Church history records the account of forty Roman soldiers who refused to renounce their faith. In Armenia around 320 AD, there was a company of forty Roman soldiers known as the Thundering Legion. When the Governor discovered they were Christians, he was very angry and threatened to have them killed. But the governor was also anxious to spare them because these soldiers were amongst the bravest in the army. He promised them money and honors if they would only consent to worship the gods which the Emperor worshipped.
One responded, “You offer us money that remains behind, and glory that fades away.” They told him that they would rather die than renounce their faith. This answer further enraged the governor so he ordered them to die a slow painful death. He commanded them to be stripped of their clothes and placed upon the ice of a frozen lake until they froze to death. At the same time he gave orders that a large tank of warm water should be placed at the side of the ice, so that if any of them should wish to renounce Jesus Christ and save his life, he might be taken off the lake and put into the warm water.
When these good soldiers were put upon the ice, they encouraged each other to not be afraid of dying. “One night of suffering,” they said, “and then an eternity of happiness in Heaven.” They prayed that their number would remain 40 and they could all persevere to the end. Standing on the shore, the shivering guards shouted into the night. “Don’t be idiots. What’s the point? Come on out. Warm yourselves!””Look,” one of the guards suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the sky.”What?” said his fellow guard, eyes probing the darkness. “It’s too dark to see anything. I wish this was over. I’m freezing out here.” “Don’t you see them? Spirits…hovering with golden crowns over those fellows heads, holding out rich robes for them!”
“Are you out of your mind? It’s pitch black. Hey! There’s someone coming! It’s one of them.”
Babbling, one of the forty crawled toward them from the ice. The two ran forward, grasped his shuddering arms and helped him into a bath. But the heat was too much of a shock to his frozen system. He went into convulsions and died. The guard who had seen the vision of crowns, without delay, shucked off his clothes and ran onto the ice. The martyrs would be forty again! As the next day dawned, those 40 brave soldiers stood before their true King and heard Him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servants.”
These brave soldiers refused to be moved from their place of relationship with Jesus. No matter what they faced the refused to move from the altar. They sacrificed their lives for what they believed in. This story is so incredibly inspirational. Today I want to encourage you afresh to stay on the altar. No matter what difficulties come your way, stay true to Jesus and what He’s requiring of you. Remember, “One night of suffering, will never compare to an eternity of happiness in Heaven.”
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