Satan is sub-standard

The movie Pearl Harbor is pretty much wrapping up in theatres, soon to be on DVD I suppose. One of the most “infamous” events, to quote a president, and certainly something that changed the face of the entire nation as we know it. I talked to many people who had seen it, and asked them something in particular: Did it mention anything about the US submarine bases in the Pacific? Not really, which is a shame.

By now it should be obvious I am a history buff, I am in particular interested in submarines and the roles they played in past wars. It sure seems to me you can learn an awful lot from history, no doubt this is why God saw to it that most of the history of the nation of Israel was kept intact to this day, so we could learn about the nature of God and about his justice, judgments, plans, and patience. History lessons apply to a lot more than just parroting things on the surface, often there is a kind of “moral to the story” that can be applied to other things. Case in point: the submarine pens at Pearl.

On that disastrous day back in 1941, our battleships were nailed, it’s true. So were most of the aircraft in the north Pacific. But amazingly enough, the subs were ignored by the Japanese. Within hours of the attack, our subs were getting out of port like lethal sea monsters, searching for enemy ships to devour. When the war first started, the subs were given a priority list of things to sink. It went something like “battleship, heavy cruiser, carrier, light cruiser, troop ship, cargo ship, destroyer.” That means if a carrier and a battleship were sighted at the same time, the sub was to ignore the carrier and go after the battleship first. Because of the changing face of ocean war, almost immediately carriers jumped to the top of the list. At the battle of Midway, the only US carrier lost was sank by a Japanese sub, and the fourth and final Japanese carrier, one of the same ones used to attack Pearl Harbor, was sunk by a US sub that was overlooked during the Pearl raid.

Here’s the interesting part. It was unclear what role our submarines should play in this war. The US had never really used their undersea arm before, and it takes a different kind of thinking to effectively use submarines. In other words, a battleship captain understands battleships, but often this same man looked at subs as “cheating” or underhanded. For a while, they were dragooned into being part of the fleet support, something subs aren’t meant for and don’t do well. Somebody with longer vision had a great idea though. Remember that priority list? There was one ship that moved up just behind carrier and in front of battleships, a kind of ship that eventually moved up to being a higher priority than even carriers: tankers. Let’s face it, you got no fuel, your ships don’t move around so well. Before the war’s end, entire harbors were full of ships that simply had no way to go anywhere. Trucks and tanks don’t move. Planes don’t fly. Trains don’t bring food or munitions. It was a brilliant idea, and especially effective when your enemy is an island, with almost no natural resources. The Japanese admiralty, after the war, said two things made defeat unavoidable: atom bombs and US submarines.

So what’s the point? Simply this. How can you defeat an enemy as powerful as the devil? Go against him head to head? There are other ways to fight him, to weaken him, so you can triumph. Cut off his supplies! Have a hard time with swearing? Maybe you should “cut down” on time spent with ungodly friends and spend more time with Christians. Have a hard time beating lust? Maybe a little less TV and a little more time fishing, walking, reading, and mediation. Put more distance between you and the devil. It’s a lot easier to dodge the darts when they’re thrown from farther away. And it’s a lot easier to resist temptation when you never get tempted because you avoid the whole situation in the first place!

Matthew 26:40-41 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

I Corinthians 10:10-14 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

I Timothy 6:3-5 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Peter I 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Proverbs 4:14-15 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.