A Christian asks:
Does the “affliction for 10 days” mean anything? Thanks for the anticipated reply!
The question above is pertaining to Revelation 2:10 which says, 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will have affliction for 10 days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Thank you for your question, I hope my answer(s) help.
Answer:
The 10 days are literal days, there’s no indication in the context that it is symbolic or means completion as the number 10 could possibly mean. Keywords or phrases: Don’t be afraid, suffer, throw some of you into prison to test you, are indications that they will literally go through that and the Lord gives them a time frame and concludes by telling them to be faithful.
Affliction can only produce two results in a person:
1.) It can destroy a person’s faith in Jesus, proving that their faith wasn’t genuine.
1 John 2:19
19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
2.) Affliction builds up or strengthens a person with genuine faith.
James 1:2-4
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
Either Satan doesn’t know which one has genuine faith so he tests all who claim to be believers or he can see the Holy Spirit in a person but still believes that he can make them abandon God.
Whichever it is, the conclusion is the same, the destruction of a professing Christian’s faith.
Jesus allows these testings to weed out the fake ones.
Deuteronomy 8:2
Remember that the LORD your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.
Spiritual Minefield 