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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : Two Rows by the Sea

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 Two Rows by the Sea

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A little over a year ago 21 followers of Jesus were martyred on the shores of Libya. The following is an account of these 21 precious saints who passed into glory into the presence of Jesus.

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They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated, the world was not worthy of them.” (Hebrews 11:37-38)

I don’t think I will ever read this passage again without seeing in my mind images of men dressed in orange jump suits with black-clad, masked executors behind each one of them. ISIS’s brutal killing of 21 Christian Egyptians in Libya last month for being ‘people of the Cross’ devastated their families and shocked Egypt – and the world.

Very encouraged

When I arrived at the Bible Society office the morning after the video was released, feeling sad and depressed, a young coworker told me that as well as the horror and sorrow she felt at the young men’s deaths, their faith had left her feeling ‘very encouraged.’

“What has happened has shown me that there are Christians today who are brave enough to face death rather than deny their Lord,” she told me. “It has shown me that the the Gospel message can still help us to hold onto the promises of God, even when facing death.”

Mourning nation

To bring comfort to a mourning nation, we at the Bible Society produced more than a million copies of a leaflet called ‘Two Rows by the Sea’, which is being distributed throughout the country. It contains a collection of Scripture passages about faith in adversity and God’s enduring love. It also includes a poem, from which the leaflet takes its name, written by medical doctor who has a gift for writing poetry. I’d like to share the poem here. May it bless you as it has blessed many people across the world over the past two weeks:

Two Rows By the Sea

Two rows of men walked the shore of the sea,
On a day when the world’s tears would run free.
One a row of assassins, who thought they did right,
The other of innocents, true sons of the light.
One holding knives in hands held high,
The other with hands empty, defenseless and tied.
One row of slits to conceal glaring-dead eyes,
The other with living eyes raised to the skies.
One row stood steady, pall-bearers of death,
The other knelt ready, welcoming heaven’s breath.
One row spewed wretched, contemptible threats,
The other spread God-given peace and rest.
A Question… Who fears the other?
The row in orange, watching paradise open?
Or the row in black, with minds evil and broken?

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Revelation 12:11

And they overcame him because of the blood of the lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.


Posted in respect of those martyrs that have passed out of this life into eternal life with Jesus.

But this truly is from the foot of His cross.

 2016/8/3 7:27









 Re: Two Rows by the Sea

Thank you for posting, Blaine.
Completely humbling and inspiring.
Blessed by the memories of those slain:

"One row stood steady, pall-bearers of death,
The other knelt ready, welcoming heaven’s breath."
Sis L

 2016/8/3 16:02









 Re: Leslie

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You are very welcome sister.

 2016/8/3 17:46
jochbaptist
Member



Joined: 2010/11/24
Posts: 341


 Re: Two Rows by the Sea

I want to say that the video of the beheadings never witnessed with my spirit. It seemed to be staged. No saint, however godly, will conduct themselves with such placidity in moments like that. So I stopped watching as soon as I noticed that. I didn’t want to expose myself to possible fake, gory beheadings.

Real video footage of a real saint being martyred – that is holy ground. Satan probably would not want the world to see that.

With all respect.


_________________
J Kruger

 2016/8/4 4:52Profile









 Re: Joch

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Brother respectfully there was nothing fake about the martyrdom of these 21 Christ followers that took place on the shores of Libya. There was nothing fake in their blood that was spilled on the desert and drained into the sea. There was nothing fake in the grief and teara that were shared by their loved ones in the villages where these believers were from. Many credible sources documented this event that took place. There was nothing staged. No doubt ISIS staged it for their own propaganda purposes. But rest assured there were saints that were martyred in February of 2015. That was the basis of the poem I posted.

For sure brother the martyrdom of the saint is holy in the eyes of God. Particularly as their soul will be under the altar as recorded in Revelation. But the way in which one is martyred will be grizzly. The book of Hebrews tells us that there were saints who were sawed in two. Some were sowed in animals while they were burned. Foxes Book of Martyrs abd Martyrs Mirror record grizzly martyrdoms of brothers and sisters. Not for the faint-of-heart to read.

Today brothers and sisters are cut down with machetes. They are shot and blown sway. They die in shipping containers and death camps. There is nothing noble in the way these precious saints die. What I mean is this is not a noble scene out of Braveheart where one gives noble words before they are executed. Our brothers and sisters are martyred in some of the most horrible ways imaginable.

It is estimated by persecuted ministries every five minutes a saint will spill their blood for Jesus. This comes to about three to four hundred saints martyred on a daily basis.

Certainly there was nothing noble in looking at the martyredom of Stephen. His martyrdom was noble in the sense that he was standing for the Truth. And I believe Jesus was standing in respect to welcome Steven into heaven. But there was certainly nothing noble in looking at the mangled body that had been stoned to death.

What I'm trying to say is is that the martyrdom of every saint is not like Mel Gibson in Braveheart. Where one walks out to his execution and says a few words. And then is executed feeling no pain.

Brothers and sisters die horrible deaths. But yes they do pass into glory and into the arms of Jesus.

Again brother what occurred on the shores of Libya is true. Twenty-one saints passed into the presence of Jesus. And before this day is out more will also pass into the presence of Jesus.

My thoughts from the foot of His cross.



 2016/8/4 7:11









 Re: Joch

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.......Double Post.......



 2016/8/4 7:11









 Re:

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One standing rule we have on Persecution Watch is we do not glory in the gory. Our precious brothers and sisters die horrible deaths in their martyrdom. But we should never be fixated on the horror of how they died. But remember their testimony that they overcame the evil one by not loving their own lives even when faced with death.

We should remember the testimony of the martyrs that they stood for the Lord Jesus Christ. And they did not deny Him.

Each of those saints who died on the shores of Libya died with one name on their lips. And that was the name of Jesus Christ. This is what we should remember in the martyrdom of these dear saints. They were faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ even unto death. And for sure they will receive the crown of life that He has promised to them.


Simply my thoughts.

 2016/8/4 7:23
jochbaptist
Member



Joined: 2010/11/24
Posts: 341


 Fake video

Maybe the saints were martyred somewhere else, but not on this video.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/02/21/isis-army-7-footers-experts-say-video-copt-beheadings-manipulated.html


_________________
J Kruger

 2016/8/4 7:39Profile









 Re: Wickoedia Artcle

2015 kidnapping and beheading of Copts in Libya

On February 12, 2015, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) released a report in their online magazine Dabiq showing photos of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christian migrant workers that they had kidnapped in the city of Sirte, Libya, and whom they threatened to kill to "avenge the [alleged] kidnapping of Muslim women by the Egyptian Coptic Church".[1] The men, who came from different villages in Egypt, 13 of them from Al-Our, Minya Governorate,[2] were kidnapped in Sirte in two separate attacks on December 27, 2014, and in January 2015.[3]

Earlier in 2014, a militia group in eastern Libya declared its affiliation with ISIL, it then took over parts of Derna in late 2014. People allied to the group claimed responsibility for attacks across the country, including the Corinthia Hotel attack in January 2015.[4][5]

Video Edit

On February 15, a five-minute video was published, showing the beheading of the captives on a beach along the southern Mediterranean coast. A caption in the video called the captives the "people of the cross, followers of the hostile Egyptian Church".[3] In the video one of the killers in camouflage declared in North-American English:

"Oh people, recently you've seen us on the hills of Al-Sham [Greater Syria] and on Dabiq's Plain, chopping off the heads that had been carrying the cross delusion for a long time, filled with spite against Islam and Muslims, and today we… are sending another message: Oh crusaders, safety for you will be only wishes especially when you're fighting us all together, therefore we will fight you all together until the war lays down its burdens and Jesus peace be upon him will descend, breaking the cross, killing the swine. The sea you've hidden Sheikh Osama bin Laden's body in, we swear to Allah we will mix it with your blood."[6]
After beheading the hostages, a message appears on the screen: "The filthy blood is just some of what awaits you, in revenge for Camelia and her sisters"[6][7] (referencing Camelia Shehata, a Coptic Egyptian woman and wife of a Coptic priest who Islamists believe had converted to Islam and was detained by the Coptic Church because of it. She later denied the claim). Finally the speaker declares "We will conquer Rome, by Allah’s permission," pointing his knife toward the sea.[5] As in other ISIL videos, the captives wore orange jumpsuits, intended as a reference to the attire of prisoners in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.[5] The group of killers identified itself in the video as the "Tripoli Province" of ISIL.[5] The leader of the squad performing the killings was identified as a Libyan expatriate who goes by the nom de guerre Al Qaqa'a Ben Omro.[8]

The Coptic Church of Egypt, Egyptian government, as well as the Libyan parliament,[9] confirmed the deaths.

Following the release of the video, several experts argued that it had been digitally manipulated and that the actual murders were likely filmed in front of a green screen and then superimposed onto the footage of the beach. The videos were manipulated to show the militants as being over six feet tall in order to propagate fear. Although there were manipulations done to the video, experts confirm that the 21 Christians were killed.[10]

Aftermath Edit

The President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced a seven-day period of national mourning and called for an urgent meeting with the country's top security body.[11] In a televised address, al-Sisi declared his country reserved the right for retaliation.[5] He also reiterated an offer to facilitate Egyptians’ evacuation from Libya and imposed a travel ban on citizens to Libya.[5] Al-Azhar also condemned the incident.[12] The killings were also addressed particularly by the United Nations Security Council, French President François Hollande, Sahrawi President Mohamed Abdelaziz and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.[13][14] Roman Catholic Pope Francis telephoned Coptic Pope Tawadros II to offer his condolences. At an ecumenical meeting with the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Francis stated "They only said 'Jesus help me ...' The blood of our Christian brothers is testimony that cries out. Be they Catholic, Orthodox, Copts, Lutherans, it doesn't matter: They're Christian!"[15] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary provided financial support of €500 for each families of the victims. Péter Szijjártó said "Hungary cannot be a bystander of the continuous attacks against Christian communities in the Middle East".[16] The Obama administration was criticized for referring to the victims simply as ‘‘Egyptian citizens’’ rather than Christians, the express reason for their murder.[17]

Egyptian airstrikes Edit
Main article: February 2015 Egyptian airstrikes in Libya
On February 16 at dawn Egyptian military conducted airstrikes on ISIL facilities in Libya.[3] The airstrikes targeted ISIL training locations and weapons stockpiles.[18] All military aircraft returned safely to base.[18] Libyan air force also conducted strikes in Derna, occupied by an ISIL affiliate since 2014.[18] About 40–50 militants and 7 civilians were reportedly killed.[18][19]

Canonized as saints Edit

On February 21, 2015 the pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros II announced that the 21 murdered Copts would be commemorated as martyr saints on the 8th Amshir of the Coptic calendar, which is February 15 of the Gregorian calendar. The commemoration falls on the feast day of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.[20]

21st Martyr Edit

After the beheadings, the Orthodox Coptic church released their names, but there were only 20 names. It was later learned that the 21st martyr was named Mathew Ayairga and that he was from Chad. He was originally a non-Christian, but he saw the immense faith of the others, and when the terrorists asked him if he rejected Jesus, he reportedly said, "Their God is my God", knowing that he would be killed.[21][22]

Other sources spell his name as Matthew Ayariga and say that he was from Ghana.[23][24]

 2016/8/4 10:58









 Re: Open Doors Report

They kept their faith until the last moment. We are proud of them," said the brother of one of the 21 Egyptian Christians who were killed by an IS-linked group in Libya.

On Sunday, February 15th, a group linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State released a horrific video showing the beheading of 21 kidnapped Coptic Christians in Libya. World Watch Monitor (WWM) reports that the video was titled, "A message signed with blood to the nation of the cross." Video subtitles described the Egyptian Christians as "people of the cross, followers of the hostile Egyptian church." At the end of the five-minute propaganda video, one of the executioners declared his intentions to "conquer Rome," an apparent threat against nearby Italy, which has recently deported a number of known Islamist militants.

The day the video was released, Egypt began seven days of national mourning, according to WWM. The following evening, Monday, February 16th, Egyptian Christians gathered in churches to pray for the families of the victims. In Upper Egypt’s Minya region, the area from which all the victims came, a large memorial service was held at a church.

WWM reported that the Coptic Orthodox Church issued its condolences in a statement to its fellow Egyptians: "…we believe the blood of those victims is crying before the Righteous Judge who does not forget or sleep, and will reward each one according to their deeds."

Pope Francis declared, "The blood of our Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard. Their only words were, 'Jesus, help me! It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. They are Christians! Their blood is one and the same. Their blood confesses Christ." They were killed, "only because they confessed Christ," the Pope continued. "I ask that we encourage each other to go forward with this ecumenism which is giving us strength, the ecumenism of blood. The martyrs belong to all Christians."

Armed militants captured the 21 men, all day laborers from Samalout village in Upper Egypt’s rural, less economically developed Minya province, in two separate abductions on December 29th and January 3rd, reports WWM. The hostage-takers had checked the religious affiliation on their I.D. cards before taking the Christians hostage and letting the Muslims go free. Fr. Estafanous Shehata, the priest of Mar Marcos church in Samalout city, told WWM, "Our only comfort is that our martyrs are in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ now; they were martyred while they were chanting the name of Jesus Christ. We ask condolences to their families and loved ones."

"We had a hope that they would be released," the brother of one of the victims said a day after the news broke of their killing. "But the will of God was for them to be martyrs of Christ, and that is better than life. They were martyred in the name of Jesus Christ. They kept the faith until the last moment. They didn’t deny the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are proud of them."

One of the men, Luke Nagaty Anis, 27, never got to see his new daughter who was born while he was in Libya. His brother, Shenouda Nagaty Anis, told WWM it was a devastating shock when they heard the news. "My mother was faint, and our home was full of crying." He described his pride in how Luke and also his cousin Essam, "kept their faith until the last moment."

Thirteen men from Al-Our village were murdered in the execution. One resident, Beshir Estafanous Kamel, 31, lost two brothers. "Up until now, I cannot imagine that I won’t see them again. They were killed because they are Christians …they mentioned the name of Jesus Christ before being executed."

Father Makar Issa, a priest from Al-Our village, described the screaming and wailing in the village as evidence of the "extreme sadness among all residents". He called on President al-Sisi and other political leaders to "do their best" to bring the men’s bodies back to Egypt for burial, to help with the healing process. Speaking on national television, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi condemned the Islamic State (IS) executions as "an abhorrent act of terrorism."

The Egyptian government has issued a gift of 100,000 Egyptian pounds (approx. $13,000) to the families of each of the executed men, with instructions that they should receive a package of free health care and education.

Many Christians from Minya have ignored their President’s earlier warnings to leave their expatriate work in Libya, because their families are dependent on the remittances they send back from work in industries, such as oil and gas. It is estimated that there are between 10-12 million Coptic Christians in Egypt, which is roughly 15% of the country’s population. There has been a large Coptic Christian population there for almost 2000 years.

Pray for the families of these fellow Christians who were executed, even as we give thanks for the testimony of their steadfast faith in Christ until the very end of life here on earth. According to El Watan news, these are the names of the 21 believers who died at the hands of IS in Libya:

1. Milad Makeen Zaki
2. Abanub Ayad Attiya
3. Majid Suleiman Shehata
4. Yousuf Shukri Yunan
5. Kirollos Shukri Fawzi
6. Bishoy Estefanus Kamel
7. Samuel Estefanus Kamel
8. Malak Ibrahim Sinyout
9. Tawadros Yousuf Tawadros
10. Girgis Milad Sinyout
11. Mina Fayez Aziz
12. Hani Abdelmessih Salib
13. Bishoy Adel Khalaf
14. Samuel Alham Wilson
15. Unnamed worker from Al-Our village
16. Ezzat Bishri Naseef
17. Lucas Nagaty
18. Gaber Munir Adly
19. Essam Baddar Samir
20. Malak Farag Abram
21. Sameh Salah Farouq

Thank You, Father, for the testimony of faith that these brothers of ours have left us. And thank You for the comfort that they are now rejoicing in Your presence, free of the sorrows of this world. We pray for Your comfort to surround their families and friends in the weeks and months to come. In the midst of sorrow, grant them courage to meet each day with the knowledge of Your presence. Protect their hearts from bitterness and draw them rather to Yourself for comfort and hope. We pray for an end to the reign of terror IS would inflict on the world and for the courage of Egyptians, indeed of us all, to place our trust in You alone. In the name of Christ and His kingdom whom we serve, Amen.

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