Amazing Facts
January 1st 2025
Slain for the Word.
Over the past 20 centuries, more than 70 million Christians have died for their faith—and that number keeps growing. Some estimate that about 400 believers are being martyred every day. The word “martyr” comes from the Greek martus, which means “witness.” Christians who have prematurely lost their lives via hostile hands because of their faith bear witness for Bible truth.
Martyrdom describes the scene presented when the fifth seal is opened. John “saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held” (verse 9). What John saw in these visions are symbols. There are not literally four horses with four riders, but illustrations about the state of the church in the time depicted.
So, what about the souls under the altar? This vision reminds us of the sanctuary service when blood was poured out from the sacrificial lamb at the base of the altar (Exodus 29:12). The Bible also explains, “The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Leviticus 17:11).
Since the Bible teaches that when people die, they rest in their graves until the Second Coming (Psalm 6:5; John 11:24), we can know that these are not disembodied spirits or living people under an altar in heaven. Just as God once said to Cain, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10), so the blood of these martyrs cries out for justice. They are “under” the altar in the sense that they have died on this earth.
Christians die every single day but not necessarily all as martyrs. These souls under the altar died “for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” They are witnesses for not letting go of their deep conviction that Christ is Lord. Would you be willing to do the same?
O God, I pray that my faith in Your Word will be so strong, that my grip on the Bible so unwavering, that I would rather die than turn my back on You.
For Further Study: Psalm 9:12; Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:13; 17:6
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: Revelation 6:9
January 1st 2025
Slain for the Word.
Over the past 20 centuries, more than 70 million Christians have died for their faith—and that number keeps growing. Some estimate that about 400 believers are being martyred every day. The word “martyr” comes from the Greek martus, which means “witness.” Christians who have prematurely lost their lives via hostile hands because of their faith bear witness for Bible truth.
Martyrdom describes the scene presented when the fifth seal is opened. John “saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held” (verse 9). What John saw in these visions are symbols. There are not literally four horses with four riders, but illustrations about the state of the church in the time depicted.
So, what about the souls under the altar? This vision reminds us of the sanctuary service when blood was poured out from the sacrificial lamb at the base of the altar (Exodus 29:12). The Bible also explains, “The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Leviticus 17:11).
Since the Bible teaches that when people die, they rest in their graves until the Second Coming (Psalm 6:5; John 11:24), we can know that these are not disembodied spirits or living people under an altar in heaven. Just as God once said to Cain, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10), so the blood of these martyrs cries out for justice. They are “under” the altar in the sense that they have died on this earth.
Christians die every single day but not necessarily all as martyrs. These souls under the altar died “for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” They are witnesses for not letting go of their deep conviction that Christ is Lord. Would you be willing to do the same?
O God, I pray that my faith in Your Word will be so strong, that my grip on the Bible so unwavering, that I would rather die than turn my back on You.
For Further Study: Psalm 9:12; Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:13; 17:6
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: Revelation 6:9
Amazing Facts
January 1st 2025
Slain for the Word.
Over the past 20 centuries, more than 70 million Christians have died for their faith—and that number keeps growing. Some estimate that about 400 believers are being martyred every day. The word “martyr” comes from the Greek martus, which means “witness.” Christians who have prematurely lost their lives via hostile hands because of their faith bear witness for Bible truth.
Martyrdom describes the scene presented when the fifth seal is opened. John “saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held” (verse 9). What John saw in these visions are symbols. There are not literally four horses with four riders, but illustrations about the state of the church in the time depicted.
So, what about the souls under the altar? This vision reminds us of the sanctuary service when blood was poured out from the sacrificial lamb at the base of the altar (Exodus 29:12). The Bible also explains, “The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Leviticus 17:11).
Since the Bible teaches that when people die, they rest in their graves until the Second Coming (Psalm 6:5; John 11:24), we can know that these are not disembodied spirits or living people under an altar in heaven. Just as God once said to Cain, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10), so the blood of these martyrs cries out for justice. They are “under” the altar in the sense that they have died on this earth.
Christians die every single day but not necessarily all as martyrs. These souls under the altar died “for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” They are witnesses for not letting go of their deep conviction that Christ is Lord. Would you be willing to do the same?
O God, I pray that my faith in Your Word will be so strong, that my grip on the Bible so unwavering, that I would rather die than turn my back on You.
For Further Study: Psalm 9:12; Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:13; 17:6
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: Revelation 6:9
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