The tragic images of 21 Egyptian men about to be beheaded is a horrific example of how hostile the world we live in has become. The primary reason given by the radical Islamist’s for their act of barbarism was the Christian faith which their victims professed.

Reportedly:

• These young men were in their early to mid-20s. They went to Libya in search of work to help feed their families living under the poverty line in Egypt.
• In the days and weeks leading up to their deaths, their ISIS captors tortured them and attempted to persuade them to deny Jesus in return for living.
• They all refused to deny Christ.
• They all died on that beach singing songs to Jesus.

It’s hard to fathom how a religion could be so convoluted as to provoke such cold hearted wickedness. However, if we believe the bible we know that such despicable events will intensify as the end time world rushes toward its cataclysmic climax. Matter of fact, given a prophetical preview of the tribulation period the Apostle John wrote in Revelation 20;

“and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

We no longer have to wonder who will be responsible for such atrocities. Clearly this is a global jihad that will not be subdued until the Lord Jesus returns and rules this world with a rod of iron.

I’m reminded of our Lord’s promise to the suffering church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:10; …. “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”