Key Insight

As a follower of Jesus Christ, watching the film titled The 21 was not merely a cinematic experience, it was a sacred encounter. This film is a profound testament to what it means to live for the one and only true and living God. It is a story of victory, eternal hope, and unshakable faith.

The 21 recounts the true story of twenty Coptic Christian men and one African believer, kidnapped and executed by ISIS on a beach in Libya for one reason: they bore the name of Jesus (symbolized by N for Nazarene). As they knelt before death, they did not beg or cower in fear. They prayed. They called upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, echoing the faith of Stephen in Acts 7:59: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

“Their God is my God.”

One of many soul-piercing moments in the film is the testimony of the African man, who was not originally a Christian. As he watched the steadfast faith, peace, and courage of the other twenty men, he declared with a boldness that reverberates through eternity: “Their God is my God.” In that moment, he chose the cross. He chose Christ. And he sealed that confession with his blood.

His decision mirrors the declaration of Ruth to Naomi in Ruth 1:16: “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” But this was no mere sentiment. This was a covenant decision made with full knowledge that it would cost him his life. He gave it wholeheartedly, for he had found the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:46).

The film is a solemn reminder of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:32-33,“Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before others, I will disown before My Father in heaven.” Each of these 21 men stood unashamed. They acknowledged Christ, and now they rest in eternal glory with Him.