<TITLE>05. Par 23-28</TITLE>L-23 Now, if you'll notice this, how it was great here, went out, and finally smothered all the way out. Then it starts back. Luther pulled it back; justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Ghost, and then right at the end time, he smothers it right down, until this is almost completely gone out here, just a little teeny bit there, and that's when He screams that if He don't cut the work short for the elected sake, there will be no flesh saved. See? There you are, right at the end time. Now, bear that in mind.

L-24 Now, we're going to start on this Smyrna church age. First I want to break it down here on some paper that I--that I have. Now, the second church age being Smyrna, and I believe you'll all agree with me (or I hope you do, or halfway, anyhow) that Irenaeus was the star to that church age. He was God's messenger 'cause he swept the country, into France (Gaul), down in there, and he established churches, and every one was established upon the baptism of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues, raising the dead, healing the sick, stopping the rains, and performing miracles daily. They knowed that the living God lived among the people. That was a man of God, 'cause Jesus said, "No man can do..." Or the--the people said, "No man can do these works except God be with him." It was Nicodemus that told Jesus that.

L-25 Now, a city of commerce, a trading outlet to Lydia and to the west, the third largest city in Asia, a great harbor city, noted for wealth, temples, buildings, schools, medicine, and science. Jews lived at--at Smyrna, and they evangelized the Smyrnaean people. Polycarp was the first bishop of Smyrna. Polycarp and other faithful servants established the deep faith of God in the believing Smyrnaeans. Early church fathers give exhortation of the truth to Smyrna.
The church age of Smyrna, the name of the church was Samaria--Smyrna, rather, that means "bitterness, myrrh." It's associated with dead, 'cause they were dying.

L-26 A persecuted church, God called them persecuted. God looked upon their persecutions and gave grace to bear it. He looked upon its tribulations and gave them victory over death, looked upon their poverty and give them riches in Him. The church of Smyrna passed through the fiery furnace of tribulations, but was a sweet-smelling savour unto Him. That's that remnant now, not the old Smyrnaean church; just the remnant I'm speaking of. The great ten days of tribulation means "ten years of the bloodiest persecution."
I don't know whether I can spell this name, or pronounce it, or not. This was the emperor at that time; I believe was the bloodiest one of all of them since Nero in 67, D-i-o-c-l-e-t-i-a-n, during the year of 303 to 312 A.D.

L-28 God exhorts Smyrna to be faithful unto death, as He was, "And I will give you a crown of Life, as the Father has given Me." God promised the overcomer in tribulations, the victory over the second death, "Fear not them which can kill the body, but He that can destroy the soul--kill the soul." It... The Smyrnaeans was to endure to the end, "Fear not men, and a crown of Life will be given you" The persecution of Christianity in the ages are typed in the church ages of Smyrna, are very important. We want to get to it just in a little bit, the Lord willing.
Now, if some of you miss some of these why if I write them a little too fast for the rest of the class, then we'll--we are... You can certainly get them from us any time you want to; we'd be glad to--to give them to you. (Excuse me.)


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