Revelation 2:8-11

If you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to start by reading Part 1 and Part 2.

The promise

Of course, fearing not and being faithful until death are far easier said than done. Some of the what if?s that we fear may come true, but God has seen our entire path – beginning, middle, and end – since before time began (Psalm 139:16). Is that not exactly the point Jesus was trying to make when he identified himself as “The First and the Last”? Further, he has already secured our victory! Is that not why he reminded the Smyrnaean believers that he was “the One who was dead and came to life”? Indeed, Jesus suffered the ultimate “what if?” when he hung dead on that cross and his body was sealed in that tomb, but he still came back for the ultimate win!

Indeed, it was not as though Jesus issued this command to be faithful until death and then simply went away. Praise God that verse 10 is not the end of the letter to the church at Smyrna!

At the end of verse 10, Jesus added, “And I will give you the crown of life.” The word “and” indicates a causal relationship. That is, if we will be faithful until death, Jesus will give us the crown of us the crown of life. The language here hints not at the crown of royalty, but rather the laurel crown given to champions in the athletic games which were so popular in ancient times. It also makes clear that this crown is not one of gold (i.e., wealth), but rather one of eternal life. The prize for faithfulness is eternal life, and that life is not just some abstract future eternity. In John 10:10, Jesus announced, “I have come so that they” – that is, believers – “may have life and have it in abundance.” Notice the present tense of the verb: this abundant life begins here and now. It is totally independent of circumstance, and it is the very essence of the riches Jesus noted in Revelation 2:9.

This promise of the crown of life is impressive, but there was more. In verse 11, Jesus adds, “Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The victor will never be harmed by the second death.” This clarifies Jesus’ first promise by making clear that the crown of life did not make them – or us – immune to harm or even death. At least, we are not immune to the first death. According to Revelation 20:14, and again in Revelation 21:8, the second death is described as a lake of fire where Satan, his hordes, and those humans who align themselves with him will be bound for eternity. This is what Jesus says will never harm us. In other words, we will get to spend life in paradise with him, but only if we remain faithful until death.

Being faithful until death, then, as scary as it seems, is not in vain. Indeed, while our physical bodies may be irreparably harmed, even destroyed, we may claim the same victory that Jesus did!

In Star Trek, the Kobayashi Maru is a training simulation in which cadets are confronted with a no-win situation. Although it has taken a couple of different forms through the various incarnations of the franchise, the original and most familiar version of the simulation has the starship Enterprise rushing to rescue a stranded freighter when it is ambushed and destroyed by Klingons. In the 2009 movie Star Trek, Commander Spock observed, “The purpose [of the Kobayashi Maru scenario] is to experience fear, fear in the face of certain death, to accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one’s crew. This is the quality expected in every Starfleet captain.”

I dare say, this ability to face fear, even no-win scenarios, is exactly what Jesus expected of the church at Smyrna, and it is exactly what he expects of every Christ-follower.

In Smyrna, the stronghold of fear was just under construction. Perhaps in your life, it is already well established, deeply entrenched and holding you captive. Regardless of the magnitude of fear, the solution is the same. We must reject fear and choose faithfulness instead. Will you resolve today to be faithful?