AR 91, 94, 95 - The Church of Smyrna

AR 91

"And to the angel of the church
of the people of Smyrna write."
(Revelation 2:8)

This symbolically means,
to people and concerning people who as to life
are engaged in good endeavors,
but as to doctrine are caught up in falsities.

AR 94

"'I know your works.'"
(Revelation 2:9)

This symbolically means that the Lord sees
all those people's inner and outer qualities simultaneously.
. . . in this case that He sees
that they are caught up in falsities,
and yet as to life are engaged in good endeavors,
which they believe to be goods of life,
even though they are not.

AR 95

"'And tribulation, and poverty.'"
(Revelation 2:9)

This symbolically means
that they are caught up in falsities
and so are not engaged in good practices.

Knowing their tribulation means, symbolically,
seeing that they are caught up in falsities,
and knowing their poverty means, symbolically,
seeing that they are not engaged in good practices.
For tribulation in the Word is predicated of falsities . . .
while poverty is predicated of the absence of goods.
That is what spiritual poverty is.
The Word quite often speaks of the poor and needy,
and in the spiritual sense a poor person means
someone who is lacking in truths,
and a needy person someone who is lacking in goods.