” 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 the testimony which they held:” Revelation 6:9

I know that is probably a very familiar verse, and I do not want to be redundant, but it was needed here to set our stage for this teaching.

If you would like to read it in the entirety, you can do so here.

I started my writing ministry years ago, when a church offered me to write a blog for their website and as terrified as I was and all the common everyday subjects the churches are often interested in was not what God put in my heart, nothing about how we could be better this or better that or how to manage work, your household, and life.

None of the normal church site fare, the thought in my heart was a sleeping church and the martyrs that no one seemed aware of.

That is not bashing anyone or any church, that is just what was in my heart and often we only notice those things that around us and fail to see what is coming until we see it coming for us.

So this is kinda full circle, we have watched so many prophetic things come to pass over the last decade.

If you keep up with Christian news you know the horrifying numbers of those who are being persecuted and those who have been martyred and that those numbers are only increasing as all things come to pass, as we knew would be the case.

No greater faith would ever be needed that that which would be needed facing severe persecution or even martyrdom.

So this will cover all lines, persecutions, martyrdoms, those who are being martyred now for their faith and those of the future that will suffer the same fate and those in Christ who may be facing death through terminal illness.

It is a very uncomfortable subject, but it truly needs to be addressed.

Many of those martyred knew that they were going to die and those who die from terminal illness also are very aware when the time is at hand to make that journey into the spiritual promised land.

So let’s look at several passages of those who died for the faith.

We will start with the Lord, the sacrificial lamb who died for us all for all, who warned us plainly that a servant cannot be above his master and if they hated him, they would also hate us.

John 13:1: “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”

After this was the Lord’s supper and betrayal by Judas, the beauty is that he forewarned them that his time was come, preparing them and giving them the awesome promise of the Holy Ghost to guide them in this life and the hope and assurance of the life which was to come.

John 14: 1-31: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

And If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. 

And whither (where) I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord we know not whither thou goest (where you are going): and how can we know the way?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth (going forward) ye know him, and have seen him.

Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us (show us and we will be satisfied).

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet thou hast not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth (does) the works.

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works sake. 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also: and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

If ye ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever:

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth (lives) with you, and shall be in you.  

I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you. 

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more: but ye shall see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 

At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot (not Judas the betrayer), Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world (how will you reveal yourself to us, but not the world)?

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.  

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things back to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let your heart not be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you, if ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I go unto my Father: for my Father is greater than I.

And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye might (will) believe.

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me.

But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence (from here).”

You can easily read that he was preparing them for his death and even though in their sorrow and grief they failed to recognize his resurrection at first.

He had given them great promises of peace, hope, and that he would for ever be with them on this earth and even beyond because as he lives so do we pointing out that if they truly understood the magnitude of what would be accomplished with his death on the cross, they would rejoice rather than sorrow.

Jesus had also prepared Peter to his death; After his resurrection before his ascension, we are given the account of him asking Peter three times did he love him and telling him to feed his sheep, we will pick it up here:

John 21:17-19; ” He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me (Do you love me?) Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest (you know) that I love thee.  Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkest whither thou wouldest (when you were young you dressed yourself and went where you wanted to go) but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not (crucified, being carried where he did not wish to go)

This he spake signifying by what death he should (would) glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.“

I don’t think we could do this subject without Peter’s words that he wanted to leave us with as his time also drew nigh.

2 Peter 2: 1-15: ” Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

According as his divine power hath (has) given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:  that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

And to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (love).

For if these things be in you, and abound in you, they make you that that ye shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh (lacks) these things is blind(spiritually), and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from old sins.

Wherefore the rather, (Instead) brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail. 

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

Yea, I think it meet (fitting), as long as I am in this tabernacle (human body) to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, (will die) even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed (showed) me.  

Moreover (Also) I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease (death) to have these things always in remembrance.”

He wanted us to always be mindful of who we are in Christ and who we will for ever be.

Now to Paul, this will be a little more complicated, as he said many things on the subject, we will highlight a couple of verses and then go to the main passage, in which we will find such beauty, encouragement, and above all hope.

Philliapians 2:12-18: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.”

Philippians 1: 20-23: “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.  

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not (don’t know)

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ which is far better:”

He was again clearly pointing out that the very moment of death, believers will be with Christ, which is where he wanted to be.

He was between two paths, and he would have rather went home to the Lord, but he always did not want to leave those he ministered to.

His life was Christ but in death he would gain the eternal afterlife.

2 Timothy 4: 1-8:  ” I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick (living) and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season (at all times) reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure (accept) sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears (seek out false teachers who will tell them what they want to hear)

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall turn unto fables (refuse to hear the truth and believe false teachings)

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing.”

The joy to be had, the crown to be won.

Psalms 116:15: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”

Revelation 3:11 “ Behold, I come quickly, hold fast whcih thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

Hebrews 12:2: ” Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Peace & Love

Φλογιζω NBJ 2026/ REV. N Brown Johnson