Persecution and scattering of the followers of Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:1

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” Acts 8:1

Saul is Paul before living for Jesus Christ. In Acts 7:54-60, Saul consented to the murder of Stephen. From that time, a severe persecution arose against the followers of Jesus Christ who were in Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders wanted them out of their city, their culture, and away from the Jewish people. They followers of Christ were scattered everywhere, even in Samaria where the Jewish people refused to associate with the Samaritans, “Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” John 4:9 Christ Jesus opened the door to make His followers welcoming of Samaritans and welcomed in Samaria, “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.” John 4:39-40

In today’s culture, which is global, the beast that gives people what to speak, do, think, and feel consents to the persecution of the followers of Jesus Christ. In the United States, for now, that persecution is done “humanely” as the churches have abandoned the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Government lawmakers no longer include the values of the Bible in laws, policies, and executive orders. The educational system prohibits the teaching of the Bible in classrooms, and there is no welcome for Christianity in any sector of society. There is no real gathering place for Believers to come together in the name of Jesus the Christ, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are scattered. As Believers, we have to adapt to “Samaria” which symbolizes service to God outside of traditional gathering places. This is a place in the wilderness out-of-sight and out-of-mind of mainstream society. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Even today, there is literal persecution, imprisonment, and the killing of Christians all across the globe. This is happening in places of Africa, China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and many more. The countries of the United Nations are mostly atheists with opposition and a despise for the gospel of Jesus Christ. When the United Nations become the undisputed one world government, persecution will become more like what is found in Africa, China etc. than what is being done in the United States. The global government and its global culture functions through the beast that gives them what to speak, think, feel, and do. That beast despises belief in God, detests the forgiveness of unbelief through Jesus Christ, and fights against the presence of the Holy Spirit. Their intent is to drive Christianity into extinction, as described in Revelations 12. The wilderness of “Samaria” has become our only refuge.  “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’” Revelation 12:17

I was standing in a hallway at work with some senior supervisors standing nearby. Another custodian approached and began to be verbally abusive to a person known to embrace the teachings of the Bible. The supervisors seemed to be giving their approval. That custodian was promoted to the vacant head custodian spot the next day.

“Except the Apostles”. The Apostles remained in Jerusalem, which is before the conversion of Saul, who became Paul as a Christian. The headquarters of the Christian Church was in Jerusalem, as the Apostles were the leaders of all the Churches everywhere. After Paul became a Christian, he felt that the Apostles were a little too friendly with the Jewish culture while neglecting the ministry to the Gentiles [non-Jewish], as quoted, “Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?” Galatians 2:11-14

With that said, the Apostles were murdered for their faith in Jesus Christ. The Apostle John is the one who died of old age on the Isle of Patmos. John wrote the book of Revelations from Patmos, wrote the Gospel of John, and wrote 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd John. Jesus was talking of John when He said, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me. Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?” John 21:22-23 That is what Jesus speaks to us today, instead of being concerned about what others are doing, we must follow Him.

---

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11