Revelation: To The Church In Smyrna—Don’t Be Afraid! | May 6, 2023

Revelation 2:10 ESV

¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 

The command “Do not fear” is spoken over 200 times in Scripture which can remind us we aren’t alone when we feel afraid. Fear is a common human emotion. But fear is something we can overcome as we walk with the Lord and trust His direction for our lives.

I can remember a sermon Pastor Russ McCracken preached when I was a young child. He taught us that God gives us the grace we need at the moment we need it—when we are going through the trial. In other words, I won’t have the grace to handle a trial I’m not currently experiencing, and it can cause me extreme worry if I ruminate on it. But if I am in the middle of it, I will find myself emboldened in His grace and strength to carry me through and stand firm. Over the years I have found this to be true.

There are no promises for an easy life in Scripture. Instead, there are promises of divine comfort and blessing in the midst of suffering.^[1]

1 Peter 4:12-13 ESV

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Romans 5:3-5 ESV

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV  

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Lastly, what about that part of the verse about “ten days you will have tribulation”? Ten days might refer back to the ten-day testing of Daniel in Daniel 1:12-14 or it might just refer to a limited period of time like in Genesis 24:55; Nehemiah 5:18; Jeremiah 42:7; Daniel 1:12; Acts 25:6.

Happy weekend, everyone!

^[1] Osborne, G. R. (2002). Revelation (p. 133). Baker Academic.