Read Revelation 2:8-11.

Introduction⤒🔗

Patricia was serving as a missionary in the Sudan at the time when war refugees flooded into that country. She met people who had suffered terribly and lost everything, yet those among them who were Christians still gave thanks to God.

One night, Patricia stood in a crowded little Sudanese church, listening to those uprooted believers singing joyfully. Suddenly a life-changing insight burned its way into her mind: She realized that God does not always lift His people out of the situation; He Himself comes into the situation. He does not immediately pluck them out of the darkness; He becomes the Light in the darkness.¹

Patricia had come to grasp a very significant spiritual truth: The Lord does not necessarily exempt His people from tribulation; many times, He requires us to endure such times. We must take note of the Apostle Paul’s counsel to the churches of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch; he exhorted them to “continue in the faith and [taught] that we must enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations” (Acts 14:22).

This was the present experience of the church at Smyrna, to whom the Lord Jesus addressed the second letter of the Revelation. The message to that church of the first century and to us as Christians today is the same: Be faithful to Christ in the midst of trials, because that is our Lord’s command.

Be Faithful in the Midst of Trial, With the Assurance that the Lord Knows Your Situation←⤒🔗

Our Lord Jesus authoritatively declares, “I know” (vs. 9). He is intimately acquainted with the life and situation of His church and of each one of His people. He knows that Smyrna was one of the first cities to whole-heartedly embrace emperor worship; it was so zealous for the imperial Roman cult that it won the “honor” of erecting a temple to the emperor. Our Lord also knew that there was present in Smyrna a large Jewish population that was hostile to the Christian church. To be loyal to Christ in Smyrna was not easy, it was very hard and costly.

Thus, the Lord Jesus declares, “I know your tribulation and your poverty” (vs. 9). The Greek word (θλιψιs) translated, “tribulation,” literally means, “a crushing weight,” or, “an extreme pressure.” In John 16:21 the word is used to describe a woman’s labor pains. In the New Testament, the word is most frequently used to describe persecution and opposition suffered for the sake of Christ. The “poverty” (πτωχεια) of which the Lord speaks, is literally, “destitution,” the most extreme form of poverty. Apparently, the church suffered economic discrimination resulting in severe financial hardship, leaving them destitute; all because of their allegiance to Christ.

The Lord Jesus knows their destitution, but He also reminds His church, “you are rich.” He is reminding them of the spiritual and eternal riches they possess in Him:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. Eph. 1:3

Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if, indeed, we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. ¹⁸I consider that our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us. Rom. 8:17­-18

The Lord Jesus further assures His church that He knows “the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews” (vs. 9). The Jewish community of Smyrna blasphemed the name of Jesus, (blasphemy is here used in the sense of speaking against Christ and denying that He is the Messiah). The Jewish community at Smyrna rejected their Messiah. This was no doubt partly due to their misplaced confidence: they wrongly assumed that mere physical descent from Abraham and their cultural identification with Old Testament Israel were sufficient to make them children of God.

But their rejection of Christ and His church may also have been due to a desire to avoid incurring the wrath of the Roman authorities: the Jews had a special exemption from emperor worship; if they identified themselves with the Christian church they might lose their exemption. The Lord Jesus identifies this Jewish community as being “a synagogue of Satan,” a charge similar to that with which He confronted them during the days of His earthly ministry. Addressing the unbelieving Jews, Jesus declared,

If God were your Father, you would love me; because I came forth and have come from God. I have not come on my own initiative, he sent me... ⁴⁴You belong to [your] father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and is not established in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he is speaking in accordance with his own [nature], because he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵Because I am speaking the truth, you do not believe me. ⁴⁶Which one of you can convict me of sin? If I am speaking the truth, why do you not believe me? ⁴⁷The one who belongs to God receives the words of God. The reason you do not receive my words is because you do not belong to God. Jn. 8:42,44-47

Our Lord Jesus requires us to be faithful in the midst of trial, having the assurance that He knows our situation. When the Lord Jesus says, “I know,” He is not merely speaking of an intellectual knowledge of the situation, He is speaking about a personal experience with the lives of His people. When the Lord Jesus confronted Saul, the persecutor of the Christian church, He asked Saul the question, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4)

Referring to the Lord Jesus, the writer of Hebrews exhorts the suffering church with the words, “Consider him who endured such hostility from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb. 12:3). Again, he gives the following word of comfort to Christians who were suffering because of their allegiance to Christ in a hostile environment; “Since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb. 2:18). The same word that the Lord Jesus uses to describe the church’s extreme poverty (πτωχεια) is applied to Jesus Himself in 2 Corinthians 8:9, “you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty [πτωχεια] you might become rich.”

Be Faithful in the Midst of Trial, With Confidence, Instead of Fearfulness←⤒🔗

The Lord Jesus not only assures His church that He knows their situation, He also reveals what lies in store for them in the immediate future: “the devil is about to throw some of you into prison” (vs. 10). That is to say, in the near future there was going to be a government reprisal against the church. The civil authorities would take legal action against the Christian community; “throwing some of you into prison” indicates a governmental act inspired by the devil. Indeed, the real force behind this government oppression is the devil: “the devil is about to throw some of you into prison.”

Scripture teaches that government has been ordained by God to be His servant:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God...[the civil magistrate] is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.Rom. 13:1,4

But when government denies God and defies Him, it becomes a servant of the devil: exercising horrible tyranny over its subjects, and often times persecuting the church of Jesus Christ.

To encourage and fortify the church, the Lord Jesus goes on to reveal the purpose and the duration of this demonic assault. He informs them that some of their number will be thrown into prison, “in order that you may be tested.” At times, the Lord subjects His people to severe periods of trial, even employing the devil as His instrument and servant. He may do so in order to prove, or, verify, our loyalty to Him, as was the case of His leading the children of Israel through the wilderness on their journey to the Promised Land of Canaan:

You shall remember all the way in which the LORD your God led you in the wilderness for these forty years, [he led you in this way] so that he might humble you, in order to test you, so that he might know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. Deut. 8:2

At other times, the Lord subjects His people to trials in order to purify our hearts from sin. This was the experience of the Psalmist:

⁶⁷Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I observe your word... ⁷¹It is good for me that I have been afflicted; so that I may learn your statutes... ⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Psl. 119:67,71,75

Yet another reason for which the Lord may subject His people to trials is in order to prune us for greater fruitfulness. The Lord Jesus speaks of this in John 15:1-2, "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. ²He removes every branch in me that does not bear fruit. But he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it may bear more fruit.”

The Lord declares that His church in Smyrna “will suffer tribulation for ten days” (vs. 10b). This coming period of tribulation is of a relatively brief time, “ten days.” The Apostle Paul reminds us that, in the light of eternity, all our earthly afflictions are for only a relatively brief time: “our light and momentary afflictions are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:17). By informing the church that their impending tribulation will be “for ten days,” the Lord Jesus is assuring them that it will be for a limited, specified time: it is not indefinite, it will be terminated when it has accomplished its divinely-intended purpose.

Having revealed to His church what they are about to encounter, the Lord issues the following command: “Do not fear the things you are about to suffer.” That is to say, do not become overwhelmed by the thought of what you are about to encounter, as though I were not with you to uphold you. Consider the word of comfort the LORD provides for His people when we encounter trial:

Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; surely, I will help you; surely, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ¹¹Listen! All those who rage against you will be brought to shame and disgrace; those who oppose you shall be as nothing and will perish. Isa. 41:10-11

Consider, too, the word of challenge the LORD issues to His people when we encounter trial:

I, I am the one who comforts you. Who [do you think] you are, you who are afraid of [mortal] man who shall die, [afraid of] a son of man who is made like a blade of grass? ¹³You have forgotten the LORD your Maker, the one who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. [Why do] you live in constant fear every day because of the fury of the oppressor as he aims to destroy [you]? [But] what has become of the fury of the oppressor? ¹⁴The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in the dungeon, nor will they go hungry; ¹⁵because I am the LORD your God, the one who churns up the sea so that its waves roar, the LORD of hosts is my name. Isa. 51:12-15

The LORD inquires of His people, “[But] what has become of the fury of the oppressor?” He answers His question by asserting, “The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in the dungeon, nor will they go hungry” (vs. 13c-14). The LORD points His people beyond the day of their oppressor to the day of their redemption, (in the immediate context He is foretelling Israel’s deliverance from their Babylonian captivity). He assures His captive people, who presently cower before their oppressor, that they shall soon be set free. He further assures His people that they will be preserved and sustained, (they will not go hungry). We are called as Christians to look beyond our oppressors to the day of our redemption when the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in all of its fullness; and we are to live our earthly lives from that perspective. With that assurance, we are to draw upon that source of resurrection power to stand for Christ in the present. As the Apostle Paul exhorts the church, “be strong in the Lord and in the might of his power” (Eph. 6:10).

The Lord Jesus further commands the church in Smyrna, “Be faithful unto death.” Throughout the New Testament our Lord Jesus Christ makes clear to us His demand for absolute faithfulness:

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Matt. 10:37-38

In making this demand the Lord Jesus is asking nothing more than what He Himself has willingly done for us. At the time He instituted the Lord’s Supper, Jesus, looking toward His death on the cross, lifted up the cup of wine and declared, “This is [i.e. This represents] my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28). Furthermore, He provides us His grace to enable us to comply with His demand. The Lord declared to the Apostle Paul in the midst of his trial: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

Let us be faithful in the midst of trial, with confidence, instead of fearfulness. Let us remember that the Lord Jesus identifies Himself to the church in Smyrna and to us as “the First and the Last” (vs. 8). That is to say, He is the LORD (Jehovah) Himself; note Isaiah 44:6, “This is what the LORD [i.e Jehovah] declares, [the one who is] the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; there is no other God besides me.” The Lord Jesus is the One who is worthy of our supreme worship and devotion, the One who is our faithful covenant God.

Then, too, our Lord identifies Himself as “the one who died and came back to life” (vs. 8). He is the Conqueror of death; He entered into death and came back to life, He is the Lord of life:

But now, [the fact is], Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. ²¹Since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. ²²Just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³But each in his own turn: the first fruits, [which is] Christ; then those who belong to Christ when he appears [in glory]. 1 Cor. 15:20-23

Be Faithful in the Midst of Trial, With the Knowledge that the Lord will Richly Reward You←⤒🔗

Together with His command, “Be faithful unto death,” our Lord Jesus issues the promise, “I will give you the crown of life” (vs. 10b). “The crown” (σ-rεφανοs) here is the victor’s wreath, not the kingly crown. It is the crown awarded to the victors in the Olympic games; this is the crown that is awarded to those who persevere and triumph by grace: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown [σ-rεφανοs] of life that God has promised to those who love him” (Jas. 1:12). This crown is identified as “the crown of life.” What the Lord is teaching us is that the reward for faithfulness, faithfulness that is accomplished by His grace, is sharing in the eternal life of the Son of God Himself.

Our Lord Jesus closes His epistle to the church in Smyrna with the promise: “He who overcomes shall not be harmed by the second death” (vs. 11b). As we learn from Revelation 20:14, “the second death” is the lake of fire; it is the ultimate expression of the righteous judgment of God. But, declares our Lord Jesus, he who overcomes “shall by no means” be subjected to the terrors of the second death. To the contrary, what awaits the one who, by grace, overcomes is described in Revelation 21:7, “He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

Let us be faithful in the midst of trial, with the knowledge that the Lord will richly reward us. He shall preserve us from the righteous judgment of God, and grant us to share with Him in the very life of God.

Conclusion←⤒🔗

The letter to the church in Smyrna confronts us with some hard biblical truths: The Lord does not necessarily exempt His people from tribulation; on the contrary, He has ordained that tribulation should have a part in His plan for our lives. Our Lord requires us to be faithful to Him, even in the midst of severe trial and tribulation.

But this divine epistle to the church in Smyrna also offers us some tremendous promises of God: 1) the promise of being spared from the terror of the second death; and, 2) the promise of receiving from the hand of Christ Himself the precious crown of life.

Solely relying upon Christ our Savior and His all-sufficient grace, let us be faithful to Him in the midst of trial, whatever that trial or tribulation may be, being sustained by His promises and His own dear presence.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. How does the Lord Jesus identify Himself to the church in Smyrna? See Rev. 2:8. What comfort is it to know our Lord Jesus Himself suffered death for us and that the Father raised Him from the dead, especially for Christians who are facing the prospect of martyrdom (cf. vs. 10c)? What precious promise does the Lord Jesus make to us? See Jn. 11:25-26a,

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: This is what [the one who is] the First and the Last, the one who died and came back to life, says... Rev. 2:8

Do not fear the things you are about to suffer. Listen; the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, in order that you may be tested, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Rev. 2:10

Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life. He who believes in me shall live, even though he dies; ²⁶and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Jn. 11:25-26a

In this seemingly paradoxical statement, our Lord Jesus is telling us in vs. 25 that the person who puts their faith in Him, even though he may die physically, he shall live with Christ—his spirit/soul entering into the immediate presence of Christ, while his body awaits the resurrection on the Last Day. In vs. 26 the Lord further informs us that the person who lives spiritually, having placed their faith in Christ and thereby entered into the life of Christ, and who continues to believe, shall never die, since he shares in Christ’s resurrection life.

2. What does our Lord assure His church in Smyrna? See Rev. 2:9a. What so-called gods of the religions of the world can make the statement Christ makes: “I know your tribulation”? Cp. Isa. 52:14; 53:3. What sustaining grace does our Lord’s testimony afford us when we undergo tribulation for His sake? Note Heb. 2:18,

I know your tribulation and your poverty, (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, but they are not; rather, they are a synagogue of Satan. Rev. 2:9

...many were appalled at you—he was so disfigured that his appearance was unlike any other man, his form was unlike the sons of men... Isa. 52:14

He was despised and rejected by men; [he was] a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we did not hold him in esteem. Isa. 53:3

...in that he himself has suffered, by being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. Heb. 2:18

3. What does Christ go on to say about the condition in which His church in Smyrna found itself? See Rev. 2:9b. Will we remain faithful to our Lord Jesus, even when it means destitution, which is the literal meaning of the Greek word translated “poverty”? What assurance does the Lord give us if we are called to undergo such a financial trial? See Psl. 37:18-19. In the midst of their destitution, of what does Christ remind His church? See Rev. 2:9a Note Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3-4,

I know your tribulation and your poverty, (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, but they are not; rather, they are a synagogue of Satan.Rev. 2:9

It appears that this congregation was suffering economic hardship (the loss of their jobs?) because of their allegiance to Christ.

The LORD knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. ¹⁹They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. Psl. 37:18-19

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ... Eph. 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in accordance with his great mercy has begotten us for a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴for an inheritance that is imperishable and cannot spoil and is permanent, reserved in heaven for you... 1 Pet. 1:3-4

4. How does Christ describe the unbelieving Jews of Smyrna, who not only rejected Him, their Messiah, but also persecuted His church? See Rev. 2:9c. Will we remain true to Christ when we are ostracized from society and find ourselves isolated and alone? On what can we depend if, or when, we experience such a situation? See 2 Tim. 4:16-18,

I know your tribulation and your poverty, (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, but they are not; rather, they are a synagogue of Satan. Rev. 2:9

The Jews throughout the Roman Empire were given special permission to practice their O.T. monotheistic religion, exempt from the obligations of emperor worship; apparently, to avoid the persecution of being identified with the Christian church’s public profession of faith that Jesus Christ is Lord (cf. Rom. 10:9), they publicly denounced the Lord Jesus.

At my first defense, no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. ¹⁷But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me... ¹⁸And the Lord will deliver me out of every evil work and preserve me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen! 2 Tim. 4:16-18

5. Of what does our Lord Jesus forewarn the church in Smyrna? See Rev. 2:10. What does the phrase, “the devil is about to throw some of you into prison,” tell us about the demonic powers operating in the world governments that are hostile to Christ’s church? What does Christ require of this congregation, and of us, and what does He promise? See Rev. 2:10b. As Christians, are we prepared to die for Christ our Lord? If, or when, that time comes, upon whom can we and must we rely? See Psl. 46:1,

Do not fear the things you are about to suffer. Listen; the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, in order that you may be tested, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Rev. 2:10

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psl. 46:1