8. John reveals who is truly our enemy behind suffering; it is the fallen
angel Satan. What is the advice that is given in this text when we deal
with the Wiles of the Devil? How do you see Satan’s actions at work
in today’s world? Do these words of wisdom still stand? How?
THE SEVEN
The Church of Smyrna week 2
Revelation 2:8-11
9. It’s often very hard to consider the simplicity of verse 10 when you
are in pain. How important is it to consider our enemy is already
defeated? How does this passage as well as the following give us
strength in the times when we battle our conflicts? Eph 2:14-18;
6:10-20; Col 2:14-15; Rom 8:37-39; James 4:7; 1Peter 2:24; 5:8-11;
Rev 20:10
“Behind the Jews stands Satan; it is he, not Abraham, who is their spiritual
father. But behind Satan stand God and God is in final control” Michael
Wilcock BST Commentary Revelation. Pg. 46
10. What gives you the strength to endure suffering if that is the norm of
the Christian journey? Does the idea of Martyrdom terrify you? What
do you think is the Crown of Life?
11. “He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.”
What does that mean to you? Check out Rev 2o:6; 21:8. How is this
encouragement to you? How can you use this letter to encourage
others?
Pray As we conclude this study pray for those Christians who face death
at this moment that they will see that God is in control.
Panoramic View of Izmir / Smyrna
Ice Breaker “Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said he will 'shirtfront' Vladimir
Putin at the G20….” What do you understand shirtfront means? Have you
ever shirtfront anyone? Where do you think this passion come from? Could
there be a better way to deal with conflict?
The Creative Touch (optional) Think of an image that reflects your discussion
from the Ice Breaker, draw it on a cardboard strip to make a book mark. You
could put the text on the book mark.
Read the Text Rev 2:8-11
Reflection from a Week’s Reading: Share what were your thoughts by
what you read during the week from the Book of Revelation.
Back Ground
It would be difficult to not notice the difference between the Letters of
the seven churches to that of the apocalyptical nature of the rest of
Revelation. The temptation as done so often in the past is to keep them
separated. However Graeme Goldsworthy author of The Gospel in
Revelation wrote: “The seven letters to the churches serve to introduce
the main themes of Revelation by dealing with them at the outset in a
down to earth context of the daily life of the local congregation. The
drama of redemption is thus shown to have on going effects in the world
of human existence. Christians are not onlookers while a cosmic conflict
rages in spiritual realms, but rather they are participants.” Graeme
Goldsworthy The Gospel in Revelation Pg. 85
1. What are your thoughts on Goldsworthy’s statement are we all
participants in this cosmic conflict? How and Why?
To understand this letter one would need to understand the city’s history.
It is illuminating to learn that the beauty of this city, which rivalled
Ephesus, was the beauty of a resurrection. Smyrna was destroyed some
700 years before Johns time and was rebuild between 316-301BC to a
comprehensive plan. This makes it one of the very few planned cities of
antiquity. In stark contrast to the fields which once place Ephesus,
Smyrna thrives even today as Izmir, second largest city in Asiatic Turkey.
2. Who is the First and Last, and who died and come back to life again?
Compare with Rev 1:17-18; 22:13. How would the members of this
church feel knowing that the first and the Last were aware of their
plight? In our own struggles how comforting is it to know that God is
ware of our battles? Could you share of your own experiences on
this?
3. How does the First and Last, see this Church been rich when they
were suffering complete poverty and imprisonment? Matthew
6:19-21; 19:21; Luke 12:21 maybe a help in your discussion.
4. In what ways do you feel rich?
5. It is often hard for us to consider therefore while we are living in
an affluent country what it is like to suffer persecution for the
sake of the gospel either financially or any other way, but it does
happen though. Would we be taken aback to find persecution
knocking at our door tomorrow? How would we respond?
6. Take note of who are their persecutors? Their enemy are their
own local community of God’s chosen people or are they?
Reflect as a group what the Apostle Paul has to say about been a
Jew in Romans 2:17-29. Are they really Gods People? If they
were, have they fulfilled the Law? How do they (the Jewish
nation) suppose to the treatment of outsiders or foreigners? How
should we treat outsiders? Ex 22:21; 23:9; Lev 18:26; 19:34
7. No doubt the Apostle John has seen their behaviour and actions
of the past with this mob. As always, they were filled with malign
antagonism against Christians. Compare Act 13:50; 14:2, 5, 19;
17:5; 24:2 should we be surprised by the actions of others who
may stand against us in our own spiritual journey particularly
those who should know better?