SMYRNA The Crucible Revelation 2v9-10.
"......I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are of 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".
The nature of their suffering was two fold: verse 9 religious persecution; verse 10 political persecution. The world of false religion and of godless governments combined, sometimes separate, sometimes together, against the people of God. The two are brought together in chapter 17v2, 18v5-6, and 19v2, set apart for divine judgement which will never end. "For true and righteous are His judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand." It is a serious thing to oppose the people of God on this earth, in whatever way.
The first persecution, says Jesus, will come from religious groups of other faiths: in this case the Jews. The term "Jews" is loosely used for all ethnic members of the tribe of Judah, but usually includes all Israelites and they were a constant enemy of the church. In John's gospel the term appears more than sixty times, mostly in opposition to Christ. In the book of the Acts they dogged the progress of Paul and the apostles all through their missionary journeys, trying everything to bring them down. They were blasphemers, not necessarily disrespecting God, but mis- calling the people of God and rejecting the Christ of God. They were once the house of God, but Jesus describes them now as "the synagogue of Satan." This is a stark warning to all religious people, that when departure from God takes place, Satan will take over. Godless religion is driven by Satan and his demon spirits. Past heritage and religious ceremony does not make a gathering the house of God. Jesus clearly says these people are not Jews. Through the years, religious persecution has followed the saints, and still does.
Next we have political persecution: persecution from state governments and powers. Jesus says to the people of Smyrna "you shall have tribulation ten days." In the context of that he says "the devil will cast some of you into prison." Behind every godless institution in this world is the devil and his hosts. Imprisonment for religious belief of a godly kind is a crime against God, yet it has happened repeatedly through the years. Taking verses 9 & 10 together we see the progression of things that these believers had to suffer, when the devil puts on his face as the roaring lion: poverty, blasphemy, prison, tribulation, martyrdom. Legend has it that in the post apostolic period there arose an intolerance of Christianity. It is said that the Roman emperors, in a copycat policy of the ancient Babylonian empire, set themselves up to be worshipped as gods, and anyone who refused to bow were either imprisoned or martyred. There may be some truth in the postulate that the ten days tribulation referred to ten successive Roman emperors who acted like gods and persecuted all who opposed them. The following ten Roman emperors from the start of 54 A.D. to 284 A.D. indulged in this specific persecution of Christians.
- Nero 54 A.D.
- Domitian 81 A.D.
- Trajan 98 A.D.
- Hadrian 117 A.D.
- Septimus Severus 193 A.D.
- Maximin 235 A.D.
- Decius 249 A.D.
- Valerian 254 A.D.
- Aurelian 270 A.D.
- Diocletian 284 A.D.
History reports that all of the above emperors waged serious persecution against Christians. We cannot be sure, but if this view is correct, it certainly lends support to the possibility that these seven churches may also refer to seven church eras, each era characterized by the prevailing conditions of that church. The main lesson is that the Lord not only knows what they are going through, but He knows what they will go through in the future. In the case of Smyrna the future would only get worse. The mention of the ten days reveals that Christ has put a time limit on their suffering; just as Jehovah did for Israel in Genesis 15. Their suffering will have an end, and He will control that end, and the tormentors will be punished. Even if death is the result there is nothing to fear. The One who controls all events also curtails the movements of religious and political opposition to His name. His message to the saints at Smyrna, and to all saints in all periods of time who will suffer this way, the message is "fear not." This book reveals that the payback will come.
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