What Did They Trust In?

2 Corinthians 4:7-11

Rev. Antreassian’s book about the events that occurred in 1915 in the Mousa Ler region is a very informative and interesting one. The villagers received a letter from the Turkish authority about deportation. In eight points, the letter was informing the Mousa Ler Armenians that a simple temporary deportation was going to take place. The Turkish government would guarantee the rights of the Armenian people during and after that time.

Badveli Antreassian had seen the massacre in the region of Zeitoun. He had witnesses about the inaccuracy of all these promises. Therefore, when he was serving in the Mousa Ler area, he warned the people not to trust these documents and that they needed to do something else. The people looked towards the mountain and decided to find refuge there. The questions that come to my mind are, “What did they trust in? In whom did they trust?” The scale was not balanced. On one side, the Armenians were few in number - around 5000. They were not equipped. They did not have enough ammunition. They did not have enough food to survive. On the other hand, they were facing an organized army working with locals to deport Armenians from their homes.

What did they trust in?

Apostle Paul talks about his life in the ministry. He writes to the Corinthians. He finds the situation impossible. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (8-9). Paul can say these sentences because he has Jesus in his life. He has the Spirit of the Lord in his daily life, which gives him hope and perseverance despite the persecution he faces. “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (10).

Again, I ask the question to myself. “What did they trust in?”

When you read Rev. Antreassian’s book, you find that he too had doubts about going to the mountain. Yet in page 56 he writes, “I can foresee that the (Turkish) government can deploy 3000 soldiers to fight against our resistance, yet by the help of God we can resist them.”

Going to mountain is a wonderful experience. In the Bible, Noah’s ark stationed on Mount Ararat. Moses spoke to the Lord on the mountain. The transfiguration of Jesus happened on the mountain. The mountain is a place to find security and refuge, but more than that, it is a place where you meet God. It was on the mountains of Kessab that God spoke to me and I was called to the ministry. Rev. Antreassian is right. Only through God’s merciful hand they were rescued. A French ship passing by noticed the rescue flag the people were waving, and came to rescue. This is God’s miracle! Although each one of them tried their best in organizing the evacuation, settlement on the mountain, guards, resistance, yet without God’s deliverance nothing would happen.

Therefore, today we need to thank God. When we remember our 18 martyrs and celebrate the deliverance, we need to ask ourselves. Where am I with the Lord? Where is my “mountain”? Do I hear the Lord? Do I obey His Word?

Ninety-two years passed. We need to learn as a nation that our existence has meaning when we learn to trust our Lord Jesus Christ. This means our life will be transformed to Christlike lives.

It is good that we remember our martyrs. It is a great time to celebrate our deliverance. Also let me challenge you that we need to tune in to God’s voice, listen and obey.