Chapter Eight/Striving to Be Conquerors - Continue

 Jesus notes particularly that the Christians in Smyrna have put up with much opposition at the hands of the fleshly Jews. In earlier days, many of this religion determinedly opposed the spread of Christianity. (Acts 13:44, 45;14:19) Now, just a few decades after the fall of Jerusalem, those Jews in Smyrna are showing the same satanic spirit. No wonder Jesus views them as "a synagogue of Satan"!

Faced with such hatred, the Christians in Smyrna are comforted by Jesus: "Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! the Devil will keep on throwing some of you in prison that you may be fully put to the tests, and you may have tribulation ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2:10) Here Jesus three times uses the Greek plural form of "you" showing that his words embrace the congregation as a whole. Jesus cannot promise that the trials of the Christians in Smyrna will soon end. Some of them will continue to be persecuted and cast into prison. They will have tribulation for "ten days." Ten is a number that symbolizes earthly completeness or entirety. Even those spiritually rich integrity keepers will receive a thorough testing while in the flesh.

Next time: Chapter Eight/Striving to Be Conquerors - Continue

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