I hope you had a chance to view Nelson Walters’s video on the seven churches of Revelation. You will not only understand the purpose and meaning of the letters to the seven churches but you will understand how they complete the story revealed with the opening of the seven seals.

In the first post, I covered the first church Ephesus which faced deception with false prophets and Messiahs. After the deception of the First Year, the world is about to enter a most difficult time.

The Letter to Church at Smyrna, Smyrna means “myrrh or death.” The spice myrrh, which was primarily used for embalming, was the city’s main export. We know from the model we have been constructing for the 70th Week that the Second Year is a year of bloodshed, war, and chaos. Death is the main export of the Second Year.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF JESUS IN THE LETTER TO SMYRNA

Revelation has this to say about Jesus in the Letter to Smyrna: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this (Rev. 2:8) The statement “first and the last” is a paraphrase of Rev. 1:8 where Jesus claims to be the “alpha and the omega” (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet). This phrase is highly encouraging to those about to suffer. Jesus created all things and will judge all things in the end; between the two events, he is in control of all things. Nothing will happen to Christians that he does not work for their ultimate good.

The second phrase (“has come to life”) is also encouraging. Jesus has conquered death. It is not what we should fear. Jesus said, “I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him” Luke 12:4-5. Those who have died to Jesus and live in Him have nothing to lose or to fear. We are already “dead” to the old self and to this world and its evil system. We are alive in Him. This should be the attitude of the saints facing the Second Year of the 70th Week as reflected in the attributes of Jesus in the letter to Smyrna.

CONDITION OF THE CHURCH IN THE SECOND YEAR

The condition of the Church in the Second Year is difficult, per the Letter to Smyrna: 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. (Rev. 2:9)

We observed in the section about Ephesus that worship of the Antichrist’s god may be tied to economic prosperity. In this section, we notice that the Christians are economically poor. Unwillingness to compromise may have led to their poverty. We know from the model we are constructing of the 70th Week of Daniel, that there will be worldwide economic problems in year three.

In the previous section on Ephesus, we also saw a focus on Islam as the spiritual challenge for the Church. In Year Two, from Rev. 2:9 we see that apostate Judaism is added. We know from Daniel 9:27 that the Antichrist eliminates sacrifices and offerings at the midpoint of the 70th week. This obviously indicates that prior to that time, sacrifices and offerings were occurring. We know that “ it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). Only Jesus’s eternal blood sacrifice will take away sin. So when the Jews begin the practice of temple sacrifices again, it certainly is at the prompting of Satan to take their eyes off their Messiah.

God wants his Church to know these sacrifices are blasphemy. Jesus then gives the Church an encouragement: 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.

Although the Great Tribulation does not begin until the Fourth Year, the Church experiences tribulation from the Second Year on. In this passage, we are told that many of the faithful will be placed in prison or prison camps. The length of time the Church will have tribulation is curious: ten days. The Days of Awe are ten days from Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) until Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). These are days of repentance. Jewish tradition teaches that those who repent during the Days of Awe will be written into the Book of Life. The meaning of this time seems such a perfect match with the purpose of the imprisonment (“to be tested”). We have also seen a ten-day period in Daniel 1:12. It is the period of testing (note the similarities) when Daniel and his friends refused the Royal food and trusted God.

A major facet of the Second Year of the 70th Week that is not mentioned in the Letter to Smyrna is warfare. Why is that? The Letter to Smyrna is specifically for the Church, so it may be because Jesus has already instructed the Church in his Olivet Discourse to not be scared when the warfare begins: “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened” (Matt. 24:6). Jesus wants us to know that the wars of the Second Year are not wars that lead to the invasion of Israel and the eventual Abomination of Desolation.

Next post: The Church of Pergamum