Have you thought much about actually facing the moment you know you are dying or about to die? How do you think you will feel? Afraid? Peaceful? Confident? Relieved? Excited?

As I get older (soon to be 75), I think a lot about facing death. I watched my dad face death when the docs told him he had 2 years to live (72 at the time) and there was no cure for his lung disease. I think he found a much deeper faith and peace during that 2 years. I watched my mom die at 90? I think she was relieved. She told me, “I am tired of living (b/c of the pain)”? She was ready to go. I watched my wife’s dad die of Alzheimer’s. As many of you know, a terrible way to die. A self made man, WWII vet, always the one who was strong and took care of others. But left to have others take care of him and be totally dependent on others with no quality of life.

Of course, I don’t know how I will die. Many have died for their faith over the 2,000 years of Christian history. Jesus spoke of those killed by the Jews for their faith in the Old Testament. Matthew 23:²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. ³³ You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? ³⁴ Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, ³⁵ so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. ³⁶ Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.” God avenged the death of those martyrs in 70 AD when He sent the Romans to destory the temple and Jerusalem, killing one million wicked Jews. Abel, Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-21 a Zechariah son of Jehoida was stoned for condemning the sins of the king but he wasn’t the son of Barachiah so who is the Zechariah Jesus spoke of?), Uriah (killed by King Jehoiakim in Jeremiah 26:20-23), Isaiah (if tradition is true and he was sawn into, Hebrews 11:37), and many others that we don’t know about. Elijah spoke of martyrs: 1 Kings 19:⁹ There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰ He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” Wicked Jezebel killed the prophets: 1 Kings 18:⁴ and when Jezebel cut off (karath: To cut, cut off, cut down, make a covenant: probably means killed in this verse b/c Obadiah hid 100 prophets from her) the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.)

John the Baptist was beheaded for condemning Herod’s marriage. Stephen was the first New Testament martyr for faith in Jesus that we know about (Acts 7), followed by James the apostle (Acts 12), Antipas (Rev 2:12,13). Tradition says that Paul was beheaded by Nero and Peter was crucified upside down, considering himself to be unworthy of dying in exact same manner that Jesus died. Tradition says that all the apostles died a martyr’s death (https://www.usfra.org/groups/ChaplainsCorner/blogs/how-the-apostles-died). John the apostle died a martyr’s death contrary to many saying that he lived to the age of 100 and died a peaceful death. Jesus predicted his martyrdom (Mark 10:39 And Jesus said to them (i.e. the apostle brothers James and John), “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,” That cup can only be death since Jesus prayed in the Garden “Father, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39). The early church father Papias (60-130 AD said that John the apostle did die a martyrs death by a group of Jews. He doesn’t give the date of John’s death, but he says that John died a martyr just as Jesus predicted for the 2 brothers. I think the time of his death could only be before 70 AD when the Jews had the ability to kill Christians. Tradition says they killed James the Lord’s brother just before 70 AD. The Jews would not have been able to martry Cristians around 100 AD. Be that as it may, he died a martyr’s death of else Jesus’s prediction was false. John’s brother James the apostle died a martyr in Acts 12. BTW this tells us that all of John’s gospel and letters (1,2,3 John and Revelation) were written before he died before 70 AD.

Then there were the famous martyrs of early Christian history. Polycarp of Smyrna in 203 AD: According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to consume his body. Justin Martyr in 165 AD. Perpetua and Felicity (her slave servant who was pregant): Perpetua, age 22; had an infant son (still nursing, but gave the child to Christians to keep), killed at military games in honor of the emperor. The 40 martyrs of Sebaste: in 320 AD: this story is so interesting that I am quoting it from Wikipedia:”According to Basil, forty soldiers who had openly confessed themselves Christians were condemned by the prefect to be exposed naked upon a frozen pond near Sebaste on a bitterly cold night, that they might freeze to death. Among the confessors, one yielded and, leaving his companions, sought the warm baths near the lake which had been prepared for any who might prove inconstant. Upon immersion into the cauldron, the one who yielded went into shock and immediately died. One of the guards, Aglaius, was set to keep watch over the martyrs and beheld at this moment a supernatural brilliancy overshadowing them. He at once proclaimed himself a Christian, threw off his garments, and joined the remaining thirty-nine.^[3] Thus the number of forty remained complete. At daybreak, the stiffened bodies of the confessors, which still showed signs of life, were burned and the ashes cast into a river. Christians, however, collected the precious remains, and the relics were distributed throughout many cities. Veneration of the Forty Martyrs became widespread.^[1]  “Forty Martyrs of Sebaste”. Oxford Reference. Retrieved 10 March 2024. Agnes of Rome: A virgin, her high-ranking suitors, slighted by her resolute devotion to religious purity, sought to persecute her for her beliefs. Her father urged her to deny God, but she refused, and she was dragged naked through the streets to a brothel, then tried and sentenced to death. She was eventually beheaded,” in 304 AD. (Wikipedia)

The Middle Ages: Jan Huss: 1415, he was burned at the stake for heresy against the teachings of the Catholic Church. Joan of Arc: She was put on trial by Bishop Pierre Cauchon on accusations of heresy, which included blaspheming by wearing men’s clothes, acting upon visions that were demonic, and refusing to submit her words and deeds to the judgment of the church. She was declared guilty and burned at the stake on 30 May 1431, aged about nineteen. Girolamo Savonarola: In 1498 he was condemned, hanged and his body burned. William Tyndale:

The Reformation Period. Willaim Tyndate: Tyndale “was strangled to death^[e] while tied at the stake, and then his dead body was burned”.^[43] His final words, spoken “at the stake with a fervent zeal, and a loud voice”, were reported later as “Lord! Open the King of England’s eyes.”^[44][45]

While the aforementioned martyrs are some of the most famous martyrs, the statistics for modern Christian martyrdom is unbelievable. Here is a great site: http://theestherproject.com/statistics/

Sharing some of those stats from that site: More than 70 million Christians have been martyred in the course of history (some question that statistic, saying that much of the killing was ethnic related than Christian martyrdom). More than half were martyred in the 20th century under communist and fascist government (Gordon-Conwell Resources).In the 21st century, roughly 100,000  to 160,000 Christians were killed each year (Gordon-Conwell Resources and World Christian Database, respectively). Roughly 1,093,000 Christians were martyred, worldwide, between 2000 and 2010 (World Christian Database). 800,000 Christians were targeted for their faith and martyred in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1998 and 2007, in the time surrounding their civil war (World Christian Database). Roughly 50,000 Christians were martyred during the North-South Sudan violence that officially ended in 2003 (World Christian Database). An estimated 700,000 Christians were killed in North Korean prison camps between 1948 and 1987 (Crimson Crucible).

The organization Voice of the Martyrs has since 1967 been telling the story of persecuted Christians all over the world, inspiring efforts to relieve their suffering in many ways. The organization was founded by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor who experienced severe persecution under the communist regime in his country, which likely influenced the choice of the name. Indeed, many of the VOM stories are martyrs, killed for their faith. After all, 322 Christians are killed for their faith worldwide each month.

This article began as my own feelings about facing my death. Reading my own research about Christian martyrs, past and present, makes me a little ashamed. All those martyrs courageously died for their faith, looking forward to eternal life with God. I don’t think any of them ever had any doubts about how they would face death. Hebrews 12:Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. “For the joy set before Him”. I never thought of it like this, but Jesus was a martyr. Early Christians considered Jesus to be the first and greatest martyr because of his crucifixion. Someone might disagree with that b/c Jesus said that his was giving up his life voluntarily (John 10:¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”), but he was still killed for his faith in the Father, so I think that is martyrdom.

How did Jesus face death? Matthew 26:36-46 New American Standard Bible

The Garden of Gethsemane

³⁶ Then Jesus *came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and *told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed. ³⁸ Then He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”

³⁹ And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” ⁴⁰ And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and He *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? ⁴¹ Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done.” ⁴³ Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. ⁴⁵ Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Get up, let’s go; behold, the one who is betraying Me is near!”

“Deeply grieved and distressed to the point of death”. (AI) “Jesus was suffering in his soul and body, overwhelmed and sorrowful as he was betrayed and abandoned. He experienced grief, rejection, humiliation, and ridicule. He opened himself to hatred and hostility, persecution, and threats on his life”. From Christina Williams: “He confesses a deeply troubled state of mind. Jesus describes this as being so distressed that He almost feels the emotion would kill Him. Jesus’ language describing His distress resembles some of what David wrote in the Psalms. For instance, David wrote in Psalm 143:3–4, “For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.” Jesus even felt forsaken by the Father. “My God, my God, what hast thou forsaken me?” He knew he was volunteering to die for the sins of the world. He knew he was doing it for His Father. He was “taking one for the team”. He was obeying the Father. Hebrews 5:^{7 ”} In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸ Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. ⁹ And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” The Hebrew writer adds “with loud cries and tears” to the gospel accounts of that last night in the Garden of Gethsemane. How loud were his cries in the Garden? The disciples still didn’t wake up. Can you just imagine that scene? Your friend and master is “a little ways” off from you. He has told you to “keep watch” for him. He is crying “loudly” in agony, and yet you fall asleep. Jesus returns and rebukes them, and goes off again. 3 times he this is repeated, and you fall asleep each time. Truly, “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”.

Jesus found no “joy” while he suffered and while he was being crucified. But “for the joy set before him”, knowing that after his death he would be raised from the dead and ascend back to the Father to be restored to the glory he had with the Father before the world began. John 17:⁴ I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” He no doubt kept thinking about that as he was suffering on the cross.

I hope that I would have the courage to die as a martyr for my faith if it came to that. In America, I don’t think we really think that is possible. In North Korea, for example, that is a real possibility. Maybe I will die by an accident of some kind, but most likely I will some day die of some disease. Again, I can’t predict who I will handle that. Hopefully, my thoughts about this world will leave me. I won’t be worried about things b/c they won’t matter any more. I won’t be worried about “what if” b/c the “what if” is finally here. Time to face the music. Hopefully my thoughts will focus on the “joy set before me”, the joy of eternal life. The joy of seeing my parents again. Will we know each other? I don’t know, but I think so. The joy of being reunited with other loved ones and people I helped lead to Jesus over the years. Hopefully with the courage to face death that will be an example to my kids and grandkids and others to encourage them to give their lives to Jesus to prepare for their death some day.

This article was for me, but I hope it was encouraging for you.