MAY 05, 2024
Topic: CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION
Text: Hebrews 2:8-10; 14-18 & 2 Chronicles 13:10-17
Memory Verse: ““For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” – (Hebrews 2:10 – NKJV).
The civil war between Israel and Judah as reported in our text above in 2 Chronicles 13:10-17 took place during the reign of king Abijah of Judah and king Jeroboam of Israel. Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant had become king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by treachery and evil scheming.
That war demonstrated the importance of captains as the leader in the forefront! Abijah made a statement of faith in 2 Chr. 13:12; “God Himself is with us as our captain…” In other words, captains are made for war! Our lives are lived constantly in war. Paul wrote, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (Eph. 6:12). Our war is with the devil and his agents. This warfare is mainly unseen spiritual fights that we do not know but in which our captain stands in front to fight.
The text above revealed more about the nature of our captain. He is first without equals: The Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:9-18); EVERYTHING is under His subjection: principalities, powers, demons, devil – all things; including creation and all created things (Col 1:13-18). The victory was settled ON THE CROSS, thus rescuing us from our sins the way the Lord rescued Judah with 400,000 soldiers from the Israelite soldiers of 400,000 because they called on their “captain”, our God!
Note that spiritual perfection is usually attained through sufferings: tribulations, trials, wars, etc. Dear Christian, know for sure that your testing and the current challenge you are going through is not meant to kill you, nor hurt you, but to make you perfect (James 1:2-4; 12-13). It is to make you like king Abijah who cried out to God for help (2 Chr. 13:12).
Lastly, the captain leads his troops to victory, the same way He leads the war, with the sole goal, “to bring many sons to glory” by His death! The Apostles’ bold statement in Acts 4:12, was a sure testimony of what the captain said in John 14:1-6. Are you a son/daughter? This captain has power over him who brings the first death (Heb. 2:14-15), and so He is able to bring us to paradise – our place of eternal rest after this earthly war.
PRAYER: I am so glad that I am not in this earthly struggle alone. I have a captain who also took on flesh and so is a merciful High Priest that I can count on even when I am unaware of the battles in the spiritual. Lord Jesus, help me to put on the whole armour of God, Amen.