Chapter 2:8.
“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write.” We now come to the second stage of the church’s history. This is marked by fierce persecution. And Jesus is revealed as “the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive.” How suited to the tried, suffering saints. Have we not each found, when love has grown cold, and the world has taken the place of waiting for the Bridegroom in our hearts, that then the Lord, in His unchanging love to us, has sent us a time of trial and suffering? He knew the trial and poverty of His suffering saints: and no doubt the chastisement had its sanctifying effect.
Verse 9. He says, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich.” This may seem like a contradiction. What! those hated Christians, exposed to the fury of heathen mobs, hunted from place to place, cast into loathsome dungeons, torn to pieces by wild beasts, put to every form of degradation, and deep poverty, and Jesus says, “But thou art rich!” Yes, rich in His love; rich with Him throughout eternal ages. Oh, suffering saint, at thy wits’ end as to this world, hear the words of Jesus: “But thou art rich.” The church did recover from the persecutions of this its second stage of history, but there was another danger that threatened, yea, attacked the church from which it never fully recovered. Jesus said, “I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” The rapid increase of the ritualism that had been resisted by Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians, now spread over the church like a blight. The effect was to take believers back to the condition they were in before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—the observance of days, and festivals, and ceremonies, which now were but beggarly elements. (Sec Gal. 4:9, 109But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (Galatians 4:9‑10).) All this practically ignored redemption, and the everlasting completeness of the believer accepted in Christ. It set aside the righteousness of God, and led men to seek to acquire righteousness by law and the ordinances of men. From this the church, as a whole, has never recovered. And it would be well for us, individually, to inquire, Arc we in the full blessed liberty wherewith Christ has made us free—“perfected forever,” or are we in the helpless bondage of the Jew before Christ came—over struggling for, but never getting deliverance?
As to suffering, the Lord says, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer,” &c. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” How sweet and cheering His promise to the suffering, persecuted saints. As Satan had led the world to put Him to death, so Satan was permitted to put them to death. Little do we know what it was to be faithful unto death. But a martyrs grave was accompanied by a crown of life. Such shall not be hurt of the second death. These, then, were the characteristics of the second stage of the church’s history.
Verse 12. “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write.” This brings us up to the third epoch of its history. The manner in which the Lord reveals Himself now, plainly shows that judgment is needed at the house of God. “These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges.” This brings us to the time of Constantine. The church began to dwell where Satan’s seat was. It was fast becoming a great worldly institution with its head quarters at Rome, the very seat of Satan. Spiritually it was decaying so fast as to tolerate them that held and taught the doctrine of Balaam. When Satan could not curse Israel, then he used Balaam to lead them into association with the heathen and to commit their sins. This was exactly what happened again in the third stage of the church’s history. The temples of heathen gods, with many of their feasts and ceremonies, were called christian churches, and christian worship. And Christendom became almost more corrupt than heathenism. It is not now doing the deeds only of the Nicolaitanes, but “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.” Persons were recognized as Christians, who were practicing sin. Such had been declared by John to be of the devil. (1 John 3:88He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8).) This grew to such a head that in the next stage of the church’s history the clergy were allowed to have concubines, but not allowed to have wives. If there was not repentance there must be judgment. “I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” And again the Lord says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” This is for the last time said to the mass of professors; after this it will only be said to the overcomers.
How suited the precious promise of the Lord to such a state, when those who falsely professed to be His servants were seeking honor in this world, even where Satan’s seat was at Rome! He says, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna.” Not at the table of the emperor, or the feasts of the world, but that unknown, hidden feast with Himself, “the hidden manna.” “And will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” In all probability the names of these hidden approved ones have never come down in human history. They had the hidden secret approval of their Lord, and would be utterly despised by the seekers of honor in this world. Is it not so now? Those who enjoy the sweetness of communion, and approval with the rejected Jesus, are least known in this world. Reader,—how is it with thy soul and mine? are we satisfied with that hidden stone—the Lord’s approval—however unknown by this world? And still more closely, do we prefer even now His secret approval rather than open and known approval before the world, or even the church?
We now come to the fourth epoch of the church’s history—what are called truly the dark ages—the address to Thyatira. We must notice a remarkable contrast now. There are two parties—Jezebel, and a remnant. All is open to Him who is revealed thus: “These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass.” In the midst of such terrible darkness and wickedness, He saw that which He could approve. He said, “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.” We have no approval of Christ to surpass this in any of the previous states of the church; indeed, none equal to it. Is this the Lord’s approval of popery? Far from it. He says as to that, “I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,” &c. Now if we study the history of wicked Jezebel, how she stirred up Ahab to persecute the true servants of the Lord to death, such in the dark ages was Rome, or that woman which professed to be the church of Rome. Has she not in her wickedness ever stirred up the civil power to persecute to cruel deaths the true children of God? Every mark here of Jezebel’s wickedness is the distinct character of Rome.
Who, then, would be the angel of this dark period? Whom did the Lord so highly approve? The true church of God under various names, and no doubt many who had no name. These have ever been hated and persecuted by Rome, by Jezebel. And, however Rome has reviled true Christians as heretics, and as holding the doctrine of devils, yet something of their true history has come down, which answers exactly to what the Lord here so strongly approves.
They may have been called Paulicians, Poor Beggars, Waldenses, Wicklifites, and other names of reproach. But great as have been the hatred and curses of Rome, greater still was the infinite love and approval of their Lord; and He whose eyes are as a flame of fire, can make no mistake.
Now read the judgment on Jezebel. Space is given her to repent, and she will not repent. How long has He borne with her wickedness?—some thousand years or more, and He still bears with her to the end. But her children shall be killed with death. Her judgment shall surely come, as revealed further on in this revelation.
In verse 24 the Lord turns round again to mark the distinction He makes, between Rome and the remnant, now addressed as a distinct class. Rome may put upon them paper caps with painted devils, as a sign that those they put to death hold the doctrines of devils, but do they think they can deceive the Lord Jesus whose eyes are as a flame of fire? No, He addresses the remnant of Thyatira as not having “this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak.” He bids them hold fast till He comes. And now, for the first time, He addresses overcomers first, as though none except the over-comers are in the least expected to have an ear to hear. The great mass of Jezebel are thus given up. They have no ear to hear what the Spirit speaks to the churches. But in their folly they will even arrogate to (what they call) the church the authority of the Spirit, and blindly demand obedience to its authority instead of to the Spirit by the word. And how suited the promise here to those who have, at the instigation of Jezebel, been crushed by the powers that be! (Read vers. 26, 27.) And better still, “I will give him the morning star.” In each case the promise comes down to the individual. “I will give him,” &c. Is Jesus Himself the morning star to your soul—more precious than all beside? What could He say more? I will give him myself.