Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
The persecuted church today often cites these verses from Revelation, the text for last Sunday's sermon on persecution and suffering. The message to this second of the seven churches comes to a body that is accused of no wrongdoing. It raises the question: Are times of persecution of the church times of purification as well? The message that comes to this church comes from One who knows what it is to be persecuted.
Verse 9 tells us that Christ knows this church. He knows that it stands faithfully for the truth. He also knows of its affliction and poverty. The reference here most likely is to physical poverty, as persecution is often economic in nature, in ancient and modern times. Christ also knows those who are slandering the church, another type of persecution that occurs today. This happens when, for example, the media misconstrues the church's beliefs on issues like homosexuality. We also learn from this verse that the persecutors of the church at Smyrna were Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham. John calls them here a "synagogue of Satan." These Jews are not really Jews at all because they will not acknowledge the Messiah.
Christ tells these afflicted believers in Smyrna not to fear suffering, the devil, and the duration of their suffering. Suffering is a natural part of the life of the church of Jesus Christ. And clearly Satan is behind these attacks; this is a spiritual warfare. The "ten days" is an expression of the fullness of persecution, but the duration of persecution is always limited.
The church at Smyrna is reminded to be faithful to the point of death. We have been called to endure, and we can endure persecution. We are reminded that those who are faithful will be given the crown of life; no one can take eternal life from us (cf. John 11:25). Those who hear this word of the Spirit can be comforted with the promise that those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death, which is eternal death in hell (cf. Revelation 21:8). The second death cannot touch the child of God.
It is interesting that this sermon comes as I finish up my book project on the persecuted church. For those who follow the news on those who are persecuted, there were some interesting events this week. First, great news from Afghanistan: The remaining 19 South Korean hostages are in the process of being freed. They were captured by the Taliban six weeks ago. Two were killed, and two were freed earlier. South Korea has agreed to pull out its troops by the end of the year (which it had already planned to do), and it has said that it will not allow missionaries from its country to come to Afghanistan.
And in Turkey, where three Christian men were brutally murdered by Islamic radicals in April, a devoted Muslim has been chosen to head the government. This cannot be good news for the church in Turkey. Turkey wants to be admitted to the EU and wants to be viewed as a modern nation, so the new head of the government has said that he will keep his religion separate from his politics. Many in Turkey were hoping for a more secular leader, because it is nearly impossible for a Muslim to separate faith and politics. We can pray for the poor, struggling church in Turkey that this Muslim politician will be an exception.
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