Sometimes in war countries will use subterfuge and trickery to make it look like they have a larger army than they really do in order scare off
would-be invaders. Take for example in World War II when the Allies were planning the D
day invasion. They needed to keep Hitler guessing as to where they were going to
invade from and so they needed to make it look like we were mounting an invasion in
the northern part of England. Because metal was already scarce, the military couldn’t afford to just put
tanks and planes out in an open field and not use them. So the employed the help of Hollywood. They were able to
create inflatable tanks, airplanes, trucks, jeeps, armored personnel carriers and
much more that looked very real even when you were standing just a few hundred
yards from it. This fooled Hitlers spies and reconnaissance planes and helped give us an edge on D day.
In Luke 14:25-31 Jesus says,
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Here Jesus uses the example of a king who is being invaded by another king who has twice as many soldiers as he does. He reasons that if he doesn't think his smaller army can hold down the castle, that he should surrender and come to peace with the other king. In most modern Bibles today, this story will come under the section of "The Cost of being a Disciple". These titles were not in the original texts of the authors, but were put in by biblical scholars to help the reader understand what is being said. While it is true Jesus is being brutally honest with the people around him that being his disciple might cost them their very lives, I don't think Jesus' words here are directed at those who have decided to follow him. Instead, I think his words are directed at those who have NOT decided to follow him or were on the fence. Jesus is reasoning with the people and getting them to take a census of their lives much like the king in his story. I
think he’s giving them a rational look at the situation that they face. In reality, mankind has joined Satan's war against God. Jesus is showing them the reality of the situation and the other king (God) has a much larger army than you and it’s not even close. You’re going to be going up against this king and you better take a
good look at your situation and decide whether not you can do it or not. God is coming with all of your sins in tow behind him to condemn you. Now take a
good look at your so-called good works that you’re so proud of and then match
them up against the host of sins. Do you have it
in you to fight that fight? Jesus presses for them to send an ambassador
to negotiate the terms peace before it's too late!
But the good news that we have is that our king from
the other side already knows that our military is just full of hot air that
there’s nothing there. They’re much like the inflatable trucks, planes and tanks the Allies used in WW2. He knows
our resources are completely decimated and we will lose. So he sends his own envoy, Jesus Christ, to not just negotiate peace but to win our peace for us. God does not want to
be at war with man he wants to be at peace.
