And when their testimony is finished, the beast who comes up from the abyss will make war with them and kill them. Rev. 11:7.
The concept of "testimony" has two basic meanings in the book of Revelation. It has the connotation of sharing one's faith, of telling others what Jesus has done for you and for the human race as a whole. But it also has the basic meaning of martyrdom, of witnessing for Christ even in the face of threat and death.
In a crisis people become martyrs because living without Jesus is more to be feared than dying with Him. The martyrs so cherished what Jesus had done in their lives that they could not conceive of living out of relationship with Him. When forced to make the choice, therefore, they opted for death rather than deny Him. And "the blood of martyrs became seed." No witness to Christ is greater than that of one who calmly goes to death instead of turning away from Him.
As I wrote these words, I have just completed a series of meetings for the public in Singapore. Local believers had been broadcasting recordings of my Revelation lectures on the radio there. When they advertised the meetings, hundreds of listeners came and wanted to hear more.
It was fascinating to meet people from such a wide variety of backgrounds. Christians from every denomination in Singapore were there, hungry for a deeper understanding of Revelation and of Jesus. Secular people, tired of an endless round of working, eating, and shopping, came looking for meaning in their lives. Hindus and Buddhists fascinated me by their openness to a deeper walk with God and eagerness to learn more about Jesus. In the process I encountered impressive elements of Indian and Chinese wisdom. We must not assume that people who have never heard of Jesus are necessarily ignorant.
I did not undergo martyrdom at the close of the meetings. Those who attended rejoiced in a deeper understanding both of Jesus and of the puzzling symbols in Revelation. I experienced all the joy of sharing my faith without the pain of the martyrs. My own life had been energized by contact with a large group of people who drank in every word and applied it to their lives eagerly.
Although genuine testimony in behalf of Jesus can cost us our reputations, our jobs, and even our lives, it always leaves the world a better place. To know Jesus is to know peace and to fill the emptiness that afflicts life without Him. It is a message worth dying for.
Lord, I want to know the Truth that is worth dying for. Give me a peace and a joy today that I cannot resist sharing with those I meet.
The concept of "testimony" has two basic meanings in the book of Revelation. It has the connotation of sharing one's faith, of telling others what Jesus has done for you and for the human race as a whole. But it also has the basic meaning of martyrdom, of witnessing for Christ even in the face of threat and death.
In a crisis people become martyrs because living without Jesus is more to be feared than dying with Him. The martyrs so cherished what Jesus had done in their lives that they could not conceive of living out of relationship with Him. When forced to make the choice, therefore, they opted for death rather than deny Him. And "the blood of martyrs became seed." No witness to Christ is greater than that of one who calmly goes to death instead of turning away from Him.
As I wrote these words, I have just completed a series of meetings for the public in Singapore. Local believers had been broadcasting recordings of my Revelation lectures on the radio there. When they advertised the meetings, hundreds of listeners came and wanted to hear more.
It was fascinating to meet people from such a wide variety of backgrounds. Christians from every denomination in Singapore were there, hungry for a deeper understanding of Revelation and of Jesus. Secular people, tired of an endless round of working, eating, and shopping, came looking for meaning in their lives. Hindus and Buddhists fascinated me by their openness to a deeper walk with God and eagerness to learn more about Jesus. In the process I encountered impressive elements of Indian and Chinese wisdom. We must not assume that people who have never heard of Jesus are necessarily ignorant.
I did not undergo martyrdom at the close of the meetings. Those who attended rejoiced in a deeper understanding both of Jesus and of the puzzling symbols in Revelation. I experienced all the joy of sharing my faith without the pain of the martyrs. My own life had been energized by contact with a large group of people who drank in every word and applied it to their lives eagerly.
Although genuine testimony in behalf of Jesus can cost us our reputations, our jobs, and even our lives, it always leaves the world a better place. To know Jesus is to know peace and to fill the emptiness that afflicts life without Him. It is a message worth dying for.
Lord, I want to know the Truth that is worth dying for. Give me a peace and a joy today that I cannot resist sharing with those I meet.
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