"I know
Just try to hide something from One with eyes of fire (Revelation 1:14)
1. your afflictions and

Afflictions can take many forms. Paul in Hebrews 10:32-39 talks about public reproach and seizure of property. Many of us Christians have not experienced anything like that -- are we ashamed of the gospel of Christ?
2. your POVERTY -- yet you are rich!

The world may consider us physically POOR, but we have riches which they cannot understand. As John puts it in 1 John 2:15-17, if we don't love the world, earthly wealth just doesn't matter. Furthermore, Isaiah says that God revives the lowly (poor) in spirit in Isaiah 57:14-15. In fact, this is a condition that God really seeks as explained in Isaiah 66:1-2.

Consider that even while Christ had/has all the riches of heaven, He took on the form of man (what a step down to poverty!) just for us - 2 Corinthians 8:9. That is why he could say in Matthew 10:37-39 that one finds life after they lose it for Christ's sake. You, too, can find your life.
 

"I know
1. the SLANDER of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN.

Ephesus had apostles who weren't apostles, and Smyrna had Jews who really were not.

The SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN shows for the first time in Revelation who the real perpertrator of persecution is. There is an equivalence shown here:

 
• False prophets = ministers of Satan
• False Jews = synagogue of Satan.


These "Judaizers" believed in salvation by works. That will never do as they find out in the message to the church at Philadelphia.

References to the Revelation of Jesus Christ are in bold italics. All other references are in bold only. Return from cross-references by using the BACK button.