Being Worthy of Thy Brethren
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” – Revelation 12:11
Many inspiring accounts exist of those who held stalwart to their faith during the period of the Roman persecution of Christians from the first century and thereafter. There are also stirring stories of those who held fast their faith at other periods as well.
Antiochus Epiphanes (215-164), an evil Seleucid ruler of whom the prophet Daniel spoke (Daniel 9), persecuted the Jews during the intertestamental period of history. Most of what is known of Antiochus and his exploits of the Jews is recorded in the works of the Jewish historian Josephus and in some of the Apocrypha.
While the books of the Apocrypha do not bear the marks of inspiration and are therefore not part of the canon of the Bible, they do contain the sentiments of the people of that time period and some possible bits of historical data.
One interesting story is recorded in 2 Maccabees 7. According to this text, Antiochus was holding an idolatrous feast in which various subjects were being very grievously tormented.
Antiochus is primarily remembered for his offering swine upon the altar in Jerusalem (the abomination of desolation to which Daniel makes reference). In the story of 2 Maccabees, Antiochus was trying to force seven brothers to eat swine. If they refused, they would receive a torturous death in the presence of their mother.
All they would have to do was to take a bite of the forbidden food, and their lives would be spared. Yet, each of the sons was taken, and upon encouragement from their mother, they endured the torture of their tormentors and met their deaths for their refusal to deny their faith.
To each son, their mother said, “I cannot tell you how you came into my womb; for I neither gave you breath nor life, neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you; But doubtless the Creator of the world, who formed the generation of man, and found out the beginning of all things, will also of his own mercy give you breath and life again” (2 Maccabees 7:22-23).
As her last son came to face the tormentors, she came to him and spoke to him in Hebrew saying, “I beseech thee, my son, look upon the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, and consider that God made them of things that were not; and so was mankind made likewise. Fear not this tormentor, but, being worthy of thy brethren, take thy death, that I may receive thee again in mercy with thy brethren” (2 Maccabees 7:28-29).
Upon these words, the young man gave his life after which his mother did likewise. What an example of faith! May our faith in the power of God be this strong. May it not fail nor falter in the face of adversity or in the place and periods of privilege. The apostle John exhorted, “but be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10)
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Devotional, Michael Carter
on September 28th, 2008
