The Apostle John was exiled to the island of Patmos during the cruel reign of Domitian. John’s crime was that he proclaimed and shared the saving message of the Lord Jesus (Revelation 1:9). On Patmos, John received a prophetic revelation but also seven letters to seven churches that existed at that time in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). These letters are filled with correction and encouragement not only for the believers in those days but also today.
The second church addressed was the church in Smyrna which was a seaport city about 40 miles north of Ephesus. Smyrna is often referred to as the persecuted church. Some of their difficulties were due to it being “a center of the imperial cult of Rome and emperor worship.”[1]
Despite the difficult circumstances, the church is one of only two churches that did not receive a rebuke from the Lord. Instead, He exhorts them to continue to persevere. One reason that they could persevere was to know that the Lord was fully aware of their situation. In Revelation 2:9, Jesus states twice that He knew exactly what they were going through.
“There is nothing hidden from our Lord."[2]
What a great comfort to know that the Lord knows everything that we are dealing with. The Lord sees all that we are dealing with whether good or bad (Proverbs 15:3). It also reminds us that nothing can separate us from the Lord’s love for us (Romans 8:35).
One lesson that we learn from the church at Smyrna is that we need to persevere during difficult situations in life. The Lord knows what we are experiencing and that should bring comfort to us during the hard times of life.
Blessings,
Pastor Steven