Are you ready to die for what you believe?
It's a question that separates the true believers from the armchair philosophers. Most of us have never had to choose between our convictions and our survival. But some have - and their sacrifice reveals a startling truth.
The apostles of Christ were boiled in oil, flayed alive, and crucified upside down. They saw something so real that denying it became impossible, even when death was the price.
## Prophecy Fulfilled
Take Simon the Zealot, for example. He was a member of a radical Jewish resistance movement, yet he left it all behind to follow Jesus. Tradition says he was eventually sawed in half for his unwavering faith.
What kind of truth compels a man to endure such a gruesome fate? The answer lies in biblical prophecy.
Hundreds of years before Christ, the prophet Daniel foretold a coming "abomination of desolation" - a time of unprecedented tribulation. Jesus himself warned his followers to be ready, saying "when you see the abomination of desolation... flee to the mountains."
## The Prophetic Timeline
The book of Revelation paints a vivid picture of this end times scenario. A beast will rise, demanding worship and mark of ownership. Those who refuse will be persecuted, even martyred.
Could this be the reality Simon the Zealot faced? A choice between recanting his faith or facing a brutal death?
Most of us will never have to make that decision. But the examples of the apostles show that some truths are worth dying for. The only question is: are you willing to pay the ultimate price?
"The truth doesn't hide. It waits for those brave enough to look."
The Wise Wolf