# Beheaded for Their Witness to Jesus
*2022-09-27*

> Bill reflects on the Revelation reading about the martyrs who were beheaded for their faith and how God honors their witness, linking it to current persecution of Christians.

## Opening Prayer and Context

I begin by thanking God for the many blessings we enjoy, especially after Thanksgiving. At the same time, my heart is heavy for the Christians around the world who are being martyred—some even beheaded—for bearing witness to Jesus.

## Reading from Revelation

Today's Scripture is Revelation 20:1‑4, 11‑21. I read:

“John saw an angel come down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the abyss, sealing it so he could not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were completed. After that he must be released for a short time.

Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or its image, nor received its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Later I saw a white throne, and the One who sat on it. The earth and the sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. The dead, great and small, stood before the throne, and the scrolls were opened—including the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what was written in the scrolls. Death and Hades gave up their dead, and both were thrown into the lake of fire, the second death. Anyone whose name was not found in the Book of Life was also thrown into the lake of fire.

Finally I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Then I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared…”

## What the Martyrs Teach Us

The passage reminds us that those who die for Christ are not forgotten. Their witness is honored by God, and they share in the first resurrection and reign with Christ. This gives us hope amid the terrible reality of contemporary persecution, where believers in places like the Middle East, Africa, and Asia face threats of violence, imprisonment, and even beheading.

## Living the Witness Today

We are called to pray for these martyrs, to support them through prayer, financial aid, and advocacy, and to bear witness in our own lives—whether at work, in our families, or in public discourse. The Holy Spirit equips us to stand firm, even when the cost is high.

## Closing Prayer

Lord, grant us the courage of the martyrs, the wisdom to discern your will, and the compassion to pray for those who suffer for your name. May we always remember that the ultimate victory belongs to you, and that one day we will join the saints in the new heaven and new earth. Amen.

*The martyrs’ steadfast witness assures us that God honors every sacrifice made for His name.*