Martyrdom at the End of the Age
I. SATAN KILLING THE SAINTS – MARTYRDOM AT THE END OF THE AGE
A. Angelic teaching given directly to Daniel
“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,” (Daniel 7:21)
“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High … Then the saints
shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.” (Daniel 7:25)
“His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; he shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; he shall
destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.” (Daniel 8:24)
“And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame,
by captivity and plundering. “Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by
intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of
the end; because it is still for the appointed time.” (Daniel 11:33-35)
“Then I heard the man (angel) clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river … swore by Him who lives
forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely
shattered, all these things shall be finished. (Daniel 12:7)
Many shall be purified, made white and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall
understand, but the wise shall understand.” (Daniel 12:10)
B. Angelic teaching given directly to the apostle John concerning martyrdom:
“I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus … I marveled with
great amazement.” (Revelation 17:6)
“He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and
cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” (Revelation 13:15).
Now when they (the two witnesses) finish their testimony, the beast… will make war against them, overcome them,
and kill them.” (Revelation 11:7
“It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every
tribe, tongue, and nation.” (Revelation 13:7)
And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who
is to be, because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have
given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.” And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God
Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” (Revelation 16:5-7)
“And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.” (Revelation 18:24)
“For true and righteous are His judgments, because … He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by
her.” (Revelation 19:2)
C. Jesus teaching on satan killing the saints – martyrdom
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
(Matthew 24:9)
“You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience possess
your souls. (Luke 21:16-19)
“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and
cause them to be put to death. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:21-11)
D. Do not fear those who kill you.
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can
do. But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to
you, feat Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the
very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:4-7)
E. Satan killing people during the Great Tribulation – probably a majority of the people killed deaths under the
opening of the seals (Revelation 6) are believers. Note that it is Jesus who opens the seals and allows satan to overcome
the saints for a season.
“He opened the second seal … another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to
take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
(Revelation 6:3-4)
“He opened the fourth seal … behold, a pale horse, the name of him who sat on it was Death … and Hades … power
was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”
(Revelation 6:7-8)
“He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God … they
cried …, “How long, O Lord … until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ … it was said to
them that they should rest a little while longer, until … the number of … their brethren, who would be killed as they were,
was completed. (Revelation 6:9-11)
F. Great Harvest of souls brought forth in the Great Tribulation.
“Behold, a great multitude … of all nations, tribes, peoples … standing before the throne and before the Lamb …
crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
(Revelation 7:9-10)
“Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these … and where did they come from?” He said to
me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation …” (Revelation 7:13-14)
G. Jesus’ teaching on the saints being hated –
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love
its own … therefore the world hates you. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. … that the word might be
fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause”. But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to
you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. These things I have spoken t
o you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that
whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you
may remember that I told you of them. (John 15:18-16:4)
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
(Matthew 24:9)
“You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake … by your patience possess your souls. (Luke 21:16-19)
“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and
cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be
saved. (Matthew 10:21-22)
II. MARTYRDOM IS ONE KEY TO THE TIMING OF JESUS’ RETURN AND GOD’S JUDGMENT
“He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God … they
cried … “How long, O Lord, … until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? … it was said to
them that they should rest a little while longer, until … the number of … their brethren, who would be killed as they were,
was completed.” (Revelation 6:9-11)
“Shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him …? I tell you that He will avenge them
speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7-8)
“I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel,
having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with the
prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense with the
prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from
the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven
angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.” (Revelation 8:2-6)
For true and righteous are His judgments, because He judged the great harlot … and avenged on her the blood of His servants
shed by her.” (Revelation 19:2)
III. OVERCOME
A. Jesus overcame:
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings;
and those whoa re with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14)
B. The saints overcome.:
“I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast … standing on
the sea of glass … (Revelation 15:2)
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives
to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)
1. By the blood of the Lamb
2. By the word of their testimony
3. They did not love their lives to the death
C. Specific promises to overcomers in the Book of Revelation:
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from
the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7)
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the
second death.” (Revelation 2:11)
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of
the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows
except him who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17)
“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations (Revelation 2:26)
“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I
will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Revelation 3:6)
“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on
him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from
My God. And I will write on him My new name. (Revelation 3:12)
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on
His throne. (Revelation 3:21)
“If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” (Revelation 13:9)
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” (Revelation 21:7)
D. Other Scriptures: Romans 12:21; 1 John 2:13-14; 4:4; 5:4-5
III. SCRIPTURES ON WARRING
A. The devil and the man of Lawlessness (antichrist) making war against the saints:
“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them.” (Daniel 7:21)
“It was granted to them to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every …
nation.” (Revelation 13:7)
“Now when they (the two witnesses) finish their testimony, the beast … will make war against them, overcome them,
and kill them.” (Revelation 11:7)
“And war broke out in haven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought (Revelation
12:7)
“The dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who … have the
testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)
` “So they worshiped the dragon … and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to
make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4)
B. Jesus overcomes them:
“”These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings….
(Revelation 17:14)
“Behold, a white horse. He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and
makes war.” (Revelation 19:11)
“I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the
horse and against His army. (Revelation 19:19)
“Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 10:3)
IV. SCRIPTURE ON SUFFERING
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
“For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:5)
“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to
His death.” (Philippians 3:10)
“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of
His body, which is the church” (Colossians 1:24)
“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to
make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10
Other scriptures: Hebrews 5:8-9; 1 Peter 4:13; Hosea 5:15; 2 Corinthians 4:17