Rev. 2:8-11 Devotional Scripture - Be Faithful Until Death

Jesus introduces himself to the church of Smyrna as:

The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life.

Revelation 2:8b

 Jesus chose this title to remind them that they serve the risen Lord who was victorious over death. Death could not hold Jesus, and it cannot hold His people.

I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.       

Revelation 2:9

Jesus told His people He knows the hardships that they are going through. He knows.  He sees. Sometimes in the midst of suffering we can think that God doesn’t care and we wonder why He is allowing this pain into our lives. We view suffering as our adversary but it is not our adversary it is designed to draw us closer to God.  You will never know that Jesus Christ is all you need until Jesus Christ is all you have.  

Jesus knows what they are going through but He doesn’t promise to deliver them.  He doesn’t say He is going to change anything. Instead He says,

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

He told them, “Some of you are going to die and I want one thing from you.  I want you to be faithful to the end.  I don’t want you to deny me.  I don’t want you to give up and I don’t want you to turn against me.” He tells them, “You can be faithful unil death because I am with you and I am in control.  I am the one who was dead and is alive and I promise you the minute that you pass through death’s door I will give you the crown of life.”

There is no rebuke for this church.  There is no rebuke because they were willing to suffer unto death for Jesus’ sake and when you are willing to do that you are purified. 

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.  

1 Peter 4:1-2.

When we decide that we are not going to compromise the gospel of Jesus Christ, that we will no longer fool around with sin, dabbling in it or be enticed by it then we will no longer seek after our own flesh but we will seek the will of God.