"Holding On To The Sword”

We have seen the Area of Battle; the Account of Battle, now notice…

III. Eleazar’s Armament of Battle

• I am greatly amazed at the weapons that are used by our military forces today. Airplanes, tanks, helicopters, automatic rifles, and on and on…

• This passage of Scripture tells us that Eleazar has but one weapon and that is his sword.

• As Christians we have many weapons to fight this fight.

• The first is faith; next is prayer…

• In Ephesians the apostle Paul tells Christians to put on the whole armor of God.

• The last item Paul says the Christian must posses it “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

• Oh my dear friend, the Word of God, is our greatest weapon against that sly enemy.

• Listen to what the writer of Hebrews says in 4:12; “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

• I am afraid that the Christian has become unfamiliar with his weapon.

• I believe it has been said; “The Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible.”

Next notice with me…

IV. Eleazar’s Ache of Battle

• Turn back to 2 Samuel 23:10; “He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary.”

• My dear friend, the Christian is a fight we have been called in and we fight along with the Lord; and yes sometimes we grow weary. Sometimes we lose strength.

• We must remember that the Lord is our strength.

• And that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens.

• Eleazar did not quit because he was weary, because he grew tired.

• I am amazed at the people, Christians who say “I am tired and burnout and need to take a break from serving the Lord for a year or so…

• This past week I read an article in the SBTC paper of a women that played the piano at a nursing home for over 35 years not once missing a service and never once getting paid a dime.

• In my meanness sometimes, when people say preacher I am just too tired and too busy to teach a Sunday School class, or just too tired to serve the Lord in His church, I wish I could just one time say; “I’m so thankful Jesus didn’t say, ‘I’m just too busy, I’m just too tired to go to the Cross and die for you today.”

• Also notice; “and his hand clave to the sword.”

• The Hebrew word for cleave has two meanings, both of which are significant I believe.

• “PURSUING”, “clinging onto”, “grasping”. He clung to it for dear life.

• "WELDING”, “soldering”. The sword was “welded” to Eleazar’s hand!

Last notice…

V. Eleazar’s Accomplishment of Battle

• "and the Lord wrought a great victory that day."

• Eleazar had probably spent many hours training himself with his sword. And when his strength was gone and there was no one there to fight with him he clung to his sword through the battle.

• But it was God’s power that enabled him to defeat the Philistines.

• Do you know what the name “Eleazar” means? It means - “God (is my) helper”.

• God helped Eleazar to defeat the enemies of Israel.