CHRISTMAS DAY 2024. “NOTES ON BECOMING SMYRNAEANS: LOVING GOD MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF IN THE DAY OF THE AMERICAN ANTICHRIST” – (WITH VIDEO)

THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, Who died and came to life again: I know your affliction and distress and pressing trouble and your poverty—but you are rich! and how you are abused and reviled and slandered by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. [Dismiss your dread and your fears!] Behold, the devil is indeed about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested and proved and critically appraised, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be loyally faithful unto death [even if you must die for it], and I will give you the crown of life.” – REVELATION 2:8-10, AMPC

KEY TERMS. Three Central Words define the very heart of this powerful passage to THE SUFFERING CHURCH.

TRIBULATION. ‘Thlipsis’ [θλίψιν]: From a root word meaning, ‘Intense Pressure;’ therefore, affliction, anguish, persecuted, hardened, troubled; to crush, to press, to distress; a weight which one must bear; calamity causing great suffering.” NOTE: “The term ‘thlipsis’ is used in the New Testament to describe a state of severe distress or suffering, often due to external pressures or persecution. It conveys the idea of being under pressure or in a state of affliction, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. In a Biblical context, it often refers to the trials and hardships faced by believers as a result of their faith.”

POVERTY. ‘Ptócheia’ [πτωχείαν]: “From a primitive word meaning, ‘Beggary, indigence, destitution;’ refers to those who are poor or in critical need; describes a great lack of resources.” NOTE: The term ‘ptócheia’ refers to a state of poverty or destitution. In the New Testament, it is often used to describe both physical and spiritual poverty. It conveys a sense of lacking material wealth or resources, as well as a humble dependence on God.

RICHES! ‘Plousios!’ [πλούσιος]: “‘Wealthy, abounding with possessions!’ Refers to one who is rich, as we normally consider an affluent individual with the means of overcoming all poverty.” NOTE: “The term ‘plousios” is used in the New Testament to describe individuals who possess material wealth or abundance. It often carries a connotation of having more than enough resources, and it can be used both literally and metaphorically. ‘In a spiritual sense, it can also refer to being rich in faith or good works [a reflection of God’s favor].’”

QUOTATION. “I see mercy in the dusty sunlight that outlines the trees, in my mother’s crooked hands, in the blanket my friend left for me, in the harmony of the wind chimes. It’s not the mercy that I asked for, but it is mercy nonetheless. And I learned a new prayer: ‘Thank you.’ It’s a prayer I don’t mean yet, but will repeat until I do. Call me cursed, call me lost, call me scorned. But that’s not all. Call me chosen, blessed, sought-after. Call me the one who God whispers His secrets to. I am the one whose belly is filled with loaves of mercy that were hidden for me. Even on days when I’m not so sick, sometimes I go lay on the mat in the afternoon light to listen for Him. I know it sounds crazy, and I can’t really explain it, but God is in there—even now. ‘I have heard it said that some people can’t see God because they won’t look low enough, and it’s true. If you can’t see Him, look lower. God is on the bathroom floor.’” – NIGHTBIRDE, “God is on the Bathroom Floor,” Mar. 9, 2021; edited

BIO. Jane Kristen Marczewski (December 29, 1990 – February 19, 2022), better known by her stage name ‘Nightbirde,’ was an American singer-songwriter. She auditioned on America’s Got Talent in 2021, where she received a Golden Buzzer for her original song, “It’s OK.” However, she decided to withdraw from AGT before the quarterfinals, because of worsening health due to cancer. Marczewski died on February 19, 2022. She was 31 years old. A link to her debut song on America’s Got Talent is included at the end of this essay.

COMMENTARY. “‘Our Lord Jesus is the First, for by Him were all things made.’ He was before all things, with God, and is God Himself. He is the Last, for He will be the Judge of all. As this First and Last, Who was dead and is alive, is the believer’s Brother and Friend, He must be rich in the deepest poverty, honourable amidst the lowest abasement, and happy under the heaviest tribulation, like the Church of Smyrna. Many who are rich as to this world, are poor as to the next; and some who are poor outwardly, are inwardly rich; rich in faith, in good works, rich in privileges, rich in gifts, rich in hope. Where there is spiritual plenty, outward poverty may be well borne; and when God’s people are made poor as to this life, for the sake of Christ and a good conscience, He makes all up to them in spiritual riches. ‘Christ arms against coming troubles.’

‘Fear none of these things!’ Not only forbid slavish fear, but subdue it, furnishing the soul with strength and courage! It should be to try them, not to destroy them. Observe, the sureness of the Reward; I will give thee: They shall have the Reward from Christ’s own hand. Also, how suitable it is; a Crown of Life: the life worn out in His service, or laid down in His cause, shall be rewarded with a much better life, which shall be Eternal. The Second Death is unspeakably worse than the First Death, both in the agonies of it, and as it is Eternal Death: ‘It is indeed awful to die, and to be always dying.’ If a man is kept from the Second Death and Wrath to come, he may patiently endure whatever Adversary he meets with in this world.” – MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

II. TEACHING

During the last Ten Transformational Years in America since the Rise of Donald Trump’s Christian Nationalism movement, I have come to regard the great majority of the Nation and Church as grotesquely ‘Self-Centered.’

I had never seen this before the Year 2015, either in my own life where it was surely evident, nor in those Christian leaders and friends around me. But it was there in a thousand sermons and narratives wherever I turned, and it had a name:

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM. Most generally, this culturally Iconic Term refers to the presumption that America was and is founded upon the Bedrock of Biblical Truth and Virtue, and that its people therefore are Uniquely Virtuous, favored by the God of the Bible to be regarded as ‘Chosen,’ not unlike Israel was “Chosen” by God as the Apple of His Eye (Zechariah 2:8).

As I have written before, somewhere along this Culturally Mythic Line we became “The New Israel,” essentially Replacing God’s people as the only ones who can bring Salvation and Peace to the entire World.

But let’s look a little deeper into that general definition, to consider the ‘Conventional View’ of this Idea of America’s Exceptional Greatness, and an ‘Unconventional View’ of our history as something very much less than virtuous.

CONVENTIONAL. “American Exceptionalism is the Idea that the United States is a unique and even Morally Superior Country for historical, ideological, or religious reasons. Proponents of American Exceptionalism generally pair the belief with the claim that the United States is obligated to play a special role in global politics.” – ADAM VOLLE, Contributor, “American Exceptionalism,” Britannica, Updated Oct. 30, 2024; edited

UNCONVENTIONAL. “Violence, Empire, Genocide, Slavery, Dispossession, and White Supremacy are not aberrations of the U.S. Nation-State but central to its very identity and structure.” ― ROBERTO SIRVENT, J.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics, American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People’s History of Fake News―From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror, 2019; edited

Again, I have as both a Christian and a Secularist before my 1979 Conversion always subscribed, mostly uncritically, to that First School of Conventional and thoroughly Patriotic Thought. No question about it, right beloved? Why, America truly is the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave,” and uniformly regarded as the Greatest Nation ever fielded by God on the Earth in all of human history.

Including, by easy implication, again – Israel!

AMERICAN HUBRIS. After scouring the Internet for a particularly penetrating analysis of what I now consider as America’s supremely arrogant fascination with itself following the reelection of DONALD TRUMP to a Second Term, I found this by ALAN GAUSS.

Freelance writer, Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude graduate of University of California at San Diego in Literature, she offers a brilliant SEVEN POINT POST-MORTEM on the Consequences of National Pride rum amok as with the United States in 2024. Title: “American Hubris” (Medium, Nov. 12, 2024; edited).

PRIDEFUL LIES. “One of the most exasperating habits of the president-elect of the United States is his insistent touting of achievements that simply aren’t true. He called his 2016 win ‘one of the most decisive victories in American history,’ despite a middling electoral win and a popular loss of three million votes. In a speech to the FBI, he bragged of ‘the biggest crowd’ at his inauguration, although photographic evidence shows the turnout was well below that of President Obama. By the time he first took office, confronting his lies with facts had become an exhausting job for journalists and comics alike. And that may be what makes him such a fitting American leader.”
TWO TYPES OF PRIDE. “In her book, Take Pride: Why the Deadliest Sin Holds the Secret to Human Success [2016], Professor Jessica Tracy, PhD, of the University of British Columbia investigates the promise and peril of this complex human emotion … The first kind of pride, the “good” kind, is ‘Authentic Pride.’ Authentic pride is “based on relatively accurate — rather than enhanced — assessments of one’s self and thus on a genuine and authentic perception of one’s self-worth” … ‘Hubristic Pride,’ [named] after the Greek ‘hubris,’ applies to people whose overinflated self-perceptions led them to forget that they were mere mortals. This is the kind of pride you feel when you believe you are better than others, that you are intrinsically more valuable.”
HOW PRIDE CHANGES US. “Some Americans were surprised by the racism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia that was so prominent and normalized by the Trump campaign. The Optimists expressed incredulity and disappointment, while those more Dubious of our progress as a society were quick to express their ‘lack of surprise.’ The discussion around the threats, violence, and vandalism often centered on how the Republican candidate’s rhetoric galvanized and encouraged racists and White Supremacists. When viewed through the lens of Hubristic Pride, we can see how Trump’s campaign encouraged those who we might always have considered racists, but also how his appeals to (White) American Superiority radicalized people that might have seemed more reasonable a few years ago.”
HISTORIC HUBRIS. “The United States has never really abandoned the concept of ‘Manifest Destiny,’ the ineffable conviction that America and Americans are fated for Dominance and Prosperity. As early as 1630, Puritan leader John Mathers anointed his American settlement as a ‘City Upon a Hill,’ a phrase borrowed from the Book of Matthew. French political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville alluded to ‘American Exceptionalism’ in 1831. Manifest Destiny drew from these ideas, among others. John O’Sullivan first used the term in an 1845 article urging the United States to annex Texas. ‘Our Manifest Destiny to overspread the Continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.’ [“Remember the Alamo!”].”
EFFORT VS. ENDOWMENT. “‘Authentically Proud Participants wrote about positive events that were caused by something they did — the hard work they put in to make the success happen. Hubristically Proud Participants, in contrast, credited some larger aspect of their identities, something about who they were, like their abilities and talents of their stable personalities’ (Dr. Jessica Tracy). The Problem is that when you feel ‘Destined for Greatness, Entitled to Greatness,’ there is no reason to learn, to experiment, to adapt. And this may be part of what has kept America from making the strides in health, education, and energy that it might have over the past 20 years.”
THE SIREN CALL FOR CERTAINTY. “Hubristic Pride is built into the American Identity and Donald Trump stoked the flames with his rhetoric of simplistic policy, entitlement, and xenophobia. His infamous slogan, stitched and sold onto hats by his campaign and enterprising admirers alike, even reinforces the assumed American Birthright of Supremacy. If the Nation is destined for dominance, prosperity, and glory, then why shouldn’t it be so simple to ‘Make America Great again?’ He assured his manic crowds that the problems our Nation faces weren’t complex issues, requiring innovation, adaptation, and education. It was as simple as getting rid of the people that don’t belong, whether it’s Mexican immigrants, Muslims, or a woman who has defied denigrating, sexist men like him for decades.”
HOW MUCH WILL WE LOSE? “Even before the Election of Donald Trump, the United States relied on a mixture of Dominance and Prestige to maintain Global Power. Yes, we made strides in technology and culture, but it was all girded by a gargantuan military arsenal. And the rest of the world cooperated as long as it was mutually beneficial. But with the United States endangering our Allies by sharing sensitive intelligence, withdrawing from major agreements, and threatening Isolationism, other world leaders are realizing that bowing to the Behemoth might not be worth it. We are losing influence, losing respect, losing the dominance that has served us for decades. The economic, cultural, and moral supremacy that the United States has so long declared as its Birthright is eroding. ‘Many of us see that our Emperor has no clothes, but with every day, our Nation’s Hubris grows more naked.’”

THE QUESTION. Beloved, it truly pains me to say this still once more, but after a decade of intense research, reflection and prayerful analysis, I further conclude that America continues to Transform Herself into “Babylon the Great,” to be once more led to Final Destruction by the Beast of Babylon – President Donald John Trump.

Therefore, the Scriptures and the Canon and the Spirit all shout together at this critical point: “If the foundations [of a godly society] are destroyed, WHAT CAN THE RIGHTOUS DO? The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes see, His eyelids test the children of men.” – PSALM 11:3-4, AMP

We shall directly consider that in the following section, with both Fear and Trembling, yes, but also with Great Joy for all those who will say: “Yes, Lord! Here am I, send me.” – ISAIAH 6:8

III. THE SMYRNAEANS

In past Commentaries over the years, I have always commended the CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA as the Heroes of the Faith in the Last Days. As Jesus so rightly spoke of them:

“I know your [record of] works and what you are doing. See! I have set before you a door wide open which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My Word and guarded My message and have not renounced or denied My name … Because you have guarded and kept My word of patient endurance [have held fast the lesson of My patience with the expectant endurance that I give you], I also will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial (testing) which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth.” – REVELATION 3:8 & 10, AMPC

But as we draw ever nearer to the Final Conflict of the Ages under Antichrist, I have amended my personal ranking to place THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA right at the very top, for the following reasons. Adapted to an excellent AI Review (ret. Dec. 24, 2025; edited.

LEADERSHIP. When discussing “Heroes of the Faith” in relation to the Church at Smyrna, the most prominent figure is Bishop Polycarp, who is recognized for his unwavering faith and martyrdom in the face of severe persecution. The Story of His Execution is nothing short of legendary, whose salutary leadership of the Church in Smyrna virtually set the mold for all Christians who were to follow in his courageous footsteps.

PERSECUTION. The Church at Smyrna was known for enduring significant Persecution from the Roman Empire, making their steadfast faith a testament to their commitment to Christianity. My new emphasis upon this Church and this issue is directly attributable to the Rise of Antichrist Trump and the certainty that those Christians who are determined to hold fast to Christ and Canon shall face exceptional persecution from the Beast in the days ahead. Especially those who are vocal about their faith.

POLYCARP. Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, served as the Bishop of Smyrna and is considered a central figure in the early Church due to his unwavering faith and willingness to die for his beliefs. When faced with the option to renounce Christianity, Polycarp famously declared, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King?” before being burned at the stake.

RELEVANCE. In the Book of Revelation, the Message to the Church at Smyrna highlights the coming Tribulation and suffering, but also emphasizes the promise of a “CROWN OF LIFE” for those who remain faithful through persecution: “Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” – JAMES 1:12, AMP

A SPECIAL BREED. Such individuals are, by their Choice to be a Smyrnaean and the Lord’s honoring their request with extraordinary ability and courage, like unto King David’s Mighty Men about whom I recently taught. So, a few closing reflections on all this will conclude our conversation.

IV. LAST THOUGHTS

Beloved, these Heroes of the Faith yet-to-be are the Diametric Opposite of he pampered, self-deluded, arrogant, and Lukewarm Laodiceans of the Lord’s Smoldering Emnity. So much so, that He bitterly and openly chastises them as “Wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked [who] I shall spew out of My mouth! (REVELATION 3:16-17).

Unless, again, they Repent.

CODA. Which brings me to my last point. We have just a very little time left to Choose the Honorable Road, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (MATTHEW 7:14).

Sadly, the vast majority of the White American Church by every appearance is choosing A Different Road as they follow hard and joyous after Another Savior. Therefore, by everything that God has placed within me spiritually, intellectually and even emotionally, I beg and shout once again:

“Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues! – REVELATION 18:4, NKJV

Rather, beloved: Be like unto Abel, or Enoch, or like Noah, or Abraham, then Isaac who blessed Jacob, then Joshua and Caleb, and Joseph, or like Moses, even Rahab the Harlot, or Gideon and Barak, and Daniel or David. Then the Baptist, and Apostle Paul, then Polycarp, and Huss, and Luther, then Wilberforce, and Bonhoeffer and Wilkerson.

And so many more, but so comparatively very few.

Indeed, be like YESHUA BEN DAVID, and all the Saints of Revelation 12:11! Who “Overcame [Antichrist] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even to the death.”

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/85U_UTyzNYw

NIGHTBIRDE: https://youtu.be/CZJvBfoHDk0?si=MKXKTq7ExztwfSEv