Subtitle: Christians need to focus on loving our neighbors, first and foremost.

Excerpt: Allied blockade of Rabaul during WWII, cutting off supplies, is compared to dealing with those who discredit God. Believers should leave the judgment of others to God.

Author: Paul Johnson

During World War II in the Pacific, the Allies were island-hopping their way to Japan.  That was the strategy of taking an island, establishing a military base on it so they could attack the next island as they made their way to Japan.  Sort of like jumping a checker across the board to be kinged.

The most well known of these islands was Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

One lesser known but notable island is the island of Rabaul.

• There were up to 100,000 Japanese troops stationed there.
• It was the most heavily fortified island with a network of tunnels, bunkers, anti‑aircraft guns, airfields, artillery, and natural defenses due to its mountains.
• Depending on the Japanese willingness to fight to the last man, as seen on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, is why they are so well known.  It was estimated that up to 50,000 Allied troops would be killed in a direct assault on the island.
• Instead, the Allies simply cut it off from any supplies of ammunition and food.  In other words, a complete blockade.
• The Japanese weaponry and soldiers were left to “wither on the vine” it was said.

By 1945, the Japanese troops were so malnourished and had so precious little ammunition for their artillery that the island was strategically useless for Japan.  Pictures of the Japanese troops showed completely emaciated men with no strength or ability to fight, even if they wanted to.  The troops looked like the pictures you may have seen of the emaciated Jewish prisoners in the concentration camps.  They were walking corpses.

The island was later taken, with hardly a shot fired.

The illustration of Rabaul is a bit obtuse, but I believe that everything in life can be exemplified by something else, allowing us to learn without having to experience it.

So we are going to learn from the taking of Rabaul without having to be as decimated as the Japanese soldiers were.

In Scripture, God never needs protection in the sense that humans do.  He is never vulnerable, threatened, or at risk.

There are countless examples of this in scripture.  Here are just three of them.

• When Pharaoh challenges God repeatedly, God responds with plagues, plundering Egypt, parting the Red Sea, and destroying Pharaoh’s army.  This is God defending His name.
• When Baal’s prophets claim their god is superior, God sends fire from Heaven that consumes the sacrifice, altar, and water that had been poured on the alter.  This is God defending His identity.
• When Sennacherib mocks God publicly, God replies by sending an angel who wipes out 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers in one night.  This is God defending His honor.

What do all these examples show?  God protects and defends His name, His identity, and His honor.  All without any help from us.

When we encounter those folks who try to discredit God, blaspheme God, dishonor God, or make fun of God, as angry as that may make you, like the island of Rabaul, walk away from the person or situation.  Just go around them.  Ignore the assault.

God can more than take care of Himself.  He doesn’t need our help. 

God will deal with them.  Maybe not as harsh as we might think appropriate, but far more just.  And with His eye toward bringing them to Himself.  Something we may forget in our “righteous anger.”

So what do we learn when we combine the island of Rabaul and God’s ability to fend for Himself?

When confronted by people who are contrary to what we know about God to be true, or they say things about God that disgust you or make you cringe … don’t fight them.  Like the island of Rabaul, just leave them be.  Let them “wither on the vine.”  Let God deal with them, or let them deal with God.

You know who will win in the end.  It may take some time.  We may think they will never see Jesus.  But they will one day.  It will either be a happy homecoming or a dreadful descent into hell.

It’s their problem, not yours.