Tribulation of the Church
In Chapter 7 of Revelation, John sees countless followers of the “Lamb” exiting the “great tribulation” after persevering through it. This striking image is central to his vision of the “innumerable multitude” comprised of men purchased from every nation by the lifeblood of Jesus. Having “overcome,” they now stand triumphantly before the “Lamb” and the “throne” in “New Jerusalem.”
At the
beginning of the book, John identifies himself as a “fellow participant”
with the churches of Asia “in the
tribulation and kingdom and endurance.” In his exile on Patmos “for the
testimony of Jesus,” he participates in the same “tribulation” endured
by the “seven churches of Asia.”
“TRIBULATION”
The term “tribulation”
occurs five times in the book. Each time it is used in relation to believers.
In other words, “tribulation” is what churches experience. And elsewhere
in the New Testament, the word is applied to what the followers of Jesus of Nazareth undergo for his sake - (Matthew
13:21, John 16:33, Revelation 1:9, 2:9-10, 7:14).
In the
Greek text of John’s declaration, ONE definite article or “the” modifies
all three nouns - Tribulation, Kingdom, Endurance. Each term represents
an aspect of the same reality.
To live
faithfully “in Jesus” results in “tribulation” for his kingdom.
And to suffer for him is what it means to reign with Christ. The Greek
term rendered “endurance” or hupomoné
occurs six more times in the book, and it is always linked to believers who
persevere in persecution - (Revelation 2:2-3, 2:19, 3:10, 13:10, 14:12-13).
And perseverance is how believers “overcome” and inherit the promises found at the end of each of the letters to the “seven churches.”
In Revelation, the “Dragon”
and his vassals wage unrelenting war against the “saints,” not with nations
or governments. The object of Satan’s wrath is the church – “those who have
the testimony of Jesus” - (Revelation 12:17, 13:7-10).
FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH
The “Lamb”
who was slain to redeem his people now summons his “saints…to be faithful even
unto death,” not only in Smyrna, but all believers throughout the period
between Christ’s death and his return at the end of the age.
His followers must remain steadfast in trials, even when doing so may mean their violent deaths. It is faithfulness in tribulation that results in their receipt of the “crown of life.”
And faithful
saints endure the “great tribulation,”
the period during which the followers of the “Lamb” are tried but also overcome
the “Beast from the Sea” and the “Dragon” by their “testimony.”
After doing so, they will find themselves “standing before the Throne and
the Lamb” in the New Creation - (Revelation 7:9-17).
In contrast
to persevering saints, the unrepentant “inhabitants of the earth” undergo
“wrath” - the “Second Death” in the “Lake of Fire.” And “wrath”
refers to the punitive sentence of God on His enemies, and nowhere in the book
is it equated with “tribulation.”
Thus, the “churches
of Asia” endure “tribulation,” but they do not undergo the divine “wrath.”
That is reserved for the enemies of the “Lamb” that afflict his people,
and it will be meted out at the “great white throne of judgment.”
Those who
would follow Jesus “wherever he goes” overcome the “Dragon by
the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and because they love not
their lives even unto death.”
They remain faithful in their testimony even at the cost of their own lives - (Revelation
12:11).
