Persecution.
It’s something a lot of us Christians don’t feel comfortable talking about.
However, I believe the issue of persecution is something that we need to not only be intellectually aware of, but also become practically prepared for.
After all, Jesus Himself warned us as His followers the following truth:
Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
(Matthew 24:9)
So, since Jesus told us about how we will be persecuted as Christians (and, to be frank, we’re seeing glimpses of such persecution in various forms today), HOW do we prepare? HOW do we get ready?
For today’s blog post, I’d like to share with you a review on a book that, I believe, will give us the inspiring encouragement to stand firmly for the Lord in the face of persecution–in whatever form it may appear.
And that book is called The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun and Paul Hattaway.
What The Book Is About
The Heavenly Man tells the story of Brother Yun, a Chinese house church leader who suffered intense persecution and imprisonment in Communist China.
The book relays his whole story both from Brother Yun’s own perspective of his wife, Deling.
What I Liked About The Book…
Oh man….where to begin!
I mean, there’s just something about reading the story of a person who went through persecution that just seems to crack open so many beautiful encouragements!
Encouragements such as:
“We must submit ourselves to God and embrace whatever he allows to happen. Sometimes there are times of peace, other times struggle and persecution. But both are from the Lord, to mould us into the vessels he wants us to be.”
–The Heavenly Man pg. 56
“God granted us special patience and wisdom in dealing with our persecutors.”
-The Heavenly Man pg. 89
“When we arrive at the end of our own strength it is not defeat, but the start of tapping into God’s boundless resources. It is when we are weak that we are strong in God.”
-The Heavenly Man pg. 194
“When God starts to move, the best we can hope to do is go along for the ride. All man-made plans and strategies become futile and worthless, and are swept away like an umbrella in a mighty hurricane.”
-The Heavenly Man pg. 194
“….the Holy Spirit is the greatest need of this generation.”
-The Heavenly Man pg. 219
Another thing that I admired from The Heavenly Man was the humble, simple, and joyful willingness on the part of the Christians in Gao village to suffer persecution for Jesus, as it was described on page 41.
After so many people came to Jesus at once, it caught the attention of the authorities. All the Christians in Gao Village were arrested and taken to the police station. The officers demanded to know, “Who brought the name of Jesus to you? How did you all come to believe in this superstition?”
-The Heavenly Man pg. 41
The believers were filled with overwhelming joy. The only thing they would say was, “We won’t be like Judas! We won’t betray our Lord Jesus!”
The officers started to beat them and they rejoiced even more. They said, “Please, sir, hit us on the other side of the face as well!” The Christians were laughing and rejoicing.
The officers grew tired of beating them and finally said, “You Christians are all crazy!” After a final warning, they sent them all home.
What I Didn’t Like About The Book
There was one issue that I had with The Heavenly Man, and that was what was on page 240.
[They no longer wanted] to follow [their] own pet doctrines any more. Although not all differences were ironed out, the leaders got to know each other for the first time, and saw how they had far more in common than they had reasons to remain separate. They found their theological differences centered upon issues that weren’t essential to the faith.
-The Heavenly Man pg. 240
The underlying reason why I have a disliking to this statement is because in John 4:23-24, Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well:
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
(John 4:23-24)
Jesus wants us as Christians to unite together and worship together not ONLY “in spirit,” but ALSO “in truth.”
And what is truth?
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
(John 17:17)
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.
(Psalm 119:142)
Christian unity must be based NOT just on the spirit of unity and that’s all where it ends. No, Christian unity must be based on spirit AND truth.
The WHOLE truth of God’s Word and the WHOLE truth of God’s Law.
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
(Matthew 5:18)
This is the one thing I disliked from The Heavenly Man: a depiction of Christian unity based off of the spirit of unity, but truth being tossed aside as unnecessary.
Remember what Jesus said:
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
(John 4:23-24)
Conclusion
Despite the piece of sad error on page 240 of The Heavenly Man, I still have to conclude that this book has such a treasure trove of encouraging inspiration for anyone seeking a human illustration of what endurance in persecution looks like.
All the light and faith that Brother Yun puts in this book–according to his understanding–honestly moves me and inspires me to not be “like Judas” as Brother Yun said.
All in all, I’d give this book a rating of four stars.