The story of the Covenanters in Scotland in the 17th Century may not be well known. But it is a true story of revival, of courage and faith in Jesus Christ.
The Covenanters were those people in Scotland who signed the National Covenant in 1638 to confirm their opposition to the interference by the Stuart kings in the affairs of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The king sent his religious men, as Bishops to be in charge of these churches and to monitor their doctrines. But the Covenanters rejected and drove them away. The Presbyterian form of Church Government is that each assembly is independent and free to choose its own leaders called elders, according the Book of Acts.
The Stuart kings harbored the belief of the Divine Right of the Monarch. Not only did they believe that God wished them to be the infallible rulers of their kingdom – they also believed that they were the spiritual heads of the Church of Scotland. The kings believed that they have the total right to control their subjects, in all things physical and spiritual. They thought that God gave them the right to control the peoples, how they should believe in God. This latter belief could not be accepted by the Scots. They said that no man, not even the king or the pope could be the spiritual head of their church. They only recognized the headship of Jesus Christ. This was the heart of the entire Covenanting struggle.
King Charles1st gave an order that if any pastor who has a church in his domain cannot clearly and publicly confess that he, the king, is the head of the church, that pastor should resign from his office. Three quarters of the pastors in Scotland told their congregations that ‘next Sunday will be their last service’. Many of the believers encouraged their pastors to abandon the church buildings and to go and ‘have church outside, under a tree’. This is how most churches scattered and services called Conventicles were held in the open air. Angry, the king increased the persecution and said that anyone who attends open air meetings shall be arrested and killed. Thousands died. Scotland became red with the blood of its martyrs.
There is a story of a pastor who was killed on a Sunday morning by the king’s soldiers in front of his wife and his congregation. He was told to say in front of them all that the king is the head of the church and not Christ. He quoted the Word of God saying: ‘Christ is the Head of the Church!’ His wife pleaded with the solders but they refused to listen. Then they killed him there with the sword. Lying down dead, covered with his blood, the soldiers laughed and asked his crying wife: ‘what do you say now woman?’ She then stood up and said: ‘I dearly loved my husband since the day he proposed marriage to me. That was 32 years ago. I love him even more now. You can never kill my love for Jesus or my love for my husband!’
Thousands died. Then a new king took over. This one reversed the order of his predecessor and stopped all the killings of the Christians. He allowed them to come back and start their churches like before.
The national denomination of Scotland is different than that of England. In Scotland the churches are Presbyterian. They are independent from any interference from the secular powers or kings. They are led by elders chosen by their congregations. But the Anglican Church is under the leadership of the king who has the power to interfere in matters of doctrine or leadership.
This story is a reminder that no man, not even a powerful army general, king or pope can destroy the faith of true believers. Thousands were killed, but their example of faith in the midst of great persecution can never die. Their testimony remains an encouragement to all believers, to the end of time.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Rev 12:11).
“Kings and kingdoms shall pass away, but there is something about Your name: JESUS!!!”