“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9 ESV).
This portion of Jesus’ letter to the ancient church at Smyrna tells us that it is possible to live in poverty, yet still be rich. Conversely, it is also possible to possess an abundance of financial and material wealth, yet still be poor. This serves to remind us of Jesus’ message from Luke 12:15: “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions” (NASB).
The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes further illustrates the challenge facing those who are driven to accumulate financial wealth and/or material possessions: “He who loves money shall never have enough. The foolishness of thinking that wealth brings happiness! The more you have, the more you spend, right up to the limits of your income…” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 TLB).
For instance, there are some who are compelled to relentlessly buy, trade, or upgrade in order to have the latest model or version of something. Unfortunately, those who feel the need to accumulate such things are bound to become disappointed eventually. Today’s fast-moving development cycle demands continuous investment in order to acquire the latest version of a product or service, and there will inevitably be something newer or better than whatever we already possesses.
This means that we will often have to spend more just to keep up- and that ultimately leads to an ongoing cycle of discontentment and dissatisfaction. Philosophers refer to this condition as the “Hedonistic Paradox,” for it describes the self-defeating nature of this mindset. However, there is another concern facing those seek to amass a stockpile of wealth or possessions…
“But people who long to be rich soon begin to do all kinds of wrong things to get money, things that hurt them and make them evil-minded and finally send them to hell itself. For the love of money is the first step toward all kinds of sin. Some people have even turned away from God because of their love for it, and as a result have pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:9-10 TLB).
Finally, the New Testament book of 1 Timothy tells us “…godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). That was the path chosen by the Christian community at Smyrna, and Jesus voiced His approval via this message to them.
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The Roman Empire ruled over most of the known world in the era when the book of Revelation was originally written. One strategy employed by the Empire to help ensure loyalty among its citizens involved a requirement to worship the Roman Emperor as a divine being. Those who lived within the Roman Empire were required to burn incense once a year in honor of the Emperor and publicly affirm his divinity. Once a citizen fulfilled that requirement, he or she received a certificate of loyalty to the Roman Empire.
In our text from the Gospel of Mark, Jesus informs us that humanity’s primary job description involves the responsibility to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Thus, our highest-ranking love should be expressed toward God. Unfortunately, it seems as if the Christians in Ephesus were so busy doing good things that they forgot the most important thing: to love God first and foremost.
Judging from this portion of Jesus’ letter, we may conclude that the church at Ephesus featured a group of individuals who refused to give up, even during times of hardship. If the Christians at Ephesus “patiently suffered” for their belief in Christ, then it can only mean that they remained steadfast in their commitment to Him despite the trials, adversities, and difficulties they encountered. It also seems reasonable to assume that the members of the Ephesian church displayed unwavering determination and resilience in the face of various challenges. Finally, we can say that the Ephesian Christians exhibited faithfulness in dealing with stressful conditions.
Ephesus boasted a large theatre with a seating capacity of approximately 20-30,000 people that appears in 
Imagine if Jesus wrote a personal letter to your church. What would He say in that message? Would His message be complimentary, or would He emphasize the need for change and improvement? Well, the answers to those questions were not a matter of speculation for seven churches of the New Testament era. Instead, Jesus provided those answers in the form of a personalized message to each church.
So Revelation 1:19 provides us with a reference to the past (“what you have seen“), the present (“what is“), and the future (“what will take place after this“), all within a single verse. That being said, how do we know when the future begins in the book of Revelation? How can we separate the present from the future within this book?
The seven churches discussed in this text were not symbolic representations; they were actual churches that existed in John’s era. In fact, one can embark on a tour of these church locations today. The distance between these congregations varied from approximately thirty to fifty miles (48 to 80 km), and a first-century messenger would likely distribute this book in the order mentioned here.
In the original language of this passage, Alpha and Omega function much like the letters A and Z, for they each represent the first and last letters of their respective alphabets. Thus, we can understand this reference to mean that Jesus is the first, the last, and the “A to Z” of everything. Therefore, our text from Revelation 1:8 establishes Jesus as the beginning and the end of all things.
One notable aspect of Revelation 1:4 involves the repetition of the number seven. This holds considerable significance, for the number seven recurs fifty-four times within the twenty-two chapters of Revelation.
The Biblical book of Revelation was authored by a man named John, a person who identifies himself by name three times within this book (
We should also note the descriptive phrase that closes this verse: “the error of the wicked.” This serves to remind us that heretical teachers are not mistaken, confused, or misguided. Instead, this passage describes such individuals as wicked…
The New Testament letter of 1 John highlights the need to evaluate the spiritual ideas and beliefs we encounter when it tells us, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1 NIV). That portion of Scripture reminds us that many spiritual teachings, experiences, or supposed displays of supernatural power may not come from God.
This also reminds us that context is important whenever we encounter those who seek to use a Biblical text to support their views. The word “context” refers to “the part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.” (2) In other words, the chapters and verses that surround a Biblical text help determine the meaning of that text. When verses are quoted outside their context, it is sometimes possible to make the Bible say some very unbiblical things.
By highlighting some of the challenging aspects of Paul the Apostle’s Biblical letters, Peter directs our attention to a practical application from this passage. For example, some may justify their reluctance to read the Bible by claiming that it is too difficult to understand. But today’s age of technological advancement has made it increasingly difficult to rationalize that argument.
So, unlike the unscrupulous advertiser who markets a “new” product that is little more than an old product dressed up in a different package, the new heavens and new earth will be pristine and unspoiled. If we were to employ some technical jargon to describe this future event, we might say that God will not simply “power off” the current universe and “reboot” it. Instead, He will completely rewrite its operating system.
We can also view this reference to “hastening” from a different perspective. As we’ve already seen, the word “hasten” is used to describe an attempt to expedite an action or activity. In light of this, our text from 2 Peter 3:12 underscores the need to avoid a passive mindset in anticipation of that day. Instead, we should actively employ the talents, skills, abilities, gifts, and opportunities that God has graciously given us for use in His service today.
Our text from 2 Peter 3:10 reminds us that the best investments are the ones that are made in view of eternity. We should thus prioritize our business endeavors, our finances, and our material possessions in light of these things. As we read in another portion of Scripture…
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