Two articles in the news as of late have to do with advancements in military battle gear soon to be issued to U.S. service personnel.
“Army Builds New Body Armor 14-Times Stronger In The Face Of Enemy Fire”, September 26, 2019 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/army-builds-new-body-armor-14-times-stronger
“Army Sets Sights On Lasers For Infantry Troops”, August 22, 2019 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/army-sets-sights-on-lasers-for-infantry-troops
A third article addresses the same sorts of advancements hopefully being made available to civilians.
“Revolutionary 'Robo Suit' Developed To Boost Walking And Running”, August 15, 2019 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/robo-suit-boost-walking-running
These articles all followed similar earlier ones which have appeared over the last year or so.
“Army Sets Sights On Bigger, Bolder, Harder Hitting Bullets”, November 01, 2018 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-army-bullets-bigger-bolder-and-harder-hitting
“Army's New Machine Gun Will Blast Like Battle Tanks”, July 19, 2018 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/armys-new-machine-gun-will-blast-like-battle-tanks
“Army Prototypes New Self-Powering 'Iron Man' Soldier Suits”, June 06, 2018 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/army-prototypes-new-self-powering-iron-man-soldier-suits
“Army Sets Sights On New Sniper Rifle”, March 08, 2018 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/army-sets-sights-on-new-sniper-rifle
I will not recount the contents of each of these articles here. The titles themselves are sufficient to bespeak their subject matter. I have, however, included the links in the hope that you will click on them and read more.
What the articles remind us of is that we live in times of great advancements in science and technology. Indisputably, the soldiers of today are far better equipped than those of yesterday. Likewise, those of tomorrow will inevitably be equipped with gear that far exceeds what those of today have.
Indeed, it seems as if we are getting closer and closer to that world described by Robert Heinlein in his 1959 classic science fiction novel titled Starship Troopers. (See my earlier post of 03/24/2014 titled “DRESSED FOR SUCCESS” [https://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/dressedfor-success] wherein I summarized Heinlein’s vision of the future equipment worn and employed by soldiers on the battlefield.)
As I have read each of these articles in turn, I cannot help but be reminded of what the Apostle Paul had to say in his New Testament Letter to the Ephesians (chapter 6, verses 13-18):
13Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.
14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace.
16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
The Apostle penned these words while in prison for his faith. In all likelihood, as he studied the soldiers who guarded him, the Lord showed him how all those who follow Jesus Christ are also equipped to be soldiers, only not in Caesar’s Legions, but in God’s army.
Just as the modern soldier is increasingly equipped with gear that better enables him or her to engage in physical combat, so the Lord used the Apostle Paul to remind us that He has equipped us as His followers with gear that better enablers us to engage in spiritual warfare.
Whether we like it or not, we are in fact engaged in spiritual warfare. The Apostle Paul tells us so in the verses immediately preceding those above in Ephesians 6 (verses 10-12):
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
He further references this spiritual warfare in his Second New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (chapter 20, verses 3-6):
3For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. 4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We tear down arguments, and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
If we are thus engaged in spiritual warfare, then surely it behooves us to avail ourselves of the best gear available with which to defeat the enemy, accomplish our mission, and fulfill our objectives.
With this in mind, I urge you to “gear up”! After all, we who serve in the Lord’s army follow a Commander Who is Himself supremely triumphant! Let us also be victorious as we do!
“Army Builds New Body Armor 14-Times Stronger In The Face Of Enemy Fire”, September 26, 2019 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/army-builds-new-body-armor-14-times-stronger
“Army Sets Sights On Lasers For Infantry Troops”, August 22, 2019 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/army-sets-sights-on-lasers-for-infantry-troops
A third article addresses the same sorts of advancements hopefully being made available to civilians.
“Revolutionary 'Robo Suit' Developed To Boost Walking And Running”, August 15, 2019 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/robo-suit-boost-walking-running
These articles all followed similar earlier ones which have appeared over the last year or so.
“Army Sets Sights On Bigger, Bolder, Harder Hitting Bullets”, November 01, 2018 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-army-bullets-bigger-bolder-and-harder-hitting
“Army's New Machine Gun Will Blast Like Battle Tanks”, July 19, 2018 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/armys-new-machine-gun-will-blast-like-battle-tanks
“Army Prototypes New Self-Powering 'Iron Man' Soldier Suits”, June 06, 2018 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/army-prototypes-new-self-powering-iron-man-soldier-suits
“Army Sets Sights On New Sniper Rifle”, March 08, 2018 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/army-sets-sights-on-new-sniper-rifle
I will not recount the contents of each of these articles here. The titles themselves are sufficient to bespeak their subject matter. I have, however, included the links in the hope that you will click on them and read more.
What the articles remind us of is that we live in times of great advancements in science and technology. Indisputably, the soldiers of today are far better equipped than those of yesterday. Likewise, those of tomorrow will inevitably be equipped with gear that far exceeds what those of today have.
Indeed, it seems as if we are getting closer and closer to that world described by Robert Heinlein in his 1959 classic science fiction novel titled Starship Troopers. (See my earlier post of 03/24/2014 titled “DRESSED FOR SUCCESS” [https://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/dressedfor-success] wherein I summarized Heinlein’s vision of the future equipment worn and employed by soldiers on the battlefield.)
As I have read each of these articles in turn, I cannot help but be reminded of what the Apostle Paul had to say in his New Testament Letter to the Ephesians (chapter 6, verses 13-18):
13Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.
14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace.
16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
The Apostle penned these words while in prison for his faith. In all likelihood, as he studied the soldiers who guarded him, the Lord showed him how all those who follow Jesus Christ are also equipped to be soldiers, only not in Caesar’s Legions, but in God’s army.
Just as the modern soldier is increasingly equipped with gear that better enables him or her to engage in physical combat, so the Lord used the Apostle Paul to remind us that He has equipped us as His followers with gear that better enablers us to engage in spiritual warfare.
Whether we like it or not, we are in fact engaged in spiritual warfare. The Apostle Paul tells us so in the verses immediately preceding those above in Ephesians 6 (verses 10-12):
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
He further references this spiritual warfare in his Second New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (chapter 20, verses 3-6):
3For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. 4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We tear down arguments, and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
If we are thus engaged in spiritual warfare, then surely it behooves us to avail ourselves of the best gear available with which to defeat the enemy, accomplish our mission, and fulfill our objectives.
With this in mind, I urge you to “gear up”! After all, we who serve in the Lord’s army follow a Commander Who is Himself supremely triumphant! Let us also be victorious as we do!