Reading Revelation Chapter 2: Smyrna
This message is for the emissary, the apostolic priest, of the gathering called together at Smyrna*. This emissary is the star whom I hold in my right hand together with the others, to light the seven lamps in the golden menorahs* among which I walk. Receive this message, and this whole revelation, and use it to light and to strengthen the light of your menorah.
The words being entrusted to the star of Smyrna are the words of the one who is the first, who gave existence and being to the first corporate human, and the one who also himself became the last corporate human being.
I know what trials and troubles you have endured and how poor you are in the world, though you are spiritually rich. I know the attempts to demonize you by certain people pretending to be Jews*, who are not members of the synagogue of Moses but of Satan.
You have experienced trials. You have still more trials to experience before your faith is settled and matured and your witness is ready to be given to the world. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I will warn you ahead of time. The devil is soon going to take some of you captive. It will only be for a short, precisely measured period of time. Ten days. But ten days may seem like a lifetime in prison to some of you, unless you are prepared and your faith is strong. In fact, some of you will die for your faith. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
You who hear this message from the Spirit know who you are. Listen carefully to what the Spirit says to each of the assemblies. Not everyone who counts themselves a member of an assembly, or does works in my name, hears and believes what the Spirit says. The one who overcomes their unbelief and obeys what the Spirit says will arise justified in the resurrection. They will not be sentenced to be experience the second death.
*what you are about to suffer - Correction is still needed in Smyrna. There is still a need for them to be tested. The devil will be allowed to take them captive for a short, precisely measured period of time. The context suggests that this will be through the demonization levelled at them by those who have come pretending to be Jews. Here, however, there is no rebuke, which means the correction is of a nature of the natural correction of the immature, the unsettled in faith. The Scripture has taught us about this type of trial in the trials of Job.
There is a relationship between the message to the star of Ephesus and the message to the star of Smyrna. In Smyrna there is devotion, love, but a need to gently admonish not to fear. In Ephesus there is no fear of the adversaries but there is the need to strongly admonish to rediscover the lost love of the young. When these characteristics are corrected, the virtue that is produced will derive from the divine attribute that for which each of the two assemblies is to be a witness. Ephesus is to be a witness, when it has repented and become again a Baal Teshuva, of the divine attribute of Chessed. And Smyrna is to be witness, when it has matured and become settled in its faith, overcoming fear, of the divine attribute of Gevurah.
*people pretending to be Jews - That there are people come to the assembly in Smyrna pretending to be Jews speaks to the ethnic composition of the assembly. Many gentiles were being called out from the nations to be grafted into the communion of Israel through the accomplishment of the atonement made by Yehoshua HaMashiach for Israel. This was to be a great sign of the Good News of Israel and Her Messiah. The unique calling of the apostle Paul was to serve the purpose of the fulfillment of this sign. As we read in Romans 15:8-12
8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth,
so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed
9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
As it is written:
“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing the praises of your name.”10 Again, it says,
“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”
11 And again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples extol him.”12 And again, Isaiah says,
“The Root of Jesse will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
in him the Gentiles will hope.”
Were it not that the majority of the assembly at Smyrna were Gentiles called out for this purpose, to be the witnesses of the beginning of the power of the resurrection of Yehoshua HaMashiach, had a majority instead been Jews, then it would not have been of any real significance that people came t them pretending to be Jews. However, because the majority were Gentiles they sought for a greater number of Jews coming to them with a prophetic spirit, to instruct them in the Torah and the Scriptures, as had Paul, to enable them to fulfill their calling and testimony and witness to Yehoshua HaMashiach and the power of his resurrection in rejoicing with the Jews. Instead, these people who were only pretending to be Jews came to them, demonizing them and attempting to take authority over them in the service of Satan. They were not Israel but individuals beginning an historical movement that would attempt to replace Israel. Nevertheless, the message to be given to the star of Smyrna for the assembly is a message of hope. The Spirit of Mashiach himself tells them that he has hope for them. They will prevail. Their testimony will be a worthy testimony to the power and strength of his resurrection. And this hope suggests hope for the assembly of Ephesus also, that they will return to the great love that motivated them in all their works at the beginning, and that Ephesus also will become a faithful and true witness, according to their calling to testify to the grace and lovingkindness of the God who chose Israel. For these two testimonies must come together, and in order for the one to shine brightly and illuminate the world the other must also.
