1 Samuel 17; Numbers 13:26 - 14:10.
Who are your heroes? Each generation has its heroes. Some are because of the heroic actions, others because they had (in our opinion) enough courage to challenge the system. Some are because they "made" it in something, in this particular generation it is often those who make it in the "Pop" music industry. What about historical figures though? Napoleon, Nelson, Spartacus, Wellington, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King Jnr (I have a dream speech);
"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountains of despair a stone of hope.
With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discord of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.
With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together,
to go to jail together, knowing that we will be free one day."
What about heroes of biblical figures?
Caleb, one of the "good" spies. At forty years old he was sent to spy out the land. Only he and Joshua reported in faith, faithfully. He had to wait forty years to gain his inheritance. That was because of the sin of others. Yet during that time he kept himself ready, he kept himself physically fit, yet itching for his mountain and city. I can almost see him watching as the faithless generation died off. They were those who where twenty and over, when Caleb was forty years old. I can see him going around the camp counting who is left, they were holding up his inheritance. Each day this happened until there was only one left. There is Caleb ear to the tent, listening for the death rattles of "Eli-Gonna-die." "Eli, are you still with us?" cries Caleb. He gets a reply, so he goes away and comes back the next day, with the same question. A little bit of impatience set is one day; "Eli, will you hurry up and die so I can get my mountain!"
Caleb, when he was over eighty years old, physically fit and able, took his mountain. Some Forty odd years before hands God had said of this man. What kept him going, it was he had seen it for his own eyes, he caught the vision.
Numbers 14:24; "..My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring (him) into the land where he went, and his descendents shall inherit it."
This man had a warrior spirit for God. Of what spirit are you?
Mary the mother of Jesus, she was willing to take the social sigma and possible rejection Joseph because she pregnant.
Luke 1:38; "Let it be to me according to your word."
Esther, took her life in her hands by going to the king without being summoned.
Esther 4:16; "If I perish, I perish!"
Ruth, who stood with her mother-in-law when she needn’t have.
What about Jo-sheb Bas-sheb-eth, better known as Ad-in-o. He killed eight hundred of the enemy on one occasion. (1 Samuel 23:8-12)
Eleazar son of Dodo, he fought so hard in one battle that he could not let go of his sword.
Sham-mah son of Agee, he defended a field of lentils when everyone else had fled. These Philistines where not going to get the inheritance and sustenance of his people. Are you prepared to stand for what is the Kingdoms?
Jash-o-beam, kill three hundred with a spear.
Ben-a-iah; this guy needed his head examining. He jumped into a pit, on a cold freezing day, to kill a lion. Why not kill it with a spear or stones from the top? On another occasion he wrestled a spear out of the hand of the biggest Egyptian you have ever seen. Then had to audacity to kill him with his own spear.
I particularly want to tell you the story about is the young guy called Dave, whose brothers were off being soldiers at a battle with the neighbouring nation. Dave is the youngest of them all, and he had been left at home with dad to look after the sheep. But then one day his father send him off to take some food to his brothers at the front line.
Each day at the scene of the battle there is a lot of talk, a lot of hot air, but basically nothing happening. Each day the two armies would line up in their respective positions, the shields were polished, the swords sharpened, the spears ready. When this thumping great giant of a man steps forward from the Philistines side and starts to say things that even causes the average soldier blush.
This rank heathen, who’s armour was worth a fortune in scrap metal. This foul mouthed giant was shouting out to them. "You’ve showed up again today them, where is your champion today. Can you find one in amongst you crowd of yellow bellies to come and fight me today." Yet no-one moves.
This heathen starts to rave even louder. "You bunch of cowards, you remind me of nothing more than a bunch of nagging women. All talk and no do. Come on, where is there a man amongst you?" He rattles his armour, spits on the floor in disgust at the army of Israel, and goes back to his own lines. To which a great sigh of relief goes up as each army goes back to their own camp.
One day Dave arrives at the scene, and is amazed to see nothing happening. He arrives just in time to see the event of the day. He just cannot believe what he is seeing and hearing. So he goes and finds he brothers to give them the food and find out more.
Well instead of being welcomed with open arms by his brothers, because he was bring them fresh food. They give him a bad time. Even more so when this bloke called Goliath starts his now daily ritual.
Dave stands there and waits for the good guys champion to step out. Dave is hoping that it would be one of his brothers who was going to show this foul mouthed heathen a thing or two. So he looks at his brothers and not one of them moves. So realising that this is what he had always though about them anyway, he looks down the lines of the army. And there are men running away. The more this giant says the worst it gets.
Things, by now had got so bad that King Saul is reduced to offering one of his daughters in marriage, tax concessions and some wealth to anyone who will fight this Philistine.
Dave breaks into an impromptu speech. "Have you heard this guy? Who is going to lay one on this un-circumcised despot, who has the audacity to say such lies about Israel, our army and our God?"
This did not please his oldest brother. "Shut up Dave, you don’t know what is going on here. Why did you come down here any way? Who is look after the sheep? You’ve only come here because you are some stuck up little brat who wanted to get in on some of the action?"
"Action?" says Dave, "What action? I’ve seen more action with paint drying. Give me a chance and I’ll show this heathen where to get off?"
Well word gets back to the kings about his words and he is sent for.
Dave gets his chance, he tells of his confidence in God, and how that God had enabled him to kill lions and bears who tried to steal the lambs. In the end Saul had not found anyone else to get out, so Dave gets the job.
The next day he goes out with his sling shot and confronts the giant. The giant uses nothing more than words. "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And a few other things about Dave’s parents and God was thrown in for good measure. "Come up here little boy and I’ll eat you alive and spit your bones out so that the birds can pick them over."
Dave is not intimidated by all of this. "Say what you like Philistine, God’s going to deal with you today. This God whom you have despised and defied, your day has arrived. What you have got planned for me, is coming your way. This day, everyone here will know that the LORD does not save with the sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S, you’re about to meet my God."
With that Goliath gets stoned. Dave then cut his head off to finish the job.
God is looking for heroes. Christianity is not for cowards. People who will dare to beleive what He says and beleive about us and not what the world and others say about us.
1 John 4:4 (NKJV) "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
I love the words of Ethel Barrett on other peoples words; "We would worry less about what others think of us if we realized how seldom they do."
People who will not be intimidated with the words of the enemy. People who will live lives of holiness in a world that prefers the pits of immorality. People who will reject the easy flow of the world system, and stand for righteousness and will walk not just on a Sunday for Jesus, but day in and day out no matter what. People of integrity, because that is what they are and not just what they do. People who will stand in prayer when no-others are praying.
God will provide you with all that you need.
