The Smyrna Era was a

terrible time of suffer-
ing for the Christians.

To quote one author,

"The Christians were in
all parts of the Empire

driven from habitations,
and tormented in their

bodies; racks and prisons, axes and halters,

fire and wild beasts, scalding pitch and melting

wax, sharp stakes and burning pincers, were

but some of the methods of their treatment."

Jesus comforted this martyred church by remind-
ing them that He had suffered death, but was
alive forevermore.