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Revelation 2:8-11 Perseverance in persecution.

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11 around AD 95 (persecution before and after)

Foxes book of Martyrs…

Big Pic: When was the last time any of us were persecuted for our faith?

(In reality, that would be the ultimate reward.)

Of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation, only Smyrna and Philadelphia are not rebuked by Jesus.

Instead, he encourages them as they endure persecution.

Smyrna was a harbor city renowned for its temple to the Mother Goddess and for its provincial imperial cult temples to Tiberious (1^st century) and Hadrian (2^nd century).

Smyrna was a beautiful city with paved streets, a library, gymnasium, and a shrine to Homer who may have been born there.

There was most likely a Jewish presence in the city and they were opposed to this new Christian faith, “followers of the way.”

Their persecution of the Christians was documented in the martyrdom accounts of Polycarp and Pionius.

v. 8 To the angel/leader of the church in Smyrna…

These words of encouragement come from non-other than Jesus Christ himself.

When the church (us) suffers slander and even persecution unto death, Jesus is our savior and redeemer.

When we read the accounts of the martyrs throughout history, when they faced death, they knew that Jesus was their savior…

Jesus prepared the way through death to resurrection life. (1:17-18)

v. 9 Poor but rich.

These people in Smyrna may have been physically or materially poor, but they were oh-so rich spiritually.

That’s the kind of rich you want to be!

We’ll see how in Rev. 3:17 the people in Laodicea thought of themselves as affluent but were bankrupt on the eyes of Jesus.

And Jesus’ scale of “richness” is always the one we want to measure ourselves against.

I got to see that so beautifully in my father’s memorial service last weekend. The richness of his legacy, faith and family…

So whether it’s Jews persecuting the church of Smyrna or anyone persecuting and killing Christians today, they may claim to be doing it for “the right reasons” but in reality, that mindset is from Satan.

PIC v. 10 Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.

Do not fear what you are about to suffer…

Prison, punishment, torture, scoffing, ridicule etc.

10 days….The persecution for the Smyrnan Christians was brief and ended in either prison or death.

So, even if we do end up dying for our faith, we will receive the crown of life, that is, eternal life.

Eternal life with Christ is the laurel wreath of victory that God promises to those who love him.

1 Cor. 9:25, 2 Tim. 4:6-8, James 1:12

v. 11 “The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”

By remaining strong and true in the face of death, we are immune from the second death.

This second death is when the wicked are returned to bodily existence and condemned for evil deeds. They will be cast eternally into the lake of fire. (20:12-15)

We avoid that second death by maintaining our faith in Jesus and resisting the beast, the anti-Christ.

We will worship as priests and reign as kings with Christ throughout the era of Satan’s binding.

2:11, “the one who conquers” We are conquerors by remaining true to our faith in God, even in the face of death.

Application:

The church/people of Smyrna were not rebuked by Jesus, because they endured persecution.

I would guess that for us today, to avoid being rebuked by Jesus, we just need to make a stand for him.

That will be different for each one of us.

That is the application point for each of us today. How/when do we need to make a stand for Jesus when it’s hard to do that?

Whenever that happens to us, whatever the scale, God is pleased.

It’s not the goal of the Christian life to be persecuted or imprisoned etc., but that we will stand true to our faith no matter what.

And when we do that, we become rich spiritually and no one can take that away from us, regardless of ridicule, teasing, persecution etc.