Revelation 15:4
Who will not fear, O Lord? Who will not glorify your name? For you alone are holy. For all the nations will come and worship before you. For your righteous acts have been revealed.
I cannot imagine being martyred for my faith. I pray that if my life is ever threatened because of my belief in God, that I would not shame His name. This is nothing more than my hope though; I have never been threatened because I believe in God. Stop for a second and think about the type of personality a martyr must have? Of the many things they must wholeheartedly believe, the most important is their belief that God alone is holy. If He were not holy, martyrdom would be pointless.
Revelation four allows us a chance to see and hear the passion of the martyrs. They stand as a choir in heaven, slain for their belief in God. Their song is a warning to all believers on earth. “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? You alone are Holy.” This is the song of one who laid down his life for the Lord. This is the mindset of someone who truly believes that their God alone is holy. Their song begs the question, “If you believe God is holy, why wouldn’t you glorify His name even unto death? Why do you protect yourself from ‘persecution’ if you believe that the God you worship is Holy? Do you not fear Him?”
Hiding your Bible from your parents doesn’t glorify God’s name. Praying with your eyes open at lunch because you’re scared to close them doesn’t bring honor to the Lord. Self-centered actions such as these only tell the Lord, “I don’t respect you. I don’t fear you. I don’t think your name is Holy enough to stand up for on a daily basis.
Passionate believers know that “all the nations will one day come and worship before God because they have seen His righteous acts.” This is why the martyrs have given up their lives. This is why they sing, “Who will not fear, O Lord?” It is beyond their comprehension. Where will you stand today? Will you worship His holy name at school and work or will you wait to do it with all the nations at the end of time?