During William Brown's reading of "Preparing Boys for Battle," we learn that a father ought to encourage his sons not to waste their youth. In this day and age, there are many things set before us to distract us and many vain things that seek to have our time. Fathers must warn our sons of these dangers and remind them that time is one of the greatest resources that we have. Once it was spent, we cannot get it back.
Every son needs to hear his father say, Son, don't waste your youth. Hebrews 11 32 to 34. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, also of David, and Samuel, and the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the alien. Hebrew 11 32 34 Chapter 1 Unmatched battle.
On Iwo Jima the youth of a nation rose up to defend a homeland. They were just boys on that island, one side fighting on the surface and the other in tunnels below ground. How do you prepare a son in his youth for the battles ahead? How do you prepare your son for difficulties that he might face in the future? What follows are some ways that a father can come alongside his son so that he does not squander his youth.
Growing up and hearing about Iwo Jima for my father I never realized the significance of that little island in the Pacific until later in life. In my youth it was a place of boyhood dreams filled with foxholes and jeeps, P-51 Mustangs and DUKS, amphibious trucks, flak, explosions and Japanese night attacks. What I didn't realize as a boy was that Iwo Jima was one of the most unusual battlefields in the history of warfare. What happened there can never be repeated. That five-week battle stands tall among the greatest battles in human history.
Neither Napoleon at Waterloo nor George Washington at Yorktown saw anything like this. No comparison can be made to the Greeks battling at Marathon or Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders storming San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War. Warfare will never see another Iwo Jima. Contemplating Iwo Jima as a man, the question that keeps ringing in my ears is this, how do you prepare sons for battles like this? The Challenges Impregnable Fortifications Lieutenant General Holland M.
Smith, the commanding general of the Fleet Marine Force in the Pacific, said, quote, It was the most heavily fortified island in the world." The tactical challenges were unmatched by any other battle. There was no hope of surprise. The enemy had all the high ground, exposing our troops to every form of firepower. Every square yard of dirt was under Japanese crosshairs. Iwo Jima was a fight entirely on the enemy's terms.
On Iwo Jima we had no advantages at any point in the battle from landing to leaving. There was simply nowhere to hide. We were on their carefully prepared turf. According to one observer, they would have caught us between the high ground in the north and Suribachi on the south. They could plaster us from both flanks with mortars, artillery, and rocket launchers hidden in caves and pillboxes in the volcano and the northern ridges.
They might even be able to keep us from reinforcing our first waves and then annihilate our forces already ashore. The terrain did not allow clear lines of battle. Never before had there been a battle with one side fighting on the surface of the ground and the other below ground. Imagine two great armies the American forces maneuvering above and the Japanese below 60, 000 to 80, 000 US troops were on the surface or offshore while 23, 000 Japanese were underground crisscrossing battle lines through a complex matrix of tunnels and cave openings. There were some 16 miles of tunnels with three levels.
The construction specifications call for the tunnels to be built 35 feet below the surface to keep them unaffected by shelling. They were a minimum of 33 feet long, 5 feet wide and 5 feet high. These tunnels contained ammo dumps, field hospitals, running water, command posts, and seventy-five feet down the quarters of the Lord of the Underworld, General Kuribachi. The tunnels were designed with frequent turns of 90 degrees to provide cover from flamethrowers and other incursions. Connecting these tunnels were 1, 500 rooms hewn in the rock.
Everything was sunk in the ground so that the enemy was not seen. The Japanese fired from small holes in rock camouflage basements and thick block houses sunk into the earth. They had built 750 of these all over the island. They were composed of rounded reinforced concrete and were almost impregnable. How did they construct such a complex system?
Korean slaves were brought to the island to dig the tunnels. When they were finished with the construction, most of them were executed. Unrealized expectations. Even though we conducted the largest pre-invasion bombardment in the Pacific Theater, the enemy was largely unaffected. We attempted to bomb the island into oblivion for 72 days from December 8 to D-Day on February 19.
D-Day is the name given to the beginning of a planned attack, and should not be confused with the well-known D-Day at Normandy. Even so, the length of time was not enough in the opinion of the Marine Generals. They wanted six months of pre-invasion bombardment, but Admiral Nimitz and President Roosevelt would only approve two months. This refusal embittered General Holland Smith and the others who would lead the charge on D-Day. "'This would be the bloodiest fight in Marine Corps history, ' Smith said to Admiral Nemitz.
"'We'll catch seven kinds of hell on the beaches, and that will be just the beginning. Unfortunately, the bombing did little practical good, although it did make many craters for our troops to jump in and out of when they came ashore. This unrelenting bombardment did not subdue the enemy. A New York Times dispatch written just after our troops landed said this, Ewo, a small island has stood up under bombings and shellings as though it were 50 times its size. Time after time after smashing attacks on Ewo, American planes would come back the next day to be greeted only by anti-aircraft but by fighter planes in the air.
Unrivaled Violence It is clear from all observers of the battle for Iwo Jima that the violence there was natural among World War II battles. Time correspondent Robert Sherrod reported that Japanese and American dead at Iwo Jima had one thing in common. They all died with the greatest possible violence. Nowhere in the Pacific war had I seen such badly mangled bodies. Many were cut squarely in half.
Second Lieutenant Pete Zerlinder, Dayton, Ohio, wrote, At Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian I saw Marines killed and wounded in a shocking manner, but I saw nothing like the ghastliness that hung over the evil beachhead. Nothing any of us had ever known could compare with the utter anguish, frustration, and constant inner battle to maintain some semblance of sanity, clarity of mind, and power of speech. As long as you could speak, you believed you had a slim chance to live. None of us would concede that death would have been a merciful coup de grace. Everybody was seized with an insensate lust to live.
On D-Day there was a casualty every 45 seconds with almost 9, 000 Marines on the beach in 45 minutes. Throughout the battle we sustained 24, 053 casualties. Almost one Marine or corpsman becoming a casualty for every three who landed on Iwo Jima. These were the highest single action losses in Marine Corps history. Of these, a total of 6, 140 died.
Almost one-third of all Marines killed in World War II were lost on Iwo Jima alone, states the Iwo Jima Survivors Association. The outfit that raised the flag on Mount Suribachi was actually destroyed from Heavy casualties when Easy Company cut across the 750-yard neck of the island and then started up Mount Suribachi. Who would have thought the entire company would cease to exist by the end of the battle? Captain Dave Severance, E Company, 28th Marines, described it in this way, easy company started with 310 men. We suffered 75 casualties.
Only 50 men boarded the ship after the battle. Seven officers went into battle with me. Only one, me, walked off Iwo. Iwo Jima was an island of magnificent significance and sacrifice. It was a battle without rest.
It was the place where hundreds of men jumped on grenades to protect their friends. It was where loyalty unto death was demonstrated over and over again. Patrick Clancy writes, It is difficult to imagine any battlefield more closely resembling the biblical vision of hell and the eight square miles of volcanic ash, pumice, and sand that even tanks, let alone Marines, could not easily move across, reeking of sulfur and brimstone, swept by bombs, bullets, and shell fire, and soaked in the blood of more than 26, 000 dead. Truly, the Prince of Darkness must have felt right at home. What does a father do to make sure his son is prepared for a battle of such great proportions?
Because fathers can never anticipate what kind of battlefields there will be in the future, they must prepare their sons for everything. Our boys need deep within their hearts the principle that they must be able to put into practice wherever they are at a moment's notice. They need the whole counsel of God planted early in their hearts so that they will know what to do in whatever state they find themselves. A father cannot afford to waste the youth of his son on things that will not fortify his mind and heart for the difficult or the evil day. Therefore, a father should consider a lifestyle that allows him to say the same thing that Paul said as the spiritual father of the elders of the church in Ephesus on the beaches at Miletus.
Acts 27, 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. A father must, number one, communicate to nature of battles ahead. Fathers must have it in their minds that they are preparing their sons for specific battles they will face in the future. This is where the work begins for a father ought to think through the particular challenges his son might face based on his knowledge of Scripture and his own experience. He needs to enumerate in detail what battles these might be.
Every boy will grow up and face battles. It would be presumptuous to expect our sons to experience a trouble-free, battle-free life, so we must prepare them for conflict. Even though we know that the world is full of trouble, we secretly wish for a trouble-free life for our children. As responsible men, however, we know that every boy and every man and every family and every company and every nation will face battles over the course of their existences. Youth is the time of preparation for those battles.
The book of Acts presents a picture of the types of conflicts that always go with the communication of the gospel. There are conflicts with pagan philosophers, religious authorities, and the government. Acts 17. This same pattern is seen over and over again in the book of Acts. These are the same general categories of conflict that a boy who is faithful to the message of Scripture will face.
Here are a few questions you might ask yourselves. What are the theological life issues my son will have to face? How will he defend creationism? How will he defend biblical gender roles? What false worldviews are there to dismantle?
What are the defining issues of the day? How will he handle things when relationships are in crisis? How will he handle marriage and family situations? How will he handle the pressures of the workplace? How will he handle sins in his life?
The battle for Iwo Jima was incredibly fierce and none of the boys who fought there would ever, could ever have dreamed they would face the kinds of terrors they experienced. To adequately prepare his son, a father must see to it that his son does not waste his youth. He does this by talking of the battles he has fought and working with his son to anticipate those battles yet to come. A father needs to recognize that it is the Lord who desires that sons be trained for battle. David said, Blessed be the Lord my rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle, my loving kindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and the one in whom I take refuge, Psalm 144 verses 1 & 2.
Number 2, give meaningful work and work alongside your son. A father does this by making sure that his son has meaningful work to do every day. And what kind of work should it be? Productive work that contributes to the family's economy. Real work that has tangible value in real life, stretching work that increases his maturity, challenging work that expands his skills.
The days of youth ought to be a time of work experiences that prepare him for battle. And when the going gets tough and your son asks, why all this work? A father can reply with confidence in his heart and vision in his eyes. I am discipling you because I am preparing you to fight the battles that you will face someday." And do not despise the training and admonition of the Lord. Hebrews 12 5 Ephesians 6 1 to 4.
Number three, walk beside your son. If boys would become men, they would have to walk with men, not boys. One of the mistakes fathers make is sending sons off to be trained by someone else. It is the father's God-ordained responsibility to teach his children. Particular harm comes from sending sons away in the early teen years when they are most needy of their father's instruction.
At the age when many sons are struggling most with authority and obedience to their parents and when they most need their father's presence to secure that obedience, sons are often outsourced. This is the overwhelming family practice in Christendom today. This practice is in part socially acceptable because almost every church and institution removes teenagers from their parents in every program and meeting. Sometimes the separation happens because of difficulties between father and son, and removal seems easier than dealing with conflict. This opinion seems more attractive to a father when he considers himself inadequate to deal with problems.
Thus he transfers his responsibility for training his own son to others. Instead he ought to be dealing comprehensively with the root problems and sins that are causing the conflict. Most of the time, fathers and sons are led apart by sin. Number four, illustrate from scripture how important it is to use the years of youth for the glory of God. The Bible is filled with examples of boys who not only did not waste their youth, but did great things.
Josiah, the boy king who ushered revival into the land, Joshua the young man who assisted Moses, Joseph the boy who proved faithful amidst all adversity, Solomon the boy who prioritized righteousness, David the courageous boy who feared God more than man. While David is most famous for killing the vile Philistine Goliath, we must also remember that when he put that stone between the eyes of the giant, he was already an expert in music and poetry and the family business, as well as the art of slinging stones. His most important quality, however, was that he feared God more than man. While other men cowered, he rose up, fearing God alone. Whether he was under the stars as a shepherd or in the battlefield, he was about his father's business.
David did not waste his youth. These boys presented in Scripture did not waste the years of their youth, but instead rose up and served God in their generations. This is in sharp contrast to the youth culture in our own day where it is normal that thousands of useful hours are given to games, entertainment, and fantasy. This kind of useful diversion does not promote the glory of God. In contrast to the youthful waste, there are many inspiring examples from history to the contrary.
Some of the most significant exploits have been accomplished by young men. Charles Spurgeon was preaching at 16, Richard Baxter at 23, John Calvin was a chaplain at age 11 and began preaching at 22. The writers Shelley, Byron and Keats and the musicians Chopin and Mozart, created some of their masterpieces when they were only in their teens. Even though some of these men may not have been godly, they exemplified the residing potential of youth. Also consider John Quincy Adams, who was a diplomat as a teenager, and David Farragut, who commanded a captured ship at the age of 12.
Remember George Washington who wrote his rules of civility when he was only 14 years old and Jonathan Edwards who wrote his resolutions when he was in his teens. These are just a few of the myriad existing examples of individuals who capitalized on a strength endued by God in their youth and did great things. Additionally, there have been those who broadened that focus and captured the power of useful endurance in mobilizing armies to accomplish their goals in the ancient world. Alexander the Great took thousands of young men with him and conquered the ancient world by the time he was 30. Hitler understood the power of a well mobilized army of young people and created the infamous Hitler Youth.
The communists spend their communication resources on the young because they understand how important it is to tap into their passion and energy. The testimony of the patterns of the best boys in Scripture indicates that youth should not be thrown away on inordinate game playing and irrelevancies. A Christian father is wise to help his son understand in every way possible how important it is to use his years of youth for preparation for great things and great adversity. To do this, he needs to give his son great things to do. When he engages in great things, he will face roadblocks and problems that will test and toughen him.
It is through the difficulties and trials of tasks of importance that he will be prepared for even greater exploits later on. And who knows, your son may end up in a battle that far exceeds the requirements of heart, soul, strength, and courage of an Iwo Jima. This is why fathers need to say to their sons, don't waste your youth. Then they need to come alongside them and help them to use their time in significant exploits. Number five, teach his son a biblical understanding of time.
The first thing a father must do is ensure that his son does not waste the hours and the days and months of his youth. To impart this, he must have a sense of time and the prospect of wasting it that is consistent with the admonition. Quote, Teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90 12. God is pleased to find us redeeming the time because the days are evil, Ephesians 5 16.
This is critical since every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is 1st Corinthians 3 13 That there he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God. 1 Peter 4 2. He also that is slothful in his work, his brother to him, that is a great waster. Proverbs 18 9. These admonitions are not just for adults for even a child is known by his doings whether his work is pure and whether it be right.
Proverbs 20 11. Jonathan Edwards as a teenage boy developed 70 resolution to guide him in the use of his time. Here is resolution number five. Resolve never to lose one moment of time, but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can. A father must have this same vision and understanding of time and see to it that his son does not waste his youth on trivialities.
Fathers and son must have the consciousness of time that is presented by David and his son Solomon. As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so He flourishes. Psalm 10, 3, 15. Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow.
Psalm 144, 4. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the silver cord is loose, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the Spirit will return to God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12, 1-7. Fathers and sons have a limited time together so they ought to redeem the time.
They only have a finite number of days before the opportunity for personal training ceases. Robert E. Lee understood this principle and expressed it in a letter he wrote from the battlefield to his wife, asking her not to let his son waste his mind in frivolous reading. Father, do not let your sons waste their youth. Son, don't waste your youth.