The World Will Burn E-Book

Renato Cardoso

• Herausgeber: Unipro
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 291

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Science asserts that our planet is on the path to imminent collapse… How much time do we have left? What will happen to our souls when the end comes, as the Bible foretells? All of us wonder at some time in our lives what the future holds for each one of us. To clarify our many uncertainties about the fate of humanity, Renato Cardoso relates the answers contained in the Book of Revelation in a simple and straightforward narrative. Based on the events foreseen in the last book of the Bible, and backed up by scientific data, this book details in-depth revelations about the end of times and the final destiny of humanity, as described by the apostle John. The book is also illustrated with graphics from the Brazilian miniseries Apocalypse.

Leseprobe

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Scripture quotations taken from the Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

General director: Marcos Xavier

Managing editor: Sandra Gouvêa

Art director: Paulo Junior

Designer: Willian Souza

Layout: Alison Leite

Cover: Paulo Junior

Photos: Record TV

Editorial assistant: Ana Letícia Lima

English version: Sandra Gouvêa and Evelyn Higginbotham

e-Book version: Gabriela Arruda

C268t

Cardoso, Renato

The world will burn — Will you be here for the apocalypse? / Renato Cardoso. São Paulo: Unipro Editora, 2020. 1st edition

ISBN 978-65-86018-30-1

1. Revelation. 2. Bible study. I. Title.

CDD-200

Rua João Boemer, 296 — Brás

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Contents

How to read this book

How will the world end?

Revelation 1

About revelation

The little-known Jesus

Jesus in the midst of the Church

Revelation 2

The seven churches

Ephesus

Smyrna

Pergamum

Thyatira

Jezebel in Thyatira

Revelation 3

Sardis

Philadelphia

Promises to Philadelphia

Laodicea

Worse than lukewarm

The seven churches: a conclusion

Revelation 4

The vision of the Throne

Supreme Authority

The twenty-four elders

The main focus

The seven lamps

The four living creatures

Revelation 5

The sealed scroll

The Lamb

The opening of the seven seals

Revelation 6

The opening of the first seal

The rapture

The opening of the second seal

The opening of the third seal

The opening of the fourth seal

The opening of the fifth seal

The opening of the sixth seal

Revelation 7

The 144,000 who are sealed

The multitude before the Throne

Revelation 8

The opening of the seventh seal

The seven trumpets

A succession of catastrophes

Three more trumpets

Revelation 9

The first woe

The second woe

Those who did not repent

Revelation 10

The Mighty Angel

The little scroll opened

Revelation 11

The measuring of the Temple

The two witnesses

The seventh trumpet

Revelation 12

The woman and the dragon

Satan cast down to the Earth

How to overcome Satan

The war comes to us

Revelation 13

Beast that rises from the sea

The Book of Life

The beast rising out of the Earth

666: The mark of the beast

Revelation 14

The Lamb and the 144,000

Lies and deceit

An angel preaches the Gospel

Babylon will fall

The patience of the saints

The reward of the saved

The sickle and the winepress of the wrath of God

Revelation 15

The vision of the seven last plagues

The victors’ song

Seven angels, seven bowls

Revelation 16

The three first bowls

The fourth, fifth and sixth bowls

The seventh bowl: the whole Earth is shaken

Revelation 17

Babylon, the great prostitute

The identity of Babylon

The Babylonian spirit

Revelation 18

The fall of the great Babylon!

Babylon: mourning on Earth

Babylon: rejoicing in Heaven

Revelation 19

The praise He is due

The bride of the Lamb

The Lord of lords

The beast and his armies are defeated

Revelation 20

Satan is imprisoned for a thousand years

Satan is set free and finally defeated

Judgement before the Great White Throne

Books and another book

Good and evil

Revelation 21

The new Heaven and the new Earth

He makes all things new

Everything will be done

The condemned

The new Jerusalem

Revelation 22

The new Garden of Eden

The face and the Name

Keep the Word

Worship only God

The prophecy and the reward

The last beatitude

The seven beatitudes

People on the outside

The Morning Star

The last invitation

The last alert

References and citations

How to read this book

Drawing parallels between the subjects in this book and current events, The World Will Burn makes the most mysterious and difficult book in the Bible to understand (according to many) much easier to read.

Each chapter corresponds to a chapter in Revelation, so try not to skip around in order to follow the flow of this book. A timeline also runs across the top of each page to help you see where you are and monitor your reading.

The book features graphics from the Brazilian miniseries Apocalypse.

How will the world end?

If there is one thing the scientific community agrees upon it’s that planet Earth has an expiration date. Astronomers, biologists, physicists, geologists, nuclear scientists, agronomists, and others forecast possible events that could decisively end life on Earth. A few examples:

Nuclear war

An asteroid collision with the Earth

Plagues, disease, and starvation

Drought

Environmental changes, natural, and ecological disasters

Solar storms

Some of these events could lead to others as a consequence; for instance, a nuclear war could contaminate soil and water, causing water shortages, hunger, death, and epidemics, as well as irreversible environmental changes. Circumstances already exist for these catastrophes to happen, and even more. What are scientists and governments doing about it?

In 2016, the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, announced that the next goal for the American space programme would be a manned mission to Mars. It was predicted as possible by 2030, but unprecedented partnerships with private companies, such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX, have rapidly accelerated those plans, and the mission may happen ahead of schedule.

Unlike the space race that took man to the moon, the journey to Mars is not meant to reinforce the political power of any specific government or country. The United States and Russia, former competitors, joined forces in September 2017 in an agreement to build a lunar outpost on the surface of the moon, an important step in the plans to send manned missions to Mars. Governments and companies are investing huge amounts of time, effort, and finances into this project; so, surely none of it is being done out of mere curiosity.

The question is, why spend hundreds of billions of dollars on an almost impossible mission to send people to another planet with no chance of return? What’s the reason that scientists and government officials won’t publicly admit? That the survival of the human species can only be guaranteed by abandoning planet Earth and finding another place to live.

According to former American president Obama, missions to Mars “will teach us how humans can live far from Earth”. Wouldn’t it be more worthwhile to invest all of that money in improving life on Earth? Not if scientists have concluded that our planet could cease to exist or become uninhabitable at any given moment.

Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, one of the companies most involved in the Mars journey project, said that colonising the red planet is essential to preserve the human race and ensure the preservation of civilisation. He clearly stated, “It’s important to get a self-sustaining base on Mars because it’s far enough away from Earth that it’s more likely to survive than a moon base. If there’s a third world war, we want to make sure there’s enough of a seed of human civilisation somewhere else to bring it back and shorten the length of the dark ages.”

In his last statement on the possibility of the extinction of life on Earth, scientist Stephen Hawking’s view was that population growth and energy demands alone could cause the Earth to become a huge fireball in just a few centuries. But governments and scientists today are aware that many other factors are already in play that could greatly reduce the shelf life of planet Earth.

Whether by human interference through wars, climate change, or colliding asteroids, it’s clear to everyone that the Earth’s future is to burn. Those who don’t want to disappear into the flames, have to be ready to pay the price for their salvation. Scientific projections only validate what the Bible said thousands of years ago: this world will end with fire. When speaking about the end times the Lord Jesus Himself stated:

I have come to send fire upon the earth and wish that it were already kindled! — Luke 12:49

The apostle Paul, through the Holy Spirit, said this about the fiery end:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat. The earth also and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things are to be destroyed, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, while you are waiting for and desiring the coming of the day of God, in which the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will be consumed by intense heat? But, according to His promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. — 2 Peter 3:10-13

What governments and scientists have been sensing is not wrong. What they don’t know, however, is that not only the Earth but the entire Universe is endangered. The heavens will also be destroyed, meaning stars, satellites and other planets will all come to an end, rendering it useless to colonise other planets. We’re not going to find our salvation in space programmes.

Yes, the Earth will end in fire, and humanity needs to find another place to live. Not on Mars, but in the “new heavens and a new earth” — the eternal salvation reserved for those who believe in the Lord Jesus and live in obedience to His Word.

What’s going to happen on Earth between now and when it goes up in flames? Let’s find out in the coming chapters as we unpack the Book of Revelation.

Revelation 1

About Revelation

The Book of Revelation brings to light “things which must soon take place”, including end-time events, the deliverance of the saved, the judgement of those who reject salvation, and the ultimate fate of all physical and spiritual beings.

The Author of the book is the Lord Jesus Himself. The Source of its content is God the Father:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to show to His servants things which must soon take place. He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. — Revelation 1:1

The apostle John was the recipient of the message and was responsible for recording and transmitting it. The book’s sole target is the servants of God, to whom God grants the special privilege of understanding His plan for them and all of Creation. The object is to comfort them in their tribulations and prepare them for what is to come, so that they may be spared the terrible catastrophes and misfortunes that will utterly destroy those who remain here.

This special treatment of His servants is a recurring theme in the Bible. The Lord Jesus once said:

“Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” The disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered them, “It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” — Matthew 13:9-11

God has a special affection for those who serve Him. The Book of Revelation is the greatest proof of this, for the Lord uses it to reveal details of future events so they can ensure their salvation. The message is clear: if you are not a servant, you will not understand these revelations.

The little-known Jesus

This book is a revelation for servants, and the first revelation that Jesus gives is about His new resurrected state. He is not simply a prophet, a good man who said beautiful things, did good works, and helped the suffering. Neither is He just the Son of God. In Revelation, Jesus melds with the Father and enjoys the same authority, power, and honour of the Almighty. Together with the Father, He shares the same Name, which expresses His eternity:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” — Revelation 1:8; 21:6

Which agrees with Isaiah 44:6:

Thus says the Lord the King of Israel, and His Redeemer the Lord of Hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; besides Me there is no God.

Jesus makes it very clear right from the beginning of His revelation that He is the only true God, without Whom there is no salvation.

Religions try to make the world believe that “all roads lead to God” and that the Lord Jesus is only one of those roads. They preach that people need to do good deeds to guarantee their salvation, and try to water down the Person of the Lord Jesus and His work of salvation by putting Him on par with other figures and religious beliefs, creating an ecumenical soup that everyone can eat from and be happy. But it’s all deceptive, demonic lies meant to divert our focus away from our only Saviour. Don’t fall for it.

In the Gospels, Jesus is presented as the “only begotten Son”, or the only Son of God. But, in Revelation, He is “the firstborn from the dead [...] who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

He was the first to be raised from the dead, which means that others will also be raised. Who will they be?

As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this comes the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to save those who eagerly wait for Him. — Hebrews 9:27-28

“It is appointed for men to die once” — notice that the Bible never, in any way, encourages the idea of reincarnation, in which the dead are supposedly reborn, die again, and reincarnate in a continuous “purification” of their karmas... On the contrary, the Word of God says that after death comes judgement. In other words, the time to repent and abandon evil ways is here and now.

But those who have believed, whose sins were washed in His blood, and who placed their hope in the salvation of Jesus will also be resurrected at His coming. As surely as Jesus was raised, we will also be raised.

It is this exalted Jesus — alive and One with the Father — Who is little known today. But we believe, serve, and are daily sustained by this Jesus of Revelation — the Lord of lords, “who loved us [...] and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father” (Revelation 1:5-6).

How can we not accept this great opportunity for salvation? How can we live as if the Lord Jesus were just an ordinary god of the religious world?

Jesus in the midst of the Church

I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the isle that is called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. — Revelation 1:9

The apostle John explains why he was a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, a small volcanic island in the Aegean Sea, which still exists today as part of Greece. He identifies himself to the Christian readers as their “companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ”. Not only was he suffering persecution, but everyone to whom he wrote suffered as well, and needed to maintain their patient perseverance that comes by faith.

True faith is always victorious, but never free from tribulation. Whoever follows the Lord Jesus and expects only peace and calm doesn’t understand what the journey of faith is. John was exiled “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ”. This was how the Early Church was forged — in the fire of persecution.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, so that you may rejoice and be glad also in the revelation of His glory. If you are reproached because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or even as a busybody. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God because of it. — 1 Peter 4:12-16

Even today, the faith of true Christians is tested by that same fire. Since this world is ruled by evil, it is natural for resistance to come against God’s servants. Have you ever suffered persecution because of your faith and testimony?

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a great voice like a trumpet. — Revelation 1:10

“On the Lord’s Day” — From the beginning of the Church, Sunday has been a day set aside by Christians for worshipping God. Not even in prison did John fail to honour this day, a day which paid tribute to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and “What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And when I turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks was one like a Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and with a golden sash wrapped around the chest. — Revelation 1:11-13

John saw the Lord Jesus in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, symbolising “the seven churches” — a metaphor for every Christian church in the world, throughout time. The Lord Jesus is in the midst of them, as He promised, “For where two or three are assembled in My name, there I am in their midst” (Matthew 18:20). There is power when those who believe assemble together. The Lord Jesus honours His Church with His presence whenever she gathers. Because of this, we meet regularly with other believers to worship God. This is essential for keeping our faith.

Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. — Hebrews 10:25

It is undeniable that our faith is strengthened when we go to church. However, there is a movement in the world among some who call themselves Christians, who argue that it is not necessary to go to a church to seek God because He is everywhere. It’s true, God does hear us anywhere we are. Yet if we want to be part of the Body of the Lord Jesus, we cannot fail to be where He promised to find us. The church is not a physical structure, but is the gathering of those who believe in the Lord Jesus. If there were no special power in the gathering of believers, Jesus would not have left this specific promise for them.

The devil is most interested in taking people away from the place where the Lord Jesus promised to be. When a lion goes hunting, it’s on the prowl for a herd to attack. When the animals notice the danger and flee, the weakest among them inevitably falls behind. The lion’s strategy is to wait for the precise opportunity to take down the lone straggler. In the same way, the devil’s strategy is to make you isolate yourself since he knows that the easiest prey is the one left on its own. The devil wants to keep you away from the church to lead you away from the Lord Jesus. Don’t fall into that trap.

And in the midst of the seven candlesticks was one like a Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and with a golden sash wrapped around the chest. The hair on His head was white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters. — Revelation 1:13-15

In trying to describe the splendour of the figure that he saw of the glorified Lord Jesus — John uses comparisons and symbolism. The garment down to His feet and the golden sash suggest the authority of a king and the purity of a high priest. His white hair represents the wisdom of the “Ancient of Days”, which the Lord Jesus possesses. His eyes like a flame of fire, express the Lord’s piercing gaze, which knows all things. His feet like refined brass, symbolise security and stability. And His voice as the sound of many waters, speaks of His supreme authority.

He had in His right hand seven stars [...] — Revelation 1:16

The seven stars in the right hand of the Lord Jesus signify the messengers of the Gospel, the instruments and communicators of His message, whom He uses to lead and shepherd His Church. Those who dedicate their lives to transmit the Gospel are in the right Hand of the Lord Jesus. You who serve God, who care about communicating the Gospel, whether you’re a pastor, an assistant, a missionary, or are part of some work that brings the Word of God to others, you are in the right hand of the Lord Jesus. So, I ask, if you are in the right hand of the Lord Jesus, who could ever harm you?

Obviously, not all who preach the Gospel are stars in the hand of the Lord Jesus, since many want to be stars for their own sake. If you consider yourself a Christian but don’t proclaim the Gospel, you’re not in the hand of the Lord Jesus. If you proclaim the Gospel out of your own self-interest, you are not in the hand of the Lord Jesus either. Stars of the Lord Jesus shine for Him, not for themselves. Those who claim glory for themselves are not in His hands.

[...] and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. His appearance was like the sun shining brightly. — Revelation 1:16

The two-edged sword coming out of His mouth is the Word of God. Its sharpness cuts away all destructive thoughts that are contrary to what the Word teaches. His face shining bright as the sun refers to the brightness of His glory, as it was in the Transfiguration. The faces of those who have the Spirit of the Lord Jesus have a different glow. When you have Jesus, your eyes shine, your life shines.

True happiness can’t be found in enjoyable music, beautiful clothes, parties, or physical beauty. If you want to be a truly beautiful and happy person, you need to receive the Spirit of the Lord Jesus within you. Whoever receives this Spirit receives the glow of life, which shines from within them. Even when wearing simple clothes, they will be resplendent in a beauty that no money can buy, and that no gemstone or man-made production could ever compare.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though I were dead. Then He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, though I was dead. Look! I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. — Revelation 1:17-18

Some churches use this passage to erroneously defend the doctrine of being “slain in the Spirit”. John had good reasons to fall at His feet because of the wonder described here. But this vision was given to him and to no one else. The Lord Jesus’ response to not be afraid shows that what caused John to fall at His feet was not the power of God (or he would have been lying on the ground for all of Revelation). He was not knocked over. His loss of strength and falling at His feet was a natural reaction of fear. He fell at His feet like a dead man in fear, but the Lord immediately reassured him.

At last, Jesus reaffirms His death and resurrection, and speaks of His authority over the enemies of the souls of humanity, saying, “though I was dead. Look! I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Do not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. — Matthew 10:28

When we know who the Lord Jesus is and give our lives to Him, we don’t need to be afraid of anything or anyone, because He protects us. The King of kings and Lord of lords who John saw is on our side. No evil would dare touch Him, so long as our lives remain in Him, we are safe. Yet the security He gives is not limited to this world. The Lord Jesus is the only One with the power to save souls. Let our fear be only for Him — the fear of sinning against Him and losing our salvation.

Revelation 2

The seven churches

The Book of Revelation is addressed to the seven churches of Asia. Since the number seven in the Bible symbolises perfection and completeness, we believe that these seven churches represent the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ as a whole. The Church is made up of those who are saved, who live in true faith and follow the Word of God with sincerity, no matter what denomination they belong to.

They are like a mirror reflecting the profiles of every Christian. Each one shows the character or kind of Christians we are, as well as the character of the churches that were and are in the world.

The Book of Revelation is addressed to these churches as a personal warning from the Lord Jesus, as well as an acknowledgement of their good deeds and qualities. These seven letters are a call for every Christian to carefully evaluate what type of servant they have been to their Lord.

The seven letters have a few similarities:

They are all addressed to Christians through the “angel of the church”, who is their leader.

In all of them, the Lord Jesus describes something about Himself, almost always referring to the vision that John had of the glorified Lord.

In every letter, the Lord Jesus shows that He is thoroughly acquainted with the churches; nothing is hidden from His eyes.

Some of the churches are rebuked and praised; others are only rebuked, or only praised.

All of the churches are urged to either persevere or repent.

All of the churches are called to hear the voice of the Spirit.

All of the churches receive promises for those who overcome.

Ephesus

To the angel of the church of Ephesus write: “He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, says these things: I know your works, your labor and your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles, but are not, and have found them to be liars. You have endured, and have been patient, and for My name’s sake have labored and have not grown weary. But I have something against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your candlestick from its place, unless you repent. But this you have: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give permission to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” — Revelation 2:1-7

The leaders of God’s people are accountable to Him for the people they lead. They are representatives of the Lord Jesus, and the people, in turn, represent God to them. How a pastor treats his people is how he treats God, and the people treat their pastors the same way that they treat God as well.

A pastor’s family is the most significant determining factor of whether or not he is a man of God. Christians should notice much more than the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their leaders; they should also notice the fruit of their testimony, for wherever a leader goes, their sheep are likely to go as well.

The leader of the church of Ephesus, for instance, was praised for his work, labour, perseverance, for refusing to tolerate evil people, for exposing liars and for enduring trials for the sake of the Name of the Lord Jesus.

But he was rebuked for abandoning his first love. The church of Ephesus demonstrated their quantity rather than the quality of their work. The amount of work put forth by their leader was not of quality, because he was no longer in his first love.

How intensely we work in our churches doesn’t necessarily signify intimacy with God. The innumerable commitments that pastors or church members take on could end up harming their relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Isn’t this what we would refer to as abandoning our first love? How much time do we spend each day meditating on the Word of God and communing with the Lord Jesus in prayer and praise? Is it the same as right after we converted? Why is there a disconnect between who we used to be and who we are today? It’s not about reading the Bible in a rush or robotically, or just singing worship songs. Many abandoned their first love but continued to mechanically perform their rituals as usual, as God Himself warns: “Therefore, the Lord said: Because this people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is tradition by the precept of men” (Isaiah 29:13).

You can know whether you’ve abandoned your first love by observing the fruit of your life. Analyse if you’ve been living in anxiety, if you’ve been holding grudges, if the things of the world interest you more, or whether the things of God have become a burden to you. You may even be doing tasks for the church, but always complaining or imagining what else you’d rather do that would be “more interesting”.

Abandoning your first love can also be diagnosed with a thorough examination of your intentions. Exactly why do you read the Bible? Is it just out of habit or because you want to learn (and do) the will of God? When serving in the church, are you worried about what others think? Do you try to do things correctly just so you won’t be rebuked by a pastor or group leader? Or do you do your best as an offering to God, to please Him? (Hint: anyone who does an activity as an offering to God does it with joy, not grumbling.)

Each one of us has to make this self-examination, and if you realise that the quality of your faith is not what it used to be, obey the counsel of the Lord Jesus for your own good: remember from where you have fallen, repent and go back to do the works you did at first, with the same sincerity and humility you had in the beginning.

Smyrna

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: “The First and the Last, who was dead and came to life, says these things: I know your works and tribulation and poverty (but you are rich). And I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” — Revelation 2:8-11

The port city of Smyrna was a rich commercial centre of Asia Minor, and today, Izmir is the third-largest city in Turkey. The Christian church there was poor and persecuted. Martyrdom characterised this church. Its founder, Polycarp, was burnt alive by Rome’s persecutors, who did not accept Christians serving the Lord Jesus instead of Caesar. Thousands more were martyred after him.

When the elderly Polycarp was offered life and freedom in exchange for renouncing the Lord Jesus, he replied, “I have served Him for 86 years and He has done me no wrong. Can I revile my King who saved me?”

The persecution of Christians continued for centuries. Hundreds of thousands (some estimate millions) were killed in Europe during the Inquisition between the 13th and 19th centuries. Death by torture of those who did not adhere to the Church of Rome was officially abolished in the 19th century, but disguised persecution of evangelicals continues to this day.

All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. — 2 Timothy 3:12

Whoever genuinely intends to follow the Christian faith needs to know this: it is a threat to the powers of this world that do not accept or submit to the Lord Jesus. This is why true Christians will always be persecuted.

Tribulation was the main characteristic of the church of Smyrna, which was being crushed by persecution. But their persecutors unintentionally contributed to increasing the quality of work, faith, and loyalty of the Christians in that city for the Lord Jesus Christ.

God allows all who truly belong to Him to be sifted through tribulation for their own benefit. If it weren’t so, He would never allow it.

Not only so, but we also boast in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces patience, patience produces character, and character produces hope. — Romans 5:3-4