Tribulation, Martyrs

Who are the martyrs of the Tribulation? Jewish Tribulational believers will be martyred because of their testimony and because they will fail to follow instructions. All Jews are told to flee to the mountains in the middle of the Tribulation. Rev. 12:11; Matt. 24:9; Matt. 24:13-27.

“"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.” (Revelation 12:11, NASB)

“"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” (Matthew 24:9, NASB)

“"Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. "Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house.” (Matthew 24:15-17, NASB)

“"Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. "Behold, I have told you in advance.” (Matthew 24:23-25, NASB)

Gentile believers who will be the converts of the 144,000 witnesses will be martyred and will be found in heaven where they will “hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore.” Rev. 7:9; Rev. 7:14-17.

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;” (Revelation 7:9, NASB)

“I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."” (Revelation 7:14-17, NASB)

The Two Witnesses, Moses and Elijah, will also be martyred in Revelation 11:7-9.

“When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.” (Revelation 11:7-9, NASB)

Prayers of Martyrs

The souls of the martyred believers will be in heaven where they cry out for judgment. Rev. 6:9-11.

“When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.” (Revelation 6:9-11, NASB)

Their last act of faith-rest will be their imprecatory prayers (prayers of revenge) in which dying believers in the Tribulation are going to turn over matters of vengeance to the Lord. They will pray that God's justice will be administered according to His will. Rev. 8:3-5; Rom. 12:19.

“Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.” (Revelation 8:3-5, NASB)

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19, NASB)

These believers will apply faith-rest to the maximum. Rev. 14:12-1.

“Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."” (Revelation 14:12-13, NASB)

They will have great impact for Christ in this dying period. They will die under the principle of dying grace, knowing that the Lord will handle the situation. They will put their problems in the Lord’s hands. Rev. 13:10; Psalms 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7.

“If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.” (Revelation 13:10, NASB)

“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (Psalms 55:22, NASB)

“casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NASB)

Believers’ Victory Over the Beast Before Martyrdom

Not all believers will be martyred in the Tribulation. Many will be martyred and many will survive to enter the Millennium. For those who refuse to worship the Beast’s image and refuse the mark of the Beast, they will be martyred. However, before they are killed, they will have achieved spiritual victory over the Beast in three areas.

They will have victory over “the beast” which refers to the pressure of personality. The Dictator of the Revived Roman Empire will have a very scintillating personality, like his master - Satan. The believers will have this victory because of Bible doctrine in their souls that will be applied under the most difficult situations imaginable. Rev. 15:2.

“And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.” (Revelation 15:2, NASB)

They will have victory over “his image” which refers to religious and economic pressure. Wherever the ecumenical religious system of the Tribulation exists, there will be a statue of this dictator. These believers will realize that ritual without reality is meaningless. They will also have victory over “the number of his name” which refers to public opinion pressure.

God’s Judgment

No one ever enslaves a child of God or kills a child of God without God taking care of the matter. Rev. 13:10.

Religious people will be responsible for shedding the blood of Tribulational believers. Rev. 16:2; Rev. 16:6.

“So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.” (Revelation 16:2, NASB)

“for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it."” (Revelation 16:6, NASB)

The Dictator of the Revived Roman Empire is mentioned specifically. Rev. 13:7.

“It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.” (Revelation 13:7, NASB)

The Vial Judgments will be against religion and its adherents. Rev. 13:6.

“And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.” (Revelation 13:6, NASB)

The Sixth Trumpet Judgment will be specifically against those who killed believers in the Tribulation. Vial Judgments will be against religion and those who adhere to it. Rev. 9:13-21.

“And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.” (Revelation 9:15-16, NASB)

“The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.” (Revelation 9:20-21, NASB)

The Believer’s Victory in Eternity

The victory song for all believers will be sung in eternity. The martyred believers will get a resurrection body at the Second Advent and reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years. Rev. 15:3-4; Rev. 20:4.

“And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."” (Revelation 15:3-4, NASB)

“Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4, NASB)