The testimony of Jesus

Have you ever wondered…?

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Rev. 1:9 [emphasis added]

Have you ever wondered what the “testimony of Jesus” is? Sprinkled throughout the book of Revelation, this phrase, “the testimony of Jesus,” is usually mentioned in relation to some level of persecution or tribulation. Did you know that “the testimony of Jesus” is not only relevant to the end-times, but is, in fact, crucial for believers in the darkness to come?

Let’s first look at just what “the testimony of Jesus” is.

The Testimony of Jesus

The testimony that Jesus gave to the high priest of Israel on the night that He was betrayed was a binding, sworn legal testimony. It was this witness that gave the high priest and his cohorts the legal authority to have Jesus condemned and crucified by the Roman government.

So what is the testimony of Jesus?

This, then, is the testimony of Jesus:

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and He is coming back in the clouds to judge the earth and to save His people. (Mark 14:62)

The Greek word “martyrian”

Jesus had a private exchange with the Jewish leaders on the night before He was crucified. During this exchange, recorded in both Mark 14 and Luke 22, the word that the Jewish leaders used is translated as “testimony.” The Greek word is martyrian. Bible scholars define martyrian as “judicial or legal testimony” given in court.

Keep this in mind, because martyrian is used eight times in the book of Revelation, and always in a heroic sense. Frequently, those who “hold on to the testimony” during persecution are martyred in the process. More about that later.

Jesus’ final testimony

Back to what Jesus said at His trial. In His testimony given face to face with Israel’s high priest and chief religious leaders, Jesus prophesied about His return, or His second coming. In fact, it is this final testimony that Jesus gave to the Jewish leaders that caused Him to be found guilty of the great sin of blasphemy, and gave the authorities grounds to demand His execution.

These leaders had been listening for three years and wanted to hear Jesus tell them plainly Who He was. But Jesus would not tell them until they had already made up their minds to kill Him. Perhaps at the beginning of His ministry Jesus could have sat down with them and explained His plan and purpose, but that was not God’s will. He came for this very purpose: to be slain for the sins of the world.

Jesus’ sudden and straightforward confession that they would see Him “sitting at the right hand of the mighty God” and “coming on the clouds of heaven” was His declaration that He was equal with God. Jesus was quoting a Messianic text from the book of Daniel which paints the picture of the Messiah that they were already expecting. Jesus at that point boldly declared Himself to be the Messiah according to the Daniel 7 description.

But the Jewish leaders had already made up their minds that, because Jesus didn’t fit the Daniel 7 Messiah mold, there was no way He could be the true Messiah. They weren’t able to see their Messiah as one Who is a meek and suffering servant as portrayed in Isaiah 53, as well as the powerful, conquering Messiah of Daniel 7. Jesus is, in fact, both the suffering Messiah and the conquering Messiah.

The book of Revelation

Fastforward to the Apostle John and the revelation he received regarding the end-times and Jesus’ return. The entire book of Revelation revolves around what occurs because of this testimony of Jesus.

The book of Revelation opens with the testimony of Jesus.

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:1-2

And the book of Revelation closes with the testimony of Jesus.

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. Revelation 22:16

Throughout the entire book, those who hold to this testimony by themselves testifying to Who Jesus is are persecuted, sometimes to the death, as Jesus was. This testimony of Jesus is central to His return and the events that surround it.

So why is Jesus’ testimony important now, as well as in the dark days ahead?

• It is the central truth of the New Testament. Jesus IS the Christ, the Son of God, and He IS coming back in the clouds to judge the earth and save His people.

• It is the central hope that we must hold on to. The book of Revelation starts with the “testimony of Jesus” in Revelation 1:2 and ends with the “testimony of Jesus” in Revelation 22:16.

• It is the central belief that will make us enemies of the world and the beast. Ultimately, it will lead to martyrdom for some, perhaps many. It will most assuredly lead to increased suffering and persecution.

• In addition, it is the spirit of prophecy, and thus separates those operating in the office of the prophet from those operating with a prophetic gifting.

As end-time events continue to unfold, believers must embrace the testimony of Jesus, understand what it is and what it means for them as well as for the unbelieving world, and know that this testimony will make them the most hated and even feared people on the earth. Knowing this ahead of time is God’s grace in allowing His people to be prepared for what they will suffer.

They triumphed over [the beast] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:9

(This article has been condensed from Tom Grossman Sr.’s book Reign of Fire, Chapter 4. Get your copy of this 5-star end-time primer on Amazon!)