Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW022258S
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00:19 ♪[ethereal vocal music]♪ 00:27 ♪[Middle-Eastern percussive and orchestral music]♪ 00:33 >>John Bradshaw: Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey, 00:36 Izmir is a beautiful bustling coastal city 00:39 of more than 3 million people. 00:42 It's a port city, and it's a tourist destination, 00:45 especially as it's only 35 miles from Ephesus. 00:49 But while Izmir is a modern city 00:51 with excellent shopping and restaurants, 00:54 it's a fascinating blend of the new and the old. 00:59 Back in time, Izmir was called Smyrna. 01:02 It was home to the second of the seven churches 01:05 addressed by Jesus in the book of Revelation. 01:08 The name Smyrna comes from the word "myrrh," 01:11 which was used as a perfume, a fragrance, 01:14 and is mentioned throughout the Bible. 01:17 Back in Genesis 37, when Joseph was sold by his brothers 01:20 into slavery, he was taken to Egypt 01:23 by a group transporting spices and balm and myrrh. 01:29 The woman in the Song of Solomon described her beloved 01:31 as "a bundle of myrrh." 01:35 Myrrh, of course, featured in the life of Jesus. 01:38 The wise men brought Mary and Joseph gifts: 01:42 gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 01:46 Myrrh featured in the suffering of Jesus. 01:50 While He was on the cross, they brought Him something to drink 01:53 that was mixed with myrrh. 01:55 That was to dull the pain He was experiencing. 01:59 And when He died, myrrh was used to embalm Jesus' body. 02:04 An interesting thing about myrrh, it's derived from trees, 02:09 trees which grow in Africa and the Middle East. 02:12 It begins as a resin that the tree produces 02:15 when it's stressed--or wounded, more to the point. 02:19 Harvesters will make cuts in the trees, 02:22 and the trees will then bleed the resin, 02:25 which can then be utilized in a variety of ways. 02:29 When John wrote the book of Revelation, 02:32 Smyrna had developed into an important city. 02:35 Geography alone helps explain 02:36 why Smyrna would have been important to early Christians. 02:39 Its location meant that travelers from Greece 02:42 and other places would have come here. 02:44 And Christians could easily be sent from here, 02:46 either internationally or deep into the heart of Asia Minor. 02:51 ♪[soft music]♪ 02:53 This area, the agora, which means "an open place," 02:57 was the center of life in ancient Smyrna. 03:00 This part of the city was largely destroyed 03:02 by an earthquake in 179 AD, 03:05 but it was then rebuilt under the auspices 03:08 of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. 03:11 There was a huge altar to Zeus right here, 03:14 Zeus being the Greek equivalent of the Roman god Jupiter. 03:19 There was a large Jewish community in Smyrna 03:21 during the first century after Christ, and that may well be 03:24 the reason that Christianity appears to have sprung up 03:27 in the town really quite early. 03:31 Perhaps the most famous Christian from Smyrna 03:34 was the bishop Polycarp, who would suffer martyrdom 03:37 for his faith in 153 AD. 03:42 Ignatius of Antioch, another famous Christian martyr, 03:46 is said to have visited Smyrna and written letters to Polycarp. 03:50 Irenaeus, perhaps the most prominent Christian theologian 03:53 of the second century AD, was probably a native of Smyrna. 03:59 The message Jesus gave to this church encompasses a period 04:03 of intense trial, suffering, and persecution 04:07 for the Christian community. 04:10 In the words of Jesus, 04:12 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 04:16 "'These things says the First and the Last, 04:19 "'who was dead, and came to life: "I know your works, 04:24 "'"tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); 04:28 "'"and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews 04:32 "'"and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 04:37 "'"Do not fear any of those things... 04:39 "'"you are about to suffer. 04:41 "'"Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, 04:44 "'"that you may be tested, 04:46 "'"and you will have tribulation ten days. 04:49 "'"Be faithful [unto] death, 04:52 "'"and I will give you the crown of life. 04:55 "'"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says 04:59 "'"to the churches. He who overcomes 05:02 shall not be hurt by the second death."'" 05:07 Considering the theme of this letter, 05:09 let's look at how Jesus described Himself. 05:12 He called Himself "the First and the Last," 05:14 basically repeating what He said in Revelation, chapter 1, 05:18 where He called Himself "the Alpha and the Omega." 05:20 Now, alpha and omega are the first and last letters 05:24 of the Greek alphabet. 05:25 And Jesus said, "That's me, eternal. I was here 05:30 before you got here, and I'll be here long after you're gone." 05:34 He wanted them to know, especially in their extremity, 05:37 that they were being guided and watched 05:40 by the divine Son of God. 05:43 Jesus referred to Himself as one 05:45 "who was dead, and came to life." 05:49 You can see why He'd say that to this church. 05:51 ♪[solemn soft music]♪ 06:01 Smyrna, the church that would be bled, injured, 06:06 but who through that injury would produce a sweet fragrance 06:10 and would honor God. 06:12 In a moment, some of the secrets of ancient Smyrna, 06:14 including an insight into the number 666. 06:18 I'll be right back. 06:20 ♪[music swells and ends]♪♪ 06:29 >>Announcer: Travel back in time 06:30 and visit the historic sites of Revelation's ancient churches, 06:34 where Christianity grew against all odds, 06:37 and learn how messages shared by Jesus 2,000 years ago 06:41 are also messages from heaven for today. 06:44 Call now for your free copy 06:45 of "The Seven Churches of Revelation: Messages for Today." 06:49 Call 800-253-3000. 06:52 That's 800-253-3000, 06:55 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 06:59 ♪[Middle-Eastern percussive music]♪ 07:04 >>John Bradshaw: We're in Izmir, Turkey, a busy modern city 07:08 and the location of the ancient biblical city of Smyrna. 07:12 Jesus addresses the church of Smyrna 07:14 in the book of Revelation and says, 07:17 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); 07:21 "and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews 07:24 and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." 07:29 ♪[soft guitar music]♪ 07:33 As with each of the letters to the seven churches, 07:35 Jesus says, "I know your works." 07:39 He's saying, "I know more about you than just your profession. 07:42 I know what's really going on in your life." 07:46 Now, that's not ominous. That's reassuring. 07:48 Jesus is saying, whatever you're facing, whatever challenges 07:52 you've got going on in your life right now, 07:55 He knows, and He cares. 07:59 The focus of the message to Smyrna is the forecast 08:02 of serious trouble ahead: 08:05 tribulation, poverty, suffering, and prison. 08:10 This is why the church of Smyrna is so often called 08:14 "the persecuted church." 08:16 If the time period covered by the church of Ephesus 08:18 is that of the first century after Christ, 08:22 the period of Smyrna covers the following two centuries 08:26 when the Roman Empire subjected Christianity 08:29 to fierce, even brutal, persecution. 08:34 It's important to remember that the early Christians 08:36 were not persecuted by the Roman authorities 08:39 because they worshiped Jesus. 08:42 All the various peoples of the Empire 08:44 had their own religious beliefs, gods, and practices. 08:48 But what made the Christians different was their refusal 08:52 to add to their religious devotion 08:55 the worship of the Roman emperor. 08:58 Stephen Williams, a British historian and the author 09:02 of a biography of the Roman emperor Diocletian, 09:04 makes this statement: 09:07 "It was scarcely enough for Bishop Dionysius 09:10 "to protest that Christians were loyal citizens 09:13 "who prayed for the health of the Emperors. 09:16 "What could the most reasonable magistrate reply except to ask 09:21 "why, in that case, they could not demonstrate their loyalty 09:26 "in the proper way like everyone else? 09:30 "Rome was tolerant, but it was not a modern secular 09:33 "liberal state which demands very little of its citizens 09:37 "beyond passive compliance with the law. 09:40 "Genuine loyalty could hardly be divorced from worship 09:44 of the genius of the Emperor in the way that was laid down." 09:49 We're going to come back to Emperor Diocletian 09:51 because the persecution that took place during his reign 09:55 was actually predicted by Jesus 09:57 in His message to the church at Smyrna. 10:00 But that statement by Stephen Williams, 10:02 it reminds us of a Bible story, 10:05 a story found in Daniel, chapter 3, 10:07 about three young Hebrew men. 10:10 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had assembled rulers and people 10:13 from every province of his empire to the plain of Dura 10:17 to bow down and worship a golden image made to symbolize 10:21 the glory and power of his person and his kingdom. 10:24 The three young men, officials of his court, 10:27 refused to bow and were condemned to death as a result. 10:32 In the end, God delivered them from the flames. 10:36 And Nebuchadnezzar was forced to acknowledge God's power 10:40 over that of the gods he worshiped. 10:42 But what made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 10:45 different from the others in that assembly 10:47 was that the others were willing to worship the golden image 10:50 in addition to the gods they already had. 10:54 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, by contrast, 10:57 refused to worship any god but the One found in the Bible, 11:02 whose first commandment declares, 11:05 "You shall have no other gods before me." 11:10 This commandment is what got Christians in trouble 11:12 with the Roman Empire. 11:14 No other gods except the God of Scripture. 11:17 And it made no difference at all to the Romans 11:19 that the act of worship of the emperor was forced. 11:22 Listen to the historian again: 11:25 "What mattered to gods and men was not a person's belief 11:29 "but its expression in acts, not his private silent vows 11:34 "but his public oaths and commitments. 11:37 Jupiter saw your actions, not your thoughts." 11:41 But God, on the other hand, says, 11:43 "For the Lord does not see as man sees; 11:46 "for man looks at the outward appearance, 11:49 but the Lord looks at the heart." 11:52 Pagan worship focuses on the exterior, 11:55 what a person does publicly. 11:57 But the God of heaven looks on the heart. 12:00 Forced worship doesn't cut it with God. 12:03 But with Satan and false religion, 12:05 force and manipulation are common. 12:08 ♪[soft piano music]♪ 12:12 Here at the agora in Smyrna is something fascinating 12:15 that echoes in the book of Revelation. 12:18 On the walls here are a number of graffiti, 12:21 not in the vandalism sense but in the original sense 12:24 where graffiti were inscriptions or figure drawings. 12:28 Along with pictures, there are isopsephisms, 12:31 in which the numerical values of the letters of a phrase 12:34 add up to a certain sum. 12:37 One example here is, 12:39 "I love the girl whose number is 1,308"-- 12:44 which may be the name of Tyche. 12:47 Now, Tyche was a goddess to the people of Smyrna 12:49 called "the protectress of the city." 12:52 The most well-known isopsephism is found in Revelation, 12:56 chapter 13, verse 18, where it says, 13:00 "Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding 13:04 "calculate the number of the beast, 13:06 "for it is the number of a man: 13:09 His number is 666"--the number of the beast, 13:15 or the antichrist, of earth's last days. 13:20 Like the church at Ephesus, the first of the seven churches, 13:23 it seems that the church of Smyrna included false believers. 13:28 Now, Jesus doesn't elaborate on how the believers in Smyrna 13:31 were dealing with the problem, but His words make it clear 13:35 that He was very aware the problem existed. 13:39 When Christ spoke of "those who say they are Jews and are not," 13:44 we should keep in mind that according to the New Testament, 13:47 "He is a Jew who is one inwardly; 13:49 and circumcision is that of the heart." 13:54 In the book of Galatians we read, "And if you are Christ's, 13:58 then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." 14:04 So when Jesus speaks of "those who say they are Jews 14:07 and are not," He isn't talking about an ethnic identity 14:12 but a spiritual identity. 14:14 And the Bible is clear 14:15 just how little Jesus thinks of hypocrisy. 14:19 For the same reason, 14:21 in His message to the Christians of Smyrna, Jesus is denouncing 14:25 those who falsely profess the Christian faith 14:28 as blasphemers, as members of the "synagogue of Satan." 14:34 Those are strong words, 14:36 and they apply as much to professing Christians today 14:40 as they did to Christians of long ago. 14:43 ♪[soft ominous music]♪ 14:44 Jesus would go on to give the church of Smyrna some bad news. 14:48 There would be suffering. 14:50 He even tells them how long that suffering was going to last. 14:53 ♪[upbeat music]♪ 14:54 We'll look at that in just a moment. 14:57 ♪[music swells and ends]♪♪ 15:06 >>Announcer: Travel back in time 15:08 and visit the historic sites of Revelation's ancient churches, 15:12 where Christianity grew against all odds, 15:14 and learn how messages shared by Jesus 2,000 years ago 15:18 are also messages from heaven for today. 15:21 Call now for your free copy 15:23 of "The Seven Churches of Revelation: Messages for Today." 15:27 Call 800-253-3000. 15:29 That's 800-253-3000, 15:32 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 15:37 >>John Bradshaw: It was home to some of 15:38 the most magnificent temples in the ancient world, 15:42 temples built to honor Artemis, Hadrian, Serapis, 15:46 and the Roman emperor Domitian. 15:48 ♪[soft music]♪ 15:49 And surrounded by rampant idol and emperor worship, 15:53 a small band of Christians formed their own church 15:57 in the city of Ephesus. 15:59 Maintaining their faith in the midst of this pagan culture 16:03 was anything but easy. 16:05 Today, only ruins remain 16:07 of those once-spectacular structures, 16:10 but the story of Ephesus lives on, continuing to hold 16:13 both historical and spiritual significance. 16:16 Join us as we explore the messages of Jesus 16:19 to the seven churches of Revelation 16:22 and discover God's messages to the church of the past 16:25 and the church of today. 16:27 "The Seven Churches of Revelation: Ephesus," 16:31 brought to you by It Is Written TV. 16:34 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 16:37 ♪[solemn music with slow yet dramatic percussion]♪ 16:46 >>John Bradshaw: Up here on Smyrna's acropolis, 16:48 or the high point of the city, the summit of the city, 16:51 was the theater, 16:52 which could accommodate up to 16,000 spectators. 16:56 Roman streets ran through here, 16:58 meaning it's almost certain 17:00 that Paul and his associates walked these very grounds. 17:03 And it was right around here 17:05 that a man named Polycarp was martyred-- 17:08 not especially surprising 17:11 given Jesus' message to the church at Smyrna. 17:14 ♪[soft music]♪ 17:15 In verse 10 of Revelation, chapter 2, Jesus says, 17:18 "You will have tribulation ten days." 17:21 Now, what is Jesus talking about here? 17:23 When was this prophecy fulfilled? 17:27 In the symbols found in Bible prophecy, 17:30 a day represents a year. 17:33 You'll find this expressed in Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6, 17:37 in which years are represented by days 17:40 in predicting periods of trial and adversity, 17:43 which ultimately end with triumph and victory. 17:47 We see this day-year symbolism demonstrated most powerfully 17:51 in Daniel's prophecy of the coming Messiah 17:54 in Daniel, chapter 9, 17:56 in which the angel Gabriel says to the prophet, 18:00 "Seventy weeks are determined for your people 18:03 and for your holy city." 18:05 Some Bible translations actually say 18:08 "seventy weeks of years" in this verse. 18:12 That's because it's clear from what this passage is predicting 18:14 that years--and not weeks--are in focus. 18:19 Daniel 9:25 says that from the issuing of the Persian decree 18:23 to restore and build Jerusalem till the coming of the Messiah 18:28 would be 69 weeks of years, 483 years. 18:33 You can't get from this decree to the time of Jesus the Messiah 18:37 unless the weeks described in this prophecy 18:40 represent weeks of years. 18:43 So when Jesus speaks to this church of a future persecution 18:46 lasting 10 days, this is referring to 10 years. 18:52 History tells us that this persecution began 18:54 during the reign of the emperor Diocletian 18:57 and that it was brought to an end 10 years later 19:01 by the emperors Constantine and Licinius. 19:05 Stephen Williams the historian 19:06 tells us what happened at the start 19:08 as well as the conclusion of this 10-year period: 19:12 "The persecution was launched at Nicomedia 19:14 on the Kalends of March"-- 19:16 "Kalends" is the first of March-- 19:18 "the Kalends of March, festival of the god Terminus.... 19:22 "Lactantius, who was present, says it began 19:25 "with a symbolic act of demolition. 19:29 "The newly built church of Nicomedia, 19:31 "which stood in full view of the imperial palace, 19:34 "was surrounded by the Prefect, accompanied by 19:37 "military commanders and treasury officials. 19:40 "The doors were forced, and guards seized the ornaments, 19:44 "church furniture, and whatever else could be removed. 19:48 "Volumes of the scriptures were burnt. 19:51 "Then a guards unit advanced in battle order 19:54 "with all the equipment for besieging a city, 19:57 "and within a matter of hours had pulled the whole building 20:00 "to the ground. 20:02 "Diocletian and Galerius watched the operation personally 20:06 from the palace." 20:07 The persecution that followed 20:09 was some of the worst persecution 20:11 in all of human history. 20:13 People were slaughtered. Many were tortured cruelly. 20:17 So many people were in prison. The clergy were all in prison. 20:21 Church property was destroyed or confiscated. 20:24 And every copy of the Scriptures that could be found 20:27 was burned. 20:28 There was a lot of bloodshed. 20:32 But then in February of 313 AD, 20:35 10 years after the persecution began, 20:38 the Edict of Milan was signed that ended that persecution. 20:44 Church property was returned. The church was recognized again. 20:49 And the 10 days--or 10 years-- of persecution were over. 20:54 Jesus had promised His suffering saints, 20:57 "Be faithful [unto] death, 20:59 and I will give you the crown of life." 21:03 Paul wrote to Timothy about the "crown of righteousness, 21:07 "which the Lord, the righteous judge, 21:09 "shall give me at that day: and not to me only, 21:13 but unto all them also that love His appearing." 21:18 In a foreshadowing of what was promised in earth's last days, 21:22 many people proved faithful unto death, 21:26 and their Savior's reward awaits them at the resurrection 21:29 of the righteous dead when Jesus returns. 21:32 The apostle Paul says that when Jesus returns, 21:35 "The trumpet will sound, 21:37 and the dead will be raised incorruptible." 21:40 Jesus closed His message to the church of Smyrna 21:43 with the promise, "He who overcomes 21:46 shall not be hurt by the second death." 21:50 The book of Revelation talks about two deaths. 21:53 The first one is the death that's going to come 21:55 to all of us, unless you're alive and translated 21:59 at the return of Jesus. 22:02 But that first death is temporary. 22:05 And it's of far less consequence to the Christian 22:07 than is the second death, 22:10 the one from which there will be no resurrection. 22:14 The book of Revelation talks about the second death 22:16 in one of the very last chapters of the book, 22:20 where it describes the kinds of people who, 22:23 unrepentant without having found faith in Jesus, 22:27 cannot be saved and will be lost forever. 22:31 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, 22:34 "sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars 22:39 "shall have their part in the lake which burns 22:42 with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." 22:46 Jesus' message to the persecuted faithful of the church of Smyrna 22:50 was that if they proved victorious, 22:53 if they were among the overcomers, 22:55 even if they should suffer, 22:57 they at last would escape the second death awaiting the lost. 23:02 Now, there's no doubt someone's wondering 23:04 why Jesus just didn't shield His people 23:06 from this kind of trouble. 23:08 But clearly there's something more important 23:10 than avoiding terrible hardship. 23:12 It's God's plan for us to develop faith in Him 23:15 to the extent that no matter what happens, 23:18 we'll trust Him anyway. 23:20 That we'll say, like Job, 23:22 "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." 23:26 That we "count it all joy 23:27 when [we] fall into various [temptations]," as James wrote. 23:30 ♪[soft music]♪ 23:31 God wants us to develop faith in Him 23:33 that trusts Him no matter what. 23:37 It's easy to overlook, 23:39 but persecution is not extinct in our world today. 23:43 It still happens, 23:44 even in our present supposedly enlightened age. 23:49 But before Jesus comes back, it's going to get much worse. 23:53 According to the book of Revelation, 23:54 just like in Daniel's time, an image will be set up, 23:58 not literally but spiritually, and all the world will be forced 24:02 to bow down and do it reverence, 24:05 and all but a faithful remnant, 24:07 who "keep the commandments of God, 24:08 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," 24:11 will be swept up in this terrible trial. 24:14 We might learn a lesson from the experience of Polycarp, 24:17 who it's said was a disciple of the apostle John 24:21 before becoming a church leader and theologian 24:24 and the bishop of Smyrna. 24:25 Now, in this case, "bishop" means "a church leader," 24:29 rather than denoting an affiliation 24:31 to any particular denomination we'd recognize today. 24:35 It was a difficult time to be a believer in Jesus. 24:38 Christians were being mercilessly persecuted. 24:41 Polycarp was convinced to hide to safeguard his life. 24:45 But his location was discovered, 24:47 and he was urged to deny Jesus in order to save himself. 24:52 But his answer was, 24:54 "Fourscore and six years I have been serving Him 24:58 "and He has done me no wrong. 25:00 How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" 25:05 The elderly man was executed for his faith in Christ. 25:08 ♪[soft pensive music]♪ 25:21 You know, everywhere you turn there's evidence 25:23 that things are rapidly wrapping up for Planet Earth, 25:26 and the book of Revelation indicates 25:29 that there are going to be some challenging times. 25:31 God is calling on His people, no matter what, 25:35 to be like myrrh under pressure, to be fragrant. 25:39 In fact, that's a key message of the book of Revelation, 25:43 which was written right here on the island of Patmos 25:46 by a man who was under arrest for crimes he did not commit. 25:50 That was a terribly difficult trial for John, 25:53 and yet he was fragrant for Jesus through it all. 25:58 So what's confronting you? And what might confront you? 26:01 God's call to you is that no matter what the pressure, 26:05 whatever the difficulty, 26:06 you can be fragrant for Jesus always. 26:11 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 26:12 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 26:14 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 26:18 To support this international life-changing ministry, 26:21 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 26:25 You can send your tax-deductible gift 26:27 to the address on your screen, 26:28 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:32 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 26:35 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 26:39 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:43 >>John: Let's pray together now. 26:45 Our Father in heaven, You call us to discipleship, 26:48 to faithfulness in following Jesus. 26:50 Well, that's something we cannot give, 26:52 but we ask that You would do it in us. 26:55 We can give You our will, 26:57 and we pray You'll take it and make it Your own. 26:59 Let Your Spirit fill us and Jesus live His life in us, 27:02 so that no matter what the trial, 27:05 we can be like myrrh, fragrant under pressure. 27:10 Father, right now there's somebody going through 27:11 a difficult time. Be that person's strength. 27:14 There's somebody facing something they just believe 27:17 they cannot possibly get through without You. 27:21 Be that person's strength. 27:23 Then we look forward to the day when Jesus comes back, 27:25 and the trials of this world 27:27 will be a distant, forgotten memory. 27:30 Let that day come soon, we pray, 27:32 and we thank You in Jesus' name. 27:34 Amen. 27:36 Thanks so much for joining me. 27:37 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:39 Until then, remember: 27:41 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 27:44 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 27:48 ♪[dramatic, triumphant theme music]♪ 28:25 ♪[music ends]♪♪ |
Revised 2023-08-22