These Coptic Christians

I am at a loss for words regarding the horrific treatment of Christians and Jews around the world, among the latest being the devastating loss of 21 Coptic Christian martyrs at the hands of ISIS.  When Jesus looked down upon that scene, ISIS–the embodiment of evil in the world–vaporized in His sight, and Jesus saw godly men on their knees, 21 people of the Cross in collective prayer.  Twenty-one faithful followers of God in the Egyptian Church.  Good and faithful servants whose names glow with glorious faith in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  Brave men who persevered to the end…and overcame…and whose souls cry out from under the altar of God, as in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

I want to believe that as they were preparing to lay down their lives for Jesus, the heavens opened up and each was given a sweet vision of the Son of Man standing at the right hand of the Majesty on High.  In a stunning vision of the Ancient of Days and in the glory all around His throne, these brave souls saw and felt nothing but joy inexpressible as the love of God in its fullest and purest form showered them with grace.  They have traded orange jumpsuits for white robes.  This world did not deserve these Coptic Christians.