0600 " We're surrounded. That simplifies things" Psalm 46

 0600 " We're surrounded. That simplifies things" said Gen. Lewis 'Chesty' Puller. --- 
              God says, "Chill Out, Know that I Am, God"
 Psalm 46

Quacco Baptist Church

November 30, 2022

Introduction 

Marines of the 1st Marine Division not only avoided being captured by the Chinese Communist Forces while other units disintegrated to their left and right, but actually re-attacked in a different direction. In the process, these Marines destroyed 7 Chinese Divisions! Few ever ask about the quality of officer and Staff NCO leadership in those frozen mountain passes because they don’t need to: It’s simply “Who We Are” as U.S. Marines, right? Former Army officer, T. R. Fehrenbach, would describe it this way after the Korean War: 

“In 1950 a Marine Corps officer was still an officer, and a sergeant behaved the way good sergeants had behaved since the time of Caesar, expecting no nonsense, allowing none. And Marine leaders had never lost sight of their primary – their only – mission, which was to fight... Marine human material was not one whit better than that of the human society from which it came. But it had been hammered into form in a different forge, hardened in a different fire. The Marines were the closest thing to legions the nation had. They would follow their colors from the shores of home to the sea coasts of Bohemia, and fight well in either place.”

Did Marines perform heroically at the Frozen Chosin because of their ethos, their core values, and “Who We Are” as an organization, or is there more to it? Is the “Frozen Chosin” just another chapter in the long narrative of “Marine Exceptionalism,” or is it all this and a valuable lesson on the importance of “Leadership, Commandership?

Leadership in the 1st Marine Division at that time, you’ll find many of the names who have achieved legendary status in the Corps: Chesty Puller, Raymond Murray, Homer Litzenberg, and Ray Davis. Raymond G. Davies was the 3rd Mar. Div. Commanding General in Vietnam and  I believe as I’ve mentioned before, I had the honor of working for him personally and going every other day to the field for the three months I was assigned. 

Well, in Korea, did the 1st Marine Division really perform so well against overwhelming odds because it was stacked with talented commanders? At the center of the action at Chosin a humble, highly intelligent, even-keeled division commander. 

– Major General Oliver P. Smith. His leadership is a lesson in “Commandership.”

Smith’s intellect, moral courage, character, wisdom, and quiet but forceful leadership created what would amount to an impenetrable force-field around his Marines and his Division: his moral courage truly engendered combat power and physical courage on the battlefield, shaping not only the actions of his Marines but also the context in which those actions occurred. Just how was he able to do this? 

Colonel Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, Commander, 1st Marine Regiment.

According to Smith, “Colonel Puller is picturesque. He is what might be termed a ‘character.’ He was always a good copy. His men loved him for it. No one who associated with him could help loving him. With all his rough, tough exterior he had a very warm heart. He was an avid reader of biography and history. Tactically he believes in direct action. But he did not sacrifice his men uselessly. His command post was always well forward. Often his command post was in fact his observation post. He had a tendency to get all his battalions in the fight. Often it was necessary to discourage this tendency by putting strings on one of his battalions. 

Lieutenant Colonel Ray Davis, Commander, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. Davis was 35 years old when he was a Battalion Commander in Korea, but by that time he had already amassed an impressive combat record. He was a man of few words, I can attest to that, he didn’t rely on tough talk nor gruffness to inspire his Marines, but rather on his uncanny ability to retain his composure while at the center of any fray – no matter how tough. His reputation as a “ferocious battalion commander” had been well-earned by the time of Chosin. Davis grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Georgia Tech University in 1938.

            Maj. Gen. Davis, during Korea was a Lt. Col. He was awarded the Medal Of Honor and I want to just briefly share part of the citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, in action against enemy aggressor forces….keenly aware that the operation involved breaking through a surrounding enemy and advancing eight miles along primitive icy trails in the bitter cold with every passage disputed by a savage and determined foe, Lt. Col. Davis boldly led his battalion into the attack in a daring attempt to relieve a beleaguered rifle company and to seize, hold, and defend a vital mountain pass controlling the only route available for two marine regiments in danger of being cut off by numerically superior hostile forces during their redeployment to the port of Hungnam.

They … encountered strong opposition from entrenched enemy forces commanding high ground in the path of the advance, he promptly spearheaded his unit in a fierce attack up the steep, ice-covered slopes in the face of withering fire and, personally leading the assault groups in a hand-to-hand encounter, … Always in the thick of the fighting, Lt. Col. Davis led his battalion over three successive ridges in the deep snow in continuous attacks against the enemy and, constantly inspiring and encouraging his men throughout the night,....  knocked to the ground when a shell fragment struck his helmet and two bullets pierced his clothing, he arose and fought his way forward at the head of his men until he reached the isolated marines…. he bravely led his battalion in securing the vital mountain pass from a strongly entrenched and numerically superior hostile force, carrying all his wounded with him, including 22 litter cases and numerous ambulatory patients. Despite repeated savage and heavy assaults by the enemy, he stubbornly held the vital terrain …  on the morning of 4 December, led his battalion into Hagaru-ri intact. By his superb leadership, outstanding courage, and brilliant tactical ability, Lt. Col. Davis was directly instrumental in saving the beleaguered rifle company from complete annihilation and enabled the two marine regiments to escape possible destruction. His valiant devotion to duty and unyielding fighting spirit in the face of almost insurmountable odds enhance and sustain the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service…. They were up against 7 Chinese Divisions…… 

As a side, that’s where the saying from Chesty Puller originates…. “We're surrounded. That simplifies things” He also said, no matter what direction we shoot, we’ll kill the Chinese..

            What had the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir have to do with Psalm 46? You would probably say nothing at all. Or when Army Gen. Anthony McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne at Bastogne, replied “nuts” to the Germans when asked to surrender.

Well, I don’t know … But in 701 BC during the reign of Hezekiah, Sennacherib marched on Jerusalem and besieged her. The Assyrians drew up in battle array; Lord Byron caught the beat & the march of the event in his poem, 

              The Destruction of Sennacherib –

The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,

And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;

And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,

When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.

 

Seems I’ve been all over the map here. Hezekiah offered to pay tribute to Sennacherib if only he would withdraw his armies from Judah (2 Kings 18:13-). The king of Assyria received Hezekiah’s tribute but continued to Jerusalem to besiege it. Hezekiah sent his ambassadors after Sennacherib summoned him but Sennacherib’s chief of staff insulted the king of Judah and belittled his army. 

His ambassadors asked the Assyrian chief of staff to speak to them in Aramaic instead of Hebrew because they did not want to frighten the people. But Sennacherib’s chief of staff refused because he wanted the people to hear about what the Assyrian army will do to them if they will not surrender and made an example out of the people of Samaria.

Hezekiah relayed the Assyrian chief of staff’s message to the prophet Isaiah. But the prophet told the king not to worry about Sennacherib’s threats and foretold the Assyrian king’s death by the sword. Sennacherib besieged the town of Libnah and left to meet the attack of Taharqa, king of Egypt. Sennacherib sent a message to Hezekiah demanding for his surrender before leaving. Hezekiah despaired and Isaiah, once again, sent him a prophecy reassuring him of Judah’s safety and Assyria’s defeat.

2 Kings 19:35 tells that 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were killed by an angel that night and Sennacherib returned to Nineveh. He was later killed by his own sons. His youngest son, Esarhaddon, succeeded him as king of Assyria.

The mighty army of Assyria was no more. To commemorate this victory, this hymn of praise was penned by Hezekiah or possibly Isaiah or perhaps by some unknown Aureate of Judah. There is no doubt that it was written to immortalize the triumph of the angel sent by God over the mighty army of the enemy. Because of the great & glorious victory and marvelous deliverance that both, Christians & Jews turn by instinct to Psalm 46 when disaster strikes and all else seems to be lost.

This psalm gives us the assurance that God can and will handle, in His own time and way, and in His will, things which seem like total disasters to us.

Therefore I want to look at verses 10 - 11: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

When we, individuals, and also as a nation, in particular this day and age, come to grips with our problems, the words of these two verses should be written indelibly in our souls. The cynical person, of which I may include myself, may see very little hope of this nation as a whole doing so; as far as it has and continues to drive a wedge between the Lord and the nation.

Be that as it may. Psalm 46 was our responsive reading this morning. We are told of the greatness of God, His power to deliver us from things that are beyond our abilities. We are to understand, it doesn’t matter what we face in life, God is greater. The greater things that we face in life, the less we’ll be able to deal with them. We’re to stop fighting in our strength and allow God to take His rightful place as Savior and deliverer.

Verse 10 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" is a command from God to stop our futile efforts in dealing with things that are His domain. He asks us to put down our weapons of war and stand in awe of Him and His mighty power. As God, He is sovereign, faithful, omnipotent and unfailing. When all nations of the world see the power of God, they will exalt and honor Him as the one true God. We are to stop fighting in our strength and surrender to Him who will help us fight our battles. Our human strength cannot match God’s, and it is futile to fight when we would rather leave the matter in God’s hands.

When we fight battles in our own effort and grow weary and give in to defeat. This happens because we are fighting a battle that requires God's intervention. He is the one who is undefeated and can conquer any enemy or threat to His people. 

When you, when we as a nation, when the whole world acknowledges that only God has the power to save them from the dangers and disasters they face, they will honor Him. As God, He is involved in the affairs of mankind because He never intended for us to operate without Him. 

In the world, we face things that are insurmountable without God. We are to keep our eyes on Him who can miraculously deal with the things we are trying to solve in our strength. When you surrender to God, He can take charge of the situation. He is your refuge in times of trouble and the one who can subdue your enemies who rise against you. Be still and know He is God !

Then verse 11, The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Think of this, The LORD of Hosts is with us. Who are the ‘hosts’? They are the heavenly armies. Elisha asked God to open the eyes of his servant, 2 Kings 6:16-18, “Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD,please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18As the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Please strike these people with blindness.” So He struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha … Jesus when arrested He said to Peter 2“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?…Matt. 26:52-53. A legion was about 5,000 soldiers, so twelve legions would be about 60,000 angels. Just think that one angel did away with about 185,000 of Sennacherib’s host.

All the angels of God are mustered around His throne, they do His bidding, they are sent to minister to who are heirs of salvation. But better still, look at what it says, The LORD of hosts is with us. God Himself is with us, He is at the head of the army, the hosts. Can we believe that? With all that occupies His mind all the vast universe, can He be with you, in your car, at your work, in your kitchen, in your financial bind, in your loneliness and weakness, despite your failings? 

He is the God of Jacob, our refuge! God who took Jacob in his backslidings & failures; took that deceitful conniving shepherd into His embrace and changed his name to Israel. That God, the God of Jacob is our refuge. If Sennacherib would have known this he would have kept his armies at home. 

God, the Almighty, can be your refuge. In His love, He sent His only one of a kind Son that whoever will believe that He died, was buried, and rose from the dead shall have everlasting life. Today, right now, is the day of salvation. No one can have eternal life with the Father but through Jesus Christ. He is the only way to the Father. There are no other ways. Not through Buddha, not through Mohamed, not the Quran, not through Joel Olsteen, not through Mary, through no one except Christ. Scripture says in John 14:6, Jesus said, ““I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Come to God, through Jesus Christ, believe and be saved, allow God the Father to be your refuge……..

Let’s pray—

Heavenly Father, we pray that we may immerse ourselves in the words of this wonderful Psalm we thank you for this revelation, written not merely with pen and ink, but with blood and sweat and tears, heartache and sorrow, happiness and joy -- in the lives of men and women like ourselves. In Jesus’ name. Amen.