Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
There are times when I’m reading God’s Word and I’ll look a little closer at a portion of scripture then ask myself what it could mean?
When I was a young man I focused more on completing my “required” reading plan in the Bible than understanding the meaning. It might included a one year reading plan, sometimes it was one Proverb for each day of the month, or five chapters from Psalms each day of the month, but whatever my reading plan was I typically focused more on the volume than on the content.
When I look at Jesus’ encouragement to the 7 churches of Revelation, Smyrna is often referred to as the persecuted church. I have come to understand that each one of these churches are represented in each age of the church as a whole.
The encouragement to not fear is relevant to the length of tribulation they were going to endure.
In Revelation 2 it says…”You will have tribulation ten days”–Why do you suppose 10 days was used as the metric of time?
I don’t believe in random numbers in the bible. The Lord illustrates a point through precedent, He establishes Truth through revelation, and He confirms His promises by His Word. Everything He says and does has meaning and purpose.
Isaiah 55:11 “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
We can be assured that those who suffer for the name of Christ will never be left alone. I believe the Lord prepares people for trial, He has shown a precedent of enduring persecution with His people, and He promises to never leave or forsake His people.
Imminent Death
The Lord does not promise His people won’t die. His promises are often directed to what comes after death.
“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Death for the believer is not really death, death for the world is all together different. To the world, the death of the body is the end of all they will ever know, it will conclude the best they will ever know with nothing else to come. Some have concocted an elaborate schemes to try and exonerate themselves from sin by making up god’s in their own image. Since the world denies the God of Creation as revealed in the Bible, they will also either deny their spiritual position before God or embrace a spirituality that simply cannot save them.
Spirituality is only a practice in formality, it has no real substance. Anything can be deemed a “spiritual” practice, but the followers of these practices are unaware they practice demonic worship. Most if not all spiritual practices apart from Christ are demonic in origin. The image that people bow down to or pray to is actually occupied by a demonic entity.
The consequence of worshipping anything or anyone other than Christ will result in the second death, a reality the world continues to deny.
Revelation 2:11 “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.”
Death of the body is imminent for everyone. Unless the Lord takes you up in the rapture, your flesh is going to die.
It is what happens to your spirit after your body dies that makes all the difference.
The Testing of Faith
Revelation 3:5 “Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.”
Persecution has been common among the followers of God from the beginning. Whether they looked forward to a coming Messiah or looked back at Jesus who fulfilled it, the enemy has consistently opposed all who remain faithful.
As the seven churches of Revelation represents all of the church age, so the 10 kingdoms of this world represent all who oppose the church. Many have looked for a 10 nation confederacy that will arise and support the antichrist in the last days and the focus has been drawn toward the United Nations. Today the BRICS confederacy is forming (alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and the UN is slowly disintegrating before our eyes. The world is changing quickly and with it a final confrontation.
I believe the 10 days of tribulation represent 10 ages of persecution by the kingdoms of this world. From the Roman government and the lineage of evil rulers to the Roman Catholic Church and the attempt to crush Waldensian believers, up to present day we have seen the persecution of the church. Kingdom upon kingdom has attempted to subdue God’s people, corrupt, or convert it to some form of apostasy….but the church has remained steadfast.
To all whom the Lord gives power, they cannot be overcome!
As Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were tested for 10 days with only vegetables and water to drink, the church has been tested through persecution. The Daniel fast was a time of cleansing and purifying, it’s not a coincidence that persecution serves to purify the church and bring about holiness.
We are seeing the final age of 2000 years of persecution. Islam has spread like a scourge throughout the world, murdering anyone who opposes them and yet apostasy and false teaching continues to infect every reach of society. The wars and rumors of wars are here, the Middle East is reforming by the minute and Russia (Gog) is getting pulled into the fray like a hook in the mouth. As Iran gets pummeled by Israel and the U.S., the world is changing their positions. France is siding with Russia, the U.K. and Spain have refused to help, and so with them the U.N. is fading.
Revelation 13:1 “Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.”
The beast John saw had ten horns and seven heads with diadems on the horns. The picture recalls the description of ten kings represented by the toes on the image Daniel interpreted to Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:41). Revelation 17:12 tells us the ten horns are ten kings. The seven heads likely represent the seven hills of Rome.
Currently the Roman Catholic lead by Pope Francis is spearheading the formation of a new one world religion. As the coalition comes together we will likely see 10 kingdoms represented in this coalition ushering in the Antichrist.
There is so much in this world that points to the conclusion of the church age, the concern should not be for this world but for a future in Christ.
As of today, Israel is fighting for its survival. They have the U.S. fully supporting them and with the dismantling of Iran, so goes Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. Iran was the center of terror with all of their proxy groups acting like extensions of evil. As the world stands in shock at the way Iran is being decimated, the reforming of alliances is taking place. This battle is a game changer. The world will never be the same again.
If you have never taken your faith seriously, now is the time to do it. Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near. For those left behind, the opportunity to follow Christ will not be an easy one. Once the Lord returns for His bride, persecution will lead to the death for any who choose to follow the Lord. I hope that for all who must endure the great tribulation, they will be encouraged to know what lies ahead.
The glorious reunion of Christ with His bride will be an event worth dying for. To be apart of the throng of believers united in worship and adoration will be a time of great rejoicing never before seen in history.
For those who suffer persecution now, look up, your redemption draws nigh.
U.T. 