Hannibal Baraca – Loved by His Troops

The Great General Series – Part 2

Hannibal was a Carthaginian general who waged war against the Roman Empire for more than a decade. He led an army of thousands of men and animals, including elephants, through the treacherous passes of the Alps. A feat that enabled him to circumvent the outlying forces of the Romans and their allies, arriving directly in the plains of Italy to meet the Romans in their own country. Here his army proved a formidable enemy to Rome’s legions though, unable to draw supplies or reinforcements from Carthage, they were forced to rely solely on their conquests and the support of their Italian allies. In battle, Hannibal employed military tactics and stratagem that astonished the onlooking world and which have been employed by armed forces up to present times.

In these accomplishments the sacrifice and diligence that was demanded of Hannibal’s soldiers was immense. The crossing of the Alps alone subjected them to the harshest of conditions and this was only the beginning of a campaign that lasted a total of fifteen years. Years in which their general would often  have lacked sufficient funds to pay them. Despite all these hardships, not once did Hannibal’s men rise in mutiny against their commander - a problem that many military leaders, including his enemy, Scipio, faced from troops who had endured far less. The records of history tell us that this was due largely to the love and respect that the men held for Hannibal himself.

“Dismounting, he went at once on foot among the troops, chatting gaily with them and inquiring how they fared. After visiting all the other detachments, he came to the bivouac of the Carthaginian horse and, for an hour, sat talking by their fires.

“Ah!” He said as he arose to go, “the others will sleep well enough tonight; but you sybarites, accustomed to your soft couches and your luxuries, will fare badly. I remember my first night on the hard ground, although ‘tis now sixteen years back, how my limbs ached and how I longed for the morning. Now, let me give you a hint how to make your beds comfortable. Mind, this is not for the future, but till your limbs get accustomed to the ground you may indulge in such luxuries. Before you try to go off to sleep note exactly where your hip bones and shoulders will rest; take your dagger and scoop out the earth at these points, so as to make depressions in which they may lie. Then spread your lion skins above them and lie down. You will sleep as comfortably as on a soft couch.”

Many of the young soldiers followed Hannibal’s advice; others, among whom was Malchus, determined to accustom themselves at once to the hard ground. Malchus was not long in getting to sleep, his last thought being that the precaution advised by Hannibal to ensure repose was altogether unnecessary. But he changed his opinion when, two or three hours later, he woke up with acute pains in his hip and shoulder. After trying vainly, by changing his position, again to go off to sleep, he rose, rolled up the skin, and set to work to make the excavations recommended by the general. Spreading out the skin he again lie down and was astonished to find how immense was the relief afforded by this simple expedient.” – G.A. Henty, The Young Carthaginian

Hannibal Baraca demonstrated love for his troops by personally taking every care and precaution on their behalf. Before the army set out on its great expedition, this was demonstrated through the months that he spent in careful negotiation with the Italian tribes. His efforts ensured that the men would be received with hospitality, directly after they made it through the mountain range and allowed them time to recover from the strenuous journey. Throughout the war itself he was known to often walk through the camp and talk with the troops. Marking their needs and hearing their grievances first hand. He was ever prepared with encouragement for them before any great effort and after the completion of a battle he went among the wounded in person to see that they received proper care. In all that the troops endured Hannibal walked through it with them; ever in the heat of the battle; ever placing himself in the position most likely to be attacked. These actions distinguished him from the other generals of the time, who were accustomed to motivating their forces by fear or bribery. Men of high rank were generally inaccessible to the common soldier and most delegated to those under them the duties that Hannibal performed himself. It was through the uncommon devotion and attention that he showed toward his men that Hannibal won their hearts.

Like the men enlisted in the Carthaginian army, we, as Christians, have a hard task before us. ‘The cosmic powers of this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places’ (Ephesians vi. 12), the power of sin, and the propensities of our own flesh are hard enemies to fight against. We have been called up to fight in a worthy battle; to demonstrate through our words and actions the power and skill of an almighty God. Still it is an assignment that calls for life – long service and which goes beyond our capabilities to preform. Thankfully, God Himself is present to command and more than sufficient to overcome such foes. The impetus required for us to obey His commands comes, as it did for Hannibal’s men, from a love for our General Himself. A General who first loved us and gave Himself for us.

The Son of God is a leader who understands the importance of caring for His soldiers. As was demonstrated by William Wallace in last week’s post it is for our sake, not His own, that He has gone to battle. Jesus proclaimed this Himself, at the very start of His earthly ministry, when He read from the book of the prophet Isaiah:

 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke iv.17)

 Jesus explained to the people that He was the fulfillment of all that the prophets had written; the fullness of every promise from God the Father. He preached the gospel, healed the people, comforted those who mourned, and set at liberty those who had been held in the unbreakable bonds of sin. All for us – for those who have the privilege of being named in the ranks His army. The God of the universe could compel men to follow Him and to carry out His orders through any number of means. Yet instead of threatening violence or promising riches the Lord of heaven motivates His army through His love for them. Every soldier has access to His person and is even invited to come into His presence.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews iv. 16)

The head strategist takes the time to be among us and to mark our needs; so that He knows our requests even before we ask Him (Matthew vi. 8&32). He listens to our requests, not only to appease or to pacify, but because He delights to see them filled.

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke xii. 32)

Through His laws, He has given us guidance as to how we should live even in the smallest of details. Instructions that we, like Malchus, will discover are for our own good if we will but allow ourselves to be guided by them. He is ever ready to encourage us. Reminding us in the midst of the battle that He will never leave or forsake us, 

“lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

and that the victory is already secured,

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans viii. 37 - 39)

Our General, our King, has looked on us as His friends and has served us. He is ever ready to hear us and help us for He cares about those who are employed in His service. May we thus remember that we serve Him because we love Him.

In Christ

quiana

William Wallace - By Means of Humility

The Great General Series - Part 1

When Scotland was left without a royal heir, several contestants claimed the right to its throne. Their rivalry was set to commence a fight that could have easily become a civil war. 

Word was sent to King Edward of England appealing to him to arbitrate in the matter. Edward thus called a meeting of both Scotch and English nobles, wherein he named himself Lord Paramount of Scotland. 

It was a title to which he had no right but he challenged the nobles to refute it. Though evidence against the claim was brought it was soon discarded and the nobles resisted him no further. Many of the Scottish families of nobility had intermarried with the English, for peace had long stood between the countries, and these, holding properties and titles in both countries, feared to incite Edward. Thus he was permitted to judge the contender's claims. 

The Lord Paramount was advised that one of the possible successors, John Baliol, if appointed the new King of the Scots would be submissive to him. John Baliol was therefore given the throne. 

Not long after, Baliol was ordered to prepare a Scottish contingency to fight under Edward in his campaign against France. In the eyes of King Edward, Scotland had become a mere vassalage of England. Its king nothing more than a puppet in his hand. 

The Scottish nobles gathered and the people prepared to withstand the Lord Paramount. But Edward, entering Scotland with his armies took the city of Berwick by surprise and massacred all the inhabitants of the place regardless of age or sex. Their courage thus undermined, and the nobles remembering all that they stood to loose personally, the Scot's leaders resigned the war after a single battle. Thus, the people of Scotland found themselves abandoned by their leaders and left to mourn the dead of the Battle of Dunbar as lives lost in vain. 

The country that had long been free was subjected to the rule of the English by betrayal rather than conquest. 

It was onto such a stage that Sir William Wallace stepped. 

Scotland's Knight

His father and elder brother had been executed by an English regiment for refusing to acknowledge Edward's lordship over Scotland and Sir William himself was likewise opposed to the tyranny. Thus, the simple knight began his resistance with his single sword. 

 He soon made himself an outlaw.  His home, Ellerslie, was burned to the ground and his young wife, Marion Braidfute, was put to death by the Governor of Lanark for aiding in his escape. In this fatal blow, Wallace lost all that the Scottish nobles had feared would be asked of them. 

In avenging his wife, Wallace and a small band of men took the city of Lanark, routing its garrison, and thus struck the first significant blow to Scotland's chains. 

Before long, hundreds of Scots rallied under his banner, ready to fight at his command. So did the Scottish Wars of Independence begin with a leader whose valiance stirred the people into resistance.

“The exclamation which burst like inspiration from the lips of the bishop struck to every heart. “Long live our William the Lion! Our Scottish King!” Was echoed with transport by every follower on the ground, and the lords themselves joined in the glorious cry. Galloping up from the front of their ranks they threw themselves from their steeds, and before Wallace could recover from the surprise into which this unexpected salutation had thrown him, Lord Bothwell and Lord Loch-awe, followed by the rest, had bent their knees and acknowledged him to be their sovereign. The Bishop of Dunkeld, at the same moment drawing from his breast a silver dove of sacred oil, poured it upon the unbonneted head of Wallace.

“Thus, O King,” cried he, “do I consecrate on earth what has already received the unction of Heaven.” Wallace at this action was awestruck and looking on the bishop,

“Holy Father,” said he, “this unction may have prepared my brow for a crown; but it is not of this world, and Divine mercy must bestow it. Rise lords!” As he spoke he flung himself off his horse, and, taking Lord Bothwell by the hand, as the eldest of the band, “kneel not to me,” cried he. “I cannot assume the sceptre you would bestow, for He who rules us all has yet preserved you a lawful monarch. Bruce lives. And were he extinct the blood royal flows in too many noble veins in Scotland for me to usurp its rights.”

“The rights of the crown lie with the only man in Scotland who knows how to defend them. Baliol has abdicated our throne; the Bruce desert it; all our nobles slept till you awoke; and shall we bow to men who may follow, but will not lead! No, bravest Wallace, for the moment you drew the first sword for Scotland you made yourself her lawful king.” Wallace turned to the veteran Lord of Loch-awe, who uttered these words with a blunt determination that meant to say, the election which had passed should not be recalled.

“I made myself her champion, to fight for her freedom, not my own aggrandizement." ” – Jane Porter, The Scottish Chiefs


Unwilling to Accept a Crown

The people of Scotland pleaded with Wallace to take its throne on more than one occasion but he persistently refused it. Convinced that it was not his role to assume and that doing so would only prove to injure the cause in which he fought. 

Those who by blood had claim to it had fought fiercely to win such a right, the King of England had tried to seize it by trickery and threats, but Wallace would not accept it. The responsibilities of the position he had already assumed but he denied himself the power, honour, and pleasures that were generally the benefits of such authority.

 It was a humble and patriotic deed for he had proved himself to be more worthy of the throne than any who by blood might have claimed it. However, it was not for those reasons alone that Wallace denied himself the crown. 

Wallace had begun the battle with the English in order to free the people, a cause that proved greater than any personal gain. He refused to be distracted by selfish ambition from the goal he had set out to accomplish. 

It was a resolution that called for the greatest degree of humility to maintain.

The Humblest of Kings

Long before Scotland found herself in chains or Wallace stood to fight for freedom, another general employed the same tool to rescue his people. 

The history of Scotland and its champion is a mere foreshadow of the greater tale of another people. Who found themselves in turmoil because of men's selfish ambitions and, like the Scots, accepted the council of one who was their enemy. 

He appointed for them a king, but the throne was never his to rule. So were we subjected to the reign of sin and thus lost all the freedom we had once called our own.

In order to save us, Jesus made Himself of no reputation. The Son of God denied Himself the power, honour, and glories that were His to claim and for our sake adopted instead the position from which He could best secure our freedom. 

 "He, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men." (Philippians ii.6)

Jesus suffered Himself to be scorned and accused of blasphemy whenever He said that He was God. He came and took on the body of a man. He suffered hunger, ridicule, and persecution all the whilst He was preforming the very work that is most worthy of praise. 

The Scots didn't understand why Wallace would accept lowliness when he could have taken the highest title and neither did the Jews understand why their Messiah didn't come in all the glory and triumph they had expected. 

But Wallace fought under the simple title of Warden of Scotland because he cared more about setting the people free than seeking his due. Likewise, our Saviour forgot Himself, set aside all that was His right, and fought from a position that required humility to fill. 

His strategy - to employ humility as a means of effecting our rescue. 

He made Himself our champion by fighting for our freedom rather than His own aggrandisement.

"Yes, living, dying: let me bring my strength, my solace from this spring, that He who lives to be my King once died to be my Saviour." - Aaron Shust, My Saviour, My God

In Christ

Quiana

The Roman Law - An Opportunity to Walk in the Example of our King

The whispers grew silent as the stranger came nearer. All who had shared in the gossip averted their eyes. They were afraid even to look at the man of whom they had just spoken. As he passed through everyone pretended to be hard at work, though most were too anxious to focus on their tasks. The Roman soldier was like a lion lurking near a herd of gazelles. They appeared to be calm - hoping to escape his notice- but each was poised to flee.

The red fabric and silver armour that made up his attire was covered in sweat and dust. One of his hands was hastily bound up and Benaiah guessed that the hidden wound must be fresh for it was bleeding through the bandage. He wondered what had happened to the rest of the man's battalion, for it wasn't often that one saw a Roman soldier traveling alone.    

"The brute has probably been raiding some of our countrymen." A passerby whispered in the youth's ear. The man spat on the ground in disgust before hurrying away.  

Benaiah's eyes moved to the glinting sword that hung at the soldier's side and he shuddered. The suspicion was probably right. His gaze rose to the Roman's face and their eyes suddenly met.

"You there, come and take my pack."

Benaiah wished that the man was talking to someone else but he knew that he was not. Benaiah hesitated, glancing down at his unfinished work.

"You must go, Ben," Miriam whispered in his ear, "this will have to wait." His sister took the tool out of his hand and urged him forward.

The law required him to carry the soldier's pack a mile and it didn't matter in the least if it was convenient for him to do so.

Benaiah took the bag without a word and pulled the straps over his shoulders. With all the Romans had already taken, still they managed to find ways to demand more! Ben shook his head. Father, mother, home, friends and even my time! But such was the lot of the vanquished and he dare not complain about it aloud. He sighed. Perhaps I am looking at it all wrong. He thought. The pack was heavy, but surely not so heavy as it would feel upon the shoulders of a man who had already carried it for miles. And besides, it was an opportunity to take a walk and that was something he was rarely able to find time for. Ben smiled and his step became just a bit quicker as he followed along behind the soldier.

He was thinking that they had to be getting near to the mile marker, when the Roman suddenly paused and leaned against the short, stone wall that ran alongside the road. He rubbed his hand briskly up and down the injured arm.

"Has it gone numb?" Ben asked. It was the first time that he had spoken to the man.

"Yes."

"May I rewrap the bandage for you? It looks as though they might have been tied a too tight."

The soldier looked Ben over from head to foot. Apparently, trying to decide whether or not the youth could pose a threat. After a long while he nodded. Ben took the pack off, leaned it against the wall, and began to carefully unwrap the wound. It was a deep cut that ran across the man's palm and a good way down his wrist; evidently it had taken the stroke of a sword. The bandage was stained both with blood and the dust of the road but there wasn't a clean one with which to replace it, so Ben wrapped it around the hand again.

"Can I use your knife?"

The soldier looked hesitant. But he slowly reached to unbuckle a short- bladed knife that hung from his belt. Ben took it with a nod and began to cut a wide strip of cloth from the bottom of his tunic. His companion looked puzzled even as the boy slipped the fabric under his arm. His perplexity vanished, however, as soon as the youth began to tie the two ends together behind his neck.

Ben handed back the knife, "I'm pretty sure that your wrist is broken. It will heal better later if you keep it supported now." He said. Then Ben picked up the pack and started walking again.

As he had predicted, it wasn't much longer before they reached the stone pillar that marked a mile. In this way was every mile marked, along every road in the Roman Empire, yet Ben seemed oblivious to the presence of the pillar - he just kept walking.

"The law says you only have to go with me for a mile." The Roman soldier called after him.

The boy smiled.

"I know."

"Then what are you doing?"

"I'm going to go with you for two." Beniah was still walking and he was taking the Roman's pack with him. Thus, the man hurried to catch up.

"I don't understand." The Roman said with a furrowed brow.

"It's simple." Ben replied, "Ceaser decreed that a Jew must carry the pack of a Roman soldier for a mile, if he is asked to do so...That requirement I have fulfilled. But my Lord, Jesus Christ, said that His followers should go on yet another mile, even though it is not asked of us."

The Roman was silent for several minutes.

"If you go on for another mile, you'll have two more to walk on the way back."

"I know." Ben said. He thought of the work he had left undone and of Mirriam waiting anxiously for him to return. But he knew Mirriam would understand.

When they came to the second marker Benaiah finally stopped and took off the pack. He wished now that he could go the whole way with the soldier but he knew that he must get back before dark and already he would have to hurry to do so.

"May God bless the rest of your journey." He said, with a smile and an outstretched hand.

"And yours as well, friend." The man replied. He smiled for the first time since Ben had met him in the marketplace. "I had been told of your Jesus, boy, but today I have seen what He is like."

The principle of going the second mile has come to be widely understood as 'going beyond what is required in order to show kindness' but in the original context it meant much more than this.

"Whoever compels you to go with him one mile..."

If we read this command without understanding the historical setting in which it was originally given we miss the fulness of what Jesus was calling His followers to do when He said, "...go with them two." (Matthew v. 41)

At that time, the Romans had conquered the Jewish people, along with most of the known world. They had mercilessly killed thousands of Jews, enslaved others, and dispersed the remainder through foreign lands. At the hand of the Romans the Jews had lost everything - land, community, family, homes, and possessions. They daily lived in fear of the tyranny of Roman soldiers, who were known to kidnap, rape, murder, and pillage without provocation. The Jews considered the Romans, especially the Roman soldiers, to be their greatest enemies.

On top of these trials, the Jewish people were subjected to the Roman law which was far from being in their favour. The laws added insult to injury, reminding the Jews that even those who remained free were no better than slaves to the Roman Empire. The particular law that Jesus mentioned in Matthew v stated that a Roman soldier could command a Jew to carry his pack, at any time, and the Jew must journey with him for a mile. You can easily imagine the inconvenience of being required to instantly set down your work and leave your responsibilities in order to carry someone else's stuff, or the humiliation of being ever at the beck and call of your enemy. But most of us don't realise the fullness of the sacrifice that this law required of the Jewish man or boy. Most lived in poverty, struggling just to keep their families fed and the taxes paid.

Failing to pay the Roman tax would result in either imprisonment or slavery for a man and often for his entire family. Thus, every hour of work counted and it was precious time that was lost when they were walking a mile with the soldier and another mile back. For this reason it was a small mercy that the law had put a limit upon the distance that they could be required to go. Then Jesus said, to a people who already begrudged having to walk a mile out of their way to serve an enemy soldier, "go with [him] two." The command was far more difficult than 'embracing the inconvenient' or 'exceeding expectations' as we have come to understand it to mean. Their Messiah was asking them to lay down their own needs and responsibilities, to set aside their hatred and grievances, and to demonstrate His love. A love that was even then leading Him to the cross to die for those who had made themselves His enemies.

The command did not stand alone. Going the second mile fit perfectly into the longer list of impossible commands that He was giving them:

"...whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also... Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Matthew v. 39 - 40, 42)

Each command is a practical application of the same principle. In caring for the man's injured hand Benaiah started walking the second mile before they had even come to the marker of the first. He demonstrated the same love and the same selflessness in ripping his own tunic to make a sling as he did in bearing the man's pack further down the road. Neither was required of him. Likewise, the command to walk an extra mile with an enemy soldier applied the same principle as turning your other cheek to someone who had just slapped you, or giving your cloak to a person who had just sued you for your tunic. In all these actions the follower of Christ had the opportunity to show love to their enemy, to bless those who had cursed them, to do good to those who hated them, and to pray for those who spitefully used them and persecuted them.

Ben explained to the soldier that the Roman law applied to all Jews but Jesus's law was only for Christians. That was an important observation because only Christians have what is needed to fulfill this command. Try as you might, without the help of the Spirit of God, you will be unable to meet such a command or to demonstrate such perfect love. Thankfully, none of us are asked to lay ourselves aside or to love our enemies until we have first been changed by the love of God. Who has, Himself, walked that second mile for us. It was by the means of this very principle that He reconciled us to Himself so that we who were enemies might instead become His friends. This is the example that the Christian gets to follow as we walk the second mile, recalling all the way that it was first done for us.  

In Christ

quiana