Revelation - Week 4

Day 1

Pay Attention

READ

Revelation 2:7

7 Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.

This is the appeal of Jesus for the churches to pay attention and understand what the Holy Spirit is saying. There is a promise to all who are “victorious” or is an “overcomer.” One is not awarded salvation by being an overcomer, but one becomes an overcomer by being born again in the family of God. The promise of the future is for eternal abundance in heaven.

REFLECT

Think about how God makes you a victorious person, or an overcomer, by believing in Jesus as your Savior.

RESPOND

With your friend, read 1 John 5:4-5. These verses help you to understand who is a victorious believer or an overcomer and can win the battle against the world. Thank the Lord for this.

Day 2

Letter to Smyrna

READ

Revelation 2:8

8 Write this letter to the angel of the church of Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive.

Smyrna was about 35 miles north of Ephesus. It was a suffering church. Here a reference is made to the vision of Jesus seen by John in Revelation 1:17-18. The gospel message is that the eternal Son of God took on human flesh, died on the cross, was placed in a grave, and rose from the dead on the third day. These words must have comforted those facing martyrdom and had friends who had died for their faith in Jesus.

REFLECT

Think of those who have given their lives for their faith in Jesus. You may be in an area where that is the danger. Pray for such people and thank God who gave His only Son for you.

RESPOND

With your friend, consider that Jesus is all you need; indicated by the fact He is the First and the Last and everything in between. He was dead but is alive. Of all the past religious leaders, only the grave of the Lord Jesus Christ is empty.

Day 3

But You Are Rich

READ

Revelation 2:9

9 I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan.  

How comforting it must have been for the suffering saints in the church of Smyrna to realize the Lord knew every detail about their suffering and poverty. “But you are rich,” the Lord told them. Their riches were not in the wealth of the world but in their possessions in Jesus. Some persecuting them claimed to be Jews but they were really of the synagogue of Satan.

REFLECT

Some are religious and think they serve God by persecuting those who believe in Jesus as the only way of salvation. Their problem is they are trusting in the works of their religion rather than trusting in Jesus who offers salvation by grace through faith.

RESPOND

With your disciple, read Romans 2:28-29 to see who the apostle Paul said was a true Jew. Talk together about how those today are only genuine “Christians” who have trusted in Jesus by grace through faith in Him.

Day 4

Don't Be Afraid

READ

Revelation 2:10

10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

“Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer.” What sobering words these are. Although their suffering will be for a relative short time in comparison to eternity, they are promised the crown of life as martyrs. The crown promised is a victor’s crown for those who have faced persecution and suffering.

REFLECT

Think of the rewards Jesus will someday give those who have faithfully served Him on earth and some who have given their lives for Him. Make it your desire to honor Jesus in all you do.

RESPOND

The “crown of life” seems to be the same as mentioned in James 1:12 and 1 Peter 5:4. Talk with your friend about how anything suffered on earth will be far more compensated by rewards in heaven.

Day 5

Whoever Is Victorious

READ

Revelation 2:11

11 Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

Here the exhortation is again made to listen and understand what the Spirit was saying to the churches (not just to the church of Smyrna). Those who have believed in Jesus are the victorious ones and will not be harmed by the second death. The “second death” is a reference to what unbelievers will experience when they are cast into the lake of fire.

REFLECT

Thank God that by trusting in Jesus as Savior you will avoid eternal condemnation.

RESPOND

With your disciple, discuss the warning to escape condemnation. See such verses as John 3:16-18. For a reference to the “second death” see Revelation 20:11-15 that describes what everyone who has rejected Jesus as Savior will face.