ON THE VANGUARD

BURN IT
“So Elisha left [Elijah] and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.”
I Kings 19:21

It is said that in the spring of the year 1519, a Spanish fleet of 11 ships and roughly 500 men sailed the seas. News had reached the governor of Cuba that land had been spotted just past the oceanic horizon, and Spain desired to expand. The governor appointed Hernan Cortes to lead this mission. Although not fully qualified, Cortes was full of zeal and courage. So with his limited army, Cortes took on and destroyed the Aztec Empire of more than five million men. Never before had an army so small conquered a force so massive.
Cortes explored the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula before choosing to land at Tabasco. There he had no trouble enlisting the natives as part of his army. It was also there that he learned of the great wealth of the Aztec Empire. Establishing his troops northward at Vera Cruz, his men trained for battle as he planned their attack. He was giving the men purpose, a piece of the action, and a prize if they won. Many of the men he had first traveled with were part of the second stage of Spanish settlers in Cuba, and by this time the property in Cuba was sparse. He had made no declaration of this mission being a second thought, therefore they knew the dedication related to this mission. But as the troops began to fear their outcome and desired to go home, Cortes made one simple command that would change their passion for the fight. “Burn the ships.”
Cortes left no way of retreat for his army. The only option they had for leaving the vanguard was either by death or in the boats of the Aztecs. As the men overcame their fear, strength welled up inside them and urged them to continue the fight till finally they overcame the Empire. Cortes and his men continued to defeat several other native tribes, forming alliances with previous enemies and enlisting support. However, despite all the training, preparation, battle plans, and ideas, the rampage on the Aztec Empire would be another failed attempt if he had not removed the ability for retreat. It was as I was reading the call of Elisha that I found the same tenacity, and same example, that we too may be able to gain from.
Following the still small voice of the LORD that Elijah heard, God gave Elijah three tasks. The prophet was to anoint Hazael king over Aram, anoint Jehu king over Israel, and anoint Elisha as his successor (I Kings 19:15-16). Each of these tasks was carried out in obedience to the LORD. Yet we read in the Bible a little more detail concerning the calling of Elisha. While plowing the field with twelve yoke of oxen, Elijah came up behind Elisha and threw his cloak around him. Elisha left the oxen and requested that he be able to bid farewell to his family. The request was granted, but Elisha did more than say his goodbyes. We read that Elisha also slaughtered his oxen and burned the plowing equipment (I Kings 19:21). Have you ever wondered why?
May I suggest that like Cortes, Elisha was also getting rid of his backup plan; getting out of retreat mode? Being a prophet in those days was not a lifestyle many wanted. One wrong prophecy and people would have your head. Hebrews 11:37 records that some were stoned, sawed in half, and put to death by the sword. It was not a carrier for the faint of heart. Yet Elisha closed the door on retreat, burning his yoke and killing his oxen. If he did decide to come back after a hard day’s work, he would have nothing to come back to.
Reading this story last night caused me to question my devotion to the calling God has given me. I once heard it said that God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. As Christians we are going to have hard days in our calling. For that matter, as humans we have hard days. But have we kept our retreat plan? For years my retreat plan was pornography. It is not any longer. No, I decided long ago to burn the yoke and slaughter the oxen of that addiction. What yoke do you need to burn, and oxen do you need to kill? Once the retreat option is gone it is amazing how well we will fight.