DECEMBER 14, 1947 LOYALTY UNDER PERSECUTION R ev . 2:8-11; 7:9-17
say they are Jews, and are not” (2:9). A problem of identification here presents itself. Who are these individuals? A study of church history and other pas sages of Scripture indicate that they were the Judaizers who sought to pervert the true grace of God and legalize the Gospel. These were Jews in name only, not spiritual Jews (Gal. 6:15 and Rom. 2:28, 29). God’s children should realize the solemnity of these words. When a church is spiritual, giving forth a faith ful witness, the devil is sure to be on hand with some scheme to destroy its effectiveness. • “And ye shall have tribulation ten days” (2:10). The ten days are some what difficult to identify. However, it is significant that during the time of the Roman persecutions, from Nero to Dio cletian, there were ten distinct efforts to destroy the Christians. The ten days might refer to special periods of perse cution rather than to literal days. But
ly spoken of in Scripture in connection with death. Myrrh was crushed in order that its sweetest fragrance might be re leased. In all probability the church of Smyrna represents that era of church history which followed the apostolic pe riod when pagan Rome attempted to crush it with many persecutions. Never was there a time in its history when the church gave forth a sweeter testimony than during those two centuries of al most constant martyrdom. The church was despised by the empire and its pos sessions confiscated yet in God’s sight it was rich and precious. True riches do not consist in material benefits or favor able circumstances but in a right heart attitude toward God. “I know the blasphemy of them which
O u tlin e a n d E x p o sitio n T h e P er se cu tion (R ev . 2:8-11)
Smyrna represents the history of the church during the third and fourth cen turies, until the time of Constantine. There were ten great persecutions dur ing that period, from both pagan and papal Rome. The spiritual decline at Ephesus opened the door for the legalism found at Smyrna. There were those who desired to Judaize the church; they claimed to be Jews, which they were not, and they thus formed a synagogue of Satan. This was manifested in their turning to legal ism, which is the devil’s means of de stroying the true church, and bringing persecution to genuine Christians. Satan’s cunning as manifested at Smyrna is also revealed today in various legal systems claiming to be true Chris tianity. This Judaistic perversion of the grace of God obscures the true Gospel. It makes much of religious observances and ceremonials, but obliterates the cross, and the blood of the cross. Legalism robbed the early Christians of their God-given standing of perfection in Christ and put them back into the world, from which they had been deliv ered, where they attempted to work out a standing of their own. Legalism denies that probation ended at the cross where every mouth was stopped and all the world became guilty before God. The warning comes from one “which was dead, and is alive.” Jesus Himself had passed through whatever persecu tion could come to His own, who were exhorted to be “ faithful unto death,” that is, to the point of death (Dan. 3:17, 18; Acts 7:57-60). Today the church is reminded that following the pure grace of God results in persecution from legal izing teachers, and their groups, who are really Satan’s tools. T he E lect G entiles (R ev . 7:9-17) As there is a break in the record be tween the sixth and seventh trumpets and vials, so there is between the sixth and seventh seals, which is covered by this lesson. In this interval is recorded the salvation of a great multitude of Gentiles who will be saved during the great tribulation period that lies ahead, after the church is taken from the earth. These Gentiles trusted the blood of Christ for their salvation and therefore they stand complete before God. This is the only possible way for anyone to stand before Him. The saved are freed forever from all harm and their tears are washed away forevermore. P o in ts a n d P r o b le m s “But thou art rich” (Rev. 2:9). Smyrna means myrrh which is frequent-
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