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Beginning in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s the British band Dire Straits had many hit songs from various albums with their original distinctive music which became incredibly popular around the world including Australia. They played many pieces of music (the most famous being "Money for Nothing"), and one of the lesser well known songs they sang named "Brothers in Arms" is the one from which we draw our focus: https://youtu.be/jhdFe3evXpk. Here are the potent lyrics:
These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Someday you'll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you'll no longer burn to be
Brothers in arms
Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I've witnessed your suffering
As the battle raged high
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms
There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones
Now the sun's gone to hell and
The moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it's written in the starlight
And every line in your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms.
Death on the battlefield is a foolish and pointless waste of life is what Mark Knopfler was singing about, mourning the loss of those they knew and others they didn't, never to return home again due to the Falklands War in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The Falkland Islands are located in the South Atlantic Sea off the coast of Argentina. For more on this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falklands_War
How many wars have there been? Way too many — even just one war is too much for those who hate war. World War I (1914-1918) is often referred to as "The Great War" and was said to be the "war to end all wars" yet some 20 years later WWII reared its ugly head. War is just like that, it is ugly; war maims, kills and destroys with countless people tragically losing their loved ones in far flung places such as enemy territory. Why have humans continued to engage in these wars from the beginning of time? We can go all the way back to Adam and Eve with their sons Cain and Abel. Cain killed his brother Abel in a fit of jealous rage, murdering him even though Abel did no wrong. You can read about this in Genesis 4.
There are many wars fought on the battlefield in the Bible such as when David, a shepherd boy of youthful age at the time, went to fight Goliath and won because God was with him. When no-one else was brave enough to tackle this blasphemous giant, David knew with God's help he could be victorious. Eventually, David went on to become the next king succeeding King Saul and we know him as King David of Israel. Meanwhile King Saul's son Jonathan loved David as if he was his own brother, just as David loved Jonathan, and these "brothers in arms" had an incredibly close relationship that so many can only wistfully dream about. If you would like to read and find out about their brotherly relationship and how Jonathan saved David's life, please refer to the scriptural account in 1 Samuel 18, 19 and 20. The following link contains an article written about the battle between David and Goliath based on the Bible's account: https://www.beautifulattitudes.org/ElementOfSurprise.html
Have we ever asked ourselves whether we would fight to the death to save a brother's life or a sister's life, whether physical and/or spiritual? Perhaps some living now would, for this may well happen in the future dependent on God's will (Romans 5:7). Our battle against the supernatural forces of evil is a spiritual one of course without weaponry as in physical guns or knives yet we do possess a sword, a great sword — "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…" Ephesians 6:17. This ugly battle is against the evil powers wreaking havoc and mayhem on this Earth and the only way we can be successful in spiritual combat is through prayer and to look to God's Word in our Bibles, absorbing all the lessons of wisdom within by living an obedient righteous life emulating Christ — and so the full armour of God is needed as detailed for us in Ephesians 6:10-18.
We have the story of two unnamed brothers within the account of "The Prodigal Son" or "The Lost Son" in Luke 15:11-32. There is great rejoicing and hearty celebration upon the return of the wayward son, yet his brother is angry and struggles with emotions such as jealousy and resentment through the dialogue we can read about in Luke 15:28-32. It is not difficult for us to imagine that we could easily have our "noses put out of joint" because we have remained faithful and obedient for many years, even all our life by comparison. Yet we need to remember other important scriptures such as we should not compare ourselves amongst ourselves found in 2 Corinthians 10:12. Then there is the example of the parable of "The Lost Sheep" in Luke 15:4-7 which is expounded upon in the very same chapter as in the parable of "The Lost Son". Jesus Christ emphasizes these parables for good reason so that we hopefully take great notice because of repetition which reinforces clearly what we should be doing.
Speaking about two brothers…it is hard not to miss the ongoing battle of the war of words between royal brothers now geographically separated between two continents and vast oceans. These disputes are dominating our news channels daily despite being embarrassingly personal for which some have no interest in but many have opinions on, even though the points of view are poles apart. Who can really decipher between truth and error — what is real and what are lies? So sad to see these two brothers in the prime of their life at war but who were once so close. We all remember the time when they both stood with their father Prince Charles, now King Charles III, behind the coffin of their beloved mother Princess Diana whom we came to love and know as "The People's Princess" while they walked along together in solidarity and unity as part of the long funeral cortege (formal procession) in 1997. We need to remember they are human too despite being held to a higher account due to their position by birth into royalty.
The news these days is about wars — the war in Ukraine from the dictates of Vladimir Putin with the occupation of Russian soldiers forcibly taking territories the Ukrainian people do not want taken, therefore they are putting up a brave resistance fight "to the death". Other wars are being fought even if our news does not cover these events in places such as Africa between tribes over tribal factions. Why cannot we have peace instead of wars? After all, the vast majority of people desire peace yet we seem so far away from this idyllic existence, especially during the last 2-3 years when the world argued and was strongly divided over masks, social distancing, and whether to vaccinate or not to vaccinate in order to keep their jobs.
Simply put, it is not the time for peace now as we must live through this messy interim age ruled by the monster of all monsters drunk with power and demonic perverted ways in order to mess with humanity in any detrimental form he can along with his minions — one third of the angelic realm who made the tragic mistake of listening to his lies as the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). Luke 10:18 reveals Christ's words "And He said to them, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven' ". Isaiah 14:12 and Revelation 12:9 also reinforce the reality that we have a sight unseen devil here on the Earth amongst us, as does Job 1:7, even if the vast majority do not believe this it remains factual. God allows Satan to have dominion over us for now to a limited degree in order for testing via trials in order to prove us for the time ahead when Christ will usher in the Kingdom of God and none will be allowed in who choose to participate in any form of evil (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). The devil's chief purpose is to create confusion, division and strife by influencing our attitudes towards others so that hatred, jealousies, and perverted thoughts then follow through into hateful words and actions ultimately leading to death and murder just like with Cain and Abel. The devil knows it has only a short time as things are "heating up" globally now (Revelation 12:12).
So what can be said about "brothers in arms" until God's Kingdom is here on this Earth under the rulership of Christ? Just like royal princes and kings are held to a higher account as already mentioned above, God's called out ones who are preparing to rule as kings and priests in this soon coming Kingdom are also held to a much higher account (1 Peter 2:9-10). For we know our time now is short but exactly long enough to adequately prepare if we are diligent in our service to God. We also have Jesus Christ's words in Luke 10:23-24 "Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, 'Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it' ". Therefore we must determine now how we will face the darker times ahead when possibly the whole world will be at war amongst all nations and all peoples, yet we will be known for our distinguishing mark of brotherly love as per John 13:35 and John 17:21.
Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…" Therefore, let us join with the apostle Paul who wrote these words under divine inspiration from God and go forth determined to fight the good fight of faith in brotherly love as "brothers in arms". For further study on this topic, please go to the following web page. https://www.ucg.org/sermons/a-band-of-brethren