Chasing Loins.

Chasing Loins.

2 Samuel 23:20-21NLT

Once I heard a sermon about a man named Benaiah, who chased a loin into a pit on a snowy day and killed it.

I could hardly believe this was recorded in the Bible; Moreover, very little has been said about Benaiah.

Because of Benaiah’s fearless act, he was chosen over every man for a special ministry of a life-time. (I will reveal that to you later).

In chapter 23, we read of two elite groups of David’s leaders: The Three, and the Thirty.

The list of Thirty actually contains 37 names. Some warriors known to be dead (such as Uriah), and apparently new members were appointed to replace those who had fallen in battle.

2 Samuel 23:20-21NLT There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. 21 Once, armed only with a club, he killed an imposing Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.

I believe that God has raised up a generation of lion-chaser who are grabbing life by the mane. Lion-chasers who are more afraid of missing God-ordained opportunities than making a few mistakes along the way.

They know that when they fail to step-out in faith and chase lions, God is robbed of the glory that rightfully belongs to Him.

In 2 Samuel chapter 23, you can read, and really find out quickly why King David was successful. David surrounded himself with mighty men that cared more about their King than they did their own selves.

Listen again to, 2 Samuel 23:20aNLT There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel.

Benaiah was one of the thirty. Benaiah’s name meant—“the Lord builds.”

2 Samuel 23:20b…a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.

Think about this, What if the life you really want, and the future God wants for you is hiding right now in your biggest problem, your worst failure, your greatest fear?

Remember this small nugget, Live your life in a way that is worth telling stories about. Chase the lion!

It's easy to read verses like this in the comfortable confines of your home or office and totally miss the monumental acts of courage displayed by Benaiah.

Have you ever met anyone or heard of anyone chasing a lion? Sure, Barnum and Bailey have lion tamer’s.

But lion chasers? Benaiah didn't have a hunting rifle, or Land Rover, and this was no game park safari.

Scripture doesn’t tell us what Benaiah was doing or where he was going when he encountered this lion. We don't know the time of day, or Benaiah’s frame of mind.

But scripture does reveal his gut reaction. It was gutsy. In fact, it ranks as one of the most improbable reactions recorded in Scripture.

Listen to, 2 Samuel 23:20Wycliffe Bible And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the strongest man of great works, of Kabzeel, he smote [the] two lions of Moab, that is, two knights hardy as lions/two strong hardy knights; and he went down, and smote a lion in the middle (of a) cistern in the days of snow.

First, Benaiah kills the two most feared men in Moab—Moab was Israels enemy.

Secondly, 2 Samuel 23:20, records that Benaiah chased down a lion that fail into a snowy pit. Benaiah killed this lion!

2 Samuel 23:21Wycliffe Bible Also he killed a man of Egypt, a man worthy of beholding, having a spear in his hand; and so when he had gone down with a rod to that man, by might he wrung out the spear from the hand of the man of Egypt, and killed him with his own spear. (And he killed an Egyptian man, a man worthy of beholding, who had a spear in his hand; for he had gone down to that man with a staff, and by might he wrung the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and then killed him with his own spear.)

I think scripture is clear about this fact, This man named, Benaiah was a man’s man!

Listen—Normal people run away from lions. They run as far and as fast as they possibly can.

But lion chasers are wired differently. For the vast majority of us, the only lions we ever encountered were stuffed or caged. And few of us have experienced hand-to-hand combat that force us to fight for our lives.

Here’s a thought for you to ponder—Is what you believe worth risking it all? Is your vision mammoth? Is it impossible without God?