Telephone Answering Machine Message recorded on
March 31, 2004 - (902) 436-6245
by Pastor Ian C. Kurylyk
Are You in Danger of the Second Death?
Revelation 2: 8-11
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which
was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and
I know the blasphemy
of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast
some of you
into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give
thee a crown of life.
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall
not be hurt of the second death.
The second church of Asia to receive a direct message in this book of the Revelation, is the church at Smyrna. Churches vary, as do individuals; each has its own problems, its own challenges, its own characteristics.
Three References to Death
Smyrna is a suffering church, but faithful to the Lord. There are three references to death in this message, which we can use an an outline, to bring to our attention three important meditations. First of all, notice the death of Jesus Christ in verse eight:
Revelation 2:8
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which
was dead, and is alive.
The message to the suffering church starts with the most significant fact about the church's Lord: His death and His resurrection. His death was the payment for the sins of the world. His resurrection, the glorious victory He shares with those who believe. This is the Gospel - good news for sinners. We have a definition of the gospel in 1Corinthians Chapter 15, beginning there in verse one. It says:
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have
received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed
in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
The church at Smyrna was an assembly of individuals who had believed the message: turning from sin, to faith in the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Verse 8 also refers to Him as 'the first and the last'.
We know the book of Revelation is the book of "last things" that focuses especially on the end - the consummation of
all things - which proves to be also the consummation of God's plan to glorify His Son. The folk at the Smyrna church
needed to be reminded of His final victory in manifested glory, and their place with Him as His church.
The Second Death
Notice the second death in our text - the death of Christians, found in verses 9 and 10. It says there:
Revelation 2:8-9
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and
I know the blasphemy
of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast
some of you
into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give
thee a crown of life.
These Christians were suffering; it says "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer..." They suffered poverty. Verse nine says "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty". It is not uncommon to suffer financially, when committed to living a true Christian life. In God's sight however, they were rich. It says "but thou art rich"; eternity too will prove it. In verse 10, it says "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." But this does not keep the Christian from suffering in a world that believes success is money now, or whatever it takes to get it. They also suffered persecution; verse 10 says "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days". This has never ended. Millions today in Africa and China and Muslim states suffer for their faithfulness to Christ. Even in our western world, true Christianity is more and more under attack. The Smyrna church was challenged to be faithful "even unto death".
Yes, there is death, even for believers in Jesus Christ; but, it is an entrance unto life. Verse 10 says "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." To die as a Christian is to go to Heaven, to go to reward, to go to be with the Lord. It is a physical death, but with the curse and sting removed. Again, in 1Corinthians 15:55-57, it says:
1Corinthians 15:55-57
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bible prophecy teaches us that a resurrection awaits the Christian. Let me notice with you another verse in
the book of Revelation, later on in chapter 14, Revelation 14:13:
Revelation 14:13
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed
are the dead which die in the
Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
Even the false prophet Balaam in the Old Testament, in the book of Numbers, recognized that it is better to die as one of God's people:
Numbers 23:10
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth
part of Israel? Let me
die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
The third death we find referred to here in our Revelation text, is the death of a non-Christian - verse 11 says:
He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Revelation 2:11
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall
not be hurt of the second death.
So, the message to Smyrna ends with a challenge to everybody. It warns of another death - the second death. The 'overcomer' here is the person who gains victory over the enemy of sin and death, by trusting Jesus Christ. These Christians looked to the world like anything but winners, but they were. It is the person who rejects Jesus Christ in this life, and lives for worldly success, who is the eternal loser. He must face the second death.
This is described for us again later on in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 20, and verse 11 down to verse 15, we see the final judgment, and we see how the second death is part of that. It says:
Revelation 20:11-15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven
fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were
in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
This is the final judgment of all who do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. It's eternity in the Lake of Fire. Now remember, this last verse in our text, verse 11, is a challenge - it says:
Have YOU dealt with these issues?
Revelation 2:11
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall
not be hurt of the second death.
Have you dealt with these issues, now, while you have opportunity? Now is the time to seek the Lord. Now is the time to be Born Again, by faith in Jesus Christ, and have this promise of eternal life.
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