Jesus Knows Our Troubles

Revelation 2:9 "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty..."

There is an old song that originated with the African American slaves in the days of slavery in the United States.  The opening words say, "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen; nobody knows but Jesus." The statement in our text, written by John while exiled on the Isle of Patmos, gives divine proof to the truth expressed in that song.  These words were part of a letter addressed to the church of Smyrna.  Among the seven letters written to the seven churches of Asia, this letter was one of only two that did not include any rebuke.  In the case of Smyrna, the letter was written to encourage the church amid strong persecution led by the Jewish leaders.  It was during this persecution that Polycarp, one of the great spiritual leaders of his day, was martyred.  As seen in the metaphoric phrase "ten days," this persecution continued for an extended period of many years.  Considering this persecution and the faithfulness of the church, Jesus Christ sent a special message recording it forever.  There are important truths that He wanted these faithful servants to know and to remember.

The Lord Knows the Faithfulness of His People

He first wanted them to know that He knew all about what was going on.  He knew their works, and He was publicly proclaiming their faithfulness.  Though others may not have recognized their service as important, He did.  The cup of water given to a thirsty brother was the basis of a future reward.  He also knew what they were suffering.  Many times, tribulation is far more than physical.  Being under the constant pressure of ridicule, rejection, and possible accusation can be far more devastating than bearing stripes from a "cat of nine tails" (Roman whip).  There is no greater burden than living under the lack of security, not knowing if you will be able to supply the necessities for those you love.  Poverty is a heavy trial.  To labor long and hard and still not receive enough retribution to care for loved ones is poverty beyond description.

The Lord Knows the Enemies Behind the Persecution

He also wanted them to know that He knew about their adversaries.  He did not merely know who they were; He knew their character.  Though they claimed to be of the chosen people of God, they belonged to the devil's crowd.  The synagogue with the emblems and titles of Israel was really the habitation of Satan.  They claimed the source of their speech and practice to be divine, but Jesus said that it was blasphemous.  This word means to vilify, and the object of their vilification was the Lord.  Though all was spoken to Christ's servants, the message was directed against the Lord.  What is important to note here is that the one behind the persecution is always Satan, and his ultimate object of persecution is the Lord Himself.

The Lord Encourages His Faithful Servants

Lastly, He wanted to encourage these faithful ones.  His words of encouragement were not that they would be immediately relieved of the persecution, but that there was a set time limit for the persecution to exist.  That time limit was determined by the Lord and not by their enemies.  The persecution was terrible, leading to horrible consequences such as imprisonment and death.  However, the end was marked, and there were rewards awaiting them.  There awaited them a Crown of Life, which is given to those who victoriously suffer persecution (James 1:12).  They could also be certain that, even though they suffered physical death, they would not suffer the second death, the final judgment of eternity in hell.

What This Means for Believers Today

In chapter 1 verse 3, John wrote, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy".  This is a general statement that applies to all men everywhere and in every era.  Each of the seven letters ends with the phrase, "He that hath an ear, let him hear...".  The word hear means to "engage the mind to comprehend what is being said".  Since the book was written for everyone to read and hear, and since the letters again emphasize this truth, we today can understand that what Jesus said to the church of Smyrna is true for us as well.  The Lord knows all about our suffering, and He knows who our enemies are.  His message to us today is to be faithful, knowing that all is under His control, and there is an end set.  At the end, there are rewards for those who serve faithfully, whether in persecution or not.  Behind every despicable and hateful statement is Satan.  Those speaking are nothing more than his instruments.  Satan's goal is to harm the Lord, and he looks to do that by hurting those whom the Lord loves.  We must remember that Satan is already a defeated foe.  Because of that, the Lord says to "Fear not" and calls us to listen with total comprehension to what awaits those who are victorious when confronted by persecution.

Final Thought

Remember the words to the song: "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen; nobody knows but Jesus..." Glory and praise to our victorious King and Savior!