How Do YOU View Persecution?
The Book that Promises a Blessing!
A study of the book of Revelation
by Pastor Frank Rice
Revelation 2:8-11
If you talk to a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds, you’ll no doubt get a variety of perspectives on a variety of issues. Talk to them about pain and suffering, and you’ll hear a few more closely related viewpoints! Most are agreed that pain is not a positive thing, that is, until we think a little bit deeper about the positives of pain! That will sound strange to western believers! As we continue to examine the seven churches, we’ll discover they are different. Some are scolded for flagrant misconduct; in others, there’s no mention of problems! That’s the situation we’ll encounter.
I. We Again Recognize the One to Whom We’re Accountable (V. 8).
v We noted previously a pattern of seven in the seven letters to the churches!
1. Each letter includes the destination, a pastor and a particular city.
2. There is a description of Jesus Christ in terms from chapter 1.
3. There’s a commendation for their positive qualities.
4. There’s a criticism from Jesus regarding their shortcomings.
5. There’s a prescription for correcting their deficiencies.
6. There’s a warning of future reprisal if the remedy is ignored.
7. An eschatological promise is given for positive responders.
v We’re introduced to the city and a description of Jesus (v. 8).
1. This beautiful city is the only one locatable of the seven. It boasted a stadium, library, public theater and the Street of Gold curving around to the top of Mt. Pagus.
2. Citizens, including Jews, strongly supported Rome and received approval for building a temple in honor of Caesar.
3. Emperor worship became compulsory and all citizens were expected to bow to Caesar and address him as lord!
4. Jews received and coveted governmental protection because they were an ancient religion. (This is not insignificant!)
5. The ultimate Author of this letter is described in striking terms.
(a) Jesus, as the First and the Last, controls the destiny of His people! This is another claim to His deity (Isa 41:4, 44:6, 48:12)! [There are some who claim that Jesus never claimed equality with the Father!]
(b) Jesus, who was dead and came to life, conquered death and is able to do the same in and for His people! (Both descriptions provide tremendous comfort for believers.)
II. We Must Recognize Our Savior’s Intimate Sovereignty (V. 9)!
v There is something obviously missing from this particular letter!
1. Scolding or criticism for this body of believers is lacking!
2. We will discover instructions on how to deal with inevitable suffering. (Does persecution promote church growth and health?)
v This assembly needs to know that Jesus is “on top of things!” He is very much aware of what’s going on and what’s coming down (v. 9)!
1. He assures them He knows the details of their tribulation, the external pressure like that applied to crush grapes. There was pressure to conform to culture to avoid pain.
2. He assures them He knows their material poverty, the loss of respect, jobs, privileges, businesses, and resources. This is abject poverty, possibly resulting from economic sanctions and loss of legal protection.
3. But He commends them for their indisputable spiritual richness.
4. He assures them He’s fully aware of the Jews who’ve made life horrendously miserable for them. He knows these Jews’ evil motives, true nature, and hostile words and deeds! He calls these recalcitrant Jews “tools of Satan.” (Obviously the majority of Jews do not fit this category! This is no justification for anti-Semitism!)
5. Early believers were often accused of cannibalism for “eating the body” and “drinking the blood” of Christ, of immorality for their intimacy and their “love feasts,” of atheism for refusing to recognize the Greek gods, of conspiracy and disloyalty for refusing to pay homage to Caesar and pledge allegiance to Rome, of divisiveness for faith that often divided families.
6. “Ironically, the Jews denounced Polycarp and the church before the Roman authorities for defaming the emperor and the Roman religion by refusing to worship the emperor. Then they helped gather wood to burn Polycarp even on the Sabbath.” (Osborn)
7. Jewish opposition to Christ and Christianity is not new (gospels & Acts!)! It is more than likely that “at least some of the members of the Jewish community were collaborating with local officials to repress the Christian minority.” (Keener)
8. “Jewish opposition meant that Christians would no longer enjoy the protection and tolerance the Romans often granted Jewish people.” (Osborne)
9. “Rome was antagonistic toward new religions, especially those that did not deify the emperor; and the Jews, jealous that Gentile ‘God-fearers’ were converting to Christianity in such numbers, were only too happy to inform the Romans that Christianity was not a Jewish sect.” (Osborne)
v At this, most Western believers would normally respond in the following way (Ripken).
1. We want the persecution to stop! The assumption is that persecution is a “bad thing” and we simply want it to end!
2. We’re inclined to rescue the persecuted! We want to remove them from harm and put them in a safe place.
3. We desire the persecutors to be punished! We assume this is obviously what needs to be done by the military or government coercion.
4. We tend to believe Western forms of democracy and the related civil rights will usher in the kingdom of God and create an environment where persecution will not happen any more.
5. We tend to focus on raising financial support so believers in persecution might be rescued and helped. All of the above is normal yet…
“In our desire to be helpful, could we find ourselves working against the ultimate purposes of God?” People need access to Jesus! The above measures deny them access to Jesus!
III. We Must Be Willing to Appropriate Available Grace (Vv. 10-11)!
v Jesus provides explicit instructions for facing the future (v. 10).
1. Stop allowing fear to control you! Persecution is a very real possibility and a normal part of life for believers in the early church and even present 21st century!
2. Be aware that persecution has a purpose (testing) and is limited in duration. (The One advising is acquainted with suffering!)
3. Remain faithful even if death is the result. Follow these “simple” steps and you are guaranteed a commendation!Prison was for them a prelude to trial and execution!
v Jesus closes His correspondence with an urgent promise (v. 11).
1. Believers are urged to listen attentively and apply what the Holy Spirit is saying to them and to the corporate church!
2. Believers are exempted from the second death (20:6, 14; 21:8). The 1st death is physical, the 2nd death eternal. The 1st death is a separation of soul from body, the 2nd death is a separation of the soul from God forever.
Osborne provides some helpful applications for our study: We can…
1. Identify with the many Christians who are suffering around the world,
2. Realize that such persecution could happen here in the near future and be ready for it,
3. Ask ourselves how many compromises we have made in order to avoid persecution at work, school, or in a secular society,
4. Endure general trials that draw us away from the world and toward Christ.