Forty Brave Soldiers for Jesus
Paul Horton
Christian artist who sang "Forty Brave Soldiers for Jesus". I've
searched all over the internet and can't find the lyrics. So I took
the time to transcribe the song from a Utube post. I hope it is of
benefit to some
Forty brave soldiers for Jesus
Tom Green
1600 years ago the pride of the roman army the 12th legion was
stationed at sebaste just south of the black sea
It was mid winter and a harsh order had just come from by messenger
from the capital at Constantinople.
Reigining as emporer at this time was valerious lycinus who’s vicious
hate for Christianity had caused the death of untold thousands of
martyrs
Snow was falling as the new emporers orders was read to the soldiers
standing at attention
Under pentalty of death read the commander all members of the roman
army must at once offer sacrifices to the emperor and acknowledge him
as the one true god.
No one blinked an eye. They were roman soldiers, the most highly
disciplined in the world. But every mind went immediately to the 40
among their ranks who were Christian.The same thought went through
each soldiers mind. The Christians will never sacrifice to the
emperor they will never desert their God.
Forty brave soldiers for Jesus. Forty brave soldiers for Christ.
We’ll be true to our God and stare death in the face. Though we
perish on this lake of ice. We’ll be 40 brave soldiers for Christ.
As soon as the soldiers were dismissed A captain came to the
commander’s tent and announced that there were 40 soldiers who would
not perform the sacrifice to the emperor.
They were immediately arrested and put in the custody of Aglios the
chief jailer, who marched them off to military court. The commander
opened the trial’s formality by saying, “of all the soldiers who serve
the empire, none are more loved by us than you. Do not turn our love
and respect to hate and contempt. How important can this Jesus be?
Bow down to the emperor and this will all be over.”. But the leader
of the 40 said firmly, “The word of God says ‘Thou shall not have any
gods before me.’ We have made our choice. We will not sacrifice to
the emperor, we will devote our love to the living God.”
Forty brace soldiers for Jesus. Forty Brave soldiers for Christ.
We’ll be true to our God and stare death in the face. Though we
perish on this lake of ice. We’ll be 40 brave soldiers for Christ.
Because he did not have the authority to sentence the Christians to
death, the commander had to wait for the arrival of the inspector
General, who would be making a visit to the 12th legion in about a
week. The Christians were put in the custody of Aglios the jailer for
that entire week.
When the General came, he agreed with the decision of the commander
and gave the Christians a choice: “Worship the emperor or be delivered
over to torture and death.” The Christians remained firm. “You can
have our armor”, they said, “Our names, our very lives. We have made
our choice, we prefer God”.
Then the soldiers heard their sentence. They were to be bound with
strong rope and lead to the shore of the near by frozen lake. For at
sundown, they were to be stripped and marched out to the middle of the
ice. At any time, they could change their minds and go through the
ritual of sacrifice to the emperor. in a heated bath house on the lake
shore.
Aglios the jailer, who had been caring for the soldiers for a week,
watched as the soldiers were stripped and marched shivering onto the
ice and into the darkness.
Guards were posted all around the shore to make sure they did not try
to escape. As they marched, they sang.
Forty brave soldiers for Jesus, forty brave soldiers for Christ.
We’ll be true to our God and stare death in the face, though we perish
on this lake of ice. We’ll be forty brave soldiers for Christ.
For a while, their song echoed all through the camp. But as the hour
of midnight approached, and the temperature continued to drop, their
voices grew more and more weak. Then one of the forty was seen
emerging from the darkness. He was giving up. He would sacrifice to
the emperor. He fell to his knees on the shore and began crawling to
the bath house. Only Aglios the jailer was still awake to hear the
thin voices of the ones on the ice shiver, “Thirty nine brave soldiers
for Jesus”.
Aglios watched the man enter the bath house and emerge quickly.
Apparently overcome by the heat. He saw the man collapse on the
ground and lie still. At that moment something happened to the heart
of Aglios the jailer. What it was, only he and God will ever know.
The guards reported hearing a great cry which jerked them awake.
Rubbing their eyes they watched as Aglios the jailer wrenched off his
armor and ran out on to the frozen lake shouting:
Forty brave soldiers for Jesus. Forty Brave soldiers for Christ.
We’ll be true to our God and stare death in the face. As we perish on
this lake of ice. We’ll be forty brave soldiers for Christ.