chain as we sometimes call it and then
when the Apostle comes to the end of the chapter what does
he say that he quotes from Psalm 44 as it is written for thy sake
for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted
as sheep for the slaughter 9 Nay, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us. 10 For I am persuaded
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. so
how comforting is the word that the Lord in his goodness and
mercy brings to this particular church in Smyrna I know thy works
and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and I know the
blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not but are
the synagogue of Satan fear none of those things which thou shalt
suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison
that ye may be tried And ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be
thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of
life. Amen. Well, let us, as we turn
now to prayer, first of all, we'll sing God's praise in the
hymn 717. The tune is Norton 590. Brethren, those who come to bliss,
come through sore temptations. May we all remembering this,
pray for faith and patience. 717 TUNE 590