David's Mighty Men

Text: 2nd Samuel 23:8-39 (NASB)

Introduction: These men were real people. They are not fictitious characters. These are real lives that are being portrayed. These Men were David’s Mighty Men. True: It is never WHAT you know, but rather WHO you know that makes the difference. But even more than that, it is not only WHO you know, but more importantly, WHO knows YOU.

Matthew 7:21-23 (AMP) & (NLT)

John 10:25-27 (NASB)

To be known as one of David’s mighty men was one of the greatest honours a man of that time could have. The same is true today. For one to be known as a mighty man of faith in the Lord Jesus - or to be known as a Christian is the greatest honour and privilege that one can have in this life!

The lives of these great men are worth studying. Two entire chapters in the Bible were written in their honour: 2nd Samuel 23 and 1st Chronicles 11. These verses tell of some of the exploits that the special corps of David’s army carried out. There were two elite groups of men: “the Thirty” and “the Three.” To become a member of such a group a man had to show unparalleled courage in battle as well as wisdom in leadership. “The Three” was the most elite group. The list of “the Thirty” actually contains 37 names, but it mentions some warriors known to be dead (Uriah, for example). Apparently, new members were appointed to replace those who had fallen in battle.

These Mighty men were divided into THREE sets. The Mightiest (Adino, Eleazar, and Shammah). The Three of the Thirty (Abishai, Benaiah, and then Asahel). The Thirty (Including Uriah the Hittite, 23:39). They all were different than the rest of the armies of Israel, and all the rest of the Jews. Something made them special.

This morning we will examine the top six men called Mighty. Note, we are examining the lives of these men to learn their secret, so that we can ourselves be known by our Captain as MIGHTY! Let us examine the secrets of David’s Mighty men.

I. The three mightiest men. (Vv. 8-12)

A. Adino (V. 8)

1. Ready & Prepared

2. Always ready to do the Impossible!

a) A great quality.

b) David knew Adino could handle any situation, and it would never overwhelm him!

c) He was always prepared for the fight.

d) Constantly in training.

e) Adino, according to most Bible scholars was a special whiz who could figure or fight his way out of any situation!

3. Slew 800 Philistines at one time (23:8) No one came to help him

4. Slew 300 at another time (2nd Chronicles 11:11) All by himself!

5. David himself possessed this same quality.

a) Always ready to handle situations, all by himself.

(1) Lion

(2) Bear

(3) Giant

B. Eleazar (V. 9, 10)

1. Determined

2. No matter what the odds, he was going to fight, and not run!

a) God can even use the son of "a Dodo"

b) He Defied and Challenged the enemy, not running from them.

c) Lots of guts, little brains (10,000 to 1)!

d) He Arose - Didn’t just "talk" about what he was going to do.

e) He got up and did it!

f) Found himself ALONE!

g) He says, "Let’s go boys," and heads into the battle, and then looks around and says, where did everybody go?

h) Then determines to go ahead and fight, says "I’ll have to now!"

i) PRINCIPLE: You know what, since you are saved, why don’t you just get all the way IN today!

j) Just get all the way IN to living for Christ, and quit living "on the fence."

3. Found Strength beyond himself!

4. Exhausted ALL his strength!

a) God gave you health for His work! Use it!

b) 2nd Corinthians 12:8-10 (NASB)

(1) God takes over after you have exhausted everything of your own strength.

(2) In verse 10 of our text, he truly wanted to stop and give up, but his sword and his hand were now inseparable!

(3) That’s how God wants the word of God to be in your life - to get you to the point where you may be weary and worn, but the word of God just keeps working through you, and winning the victory in the lives of sinners getting saved, and marriages getting back together!

(4) And then God steps in, and works a GREAT victory!

(5) God always does GREAT things with LITTLE things.

(6) Here, a sword (what Eleazar had).

(7) With Moses, a rod (Ex 4:2-4),

(8) With Jesus, five loaves and two fishes (Mark 6:38)!

(9) God is interested in using what we have and doing great things with them!

(10) EX: our jobs, talents, children, our bodies, our money, our careers.