The Church in Smyrna: Fearless Suffering
Today’s passage: Revelation 2:8–11
Focus verse: “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.” (Revelation 2:10)
Unlike the church in Ephesus, the Bible gives us no other information about the church in Smyrna outside of two references in Revelation.
And, unlike the church in Ephesus and most of the other churches we’ll soon read about, Jesus doesn’t offer any correction to them. He merely affirms their strengths and encourages them for what is to come.
Despite living in poverty, Jesus reminds them that they are, in fact, rich. Though physically poor, they have spiritual wealth. Like them, we can also have spiritual riches in Jesus and through Jesus.
In addition to seeing their physical poverty, Jesus also sees their afflictions. In the name of religion, others slander them. These slurs come from people who say they’re Jews but aren’t. Instead, they align with and worship Satan.
Amid the poverty and afflictions of their situation, Jesus offers the church reassurance. He tells them not to be afraid.
This isn’t in reference to the slander they’re presently enduring, but a forward-looking encouragement to not fear the suffering they’re about to encounter.
Jesus knows that the devil, Satan, will put their faith to the test. He’ll stir up enemies to throw them in jail and persecute them, trying to get them to turn from their Savior. Some will face death.
Jesus encourages them to stand firm and remain committed to their faith. To those who persevere, he promises to give them the victor’s crown, the crown of life.
We pray for God’s blessings and often receive them, which happens more frequently than we deserve. But to expect that our walk with Jesus will always proceed smoothly and never encounter any problems isn’t a realistic outlook.
After all, he never said that following him would be easy.
Jesus said we’ll face persecution. If we live for him, opposition from the world is inevitable—and unavoidable. Like the church in Smyrna, we, too, should not fear when we encounter suffering.
We should be faithful, even under the threat of death. And when we stand firm in our faith, an eternal reward awaits us.
Questions:
- Do we live in physical poverty or in plenty?
- What should our reaction be to our financial standing?
- Are we spiritually rich in Jesus?
- When we’re discouraged, do we look to God for encouragement?
- Are we ready to stand firm in the face of persecution?
[Discover more about being spiritually rich in James 2:5 and the crown of life in James 1:12. Read about persecution in Mark 10:29–30.]
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Read more in Peter’s devotional Bible study, A New Heaven and a New Earth: 40 Practical Insights from John’s Book of Revelation.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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