Jesus said to the church at Smyrna “These are the words of
him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.” (Rev 2:8)
It may seem obvious to you that, for God to be God, He had to exist first, and will live way beyond our years. But there is more to this saying; being “first and last”. This phrase is used twice in Isaiah (44:6 & 48:12), and each time it is in the context of a treatise wherein the Lord argues the case of His Lordship with a people who are worshipping idols (Is 48:5), and who think that they themselves are the origins of God’s thoughts and words (Is 48:7). In saying that He is the first and the last, God is stating that He is the legitimate and authentic God. There is no other beside Him, and men did not create Him.
In stating that He is the “First and the Last”, Jesus is setting down the concept of His authenticity, and states the proof; He was raised from the dead. Though He is dealing with both authentic Christians and people who are not what they say, the main concept here is more than authenticity; it is about how an authentic Christian will be like Jesus in both living, and in dying.
True Christians will suffer persecution like Jesus did (Jn 15:20). As Jesus was being crucified he said to the women who wept for Him, “For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Lk 23:31). Jesus knows that persecution is hard. Persecution separates true Christians from those who would use God for what He can give them.
In the parable of the Sower and the Seeds, Jesus pointed out that some hearts are like rocky places; there isn’t enough good soil for the word’s roots to take hold. When persecution comes because of the word, that heart will become offended at the word, and the person will fall away (Mt 13:21). So, some Christians will treasure the word of God, even in persecution, and others will not. The letter to the Smyrnan church was a word to two kinds of Christians; authentic ones, who would never taste of the second death (in other words, they would also be resurrected, like Jesus was; see Rev 20:6) and those who were not authentic.
The word “Christian” means “Christ-like”. If we determine to be like Him in both life, and in death, we will never taste of the second death. We will be legitimate heirs of Christ, symbolized by the crown of Life. Amen.
It may seem obvious to you that, for God to be God, He had to exist first, and will live way beyond our years. But there is more to this saying; being “first and last”. This phrase is used twice in Isaiah (44:6 & 48:12), and each time it is in the context of a treatise wherein the Lord argues the case of His Lordship with a people who are worshipping idols (Is 48:5), and who think that they themselves are the origins of God’s thoughts and words (Is 48:7). In saying that He is the first and the last, God is stating that He is the legitimate and authentic God. There is no other beside Him, and men did not create Him.
In stating that He is the “First and the Last”, Jesus is setting down the concept of His authenticity, and states the proof; He was raised from the dead. Though He is dealing with both authentic Christians and people who are not what they say, the main concept here is more than authenticity; it is about how an authentic Christian will be like Jesus in both living, and in dying.
True Christians will suffer persecution like Jesus did (Jn 15:20). As Jesus was being crucified he said to the women who wept for Him, “For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Lk 23:31). Jesus knows that persecution is hard. Persecution separates true Christians from those who would use God for what He can give them.
In the parable of the Sower and the Seeds, Jesus pointed out that some hearts are like rocky places; there isn’t enough good soil for the word’s roots to take hold. When persecution comes because of the word, that heart will become offended at the word, and the person will fall away (Mt 13:21). So, some Christians will treasure the word of God, even in persecution, and others will not. The letter to the Smyrnan church was a word to two kinds of Christians; authentic ones, who would never taste of the second death (in other words, they would also be resurrected, like Jesus was; see Rev 20:6) and those who were not authentic.
The word “Christian” means “Christ-like”. If we determine to be like Him in both life, and in death, we will never taste of the second death. We will be legitimate heirs of Christ, symbolized by the crown of Life. Amen.
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