One of the first Christian leaders in Smyrna was a man named Polycarp. He was the bishop (pastor) of the church there. In the year 155 A.D., when he was 86 years old, he was sentenced to death by burning at the stake because of his faith in Jesus.
Polycarp refused to say, “Caesar is Lord,” because he believed only Jesus is Lord. As he died, he gave a powerful and loving testimony about his faith in Christ. His story is recorded in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.
When Polycarp was a teenager, he personally knew the Apostle John, the man who wrote the book of Revelation. Polycarp probably heard these very words from John’s own mouth Guided Tour Ephesus.
Ten Times of Persecution
During this time in history, Christians faced terrible suffering. There were ten different times when Roman emperors ordered Christians to be persecuted. This matches the phrase in Revelation that says Christians would “suffer persecution for ten days.”
These ten persecutions began with Emperor Domitian in 96 A.D. and continued until Emperor Diocletian, just before Constantine became emperor. This shows how Revelation gives us a preview of church history—especially the time known as the Age of Martyrs God Removes Our False Supports.
A Message for All Believers
In Revelation 2:11, Jesus gives a message to every person in the church:
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” (NIV)
This message is not just for Smyrna—it’s for all churches and for every believer who hears it.
What Is the Second Death?
The “second death” is explained later in the book of Revelation, in chapters 20 and 21. There, we are told that it means the lake of fire—a symbol of God’s final judgment.
This judgment is for those who refuse to accept God’s grace and choose to follow evil instead. The lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels, but sadly, it will also be the fate of those who reject the gospel.
