Silent Witness

I don’t know if anyone knows of the long-running series Silent Witness. It is about a group of forensic pathologists solving murders and other crimes using the corpse as the “silent witness”. Apparently they are capable of doing most of this within the 1 slot! The story of Abel and his death could be part of this series.

Hebrews 11:4 says, "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks." Abel, according to Hebrews could be our silent witness.

Hebrews is, of course, referring back to the story in Genesis 4. This is the first account of the multiplication of human sin after the story of the fall in Genesis 3. God says, in verse 10, “The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.” The conversation, however, goes in between the villain and the detective: between Cain and God. In verses 6-7, God warns Cain of sins desire to master him. In verses 9-12 God, as detective, accuses Cain of murder and tells him of his punishment. Then Cain responds with his complaint and finally God encourages Cain with a mark to protect him. Our silent witness remains silent. And so, the writer of Hebrews says, “And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks”. According to this passage it is through faith--by giving an acceptable gift that he is righteous and so suffers.

This led me to think of the Psalm of the innocent sufferer in Psalm 22. Vss. 1-2 are the cry of the innocent sufferer Vss. 3-5 the sufferer declares his faith in the God who is in control Vss. 6-8 describes the way he is treated and how others view and treat him Vss. 9-11 describes the sufferer’s relationship with God and his appeal to God Vss. 12-18 once again describe his predicament Vss. 19-26 appeals to God for salvation and says he will witness to that salvation Vss. 27-28 result of the suffering is that God will be made known.

Of course, in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:44 Jesus, on the cross, cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Clearly, Jesus is in great distress and felt very alone and abandoned by the father. Jesus and both Mark and Matthew are clearly relating Jesus to this innocent sufferer. Jesus is the ultimate model of the righteous sufferer and so not only declares that Jesus was innocent of the crimes of which he was accused but that he associates and identifies with those who suffer innocently.

So, what we can say is, God is actually on the side of the innocent sufferer even though he or she may not feel like it. Also that the innocent sufferer WILL (ultimately) be vindicated by God. And finally, that the suffering of God’s innocent will be a witness to the nations.

It was the 2nd/3rd century Church father, Tertullian said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. During he lifetime many persecutions of Christians took place in the Roman Empire. Perhaps he was thinking about Perpetua noblewoman and her slave, Felicity who were martyred during his lifetime or Blandina who was martyred when he was young. At allnations this morning we spent time praying for innocent sufferers today, especially Christian brothers and sisters.

http://www.releaseinternational.org/
http://sayeedawarsi.com/
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org/