In the book of Revelation, Jesus addresses seven churches. The church in Smyrna was surrounded by wealth, beauty, and intense pressure. If you were a Christian in Smyrna, you would face hardships because you wouldn’t worship Caesar. Not only would it be difficult to find work, but there would also be social ostracism and the threat of imprisonment or death because of their faith.
In verse 9, Jesus tells them that He knows their works. He knows and understands the tribulation they are suffering because of their belief in Him. While they are suffering poverty, He reminds them that in the end they will receive riches beyond anything on earth. Their eternal life will be their reward. He declares in verse 8 that He is the first and the last, once dead and alive forevermore.
Jesus did not approach them from a detached position. He speaks to them as one who intimately understands injustice from those in authority. He remembers the pain of physical abuse. He speaks with compassion and love, as a friend. He does not give them a timeline for when their suffering will end, but He gives them a command and a promise. In verse 10, His command is not to fear suffering; He commands them to be faithful until death. The promise they received was that He would give them a crown of life. Every tear they shed, and every earthly loss suffered for His name, will culminate in an indestructible eternal reward.
Revelation 2:8-11 “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death.”
In America, we are not facing death or imprisonment for our faith, but in many countries it happens often. If you are suffering because of your faith, listen to our Savior. He sees you just as He saw those in Smyrna. He knows exactly the pressures and struggles you are carrying. Your wealth, like the church in Smyrna, is not measured by material earthly things. It is eternal and far exceeds anything this world offers.
In James 1:12, James teaches us that, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” The one who endures to the end will be fully satisfied in Jesus. We are instructed to endure, which means to stay under or bear it. The church at Smyrna was exhibiting their perseverance. It is possible that we will one day live in a country where we must die if we profess Jesus Christ as Lord, but Jesus says to us and to the church at Smyrna, “ He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death.” We will escape hell and receive Heaven forever!
What are you dealing with today? What sin is so tempting to you that you are willing to forfeit your eternal soul? While we all sin daily, either by omission or commission, we are never to make room for sin to move in. When we willfully choose sin, we are living on dangerous ground. God wants us to draw so close to Him that nothing is more appealing to us than Him. When this is our desire, we will not have a problem with sin. Sin will no longer be attractive to us. The mere thought of willfully sinning will make us sick to our stomachs. Sin reminds me of a stray dog that showed up 12 years ago at my son’s house. My grandson felt sorry for it and wanted to feed it. My son’s thinking was, feed the dog, and it will go on its way. That didn’t happen; it hung around for more. Then it won my grandson’s heart and, eventually, the whole family’s. They became so attached that he is no longer a stray dog; he is part of the family. That is what sin does if we are not proactive in getting rid of it the moment it shows up. Don’t feed it and don’t pet it; deny it access to your life so you can overcome, like the church at Smyrna.
