A few days ago I mentioned our trip to Williamsburg, Virginia. As part of that trip, we visited Yorktown, which is very significant in American history. On October 19, 1781, General Cornwallis was forced to surrender his army to General Washington, which was a major victory and turning point in the Revolutionary War. It should be noted this victory would not have been possible without our alliance with the French. Ten days later the Continental Congress officially recognized this great victory and by resolution directed:

That the United States in Congress assembled, will cause to be erected at York, in Virginia, a marble column, adorned with emblems of the alliance between the United States and his Most Christian Majesty; and inscribed with a succinct narrative of the surrender of earl Cornwallis to his excellency General Washington, Commander in Chief of the combined forces of America and France; to his excellency the Count de Rochambeau, commanding the auxilliary troops of his most Christian Majesty in America, and his excellency the Count de Grasse, commanding in chief the naval army of France in the Chesapeake.

The establishment of the United States of America as and independent nation and the freedoms we enjoy would not have happened without this victory. It was worth commemorating and celebrating. I appreciated seeing this monument and taking in the battlefield sights. I discovered that while Congress authorized it’s construction almost immediately after the battle, it did not get built until more that 100 years later! All the people involved died without seeing it completed. That wait must have seemed endless.

As I was reading about this victory and monument and all the history surrounding it, I could not help but think of the more significant victory available to everyone and the “monument” to it. It had been promised over and over again down through the ages, but the people to whom the promise was originally made were long gone. It was first made to Adam and Eve after they sinned that one would come who would crush Satan (Genesis 3:15). The promise continued through Abraham that one of his descendants would bless all nations (Genesis 26:4). Later it was clarified that He would be a king that would come through David’s line (2 Samuel 7:12-16).  And we find that they people were waiting for and expecting the Messiah to come in Jesus’ day.

John 4:25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Jesus did that. He told the people who He was, why He had come, and then did what He came to do. He paid for the sins of the world and opened for everyone – all nations – the way to life everlasting. The promise was kept.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain

That old rugged cross and the ensuing empty tomb give testimony of the greatest victory ever for this world. We need no other monument. I have the greatest appreciation for that victory. I hope that always more people will join me in that appreciation and follow Jesus with me.