Other books by Richard Wurmbrand: Tortured for Christ In God's Underground Sermons in Solitary Confinement If Prison Walls Could Speak Alone with God Christ on the Jewish Road Marx-Prophet of Darkness Answer to Moscow's Bible Little Notes Which Like Each Other 100 Prison Meditations From the Lips of Children My Correspondence with Jesus From Torture to Triumph THE VER COME� RICHARD WURMBRAND MONARCH Tunbridge Wells RE0095 The Overcomers English Edition Copyright 2015 Voice Media [email protected] Web home: www.VM1.global All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic, or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permission Coordinator,” at the address above. This publication may not be sold, and is for free distribution only. PREFACE HE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK is to present a series o( 'overcomers'-men and women who not only T endured for the sake of their faith, but used obsta­ cles to ascend to great spiritual heights. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the crowd chanted to him, 'Hosanna in the highest!' 'Hosanna' is a contraction of two Hebrew words: Hosha, 'save,' and na, 'please'. Hosanna in the 'highest' means, 'Please save us in the highest sense of this word' (or, 'Save us on the highest plane'). I can save a hungry orphan from his hunger by giving a little money for his support. I can save him even better by contributing regularly to his bodily needs. But I can save him best by adopting him and making him heir of all I possess. Individuals asked and obtained from Jesus different kinds of salvation: from sickness, from immediate trouble, from sins, from death. But he can provide a salvation much higher than all of these: he can save us from being only human. He can give beyond anything we might dare to ask or think. He offers us the privilege of one day sitting with him and his Father on his throne, from which universes are created and ruled (Revelation 3:21). Those called to such heights soar even now above aver­ age men and women, even if outwardly they are Jowly or downtrodden. 5 I was in jail with a remarkable man, Pastor Francis Vishky, leader of the organisation Christian Endeavour in Romania. He was sentenced to twenty-two years because of sermons that displeased the Communists. His wife and seven children were deported to a desert place, where it was difficult to obtain bread and water. His heavenly calm even in such a situation was amazing. It was the calm of a heavenly throne. I would like to tell you what happened at the moment of his arrest. On that particular morning the whole family was at the breakfast table, where they read Psalm 23:4,5: 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.' Without knocking, three officers of the Secret Police broke into the house. 'This is a search,' they said, with no further explanation. But everyone knew that after the search the father would be taken to prison. The family continued to eat quietly. The police wondered that they still had an appetite and remained calm. Vishky later said that they understood the psalm better under those tense circumstances than they had previously. God had not promised that his children would not pass through the valley of the shadow of death, but that in it they would fear no evil. 'He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies.' On the table we will not always have what we desire. He can serve us with suffering, trials, deportation, jail, even violent death. But the valley through which we pass is called the valley of the shadow of death, not of death. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of death cannot kill. Vishky added, 'The Jews were commanded to eat the whole Passover Iamb-with its head, its legs, its entrails' (Exodus 12:9). The entrails were far from appetising, and 6 on the legs there was not much meat. We have to accept the whole Jesus: what is pleasant to us, but also his crown of thorns. In jail, Vishky maintained the same calm, the same serenity. This happens when one knows he is destined for a throne. Not only crowned kings but also crown princes have to behave royally. We learn how to obtain such a character from those at this high level of faith. That is why in this book I will provide many examples of faith under pressure. Do you perhaps say 'too many'? How much time do we spend watching TV, listening to radio, and reading newspapers and magazines? A poll taken in the USA reveals that only 9% of those who speak to us in the media have a connection with religion of any kind. But by continual repetition they fill the needs of the 80% of American churchgoers with the thoughts of people with no high ideals, or even of bad people who cannot possibly help us live a righteous life. The Bible is repetitious. It deals with 1,300 persons. Some of them are luminous examples of faith, others aver­ age believers. To know their names and something about their lives is extremely useful, just as it was useful to me to have certain contacts when I first came to the USA. Many of these Bible characters will be our friends in heaven. Others show by their ugly lives what kind of people we should be wary of if we wish to enter heaven ourselves. So it is good for you to get acquainted with the heroes of faith I describe. Since Jesus' ascension to heaven, there have been many who continue in his footsteps. These 'fill up in their flesh what is lacking in the afflictionsof Christ'. These will be the main subject of the present book. 7 ''\' \ -�. The Story of the Rothschild Dynasty When I speak to Jews about Christ, I often illustrate the significance of what he has done for us by telling them the story of how the Rothschild dynasty of multi-millionaires began. Its founder, Mayer Amshel Rothschild, had been a poor boy who served in the house of Rabbi David Moshe of Chortkov. This rabbi had set aside in a drawer 200 golden coins as a dowry for his daughter. Rothschild married a girl from another town, where he opened a little shop that did quite well. Years passed, and the time came for the rabbi's daughter to marry. As the wedding approached, the rabbi opened the drawer to take out the coins to give to the bridegroom, only to discover to his horror that the money was not there. No one in the house had any explanation as to how it could have disap­ peared. The suspicion fell on Rothschild. They asked them­ selves: Where did he get the money to open his shop? Surely he was the thief. The rabbi defended him: 'It is not right to accuse anyone without proof.' But the family insisted, 'You must go and speak to him. Otherwise we will be disgraced. The guests have started to arrive, and the wedding will not take place.' Reluctantly the rabbi went, apologised for having to ask such an embarrassing question, but explained the terrible predicament in which he found himself. Looking his former employee in the eye he asked, 'Do you know something about the money?' 9 '/ - Rothschild was silent a few minutes, then said, 'I ha-lie stolen it. I will repay it here and now. Please forgive me.' The rabbi, who had an understanding for human sin, gladly forgave him. The wedding took place, and he offic� ated with great joy. Rothschild went broke. Many years later it was discovered that the 200 gold coins had been stolen by a servant girl, who shared it with a lover. At a drunken party the lover bragged how he came to possess the money. He was arrested, and both acknowledged their theft. The rabbi went to Rothschild and asked him point­ edly, 'Why did you confess to a sin you had not committed? And why did you give me the money?' He replied, 'I saw you terribly sad. I imagined the weep­ ing of your wife and of the girl. I was ready to give you all my money immediately to make up forthe loss, but I knew you would not accept such a sacrifice from me. So I had to say it was your money, which I stole. So you were peaceful and had joy.' Then Rabbi David Moshe blessed him: 'May God reward this deed of yours by giving you and all your descen­ dants great riches.' The blessing was fulfi11ed. The Rothschilds are among the richest men in the world. Once can only admire such a deed. But should we stop at admira­ tion, or should we strive to become heroes ourselves in some area of life? This Rothschild's deed has the fragrance of our inspira­ tion from Jesus. To make his message and gift more accept­ able to us, Jesus took the lowliest appearance of a man, allowing himself to be born not only into a poor family but in a humble stable forbeasts.