Tragic Death

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints

Psalm 116:15 (KJV)

Last week two of my contacts shared something with me on WhatsApp. It was a write up titled 'How the Apostles Died' coming at a time when I have been sharing on the reproach of widowhood it meant a lot to me. In my last two posts I mentioned that one of the factors that encourage reproach or stigma against widows is the fact that in many traditional settings and sadly even in many Christian circles in Nigeria when person dies a tragic death in an accident, suicide,  murder etc it is considered a bad omen. The write up shows that those who hold these beliefs are so far from the truth.

I am sharing this write up on how the Apostles died to encourage you if you have lost a loved one who loved the Lord and people want to make you feel bad because of how they died know it that every death of a believer is precious in God's sight He knows it will happen and He allowed it not because He doesn't love you or them but for reasons best known to Him. ( Sometimes the Lord may choose to reveal to us the whys while other times He chooses not to but wants us to trust Him in it all ). If anyone deserved to die peacefully surrounded by family it was these great men and founding fathers of the Christian faith. Did it mean they failed or sinned? Definitely  not. I know for sure God was with them every step of the way and the moment they closed their eyes in death they opened it in heaven. Since then till today the blood of Christian martyrs have fueled the gospel and rather than serve as a deterrent, has been the reason many have come to knowJesus as Lord and Saviour. As horrible and unfair as these apostles experiences seem God worked them out for His glory.John's exile in Patmos gave us the book of Revelations while Paul's time in prison gave us most of the epistles containing fundamental Christian doctrine.

I f you have lost your husband or any loved one as a result of Boko Haram or religious extremism in Nigeria or even outside Nigeria where we have ISIS and so many other terrorists groups please be comforted. As  difficult and painful as it may be God knows and will execute justice for you. Deuteronomy 10:18 says He ensures the widow and the fatherless get justice so leave it in His hands and rest assured that your loved one is in a better place you cannot begin to imagine the beauty and glory of their home in Heaven. They are free of pain, sorrow and all evil.  I pray the grace to carry on without them will be released to you by the Holy Spirit until that day when you shall meet them to part no more

I don't know the original source of this write up but I appreciate it.  I have come across how the apostles died in the past but this time I sincerely value it.

 

HOW THE APOSTLES DIED.

 

1. Matthew

Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.

2. Mark

Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.

3. Luke

Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.

4. John

Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered From death.

John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully

5. Peter

He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.

According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

6. James

The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.

* This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

7. James the Son of Zebedee,

was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

8. Bartholomew

Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

9. Andrew

Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors For two days until he expired.

10. Thomas

Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent.

11. Jude

Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

12. Matthias

The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.

13. Paul

Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many

epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.