The Revelation of Jesus Christ
is why He could say to the persecuted church, "I know_ thy •.. poverty, (but thou art rich)," rich in spiritual blessings above measure. With His all-seeing eye the risen Lord could see also "them which say they are Jews, and are not; but are of the synagogue of Satan" (2:9). Claiming_to be follow~.rs of Moses, they were legalists, whose teaching God calls blas- phemy." · "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer," the Lord added. "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" (2:10). Let us note the words, "Ye shall have tribulation ten days." There were exactly ten Roman edicts issued during the second and third centuries which had as their object the -wiping out of every Christian. It cost something to be a Christian in those days. Many were put to death in the arena; some were forced to fight with the gladiators, torn to pieces by lions, or tied to ants nests after their bodies had been covered with honey. Others were tied to stakes around Nero's gardens, and at night the darkness was pierced by the flames which blazed from their martyred bodies, veritable human torches! Ah yes, it cost something to be a Christian then! But the risen Christ was not unmindful of their faithful ness dr of their sufferings. Listen once more to His words: ..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." It was to the church at Smyrna that the Lord sent these words; and ..Smyrna," the martyr-church, means "myrrh," one of the ingredients used for embalming the dead. Christ Himself,· -with His own nail-pierced hands, will place upon the heads of those "faithful unto death" a crown of life as a reward for their faithfulness. Satan may kill the physical body, but "he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death," which is "the lake of fire" ( 2 : 11 ;20: 14) .
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