Hello All
We are told this by Jesus
[9]When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne;[10] they cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?"[11] Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
So how were these people killed and for what???? Because we know that
[14] I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
These are the others that are to die as they had died.
And We know they died for "for the word of God and for the witness they had borne;"
So when James says
[7]Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it until it receives the early and the late rain.
We know he was talking about this same second great persecution of Saints. So wouldn't it be helpful to know exactly how and for what these people died.
Remember this is Rome. The rule of Law is everything it is the Pride of Rome. People are not put to death for no reason. You had to break a law.....unless you were a slave of course.
So what law did early Christians break? Well they broke the Law of Sacrifice and burning Incense publicly and stating Caesar is Lord. The punishment was in fact death.
That is why Paul says this to the Church in Rome
[9] because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
It is not if you put a big sign up saying Jesus is Lord you will be saved. It is is when the Authorities demand that you do and say the Sacrifice you refuse to say Caesar is Lord instead saying Jesus is Lord you will be saved. You know
[25] He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
So how did the Roman Authorities catch you? Well that was easy they put guards up at the Market square entrances and no one could enter the morkets to buy and sell without proof of Sacrifice.
Here is one that survived
Here is what it says
“To the Commissioners of Sacrifice of the Village of Alexander’s Island:
From Aurelius Diogenes, the son of Satabus, of the Village of Alexander’s Island, aged 72 years: ---scar on his right eyebrow.
I have always sacrificed regularly to the gods, and now, in your presence, in accordance with the edict, I have done sacrifice, and poured the drink offering, and tasted of the sacrifices, and I request you to certify the same. Farewell.
-----Handed in by me, Aurelius Diogenes.
-----I certify that I saw him sacrificing [signature obliterated].
Done in the first year of the Emperor, Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius Pius Felix Augustus, second of the month Epith. [June 26, 250 A.D.]
Guards stood at the market place entrance and you could not enter without this certificate. We even have examples of Christians buying these certificates to be able to buy and sell goods without actually sacrificing to the gods.
If you were caught in public without this certificate you were brought before the magistrate and ordered to say Caesar is Lord and sacrifice to the Gods. If you did not you were put to death in the arena.
Here is an example of this in 203 Ad The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity 203
6. Another day as we were at meal we were suddenly snatched away to be tried; and we came to the forum. Therewith a report spread abroad through the parts near to the forum, and a very great multitude gathered together. We went up to the tribunal. The others being asked, confessed. So they came to me. And my father appeared there also, with my son, and would draw me from the step, saying: Perform the Sacrifice; have mercy on the child. And Hilarian the procurator - he that after the death of Minucius Timinian the proconsul had received in his room the right and power of the sword - said: Spare your father's grey hairs; spare the infancy of the boy. Make sacrifice for the Emperors' prosperity. And I answered: I am a Christian. And when my father stood by me yet to cast down my faith, he was bidden by Hilarian to be cast down and was smitten with a rod. And I sorrowed for my father's harm as though I had been smitten myself; so sorrowed I for his unhappy old age. Then Hilarian passed sentence upon us all and condemned us to the beasts; and cheerfully we went down to the dungeon.
So what we know is that the Saints and Martyrs under the Alter were found because they did not have the certificate of sacrifice, then they were brought forth for trial they refused to say Caesar is Lord...... instead Doing as Paul told them............. saying Jesus is Lord and thus they were killed.
Since the Saints of the Great tribulation are to be killed as these were killed we are told in very certain terms what this mark is and how it will manifest itself in our lives.
We will all be forced to swear an oath and say that the AC is Jesus returned……………..if we refuse we will be killed………………..if we do not have this government paper attesting to our oath we will not be able to buy or sell.
We are told this by Jesus
[9]When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne;[10] they cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?"[11] Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
So how were these people killed and for what???? Because we know that
[14] I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
These are the others that are to die as they had died.
And We know they died for "for the word of God and for the witness they had borne;"
So when James says
[7]Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it until it receives the early and the late rain.
We know he was talking about this same second great persecution of Saints. So wouldn't it be helpful to know exactly how and for what these people died.
Remember this is Rome. The rule of Law is everything it is the Pride of Rome. People are not put to death for no reason. You had to break a law.....unless you were a slave of course.
So what law did early Christians break? Well they broke the Law of Sacrifice and burning Incense publicly and stating Caesar is Lord. The punishment was in fact death.
That is why Paul says this to the Church in Rome
[9] because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
It is not if you put a big sign up saying Jesus is Lord you will be saved. It is is when the Authorities demand that you do and say the Sacrifice you refuse to say Caesar is Lord instead saying Jesus is Lord you will be saved. You know
[25] He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
So how did the Roman Authorities catch you? Well that was easy they put guards up at the Market square entrances and no one could enter the morkets to buy and sell without proof of Sacrifice.
Here is one that survived
Here is what it says
“To the Commissioners of Sacrifice of the Village of Alexander’s Island:
From Aurelius Diogenes, the son of Satabus, of the Village of Alexander’s Island, aged 72 years: ---scar on his right eyebrow.
I have always sacrificed regularly to the gods, and now, in your presence, in accordance with the edict, I have done sacrifice, and poured the drink offering, and tasted of the sacrifices, and I request you to certify the same. Farewell.
-----Handed in by me, Aurelius Diogenes.
-----I certify that I saw him sacrificing [signature obliterated].
Done in the first year of the Emperor, Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius Pius Felix Augustus, second of the month Epith. [June 26, 250 A.D.]
Guards stood at the market place entrance and you could not enter without this certificate. We even have examples of Christians buying these certificates to be able to buy and sell goods without actually sacrificing to the gods.
If you were caught in public without this certificate you were brought before the magistrate and ordered to say Caesar is Lord and sacrifice to the Gods. If you did not you were put to death in the arena.
Here is an example of this in 203 Ad The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity 203
6. Another day as we were at meal we were suddenly snatched away to be tried; and we came to the forum. Therewith a report spread abroad through the parts near to the forum, and a very great multitude gathered together. We went up to the tribunal. The others being asked, confessed. So they came to me. And my father appeared there also, with my son, and would draw me from the step, saying: Perform the Sacrifice; have mercy on the child. And Hilarian the procurator - he that after the death of Minucius Timinian the proconsul had received in his room the right and power of the sword - said: Spare your father's grey hairs; spare the infancy of the boy. Make sacrifice for the Emperors' prosperity. And I answered: I am a Christian. And when my father stood by me yet to cast down my faith, he was bidden by Hilarian to be cast down and was smitten with a rod. And I sorrowed for my father's harm as though I had been smitten myself; so sorrowed I for his unhappy old age. Then Hilarian passed sentence upon us all and condemned us to the beasts; and cheerfully we went down to the dungeon.
So what we know is that the Saints and Martyrs under the Alter were found because they did not have the certificate of sacrifice, then they were brought forth for trial they refused to say Caesar is Lord...... instead Doing as Paul told them............. saying Jesus is Lord and thus they were killed.
Since the Saints of the Great tribulation are to be killed as these were killed we are told in very certain terms what this mark is and how it will manifest itself in our lives.
We will all be forced to swear an oath and say that the AC is Jesus returned……………..if we refuse we will be killed………………..if we do not have this government paper attesting to our oath we will not be able to buy or sell.
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