“I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,
the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.”
Revelation 17:6
In many translations, the key phrase I’ve honed in on for the title of this devotional is stated as “the blood of the saints”. When I first thought of writing a devotional about the persecution against believers mentioned in the Bible, this phrase immediately popped into my mind. It is so powerful to me, for we are saved by the blood of Jesus, and many have and will have the opportunity to repay that eternal act of kindness with their own blood.
The Greek word for persecute is diōkō. It means to put to flight, drive away, or pursue. It is also sometimes the word thlibō, which means to press, squeeze, or crush. You get the point. To persecute, as it relates to our study, means to pursue, harass, and oppress followers of Christ.
Let me share with you my two primary purposes for writing this devotional. But first, let me tell you what you will not find in this study. This is not a collection of modern-day stories or quotes from wise people about persecution. It is not meant to be comprehensive; this is a devotional, not a book. Lastly, it is not meant to depress you, but rather to inspire and encourage your faith into action.
Here is what I am trying to accomplish with this devotional and the other devotionals I’ve written before it: I’m trying to motivate you to dive deeper into God’s Word. It is to inform you of the recurrent theme of persecution that often comes with a life of service to the Lord. And in the here and now, I am trying to prepare you and the American Church for the rising threat of persecution on our own soil. The precursors are already here and growing.
We will look at persecution in the Old and New Testament, at End Times persecution, and close with warnings and guidance that Jesus and others like Paul give for us today. Not surprisingly, persecution is discussed in much greater volume in the New Testament, so we’ll spend a good bit of time studying there.
Whenever possible, I will share some practical application for you to consider. Until such a day when persecution is found within our own borders, we need this practical application. We also need to prepare ourselves for the future. It doesn’t take a genius to see that America is in a post-Christian era, and hostility is growing.
So why should you study persecution? The path of the church throughout history is paved with the blood of the saints. One day you might be persecuted too. One day you might be martyred. It is wise, then, to at least be as knowledgeable and as spiritually prepared as possible. With that in mind, let’s get started…