When the Homily is about Immunology

Why Fight?

Concordant with the discussion of Pacifism and so called "just wars" in the former post, I thought I might relay a question I am still trying to answer. I am hoping that as I continue to read that Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich will touch on it in his account of St. Lazar's mystical experiences while awaiting his beheading at the hands of the invading Turks.

I'll give you a synopsis of the story and then my question: Tsar Lazar is facing an overwhelming Turkish invasion force, contrary to popular revisionist opinion, being under the Turkish yoke wasn't a trip to Romper Room (in fact after the battle Beyazid I offered a humiliating truce in which Lazar's widowed wife was made to give up her daughter to him as a "wife") and so they prepared to defend themselves. Just before the battle, and Angel delivered a message to Tsar Lazar which asked: "Which do you choose: an earthly kingdom, or the heavenly Kingdom. If you choose an earthly kingdom, you may ride out now with your army and destroy the Turks, but if you choose the heavenly Kingdom you must build a Church and afterwards you and your army will be crushed."

Citing the truth that the heavenly Kingdom is eternal and an earthly kingdom only temporal, Tsar Lazar built the Church and then went out to the battle and was indeed defeated, captured, and beheaded.

So, my question: If you chose the heavenly Kingdom and you are promised defeat for doing so, why fight at all? Why not surrender and beg for a peaceful dhimmitude as opposed to having so many end up dead on the fields of Kosovo?