TRIUMPHANT TESTIMONY by Doug Krieger

It is wonderful that you have concluded that the Lord's charge to His Church is to bear THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS. Let me explain . . . It is this "testimony" that commends our faith and establishes us in His grace. The word "testimony" in the Greek comes from the same root word we interpret into English as MARTYR. Likewise, it is

the same word (i.e., "martyr") that we interpret the word "witness" (e.g., "ye are My witnesses" and "faithful and true witness" or "My faithful witness (i.e., "martyr,") Antipas.").

The entire thrust of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ--virtually in every single chapter of that book--speaks of the TRIUMPHANT TESTIMONY of God's people--both the Church and Israel--to come forward throughout our history and most definitely at the close of this age. Since the "Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" - Rev. 19:10) - it is altogether clear that such a "testimony" is NOT done in a closet or off in some wilderness, but is straightforward--it must be SPOKEN, TESTIFIED TO, WITNESSED TO, PROPHESIZED ABOUT to every tongue, nation, tribe and people.

I urge you to read again Revelation 10 and 11 and you will see that the Messenger, Who can be none other than the Lamb Himself, commands John the Apostle, to take the "little book" (i.e., the hand-size scroll--which could very well be the book of the seven seals) and, upon hearing the SEVEN THUNDERS, forbids him NOT to write down their thunderous content of judgment--but to take the little book/scroll and to EAT THE BOOK! That it would be bitter in his stomach but sweet in his mouth--NOTE: First bitter, then sweet. But when he ate the book John records: It was sweet in my mouth and made my stomach bitter!

Here is a marvelous truth--first: Upon ingesting the Word--John was then told that he must prophecy to many tribes, tongues, people and nations . . . and then John records Revelation Chapter 11 (remember--there are NO chapter breaks in the Bible--they are artificial). Once one realizes that John stands for every single believer as a TYPE or SYMBOL of what we all must do as believers regarding the Word of God and then TESTIFYING/PROPHESYING, then we can understand the CORPORATE NATURE of our testimony in Revelation 11.

Here, John is given a REED or ROD to measure the Temple--but the word for "Temple" here is the Greek word NAOS -- having to do with a spiritual temple, for the Greek word for the physical temple in Jerusalem is completely different! The temple, the altar and they who worship thereat are to be measured--BUT THE COURT OF THE GENTILES (which in OT times held a measure of "holiness" associated with it) John is told to CAST IT OUT! The Greek word is very powerful here--not just "leave out" but CAST IT OUT. Those Gentiles interested in the religion of Jehovah, but unwilling to be circumcised, will NOT be measured--they have compromised the faith and are not worthy. Instead, it is they (i.e., the Gentiles) who shall "tread underfoot the Holy City for forty-two months."

Indeed, now you can grasp the bitterness first! Yet, the Lord will give power to His TWO WITNESSES, and they shall testify for 1,260 days with unmitigated authority and NOTHING shall harm them! Thus, the "sweetness in the mouth" is realized as they have the power both in the HEAVENS and upon the EARTH--for they are the TWO OLIVE TREES (Israel) and the TWO LAMPSTANDS (the Church). The Word of God is altogether clear--Revelation 11 is the most essential of Bible chapters within this final accounting--for in it we find that the final week of history there is the unmitigated witness and testimony of the TWO WITNESSES PRIOR (i.e., the first half of Daniel's 70th Week) to the "abomination of desolation." Then in the midst of the week that Antichrist shall become, through assassination, and the counterfeit of the resurrection, the very BEAST from the Abyss (incarnated by Satan himself--just as Satan "entered into Judas" to betray Jesus, so shall the Dragon inhabit the "temple" or body of Antichrist) who shall turn upon the "seed of the Woman" - and "make war on the saints, overcome them, and kill them" - and "their body (SINGULAR, in the Greek) shall lie in the street of the Great City (and the Revelation uses this term "Great City" eight separate times and it always refers to Babylon the Great, juxtaposed to the Holy City, New Jerusalem comprised of Israel--the gates bear the names of the 12 tribes of Israel; and the Church--the City's foundations bear the names of the 12 Apostles of the Lamb).

To substantiate the "corporate nature" of the TWO WITNESSES their foes (those who, with the Beast, shall tread the Holy City underfoot for 42 months or 3 1/2 days or time, times and half a time) see these TWO as ONE! Therefore, they, the Gentiles under the sway and MARK of the Antichrist/Beast shall not allow their BODY to be placed in the GRAVE (also singular, not plural) for 3 1/2 days. These are the final 3 1/2 years/days of Daniel's 70th Week--this is the time of our greatest trial but of His most wondrous TESTIMONY. For Peter affirmed John's message in I Peter 1:6-12:

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the PROPHETS have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you (Note: IN YOUR SUFFERING-DWK) - searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into . . . (and I Peter 4:12-16) . . . "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you PARTAKE OF CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS, that when HIS GLORY is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the SPIRIT OF GLORY and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if ANYONE SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter."

Yes, the Old Testament prophets foresaw the GLORIES THAT WILL FOLLOW! They saw that believers would be supplied the grace during trial, the glory--even THE SPIRIT OF GLORY, in the midst of their suffering and tribulation--for what they were living would be the very SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST--the TESTIMONY OF JESUS and it is that SUFFERING, that TESTIMONY that is the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY--for only the FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS has anything of lasting value or of eternity to speak into this present generation! It is not our witness alone we bear--IT IS THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS--it is not our suffering--IT IS THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST--it is not our glory--but it is the SPIRIT OF GLORY AND OF GOD that rests upon us in our tribulation! Paul echoes that expression of our Lord: “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).

So--their BODY in Revelation 11 bears the marks of "open persecution" (i.e., "When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them" - Rev. 11:7). Yes, after they have given their testimony--then there is the RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE--and the SIMULTANEOUS RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH takes place, for:

“. . . after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them . . . THEN the seventh angel sounded. And there were loud voices in heaven saying, 'The kingdoms of this word have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:11-12, 15).

Is not this the RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS? Is not this the PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM and the SECOND ADVENT of our Lord and of His Christ? ABSOLUTELY!

Let us go to the final destination of all Biblical streams which pour into the Revelation and seek the Lord for fresh illumination of His Spirit to account for the TESTIMONY OF JESUS--for in each and every chapter there is the Lamb, His Testimony, his faithful martyrs whose sweet incense ascends to His throne--for they have been crushed, yet is His grace super abounding to them all! Virtually every chapter will cause us to STAND AND DELIVER! This is the Church's finest hour--this is where the Testimony of Jesus must be spoken in prophetic certainty and resolutely given by the authority of the Holy Spirit!

It is altogether certain: John is UPON THE EARTH--it is he that must testify--he is NOT caught in some obscure parenthesis wherein the chronological order does not sustain the accounting of a secret rapture time table--no, no, no---we are called to give such a testimony both then and NOW! For too long have we who believed in the millennium yet to come that a "imminent rapture" called "the blessed hope" would spare a Philadelphian Church FROM the "hour of trial" (Rev. 3:10) that is to try the whole earth--yet, upon the complete context of the Revelation and upon closer examination of the Greek found in Rev. 3:10--we discovered that we are to be kept IN THE HOUR OF TRIAL WHICH IS TO TRY THE WHOLE EARTH!

Corrie Ten Boon knew of this suffering, our Chinese brethren have both known and continue to know this testimony, and our suffering brethren in Pakistan, India, and most assuredly in Darfur, Sudan know of the SPIRIT OF GLORY that rests upon them all--to say nothing of the countless martyrs of Jesus throughout the world today! Is not this grace, supplied by the SPIRIT OF CHRIST, borne by the SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST, under the power of the SPIRIT OF GLORY and OF GOD, sufficient to sustain His people IN all their trials and tribulations—even to confront the very personification of evil in these Last Days? Yes, yes and AMEN--again and again!

"And 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)?

Last week a brother cautioned me that "love is the way" - "I simply love the Lord and I believe we should love one another; therefore, I do not give much credence to prophecy--for even prophecy shall fail." Later I mentioned this: Try to find anything about "love" in the Book of Revelation! Aside from loosing "our first or best love" and not to "love our soul lives unto the death" - there is virtually NOTHING about love as you would expect from John. You might wonder what is going on here because John is the Beloved Apostle of Life and Love! But, when we conclude the Bible--that love turns into action! The very LAMB and the MARTYRS OF JESUS are the actual demonstration of the Love of Christ that constrains us! You talk about love--listen--THE SOULS BENEATH THE ALTAR CRY OUT--and the question ascends: "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from? And I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' So he said to me, 'These are the ones WHO COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, AND WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB" (Rev. 7:13-14).

Just as there is more GOD in the Book of Esther without ever mentioning His Name--so, there is more LOVE in the Revelation without ever mentioning it--its blood-stained marks sprinkle every page of the Revelation!

Well, dear brother, let us pray that the Lord will yet shine more light upon His Living Word--to breath life into His TWO WITNESSES--that we will be all that He desires us to be in these last of the Last Days. It is my hope and prayer that the Scriptures will LEAD THE CHARGE ("for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ" - Rev. 1:9b) and that the Church will once again be set on fire to become His prevailing witness and testimony--for the Great City wherein our Lord was crucified--the city called "Sodom and Egypt"--decries such a witness--but we have this marvelous promise of Revelation 14:14-16 wherein He declares: "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe . . . so He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped" - then commences the final "reaping of the Grapes of Wrath" (Rev. 14:17-20).

We have "seen and heard" this for a reason--the Lord will not leave us alone in this hour--the "perseverance of the saints" calls out to us to give our all in this most desperate hour--our blessed hope is all we need: EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS!

Below, I have taken the liberty to copy and paste this outstanding website which documents the “Martyrs of Jesus” throughout the world—yes, virtually an impossible task, but Sammy Tippit Ministries attempts to bring our awareness of our brethren throughout the earth upon whom the SPIRIT OF GLORY abides! Tippit also links to two other excellent sites: “The Cry of the Lion’s Den”

(www.tidalweb.com/lions_den/) and “Voice of the Martyrs” to which The Tribulation Network already links (www.persecution.com). (Note: Sammy Tippit is an ordained Southern Baptist Minister of the Gospel.)

"A Vietnamese pastor was picked up by police. Brutal officers seriously beat him. They kicked out his teeth. Then they dragged him to jail. Instead of a normal cell, they seated him in a three-foot-square box in the prison yard. For 100 days, he received only one small cup of water and one bowl of rice each day...At one point, a poisonous snake crawled into the box with him. As it coiled across his body, he prayed, 'God, if it is your will, let this snake bite me so that my suffering will end.' He's out of prison now. He has recovered and is still serving as a pastor, despite the risks."

This is an excerpt from a web site which informs people of the intense persecution of Christians found all over the world. Other stories include two daughters from an Indonesian family being brutally beaten and raped by a minimum of seven local mob members. One of the daughters was repeatedly stabbed in her stomach and then killed because "she kept fighting...and because she spit on one of them."

Another story is of a Christian in China, who was tortured by being forced to eat "Three-Flavored Stew." This toxic mixture consists of human feces, urine, and dirty soap water. It is given to Christian prisoners as a form of psychological torture. Another Christian in China was tormented with an electric drill. He can no longer be found.

Story after story, picture after picture...there are countless tales of these horrors of persecution located in every part of the globe. In fact, "The Cry in the Lion's Den" (www.tidalweb.com/lions_den/) web site estimated that there were 160,000 Christians martyred in 1996. This averages out to more than 400 people per day. They also said that "countless others were raped, beaten, tortured, and subjected to unimaginable horrors."

But yet, here in the comfort of our beautiful homes, our fancy cars, and in the mist of our loving families, we barely give these stories a second thought. During the daily golf game or the weekly ritual of watching ER, our minds certainly do not wander into thinking of the atrocities that are probably being performed at that very moment. And when we do hear these reports, our initial reaction is to say, "That is horrible! That is just so sad!" And then feel an obligatory sense of sorrow, say for maybe an hour, or even a day. But then we get caught up in the mundane routine again and the painful scenarios are almost forgotten until the next time we happen to stumble across such a report.

In its 1998 special issue, the Voice of the Martyrs (www.persecution.com) listed 42 countries where persecution is placed on Christians. These countries range from Afghanistan to Yemen. All of these countries have either arrested, imprisoned, physically tortured, or murdered innocent Christians. In China, police raided a church in Zhaosu County.

"The Cry in the Lion's Den" web site estimated that there were 160,000 Christians martyred in 1996. This averages out to more than 400 people per day.

Several of the church members were cruelly beaten and had boiling water thrown in their faces, when they would not comply with police orders. In Laos, at the conclusion of a 22-day evangelistic campaign, the persecution began. A young leader in the church was "publicly bound in chains and placed in a pit for four days." He is now under house arrest until the 100 people who professed Christ recant their faith. Twenty-five have, seventy-five have not. In Mauritania, it is illegal for anyone to confess Christ. If they do, their punishment is the death penalty. In Pakistan, there is a story of a girl named Saleema. She is a 17-year-old Christian who witnessed to an 18-year-old Muslim girl, Raheela. Raheela accepted Christ, and hence, her parents had Saleema and their pastor arrested. They were both severely beaten and tortured. And then, the unthinkable. Raheela's own family had her killed and charged Saleema with the murder. The charges were eventually reduced to "converting a Muslim." Saleema was released in bail in August 1997, and is currently in hiding with her family because of threats on her life.

And the list goes on and on. The stories are never-ending. There are actually people out there who are being burned, whose bones are being broken, whose heads are being decapitated, and whose bodies are being dragged through the streets while tied to the bumper of a car. It is gruesome. It is demented. And it is really happening. Yet, they still are faithful. They still hold claim to their first true love.

The United States Government recently ignored a bill that would have publicly named the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and suggested a fit punishment. It could also have given the President a variety of options on how to deal with these tyrannical countries, from a diplomatic rebuke to enforcing strict economic sanctions. The bill was overwhelmingly supported in the House - a vote of 375 to 41. But according to the New York Times, "the President and foreign trade lobbies, working tight together, think they killed the bill in the Senate." Republican Senator Chuck Hage, who is voting against the bill, confirmed this by saying, "There is not a Senator who is not opposed to religious persecution. But in foreign policy, you rarely have the opportunity to choose between all good and all bad."

So, what can Christians do now? How can we act? We can begin by getting on our knees. We can become informed. We can write letters to anybody and everybody in Washington, demanding the freedom for these prisoners of war. The majority of us have no idea what it is like to be brutally attacked, paraded up and down the streets naked, severely beaten, or face the death of murdered loved one. Most of us have never been threatened with our lives. Ayoob Mosih is one such man. He was sentenced to death in Pakistan for blaspheming Mohammed. The story goes that he was outside of his house, quietly reading his Bible. A Muslim man approached him and began to mock him. They then started a discussion on religion. A mob of angry Muslims soon came up and attacked Ayoob and his brother, Samsoon. Ayoob was arrested and now has a bounty on his head for $10,000. He is in an isolation cell, which is six feet long and four feet wide.

This is a story of a true martyr. It is a picture of someone who gave up his comfort, his freedom, his home, his family, and subsequently his life. And all for the sincerity of the words of Jesus Christ. So, before we give our typical, token prayers for the ones in need, Christians need to begin to put faces and names to these people and start a fervent prayer life for their lives and safety. Christians need to pray that we also can be brave, faithful, and dedicated, like our bothers and sisters around the globe. And know what we might have to give up and REALLY prepare ourselves to let go of anything and everything for the sake of the call.