Seven churches
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
THE SEVEN CHURCHES<br />
________________________________________________<br />
67<br />
Christians suffered financially and lived in poverty to begging. They suffered slander<br />
being accused of Cannibalism (eating the flesh of Christ and in communion drinking<br />
blood). But they were full overcomers, being faithful unto death. There is a beautiful story<br />
of Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna handed down to us in history. At the instigation of the<br />
Jews, he was brought out into the arena and was asked to renounce Jesus or be burned<br />
at stake. The old faithful replied, "86 years I have seen my Lord. Never once did he deny<br />
me. How can I deny Him for a few more wretched years in the world?" This was in AD<br />
155. In this world we will have tribulations. But it will be shortened for his beloved.<br />
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.<br />
Shall have tribulation ten days.<br />
Short time Whether the "ten days" of persecution means a short time, or a<br />
definite period symbolized by "ten days" is uncertain.<br />
Day= Year<br />
A day is often a symbol of a year in Prophecy. Actually day in Aramaic is “Yom”<br />
which simply means a length of time.<br />
Ten persecutions are named by church historians and two persecutions of ten<br />
years each. It might refer to one of the latter which should bear very heavily on<br />
that church. The Diocletian persecution continued ten years and three months.<br />
The period described here fits the period of martyrs of the persecution Period<br />
from AD 100 to AD 325. The ten days probably refers to the ten Imperial<br />
Persecutions. Christians suffered financially and lived in poverty to begging. They<br />
suffered slander being accused of Cannibalism (eating the flesh of Christ and in<br />
communion drinking blood) But they were full overcomers, being faithful unto<br />
death. There is a beautiful story about Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, handed<br />
down to us in history. Read it in Fox’s book of Martyrs..