INTRODUCTION

A martyr is one who is killed for his faith. Only two individuals are specifically named as martyrs in scripture, Stephen (Acts 22:20And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
See All...) and Antipas (Revelation 2:13I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
See All...). The word itself appears only three times, twice in the singular form and once in the plural form, but each time great effort is taken to associate the martyr(s) with the Saviour ("thy martyr" - Acts 22:20And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
See All...; "my. . . martyr" - Revelation 2:13I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
See All...; "the martyrs of Jesus" - Revelation 17:6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
See All...). Scripture provides few details concerning the life of Antipas, but what is mentioned speaks volumes. He was a faithful man who was slain for his faith. He was a man who, like the believers at Pergamos, held fast the Lord’s name and did not deny the faith.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Many people in the Bible had faith in God and chose to die for that faith rather than take back their message or say they didn't believe. Consider these examples: 2 Chronicles 24:20-21 [20] And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. [21] And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
  See All...; Matthew 14:3-10 [3] For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. [4] For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. [5] And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. [6] But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. [7] Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. [8] And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. [9] And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. [10] And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
  See All...; Hebrews 11:35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
  See All...b; Revelation 6:9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
  See All...; Revelation 20:4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: 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.
  See All....
• A man must meet two requirements in order to be identified as a martyr; He must be a man of faith, and he must die for that faith. How do we know these things are true of Antipas?
• Why is it such a beautiful truth that the Lord’s martyrs are associated with Him each time in scripture? How does this demonstrate that Christ takes special ownership of His martyrs?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Thank God for those who have loved Him enough to die for Him.
• Ask the Lord to give you a deeper love for Him.

HYMN

Pardon Me, O My God

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