I found that this book isn't one that I could just sit down and read through. When I added it to my regular Bible study, reading a few pages at a time and reflecting on the referenced Scriptures in their context, it yielded a rich reward and gave me a new perspective on how to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering persecution.
I bought this book at a Voice of the Martyrs regional conference in April 2011. Worked through it as a daily Bible study. Took me 2-3 months, as I recall. Probably one of the most important books I have ever read--even though the author and I are on opposites sides of the "Calvin/Arminius debate. And as an aside let me add that this author was very respectful of the Calvinist position and most irenic regarding the differences in the two camps. Given the title of the book I was a little surprised that this subject came up at all, but it did, very early and was dealt with very gracefully,IMO, which is totally beside the point. The book deals with the fact that God's people have been persecuted from the beginning of time, beginning with Abel. He goes through the Bible, book by book, both testaments, and shows this to be true and then applies it to the persecuted church today.