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| Nero's Torches, Henryk Siemiradzki. An inscription on the frame reads: ET LUX IN TENEBRIS LUCET ET TENEBRAE EAM NON COMPREHENDERUNT. |
Yesterday morning I realized, with some horror, that I never actually learned the names of the Christians who died at Umpqua Community College back in October, nor did I know the names of the 21 who were beheaded by ISIS nearly a year ago.
Lest they be forgotten in our fast-paced world, here they
are:
Umpqua CC shooting deaths: Lucero Alcaraz, age 19; Treven
Taylor Anspach, 20; Rebecka Ann Carnes, 18; Quinn Glen Cooper, 18; Kim
Saltmarsh Dietz, 59; Lucas Eibel, 18; Jason Dale Johnson, 34; Lawrence Levine,
67; Sarena Dawn Moore, 44.
Those beheaded on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea by
ISIS: Hani Abdel Messihah, 32; Yousef Shoukry, 24; Towadros Yousef, 42; Maged
Suleiman Shahata, 40; Milad Maken Zaky; Abanub Ayad Atiya; Kirollos Shokry
Fawzy; Bishoy Astafanus Kamel; Malak Ibrahim Sinweet; Girgis Milad Sinweet;
Mina Fayez Aziz; Samuel Alham Wilson; Samuel Astafanus Kamel; Ezat Bishri
Naseef; Loqa Nagaty Anees; Munir Gaber Adly; Esam Badir Samir; Malak Farag
Abram; Sameh Salah Farug; Girgis Sameer Maglee; Matthew Ayairga.
The image of 21 men, clad in orange jumpsuits, kneeling
in line on a beach with knife-wielding ISIS members behind them – it still
haunts me, even after nearly a year. They are far from the only ones who have
paid for their faith with their lives.
It reminds me of Revelation 6, where we see the reason
for the judgments God is hurling to earth:
“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony
they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign
Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge
our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to
wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers
who were to be killed as they had been was completed.” (Rev. 6:9-11)
God is just, and vengeance belongs to him alone. We see
later in Revelation that God exacts justice on those who still refuse his
authority: locusts with a sting as painful as a scorpion’s are released upon
the earth to harm “only those people who did not have the seal of God on their
foreheads” and “during those days men will seek death...but death will elude
them” (Rev. 9:3-6). But God is still merciful; in not permitting anyone to die
during that time, he is still giving humanity a chance to look to Christ and be
saved. In not permitting anyone to die an earthly death, he also keeps them
from facing eternal death in hell. I am not the first to say this: how severe
are God’s mercies!
But what of his own children? If God is loving and
merciful, why must his children suffer? What is our attitude to be, as humble
servants of the Most High?
In response to being flogged by the Sanhedrin (the Jewish
legal court) for preaching Christ, the apostles “left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing
because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”
Rejoicing! They saw their persecution as a privilege.
And that is not all: “Day after day, in the temple courts
and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good
news that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 5:41-42). They never stopped!
Peter, who was one of the apostles flogged at this trial,
passes on this attitude: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful
trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But
rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be
overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Pet. 4:12-13)
Paul describes some of his perspective on suffering in
his letter to the Philippians:
“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for
the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the
surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have
lost all things...I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and
the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
(Php. 3:7-8, 10)
Both of these men do not shirk from persecution for their
faith; they embrace it. “Fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.” I’ve been
wrestling with this concept for at least a year or two, and perhaps I will
continue to do so for many years more. When our friends mourn, do we not mourn
with them? Why should it be any different with Jesus?
Again, if God is loving and merciful, why must his own
children suffer too, and be thankful for it? Why is persecution such a
privilege to these writers?
We find our answer in Romans 8: “The Spirit himself
testified with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children,
then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share
in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Rom. 8:16-17)
I hope these Scriptures bring you encouragement. It is
hard to see the glory in the midst of suffering, but that is where faith – the
assurance of things hoped for – comes in. These brave martyrs have run the race
in faith and shared in Christ’s death, and are now rejoicing in his glorious
presence. Their faithfulness has been rewarded with the crown of life (Rev.
2:8-11). May their examples compel us to live out our faith boldly, especially
because many of us are in a part of the world where we have the liberty to do
so without fear of arrest or execution.
How have these martyrs challenged you in your faith? What
lessons have you had to learn through suffering? Have you seen this as an
opportunity to draw closer to the Lord? And how can you pray for your brothers and sisters in the faith who are suffering severe persecution?
