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Immanuel
Member



Joined: 2005/8/2
Posts: 86


 Prisoner Number One

one beautiful Sunday morning--it was on this date, February 29, 1948--pastor Richard Wurmbrand of Rumania set out on foot for church. He never arrived. For eight and one half years his wife and son did not know where he was or even whether he was alive or dead. "Ex-prisoners" assured Sabrina Wurmbrand they had witnessed her husband's funeral in a Communist prison. Sabrina was heartbroken and yet she had her doubts. The men might be government stooges.

Wurmbrand's disappearance was expected. Anyone who acted contrary to the regime could expect imprisonment or death. At a "Congress of Cults" held by the Communist government, he had asked for it. Religious leaders stepped forward to swear loyalty to the new regime. Sabrina asked Richard to "wipe the shame from the face of Jesus." Richard replied that if he stepped forward, she would no longer have a husband. "I don't need a coward for a husband," she answered. And so Richard stepped forward and told the 4,000 delegates that their duty as Christians was to glorify God and Christ alone.

He returned home to pastor an underground church and promote the gospel among Rumania's Russian invaders. He smuggled Bibles into Russia, disguised as Communist propaganda. And then he disappeared.

What had actually happened? As Richard walked to Church, a van full of secret police stopped in front of him. Four men jumped out and hustled him inside. He was taken to their headquarters and later locked in a solitary cell where he was designated Prisoner Number 1.

His years of imprisonment consisted of a ceaseless round of torture and brainwashing. For seventeen hours a day, repetitious phrases were dinned into his ears: Communism is good. Christianity is stupid! Give up. Give up! Over the years, his body was carved in a dozen places and burned. "I prefer not to speak about those [tortures] through which I have passed. When I do, I cannot sleep at night. It is too painful." His jailers also broke many of his bones, including four vertebrae. Miraculously, he survived. Other martyrs did not.

Eight and one half years later, in 1956, Wurmbrand was released. Sabrina herself was brutalized for three years in prison. The Wurmbrand's nine- year-old son Mihai was orphaned during this time. Released, the Wurmbrands immediately recommenced secret church work. Wurmbrand was returned to prison, not released again until 1964.

In 1965, Western churches ransomed Wurmbrand from Rumania for $10,000. Richard and Sabrina immediately spoke out for those still suffering in Communist hands. Wurmbrand was asked to testify before the US Senate. He displayed eighteen holes cut in his body. Afterward, he was invited to speak before hundreds of groups. By 1967, "Prisoner Number 1" had incorporated the mission organization that is now known as Voice of the Martyrs, dedicated to assisting those who suffer for Christ throughout the world.

Richard and Sabina were able to survive their ordeal through the power of love. "If the heart is cleansed by the love of Jesus Christ," wrote Wurmbrand, "and if the heart loves him, you can resist all tortures. What would a loving bride not do for a loving bridegroom? What would a loving mother not do for her child? If you love Christ as Mary did, who had Christ as a baby in her arms, if you love Jesus as a bride loves her bridegroom, then you can resist such tortures. God will judge us not according to how much we endured, but how much we could love. I am a witness for the Christians in communist prisons that they could love. They could love God and men."

 2008/2/29 10:48Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re: Prisoner Number One

Being dead, yet speaketh. No modern Christian has ever challenged me as did Wurmbrand.

He has also said that if God does not want you dead, Communist torture can not kill you! How do you like that? He is a wonderful example of this principle which raises some other interesting questions. In any case, he continues to challenge and inspire.

Thanks for posting this...

ginnyrose


_________________
Sandra Miller

 2008/2/29 10:59Profile
Ruach34
Member



Joined: 2006/2/7
Posts: 296
Beijing

 Re:

Praise God for this man, that triumphed in the face of unspeakable pain and torture by the Love of Christ. And all this points to Christ.

I have not wept over the words of Christs brutal death like I have over Wurmbrands ordeal.

Why is that? Is it that I am saying within my heart, "I will not believe unless I see the holes in has hands and the marks in his feet."?

This is a new question for me, it has not been pressed until lately.

Here is a thought, written by Wurmbrand:

Then after years of such solitary confinement, they put us in common cells. It was a very depressing atmosphere. All men passed through tortures. None of them knew anything about their families. All had years of prison behind them and years yet to go.

There was among us a Jewish believer. His name was Milan Haimovitch. This man had been so beaten. He was often beaten for his own «crimes» but frequently, just as another prisoner was to be beaten, he would step forward and say, «I will take his place». He was a model of Christ.

Once there was a discussion between him and a great scientist who was also in jail with us. He was a member of the Academy of Science and a godless man. Milan Haimovitch was not of the same intellectual and cultural level as this professor. He had not read so many thousands of books as this professor, but he tried to tell the professor about the Messiah, about Jesus.
The professor laughed and scorned him and said,

"Why do you come with such stupidities. Why do you believe in Jesus? How do you know He exists?"

Milan replied, "Well, I know by the fact that I walk with Him and talk with Him."

The professor said, "You are such a liar. How can you walk with Jesus? Jesus lived 2000 years ago, somewhere in Israel Then He died. How can you walk and talk with Him?"

Milan replied, "Yes, sir, it is true that He died 2000 years ago, but He also resurrected and is living even now."

The scientist continued: "Where is He now? In heaven? Where is heaven? Thousands of miles away beyond the sun, the moon, beyond all the stars? In another world? Can he walk and talk with you? Don't you see that you speak stupid things?"

Milan replied, "I myself have no explanation. I wonder myself, too, but the fact is that He walks and talks with me."

The professor was indignant and said, "Well, I will ask you one more question. You say that He talks with you. How does He talk with you? What is the expression of His face? Does He look angry? Wrathful? Does He look interested or disinterested? Does He look lovingly at you? Does He perhaps smile at you?"

He was mocking with these questions.

Milan answered, "Sir, you have guessed. Sometimes He smiles at me."

The scientist interrupted and said, "Ha, ha, ha, such a lie, such a lie. I never met such a liar. Jesus smiles at you. When you say Jesus smiles at you, show me how He smiles."

Milan said, "I will show how Jesus smiles."

Now, you must realize how Milan looked. Like all of us, he was shorn. He was only skin and bones with dark circles around his eyes. He was without teeth. He was in the uniform of a prisoner. He looked like a scarecrow. We were all very ugly.
Yet such a beautiful smile appeared on his lips. His dirty face shone. The glory of God can shine from behind a thick crust of dirt. There was so much peace, so much contentment and so much joy on his face, in a smile that was not from this earth.

This atheist, godless professor bowed his head and said, «Sir, I have seen Jesus».


_________________
RICH

 2008/2/29 12:36Profile









 Re:


GOD Bless this thread.

 2008/2/29 17:35
sojourner7
Member



Joined: 2007/6/27
Posts: 1573
Omaha, NE

 Re: Prisoner Number One

Have we ever been mocked and scorned because we
hunger for the truth ?? Have we ever been beaten
and mistreated because we have a passion for
righteousness ?? Have we suffered cruelty and
injustice because we love the Savior and honor
Him above all ??


_________________
Martin G. Smith

 2008/2/29 18:36Profile
Compton
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 2732


 Re:

Quote:
Richard and Sabina were able to survive their ordeal through the power of love.



It may be important to remember this when we measure one another against testimonies of great saints and martyrs and are tempted to feel contempt. While we can use these testimonies to challenge and even encourage one another...if we use them to condemn one another we have missed their example entirely.

Blessings,

MC


_________________
Mike Compton

 2008/2/29 19:38Profile





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