More history from which to learn

Pastor Allen loves to use military imagery in his sermons, and the allusion to the Battle of Thermopylae in last Sunday's message was a stirring one, indeed. For those who need more "back story," here is a brief summary, abridged from Wikipedia:

"In August 480 BC, Leonidas set out to meet Xerxes' army at Thermopylae, where he was joined by forces from other Greek city-states, who put themselves under his command to form an army between 4,000 and 7,000 strong. This force was assembled in an attempt to hold the pass of Thermopylae against a massive Persian army of between 80,000 and 290,000 men-at-arms who had invaded from the north of Greece under Xerxes I. Xerxes waited 4 days to attack, hoping the Greeks would disperse. Finally, on the 5th day they attacked. Leonidas and his men repulsed the Persians' frontal attacks for the fifth and sixth days, killing roughly 20,000 of the enemy troops and losing about 2,500 of their own. At that point Leonidas sent away all Greek troops and remained in the pass with his 300 Spartans, 900 Helots, and 700 Thespians who refused to leave.

The small Greek force, attacked from both sides, was cut down to a man except for the Thebans, who surrendered. Leonidas was killed, but the Spartans retrieved his body and protected it until their final defeat. The tomb of Leonidas lies today in the northern part of the modern town of Sparta. Additionally, there is a modern monument at the site of the Battle of Thermopylae, called the "Leonidas Monument" in his honor. It features a bronze statue of Leonidas. A sign, under the statue, reads simply: "Μολών λαβέ" ("Come and get them!") which the Spartans said when the Persians asked them to put down their weapons."

Pastor Allen drew a parallel between this small force and the 300 Israelites with Gideon (see Judges 6-8). Certainly the admonition for us to be courageous against the works of darkness in our time is relevant. And we do seem as outnumbered as the Greeks were by the Persians, and as Gideon's troops were by the Midianites. But there is one important difference. Leonidas's 300, trusting in their own strength, were destroyed. But Gideon's 300, trusting in the strength of Almighty God, prevailed.

May it be ever so among those who name the name of Christ.