The Blood of the Martyrs

296 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:6-8, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” Paul adds to the urgency of his charges to young Timothy by reminding him that the ball will soon be in his court. One commentator sums up these noble words of Paul this way: “The sun is setting blood red, but it shot through with golden glory!” What a beautiful picture of the death of a martyr. Indeed, what a beautiful picture of all who die in Jesus! The blood red struggles of the flesh are finally over and the saint is ushered into the golden glory of heaven! It is as Jesus assured the thief on the cross in Lu 23:43, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Of course, all shedding of human blood is an abomination to the Lord (Prov 6:16,17) and it doesn't go unnoticed. Abel's blood cried out to Him from the ground. (Gen 4:10). But the blood of the martyrs gets special attention from God as we read in Rev 6:9-11, “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 testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” God's keeping track of His martyrs, and every time a child of God is martyred, we are that much closer to the end. A time when the blood red sunsets of God's children are shot through with golden glory once and for all. In spite of the seriousness of the sin of shedding innocent blood, it is important to remember that there is no sin that Jesus did not die for on the cross. Paul, who became a martyr himself was guilty of the sin of spilling the blood of some of God's precious martyrs, proving anew that through faith in Jesus all our sins are forgiven. Even the shedding of innocent blood!