Revelation: Faithful Unto Death

Revelation 2:8-11 

Today, more than 380 million Christians worldwide are experiencing persecution and discrimination because of their faith. According to Open Doors’ “World Watch List 2025,” that means one in seven Christians is persecuted globally.[1] In 2025, reports indicate that 4,476 Christians have been killed for their faith, 4,744 have been imprisoned, and 7,769 churches and Christian properties have been attacked. 

What might Jesus say to Christians around the world facing persecution? That question is addressed in today’s passage.  

The last book of the Bible is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. This message is from Jesus, about who he is and what he will do, and John recorded it for seven historical churches. Today, we examine the message to the church in Smyrna (present-day Izmir), which faced extremely challenging circumstances. When discussing each of the seven churches, Jesus uses a specific pattern that helps us understand and compare the different situations for each church. 

The Person of Jesus (Rev. 2:8)
The letter to the believers in Smyrna begins with this introduction about Jesus: “The words of the first and the last, who died and came back to life” (Rev. 2:8).[2] Two important truths are presented in this introduction. 

First, Jesus is the “first and the last.” Everything begins and ends with him. He is in complete control. When you face persecution, you want to know that the One you’re dying for is the sovereign Lord. There is an overarching lesson here: Jesus is in control, even when our lives seem out of control. 

Second, Jesus is the One “who died and came back to life.” He experienced death and rose to an eternal, indestructible life. He is the “firstborn of the dead” (Rev. 1:5). Jesus assures believers that in death, they will enter eternal life. 

Praise for the Believers in Smyrna (Rev. 2:9-10a)
Smyrna was a prosperous seaport about forty miles southwest of Ephesus. However, the believers there were not experiencing prosperity. Discrimination and persecution forced them into poverty (Rev. 2:9). It appears their main problems stemmed from the Jews. 

Jesus reminds the church that the Jews persecuting them are not part of God’s chosen people, but “are a synagogue of Satan.” Satan is behind all efforts to silence or destroy believers, then and now. John wrote that the “devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation” (Rev. 2:10). Some interpret the “ten days” as symbolic of the persecution the Church faced in the second and third centuries. Others believe it refers to the Church’s persecution under the ten Roman emperors. Bible scholar John Walvoord reasons that it refers to a short and limited period.[3] Often, the prison served as a holding place for those awaiting execution. Those Christians understood that their time when they would see Jesus face-to-face was imminent.

Despite experiencing economic poverty and persecution, the Smyrna believers are praised for their spiritual riches; they are wealthy because of the blessings of Jesus (Rev. 2:9).

The Problem in Smyrna
Usually, at this point in the letter, Jesus addresses the church’s challenge. Remember, the Ephesian church had abandoned the love for Christ that they once had. However, there is no rebuke for the church in Smyrna. The trials had kept the believers focused solely on Jesus. 

The Solution (Rev. 2:10)
Believers facing persecution must keep their eyes fixed on Jesus for the strength and courage they need. Jesus said, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer” (Rev. 2:10a).[4]  

Many people, out of fear, denied their faith to escape death. These “apostates” abandoned their convictions and recanted their beliefs. The challenge for the Smyrna believers is not to give in, to stand firm, to “be faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:10b). 

Today, we can pray that God grants us supernatural strength to “be faithful unto death” if we face death because of our love for Christ.  

The Promise (Rev. 2:10b-11)
Jesus said, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10b). Athletes received a perishable crown, but the crown of life lasts forever (1 Cor. 9:25). Eternal life is the believer’s never-ending reward.[5]

This letter to a suffering church ends with a promise: “The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (Rev. 2:11). Death should not be feared, but at the thought of the second death, everyone should tremble. All of us will die and give an account before God (Heb. 9:27). For those who have trusted in Jesus, they will pass from death to eternal life, forever with the Lord. But... hell awaits those who reject Jesus and God's free gift. John writes that for those who reject Christ, “their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:9). 

I ask you today to honestly consider whether you have trusted in Jesus alone as the only way to have an eternal relationship with the living God. 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Revelation 2:8-11. Focus on where we find the needed strength to face persecution.

Talking to God: How does knowing that Jesus is “the first and the last” change the way you view your trials or fears today?

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https://livinggrounded.org/blogs/daily-tours/letter-to-the-church-in-smyrna