The writer of Hebrews calls...
Illustration
The writer of Hebrews calls the faithful to hold fast to what is right without wavering. Sometimes the best pattern for faithfulness comes from the secular arena.
Nobody ever stood more steadfastly, fighting for a principle than did the Spartan military leader, Leonidas. Although the Spartans and the Athenians were almost constantly at each other's throats, when the common enemy threatened, both Greek communities agreed that freedom was preferable to Oriental despotism at the hands of the Persians.
The Spartans did their part. Leonidas and 300 intrepid warriors held a narrow pass where the mountains met the Aegean Sea, north of Athens. If they could block the advancing Persian army there, the rest of Greece could be saved.
All went well until a traitorous Greek turncoat, bribed by the Persians with too much treasure to resist, showed the invaders a secret passage through the mountains, bringing them out on the other side of Leonidas' troops, effectively trapping him on both sides.
The Spartans fought to the last man. Their mass grave bears, to this day, one of the most memorable epitaphs of all times: "Go, stranger, and tell the Spartans that here we lie, obedient to their commands."
Nobody ever stood more steadfastly, fighting for a principle than did the Spartan military leader, Leonidas. Although the Spartans and the Athenians were almost constantly at each other's throats, when the common enemy threatened, both Greek communities agreed that freedom was preferable to Oriental despotism at the hands of the Persians.
The Spartans did their part. Leonidas and 300 intrepid warriors held a narrow pass where the mountains met the Aegean Sea, north of Athens. If they could block the advancing Persian army there, the rest of Greece could be saved.
All went well until a traitorous Greek turncoat, bribed by the Persians with too much treasure to resist, showed the invaders a secret passage through the mountains, bringing them out on the other side of Leonidas' troops, effectively trapping him on both sides.
The Spartans fought to the last man. Their mass grave bears, to this day, one of the most memorable epitaphs of all times: "Go, stranger, and tell the Spartans that here we lie, obedient to their commands."
