Seven churches

THE SEVEN CHURCHES
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Rev 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He
who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
The reward for faithfulness unto death is the crown of life. It is not a diadem, the royal
crown. It is in Greek Stephanes, the victor’s crown, the crown given to athletes in
Olympics which were made of olive leaves. The word reminds us of Stephanos, the first
martyr of the Church described in Acts 7:59. Hill Pagus with its planned luxurious
buildings were called "the Crown of Smyrna". Their coinage bore the inscription, "First in
Asia in beauty and size". The promise is therefore an eternal life in the crown of heaven.
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
A suffering church lives longer. It was one of the few cities that withstood Turkish invasion
and the last to fall under Islam. Its survival helped to spur the Renaissance movement.
Today Smyrna is a modern Turkish city called Izmir with a population over 500,000
people, half of which are still Christians. It is predominantly Orthodox with a tremendous
revival sweeping through.
Second Death
The question “What is the Second Death?” has given rise to varying interpretations