Elijah’s government had killed God’s prophets and ruined places where God was worshiped. His government put a price on his head. He felt overwhelmed because he thought he was the only one left in his country that was testifying for the Lord. But, in fact, the Lord had 7,000 others who were testifying for Him. God gave them grace not to deny Him. God’s mercy on them was the difference maker. They were saved by God’s grace and not by their works. They transferred their trust from self or others to God alone.
“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.” [2]
Those who overcome the dragon (Satan) do so by the blood of the Lamb. The blood of the Lamb (Jesus Messiah) cleanses us from sin by which the devil tries to claim us as belonging to him.
Those who overcome Satan do so by the word of their testimony. John speaks of the testimony of Jesus Christ. “John… bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ.” “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” “I fell at his [the angel’s] feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’” [3]
Those who overcome Satan do so because God has given them grace not to love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Normally, people want to live not die, but God’s grace empowers professors of Jesus Christ to prefer death over denial.
“Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.” [4]
While some would not consider martyrdom a victory of God’s grace, it is just that. “Martyr” is the Greek word for a witness. In the context of the Bible, a martyr is someone who testifies for Jesus Christ: that He is the One God the Father sent to save us from our sin! It was Jesus who spoke by the prophet saying, “I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior.” The angels of God testify for Jesus saying, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” [5]
When we stand for Jesus Christ, He stands for us. Jesus said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” When Stephen was in process of dying for His testimony about Jesus, the Lord gave him a vision. In the vision, he saw Jesus standing for him. “He, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” [6]
So, remember this! God’s grace in the last days is to testify that Jesus Christ is your Savior from sin, and to do so, even if and when threatened with pain or death for doing so. This is what the believing remnant does in the last days. We testify for Jesus Christ. And praise the Lord! He testifies of us as He did to Elijah when He said to Him, “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.” [7]
[1] Romans 11:2-6, 32
[2] Revelation 12:11
[3] Revelation 1:1-2; 1:9; 19:10
[4] Hebrews 11:35-38
[5] Isaiah 43:11; Luke 2:11
[6] Matthew 10:32; Acts 7:55
[7] Romans 11:4-5
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