I noticed a pattern this time around while reading the first few chapters of Revelation. Particularly in the 7 letters to the churches. The pattern works like this: Jesus asks John to write to the church but gives a brief description of who is saying these words (ie. “the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand…Rev 2:1). And it seems that the description He gives always relates to the message that He wants to provide to each particular church. I wanted to take a close look at one of these because it holds a powerful message.
His Character
The one I want to look at is the letter to the church of Smyrna. The brief description goes like this:
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: This is what THE FIRST AND THE LAST, who was dead, and has come to life, says:” Revelation 2:8 LSB
A few clear points made. Christ is the first and the last. Or elsewhere: “The beginning and the end” and “The Alpha and Omega”. He is the beginning of all creation, before all creation, and all creation has its final end and fulfillment in Him. (Col 1:15-20). Everything starts and ends with Jesus. Next point is that He was dead but now has come to life. This is essential to the person of Jesus. He died and for 3 days laid dead in a roman guarded tomb. But on the third day He rose again and now lives forever. But this isn’t just a simple fact to only meditate on. In a moment, a real church is going to need some serious comfort and encouragement and it can come from nowhere else except in the knowledge that the First and the Last died but now lives forever more.
Our Discomfort
Take a look at the situation that the church in Smyrna finds themselves in:
“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” Revelation 2:9 LSB
In this short description we glean that they are a church under great persecution and tribulation. Add on top of that their literal poverty and then on top of that the knowledge that they are surrounded by the very “synagogue of Satan” and you can imagine what level of despair and discomfort threatens them at every corner.
Yet Christ has words for them:
“Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Rev 2:10 LSB
Note: Christ does not tell them that they should take comfort because things will be easy. Quite the opposite. They are actually guaranteed to be thrown into prison, tested, and suffer immense tribulation. How could this possibly help their situation? And then, after hearing that daunting fact, they are told to “Be faithful until death”! That is, they are likely to die due to their faith in Christ.
Our Comfort
But now let us remind ourselves who the One speaking these words is: “THE FIRST AND THE LAST, who was dead, and has come to life”. Who better than to tell a suffering and dying people to remain faithful but the One who already suffered, who already died, and who already remained faithful to His Father’s will, and therefore already rose again to live. This is why He can promise them: “I will give you the crown of life”. Because it’s only His to give!
You see, without the knowledge that Christ (our elder brother, Lord, Saviour, Master, and God) has already gone before us, the message to “remain faithful” is nothing but a sad, despair filled, death sentence. But knowing that Christ has gone before, has paved the way for us, and has proven to us that God will raise us from the dead, we can press onward with hope, comfort, and even joyful expectation. Or as the Psalmist says: “Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” Psalm 16:9-10. And as the author of the Letter to the Hebrews states: “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:3.
Conclusion
We too have commands, exhortations, and encouragements that we find from Christ in His word and through His pressing of the Spirit. To gain comfort and encouragement from these exhortations we must look to the One who gives them to us. He is not doing so with a scowl on His face, nor is He doing so without the knowledge of the cost. He does so with love in His eyes, scars on His hands, and arms open wide to receive us in the end. Let that be our comfort and hope!
Action
1. Praise God for sending His Son to show us the way to glory
2. Confess to God the times when you take your eyes off of Christ
3. Ask God to help you fix your eyes on Jesus and gain all your needed comfort from Him alone
4. Listen to this post’s song: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus