The city of Smyrna was renown as a pressing place where they made incense from. This involved pressing and beating of myrrh and vines. This activity is compared to vexation or persecution. Therefore the church of Smyrna was the most persecuted church.
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 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. 10 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. 11 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.
The city of Smyrna was renown as a pressing place where they made incense from. This involved pressing and beating of myrrh and vines. This activity is compared to vexation or persecution. Therefore the church of Smyrna was the most persecuted church.
This church Age lived in the 2nd century AD, it was by then that Rome made a great prey against Christians under ten ruthless tyrants (kings). Christians were thrown into arenas to play and fight with wild beasts as emperors entertained themselves. It was a very terrible experience for the church, yet they continued steadfastly in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. They never denied the gospel irrespective of the great tribulations.
They were poor materialistically because Christians were not allowed to own property in those days and many of them died starving. They never considered poverty to be a curse as compared to our present wicked generation. The Bible says that Jesus Himself knew their Poverty and their tribulations, yet He never promised to give them a financial breakthrough so that they might nourish their souls.
He never sent deliverance to them from their tribulations, but instead, He encouraged them to remain faithful and to be patient unto death so that they might have power over the second death. In fact, Jesus added them more ten persecuting emperors to persecute the church for more ten days (until the end of the reign of those kings which was until the 3rd Century AD)
I pity our present generation where the churches call poverty a curse and by all means they preach that all believers should be rich and wealthy. The church has advocated for many evil things in a bid to alleviate poverty among the believers. This present apostate church has also promised believers that there cannot befall persecution upon them; that's why by such flatteries many have already identified themselves with the world.
Many Christians today have made leagues with Presidents, governments, earthly kings, and popes, and have joined and teamed up with different religious organizations connoting that we serve the same God. And I want to make it clear that my God my Lord Jesus Christ whom I serve, is not the god whom Catholics, Muslims, and other religions serve. I will never team up with the Pope and the Vatican or the Moslem to have a neutral ground saying that we serve the same God. My God is a jealous God and whoever comes to Him must denounce his/her religion and be regenerated in his/her mind by the Holy Spirit and be converted to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear beloved brethren, I want you to know that persecution is part of our Christian walk and after we have endured persecution, then we shall receive the great reward.
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
The messenger or Angel to this church Age was Irenaeus. Remember the messenger to these churches is the messenger to that generation with the doctrine and message of the hour according to God's will. Always God anoints one outstanding Prophet in every generation to direct his people.
AWAKENING THE SLEEPING BRIDE
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