September / October 2009 Issue

Delivered from the Jaws of Death

It may seem incredible if someone caught in a pit full of hungry lions escapes death without getting ripped to pieces. Maybe such miracles sound absurd to sceptics, but real-life experiences of people escaping great perils continue to baffle and inspire awe in both believers and unbelievers alike. All unexplained mysteries are either left to blind fate or to the particularly designed purpose of reasonable rationality. In the midst of such wonders, we as Christian believers can only acknowledge God’s direct involvement in His creation, rejecting alternate explanations with deep, rational conviction.

A marvellous story of depriving death of it’s prey can be traced back to the book of Daniel in the Old Testament, where a young Jewish captive in the land of Babylon was thrown into a lions’ den by his enemies. When this innocent youth fell into the lions’ den, instead of getting mauled and torn to shreds, he was met with warmth and affection by the company of ferocious beasts. The starving lions began to exhibit unusual traits; he was treated as a long-time friend and not prey. The story says that when King Nebuchadnezzar came to visit Daniel, his vizier, the next morning he witnessed something really amazing. The king asked, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions”. In reply Daniel said, “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouth, and they have not harmed me”. That’s a miracle! What more can we say or do other than to affirm and acknowledge the wondrous happenings that finite human minds fail to comprehend in its totality?

In November 2008, missionaries from New Jerusalem Church, Mumbai (India) traveled from Mumbai to states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh in a hired car to share the good news of Jesus Christ, pray for the sick and to comfort people who were seeking joy and peace in their life. It was an itinerary Gospel Tour undertaken by Pastors V. Samuel Raj, L. Philip and M. Daniel. Their missionary work during the tour was unhindered until they encountered death face to face.

After successfully winding up their ministry and returning from Madhya Pradesh to Mumbai, they didn’t realise how fateful the 1st of December was going to be. Ourmissionaries were ambushed by armed militants suspected to be activists from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu militant outfit. The vehicle used by the missionaries was subjected to deadly assault similar to the one that took place in Orissa, some years ago, when Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two little sons were burnt alive by Bajrang Dal (another Hindu militant outfit) activists, as they slept in a wagon. This heart-rending incident shook India and the world significantly.

After covering a distance of 2 kilometres from Pastor Amiya Jal’s house in Thandla District, Madhya Pradesh, our missionaries happened to enter thick jungle at about 8.15 PM. As our car was moving in the pitch black darkness, a jeep that appeared from nowhere began to chase it, and the people in the jeep began signalling to give way for them to surge ahead. When both vehicles reached a narrow end that met at a by-pass road, our driver pulled up to allow the vehicle to overtake. As our car came to a halt, the assailants suddenly pressed ahead and blocked the narrow path with their jeep. As both vehicles stood immobile, a group of armed men wearing khaki uniforms – pretending to be an Indian police patrol - and faces covered with hoods jumped out from their jeep and came rushing towards our car. They began arguing with our driver, twisted his arms, grabbed his neck and heckled him to hand over the car keys, but our brave driver was determined not to let them have the keys.

Not realising what was transpiring before their eyes, our missionaries were calm, assuming that the people in uniforms were a police team conducting a search operation for suspected stolen vehicles.

While all this was happening, another group of armed men approached our car and began to break the windows with iron bars and shower rocks on our car incessantly. One big rock hit the car’s windshield and the other windows were completely smashed and broken. As this murderous attack was intensifying, one attacker doused a can of petrol on Pastor Philip, and began yelling at another to set fire to him. Pastor Philip was completely bathed in petrol from head to toe and the fuel began to irritate his eyes. The petrol that was splashed on him even entered his mouth and a little spark could have reduced him to ashes. It was really a horrible moment. Our missionaries were caught in a hellish experience. They were indeed staring death in the face and no-one knew what would happen next.

All of a sudden, before our missionaries could realise what was happening, they were filled by the Holy Spirit and began praising the Lord with a loud voice. As the mighty sound of praise filled the air, the assailants were instantly incapacitated. Something came crashing down that separated our car from the assailants. The guardian angels surrounded our missionaries’ car. In the meantime God’s Spirit helped our driver to regain his senses, move the car skilfully and strengthened him to speed away from the dangerous spot. Though the lane was narrow and bumpy and also obstructed by the attackers’ jeep, our driver miraculously manoeuvred the car to safety. It took all of twenty minutes for this whole series of events to unfold and end with a remarkable victory of life over death.

God miraculously helped our beloved ministers to escape this volatile situation. It was really a death-defying feat of the unprecedented power of the Almighty. God’s providential act of power was paramount in His gracious dealings with our missionaries.
In the case that our missionaries had suffered loss of life, a global uproar would have erupted and hate instead of peace would have raised its monstrous head yet again in this country. God in His sovereign power intervened in our missionaries’ lives and saved them from falling prey to yet another Graham Staines-like episode at the hands of Hindu militants.

Despite our vehicle’s sustained damage, not a single piece of broken glass cut or injured our missionaries although there were shards everywhere both inside and outside the car. God had blinded these assailants from directly hitting any of our missionaries with their weapons, and they also failed to break the head lights so that leaving the hostile spot would have been impossible. The assailants were unable to execute their intended plans.
Our ministers returned to Mumbai completely unharmed, alive and healthy on December 2, 2008. The whole Church in Mumbai gathered to praise and worship the Lord for His mighty act and abundant mercy. Our missionaries witnessed all the great things that God did throughout their missionary journey.
With deep gratitude we offer our heartfelt thanks to the Lord Almighty who intervened on behalf of His servants and delivered them from the jaws of death. All glory and honour belong to our living God who is blessed forever.
“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

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