Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.
A century ago, Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, was a thriving center of Christianity, earning the nickname “Jerusalem of the East.” The early 1900s saw rapid Christian growth, especially after the 1907 Pyongyang Revival, sparked by a meeting between Western missionaries and local believers. At its peak, about 30% of the population were practicing Christians, and the city was filled with thousands of churches.
Then came the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945, which was a tough time for Christians. The Japanese were openly hostile toward them, imprisoning many and even martyring some. Despite these challenges, the faith held strong. The Japanese occupation tried to wipe out the Korean culture and language and replace it with its own, leading to the tensions between North Korea and Japan till this day.
World War II changed everything, splitting Korea into two occupation zones that were supposed to be temporary but eventually led to the Korean War. Before the war, Pyongyang was still a Christian hub with over 2,000 churches, but the North Korean government soon cracked down hard.
In 1946, the Soviets set up the “United Democratic National Front,” which later merged with other groups to become the Workers’ Party of North Korea, the ruling party we know today. When North Korea officially became the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on September 9, 1948, the government basically declared that Christianity was over.
First, they seized Christian assets with the 1946 Land Reform Act, and then they weakened the church even more by nationalizing key industries in 1948. Kim Il Sung, wanting to keep religion under control, appointed his Christian mother’s relative, Pastor Kang Yang Wook, to lead the Chosun Christianity Federation, a group designed to bring Christian organizations in line with the Communist Party.
By late 1949, as things heated up before the Korean War, the regime stepped up its crackdown on Christians, arresting anyone involved in religious activities and raiding homes for religious books, which they considered an act of rebellion.
By the time the Korean War started in June 1950, the North Korean government was on a mission to arrest and persecute Christian leaders. As North Korean troops retreated during the war, Kim Il Sung ordered the mass killing of Christians, with estimates of those killed reaching into the tens of thousands.
As the war raged on, many Christians fled to South Korea, where they started new churches, some of which grew to become among the largest in the world. This migration played a huge role in making South Korea the most Christian country in Asia, with nearly 29% of the population identifying as Christian today.
If you look at a satellite image of the Korean Peninsula at night, the contrast between North and South Korea is striking. South Korea is brightly lit and full of life, while North Korea is almost entirely dark and lifeless. This striking difference serves as a powerful reminder that embracing God brings light into the darkness.
North Korea is widely regarded as the world’s top country for Christian persecution. The Bible remains banned, and according to Open Doors, an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are currently held in North Korean prison camps.
The Communists didn’t come in openly as Communists; they arrived disguised as champions of Democracy. Learn this history lesson and pass it on to your children: the Christians of North Korea, in their deep hatred for the Japanese, ended up trading one evil for another. This choice plunged the nation into three generations of darkness that still continues till this day. Pray and see how this history lesson could apply to us today!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]There is an old Persian fable of a hen, a mouse, and a rabbit who lived together in a little house in the woods. They shared all the work and lived in harmony. The chicken found the firewood, the mouse brought the water from a nearby brook, and the rabbit cooked the meals. Each did his work faithfully and contentedly.
In the most extreme moment of his life, when his entire household was threatened with annihilation, the Patriarch Jacob wrestled with a Man through an entire sleepless night. Somehow, after this astounding encounter, Jacob came to the realization that he had been wrestling with God, and face to face! Once again, the Lord God of heaven showed Himself as a human being to a man He loved; this time, for the purpose of rescuing, blessing, and preserving the man’s destiny.
As we continue our study of the men who followed David, let’s look at their boldness — the boldness of lions! We also need this boldness in the face of the enemy who is “like a lion”, himself….a roaring lion.
As we continue our study of the Mighty Men of David, another quality is worth pointing out — they were not procrastinators. Notice that these men decided to cross the Jordan river when it was at flood stage! They didn’t wait till the river receded, but rather, boldly crossed when it was the most dangerous!
As David grew in stature those who stood by him increased in number, devoting themselves to fight with him. Though it was a time of adversity for David, and a time of warfare, he found that there were many willing to join their lives to his; "...a brother is born for adversity"; and "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother". Again we note that David's anointing and his character made him a friend to many...and many became his loyal friends.
A program by National Geographic gives a powerful illustration for us. In the great annual wildebeest migration in Serengeti National Park in Africa a giant herd, thousands of wildebeest, slowly move in groups across the plain. They are invariably followed by stalking lions. But the lions never attack the herd – they simply watch carefully for the stray wildebeest, either careless or seeking greener grass, who separates himself from the larger groups of animals. The isolated wildebeest will become the sudden prey of the lions who attack with lightening speed and ferocity.
50,000 soldiers from the tribe of Zebulun served in David’s army with UNDIVIDED (some translations: “not double-hearted”) hearts. Can you imagine a skilled army with this level of loyalty and devotion?