Introduction:

The term "captain" is familiar to Bible readers because it is used often to describe a variety of positions. For Example:

1. Kings were captains of their nation.

a. Jephthah - (Judges 11: 6-11)
b. Saul - (1 Sam. 9:16; 10:1)
c. David - (2 Sam. 5:2)
d. Hezekiah - (2 Kings 20:5)

2. Every king had a captain of the host (army).

(Gen. 21:22,32; 26:26; Judg. 4:2,7; 1 Sam. 14:50; 17:55; 26:5; 2 Sam. 2:18; 1 Kings 2:32 etc.)

3. In Israel, there was a captain over each tribe (Numbers 2:3-29)

a. Amasa, captain of Judah - (1 Kings 2:32)
b. Adina, captain of Reuben - (1 Chron. 11:42)

Note: (I Chron. 27:1-5) seems to indicate that each captain and his tribe served one month active duty a year.

4. Captains over smaller ranks.

a. Captain of one thousand - (1 Sam. 17:15)
b. Captain of one hundred - (Num. 31:14,48,52,54)
c. Captain of fifty - (2 Kings 1:9-13; 15:23-25)

The title "captain" in what ever context used is obviously a military term. The plain and necessary implication of this title is that we are passing through a country full of difficulties, dangers, oppositions, like Israel with the wilderness on their way to the promised inheritance; so that we need a Captain, Guide, Leader, to carry us safely through. The responsibilities of a captain would then be to do the following.

 

I. THE CAPTAIN MUST LEAD

(Josh. 5:13-15) - The most common battle of the 20th Century Christian is the one of personal sanctification. Joshua 6 gives us several key points of strategy to remember.

[1]. If the battle is won, it will be given by the Lord - (Josh. 6:2; Eph. 6:10; 1 Timothy 6:12)
[2]. It may require a great deal of patience - (Josh. 6:3; Rom. 5:3; Heb. 12:1)
[3]. It may require a great deal of perseverance - (Josh. 6:4; Eph. 6:18)
[4]. We need to avail ourselves of the psychology of the "shout" - (Josh. 6:5; Ezra 3:11-13; Ps. 5:11; 32:11; 35:27 47:1)
[5]. We must realize that there is also an individual battle - (Josh. 6:5; Jam. 1:14; Rom. 14:12; Eph. 6:13)
[6]. It will require complete obedience - (Josh. 6:10; Rom. 16:19; Lk. 9:62)
[7]. It will require personal sacrifice - (Josh. 6:12, 15; Phil 2:5-8; 3:7,8; Heb. 13:16)
[8]. Paying close attention will help us keep from the accursed thing - (Josh. 6:18; 2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Pet. 5:8; 1 Tim. 3:7; Prov. 4:23; 2 Cor. 8:7; Heb. 12:15; 2 Pet. 1:5)

B. He leads in suffering

(Hebrews 2:10) says, Christ was made perfect through suffering. This does not mean that he was sinful before and was made holy by his sufferings. Christ was not made better, for he was before perfectly holy, but he was completely endowed for the work which he came to do. He, through sufferings was rendered complete because of:

[1]. His sufferings made Him an example to all His people who shall pass through trials.
[2]. He is able to sympathize with them, and to succor them in their temptations - (Heb. 2:18)
[3]. By His sufferings an atonement was made for all sin. He was made perfect, in that His death provided a finished work. - (Heb. 5:8,9)

C. He leads into glory

It would be impossible for any of Christ's soldiers to go into glory, had He not gone first as the firstfruits (1 Cor. 15:23)

 

II. THE CAPTAIN MUST ENCOURAGE

B. A man who overcomes all for his goal - (2 Sam. 5:8)

C. A man who is the most honorable; (2 Sam. 23:19)

D. A man who can listen to proper request - (2 Kings 4:13)

E. A man who gives words of praise when they are deserved - (Lk. 19:17)

Victory in ancient warfare, as well as in more recent times was always related to the following of the colors. During the War Between the States, the Twenty-sixth North Carolina. A crack regiment commanded by a twenty-one-year-old full colonel, Henry King Burgwyn, was ordered to charge the famed Iron Brigade, composed of the Second and Seventh Wisconsin. The Nineteenth Indiana and the Twenty-fourth Michigan Regiments. After a challenging speech, Colonel Burgwyn concluded: "Since you will be unable to receive any commands from me during the noise of battle, I am issuing one order right now - Close in on the colors!"

The new regimental colors, just issued by the State of North Carolina, were then uncased and placed unfurled before the regiment. "Now," he commanded. "all you men have to do is to FOLLOW THE COLORS!"

Proud to be the first standard-bearer, through knowing full well he would not be the last, J. B. Mansfield stepped smartly forward four paces to the front of the line. Inevitable, color bearers suffered a high mortality rate; and true to form, eight color guards and ten standard-bearers had been shot down by the time the North Carolina reached the main Federal line. At this point in the battle, Captain W. W. McCreery, a staff officer, brought the order to advance. So inspired was he by the fervor of those gallant men that he picked up the fallen colors, waved the flag and dashed to the front of the line to urge the regiment on. He had advanced only a short way when be too collapsed, five bullet wounds 'in his chest.

Lieutenant George Wilcox rushed forward and pulled the blood covered flag from under the body, and again another valiant confederate fell after he had advanced only a few steps. At this juncture, the regiment wavered, but Colonel Burgwyn seized the colors and shouted, "Dress to the colors!" As he moved forward, a young private, Frank Honeycutt, sprang from the ranks to relieve the colonel - too late. Colonel Burgwyn was struck in the chest, mortally wounded. Honeycutt too was shot down instantly.

Although the colors changed hands thirteen times in all, the dauntless regiment, outnumbered two to one, carried the hill and drove back the powerful Iron Brigade. The North Carolinians suffered 71.7 percent casualties - the third highest loss of any regiment in the Confederacy; but they had one order - FOLLOW THE COLORS - and follow they did, to the death!