May 30th, 1999
The Mighty Men of David
“Where Are The Real Heroes?”
Who are our heroes today?
It is interesting what our heroes tell us about ourselves. We love heroes as a society.
Israel’s had heroes.
This is the hall of fame of the military heroes. (The Michael Jordan’s….)
This from the appendix of the book of Samuel.
Originally one book
From 1 Sam 1 – 2 Sam 20 is historical data in chronological order.
Chapters 2 Sam 21 – 24 are appendices, lists that the writer felt were important.
Israel’s military heroes.
2 Sam 23:8-39
8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time.
Here is the best of the best. “Crème de la crème.”
This guy took it upon himself to kill 800 men at one time.
Hank Aaron who hit 750 home runs.
Fighter pilots from earlier wars who would shoot down a dozen bogies in one campaign.
Adino means slender spear, Eznite means sharp spear.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated.
10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.
In those days they would line up on both sides of the mountain twice a day and taunt each other.
David and Goliath. (1 Sam 17)
They would do this to intimidate each other.
Instead of doing it after a slam dunk or a touchdown, they would do it before to psyche-out their opponent.
As they were taunting, the Philistines started to attack and everybody took off except this one guy.
His hand was so sore he couldn’t open it.
This was recorded in Israel’s history as a great victory
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. Then the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the LORD brought about a great victory.
The Philistines attacked a food source and everybody ran except this one guy who stayed to defend it.
He goes down in history as protecting Israel’s food source, by himself.
These are the best of the best.
Now the next story (vs. 13-17) is about these three and God gets the credit because it was so supernatural.
13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
This is very significant because the Philistines were deep into Israel’s territory.
We are going back to the time when David was a refugee running from Saul.
David is on the run, Saul is after them and the Philistines are raiding the land.
The Philistines were in David’s hometown.
These were very bad times for the nation of Israel.
15 And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"
David is in this cave, several miles away is Bethlehem and outside of which is a well.
There were many places to get water around there.
It wasn’t the only place to go and get water.
David is remembering the good old days, when he was boy and the was freedom in Israel and Israel was strong.
David is depressed and tired of hiding out in this huge cave at Adullum and watching the Philistines have their way with Israel.
16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD.
These men took David literally.
They knew their leader was discouraged.
They said, “David’s discouraged, let’s go get him a drink from his favorite well. I can’t wait to see his face.”
These three literally fight through an entire garrison to draw water from this particular well.
17 And he said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.
David was so touched by this act that he began to worship the Lord.
He poured it out as a drink offering.
They were all touched by this offering.
They all began worshipping God and being encouraged.
David goes from discouragement to worshipping the Lord.
18 Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three.
This is the guy who snuck into Saul’s camp with David and wanted to run Saul through with his own spear.
19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.
He was chief of the three.
Also, there are more than thirty names listed here, some may be replacements in this elite thirty.
20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
Moab also had their top men (their hall of fame guys).
He took out two of their men that were able to kill many.
He also killed a lion in a pit.
A lion is a pit is a hungry lion and a mad lion.
It was snowy and the footing wasn’t good.
21 And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
This was an extraordinary victory.
He had great skill.
These countries hated each other.
Another David & Goliath story.
22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men.
23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.
FYI - Benaiah, later became the head of Solomon’s army.
The rest of the thirty are listed here, two noteables:
Vs. 34, Eliam the son of Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s father.
Vs. 39, Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba’s husband.
Does this have any relevance to our Christian lives today?
Rom 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
The Bible is the greatest source of truth.
It is the only book of all books that is a true revelation from God.
When the Bible gives us a list of heroes, you can bet there is some things for us to learn from it.
One of the greatest tools God uses to encourage broken-hearted Christians is the sacrificial acts of love and devotion by others.
Look at the story of David’s 3 mighty men.
David goes from discouragement to worshipping God.
His whole outlook changed because of what these men did.
(Hebrews is written for the discouraged Jewish believer, telling them to hang on to Jesus Christ)
Heb 3:12-13
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
This is an answer to Christians becoming so discouraged in their walk that they backslide.
How often should we encourage one another?
Daily is an interesting phrase in the Greek.
Kata hekastos hemera
Completely, each and every, entire 24 hr. day
While it is called, “Today” – while we’re on earth.
So many in the church say, “Yeh, when is someone going to start encouraging me?”
When are you going to do that for someone?
Not everyone can preach or teach or lead worship but everyone can encourage. – gift of prophecy
Instead of nit-picking one another and everyone else, we should be looking to encourage one another and keep others from backsliding.
There are people that God has ordained us to encourage.
Heb 10:24-25
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Consider, plan out how we may stir up (provoke) love and good works.
Have you ever provoked someone to good works.
Do not give up meeting together – this why people get discouraged.
Until the Day.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
No corrupt word
Grace - benefit
Grace comes from God and out your mouth.
1Thes 2:11-12
11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,
12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
Paul, the apostle, was a great encourager.
We should encourage one another to walk the walk.
Where are the mighty men of God today?
Where are the heroes today?
Where are those who ponder how they can encourage someone?
We can be like David’s Mighty Men.
We can be life-speakers.
Concerned about the success of others and not their own.
That is storing up treasures in heaven.
