Thursday, October 3 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. . . . Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.​—Rev. 2:10.

[Áine]

Thursday, October 3

Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. . . . Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.—Rev. 2:10.

 

In Jesus’ messages to the congregations in Smyrna and Philadelphia, he told Christians there not to be afraid to suffer persecution, since their faithfulness would be rewarded. (Rev. 3:10) We must expect persecution and be willing to endure it. (Matt. 24:9, 13; 2 Cor. 12:10) The book of Revelation informs us that God’s people would be persecuted in our day—“the Lord’s day.” (Rev. 1:10) Revelation chapter 12 mentions that war breaks out in heaven immediately following the birth of God’s Kingdom. Michael—the glorified Jesus Christ—and his armies fight against Satan and the demons. (Rev. 12:7, 8) As a result, those enemies of God are defeated and cast down to the vicinity of the earth, bringing untold suffering to the earth and its inhabitants.—Rev. 12:9, 12. w22.05 5 ¶12-13

[dljbsp]

In his messages to the congregations, Jesus offered a clear call to courage. These early Christians were assured that their perseverance under pressure would not go unnoticed, but rather, be richly rewarded. This counsel resonates strongly today. Such reminders equip us to remain resolute, regardless of the challenges that may arise. Satan is in our realm now! This seismic shift brings a period of turbulence, impacting all of humanity. But for those who serve God, it signals a unique time of endurance, where the need to remain faithful becomes paramount, even as external pressures increase. Fasten your seatbelt it's gonna be a bumpy ride!
 

[Cool.As.Ice]

In my comment, I’ll focus specifically on Smyrna. I thought it was notable that Jesus had no criticism for that congregation, only warm compliments and appreciation for their resolve under trial.

 

Many of them were poor materially, but were very rich spiritually, which stood in stark contrast to the congregation in Laodicea, which grew lukewarm in its zeal and was on the verge of being completely rejected by Jehovah, as they trusted too much in their material things.

 

It appears the Jews were the main persecutors, since Jesus keeps referring to them as a “synagogue of Satan”. So this congregation had been through intense persecution, but they still maintained their faithfulness.

 

Similarly, today, we all face battles everyday against life in this system. Whether it’s persecution, illness, financial hardships, wars, among other things, we have to expect that we will have bad things happen to us in this system, even as Jesus made clear to Symrna, that they would tribulation for “ten days”. 
 

But he also promised to give them the “crown of life”, their heavenly reward, if they remained faithful. Our prize is to live forever on earth, but only those who endure to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22)

Edited October 3 by Cool.As.Ice