Battle of Britain Day

Today, as any student of modern history - and indeed, anyone who keeps abreast of the news - knows, is the day set aside to mark the Battle of Britain.  It was on  June 18th, 1940, that Winston Churchill gave a speech to the British people, announcing: "The Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin."  That battle was, primarily, for supremacy of the skies over the English Channel and south-eastern Britain and, within a short time, it had started in earnest.  However, by the end of October, 1940, the R.A.F. had demonstrated its overalll superiority.

One of the best-known of Mr Churchill's many memorable sayings refers to the bravery, and skill, of those R.A.F. pilots - over 500 of whom died during those momentous weeks alone - is " Never in the history of mankind have so many owed so much to so few."  And it is true that, without the heroic efforts of 'the few', Hitler and his Nazi party might have achieved the domination of Europe that they craved.  Of course, there are those - myself included - who believe that he used entirely the wrong strategy.  The E.U. has done a much better job of removing one cherished freedom after another, and we no longer have politicians of the calibre of Winston Churchill (although he had many flaws that are often overlooked!) to lead us, and to stand up to tyranny, however well it might seek to cloak itself in political respectability!

However, my mind has been going back to an event that, with all due respect to the memory of Mr Churchill, far outweighs even the achievements of 'the few'.  I think of a hill called Calvary, outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem, as it was some 2,000 years ago.  I think of a cross, and of the Man Who hung there - with two other men, one on each side.  But it is the One in the middle Who is the focus of attention.  For this Man - Jesus, from Nazareth - had made some astounding claims in the previous three years.  He had, in effect, claimed that He was God; and it was for that blasphemy that the Jewish hierarchy had insisted that the Roman Procurator, Pontius Pilate, have Him sentenced to death (John 19:7).

But what a death!  The Jewish prophet, Isaiah, had been allowed, centuries before, to have a glimpse into future time.  And he recorded what he saw: "He was despised and rejected - a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.  We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way.  He was despised, and we did not care.  Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins!  But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole.  He was whipped so we could be healed.  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God's paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.  He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. Unjustly condemned, He was led away." (53:3-8; NLT - my emphases).

 And the result of that death?  His glorious victory over sin, and hell, and the grave!  It is through Him, and Him alone, that men and women, boys and girls, may know full salvation - forgiveness of sin, and the assurance of eternal life.  The conflict was, and is, spiritual, rather than physical.  So Paul reminds the early church in the Ephesus: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12, NIV).  That salvation is available to all, and attainable by all.  It 'only' requires confession of my sinfulness, and my inability to do anything about it; acceptance that His death has paid the penalty for my sin; submission of my whole life to Him, as both Saviour and Lord; and sharing about Him with others whom I know and meet.

John records: "... I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, 'Salvation comes from our God Who sits on the throne, and from the Lamb!'" (Rev 7:9-10; NLT).


One cannot get fewer people than one!  So, without detracting from the actions, and successes, of those Battle of Britain fighter pilots, of Him, it may be much more truly said that "Never in the history of mankind have so many owed so much to One Man."   Glory to His Name..