The Mighty Men
by Scott R. Bayles, preacher
Church of Christ
Scripture Reading:
The pages of the Old Testament contain some of the most amazing stories you’ll ever read anywhere. Many of those stories revolve around a young shepherd boy who grew up to become King. David was, perhaps, the greatest king Israel would ever know, but he didn’t become great all on his own. Of course, he depended upon God, but he also relied on at least thirty special soldiers for much of his military might. They were known as David’s Mighty Men. And they, themselves, had accomplished some amazing feats.
The three Mighty Men that formed David’s inner circle were Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah. Jashobeam was chief of the captains in David’s army and was famous for slaying eight hundred enemy soldiers "at one time." How he accomplished this feat isn’t disclosed, but that he did speaks volumes of his heroism.
Shammah was also used of the Lord to bring victory. He risked his life to defend a field of lentils and barely. Why would he do that? Because the land belonged to the Lord and was given to Israel to use to His glory. Shammah didn’t want the Philistines to control what belong to the Lord. To defend the land meant to honor God and His covenant.
Eleazar was from the tribe of Benjamin and fought side by side with David against the Philistines. While the rest of the Israelite army was retreating, he and David alone stood their ground. The Bible says that Eleazar fought until his sword was "welded" to his hand. The Lord honored the faith and courage of Eleazar and David by giving them a great victory. It was two men against an entire battalion, yet they were triumphant.
Obviously, it took a very special person to be one of David’s Mighty Men. And yet, today, God wants each one of us to be mighty in His kingdom. This evening I’d like to read a story about three of David’s Mighty Men--three unnamed soldiers--and discover what we can learn from their example of heroism.
2 Samuel 23:13-17 (NASB-u)
Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. [14] David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. [15] David had a craving and said, "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!" [16] So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which 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; [17] and he said, "Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
It’s easy to see why these men were known as David’s Mighty Men, isn’t it? But I don’t think they were chosen by David or renowned throughout Israel simply because of their physical might or their prowess with a blade. In Shammah’s case it was his loyalty to God that caused him to risk his life in defense of a barely field. What makes Eleazar’s story so powerful is that he stood his ground beside his king. He was both loyal and brave.
The same can be said of these three men, as well as soldiers of Christ today! So what can we learn from these heroic men? What was it that made them so mighty? What is it that makes a person mighty in God’s kingdom today? Well, first of all, the were mighty because they were...
I. CLOSE:
They were close enough to hear David’s whispered words: [15] David had a craving and said, "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!"
The fact that David was hiding in a cave near Bethlehem suggests that this event took place shortly after he was made king in Hebron and the Philistines attacked him (2 Sam. 5:17). It was harvest time, which meant there had been no rain and the cisterns were empty. No water was available in the cave, and David thirsted for the water from the well at Bethlehem that he used to drink from when he was a boy. The text suggests that David spoke to himself about the water and never issued any orders on the matter, but these three men were close enough to David to hear his whispers and know his desires.
What an example for us to follow in our relationship to with the Captain of our salvation! If we want to be mighty men and women in the kingdom of God, then we need to be close enough to our King to know His desires and hear His words. Christians who are the most effective soldiers of Christ, are the ones who form the closest personal relationships with their Lord.
God’s greatest desire is to be known. God tells us, "For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). Paul said that he gave up everything in life and considered it rubbish "in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8). Following the example of these three Mighty Men, we too will "count all thing to be loss" as we make knowing God our first priority. God’s wants you to develop a close, intimate relationship with Him.
I’d like to make three suggestions on how we can accomplish that. Number one: Pray constantly! Prayer is the key to the morning and the bolt to the evening. Too many Christians have allowed their prayer lives to dwindle down until they only pray at meals, and sometimes not even then. One of the shortest verses in the Bible is simply, "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). When you wake up, on the way to work, during your lunch break, on the way home, before dinner, at your bedside and every spare moment in-between can be spent in conversation with God. We grow closer by communicating.
Number two: Sing continually! Those who walk about with a tune in their head and a song on their lips are often the happiest people in the world. You don’t have to have a good voice to sing praises unto God. Many Christians only sing when they have a song book in their hands, and even then they do it quietly so they blend in and go unnoticed. But when you consider that making a "joyful noise" is something that brings pleasure to God and usually a smile to your own face, then that relationship begins to blossom.
Number three: Listen carefully! God gave us one mouth and two eyes and ears for a reason. We cannot know God’s mind, will, or desires unless we open His word and look for it. Someone once said, "If you carry the Bible when you are young, it will carry you when you are old." There’s great truth in that. It’s through His word that God reveals His will, His plan for our lives, and Himself.
For anyone who has an honest desire to be a mighty servant of God, we must first draw close enough to Him that we know His desires and hear His words. But their closeness to the king was not all that made these men mighty. They were also...
II. COMMITTED:
They were committed enough to take David’s wish as their command: [16] So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David.
Their service to the king was not just lip service. They did not have to be commanded. They didn’t have to be told. They didn’t even need much encouragement--just the knowledge that their king wanted something. They were so committed and enthusiastic in their service to David that they jumped to their feet and marched off to battle. His wish was their command.
Today, God’s kingdom desperately needs Christians with that sort of commitment and zeal. Confucius said, "Wherever you go, go with your whole heart." That is the attitude we see displayed here. I’m sure that some people may have witnessed the behavior of these Mighty Men and called them "fanatics" or "extremists," but that didn’t hamper them one bit. We must be willing to risk being called "religious fanatics."
Paul was an enthusiastic fan of Christ. When he was converted, he left a good job to become a preacher! He gave up a prestigious position, to become a nobody--"the scum of the world" (1 Cor. 4:13). He decided not to have a family, to live the missionary life. He suffered hunger, thirst, hot, cold, shipwreck, snakebite, stoning, unlawful imprisonment, slander, public whippings, and--tradition says--a martyr’s death... For what? To win Christ!
Sure, the world thinks it strange that our priorities, goals, and lifestyle are different--sometimes very different--from theirs. Worldly people "are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of debauchery," they will even "speak evil of us" (1 Pet. 4:4). That should not dampen our enthusiasm--it should just remind us that the Lord was right when He said, "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me... for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:11).
I love the spirit of the builders of the cathedral in Seville, Spain, in 1401 who said, "Let us build here a church so great that those who come after us will think us mad ever to have dreamed of it!" If we are going to build great churches--not buildings, but churches--for God in our communities, we need a bit of that "mad dreaming." Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Every great and commanding movement in the annals of the world is the triumph of enthusiasm. Nothing great was ever accomplished without it!" H.W. Arnold said, "The worst bankruptcy in the world is the man who has lost his enthusiasm" (Webster, In Pursuit of Enthusiasm).
Zeal is both commanded and expected of Christ’s followers. Like Phinehas of old, God’s saint is "zealous for his God" (Numbers 25:13). The Bible says, "it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing" (Gal 4:18). The world might call such a person a "fanatic;" we would call him/her a committed Christian. But closeness and commitment are not the only ingredients in making mighty men and women. These three servants of David were Mighty Men because they were...
III. COURAGEOUS:
They were courageous enough to obey at any cost: You’ll notice in verse 14 "the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem." And yet, "the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines."
The Philistines had established a "permanent military installation" within the walled city of Bethlehem. The very fact that they had conquered the City of David in the first place, demonstrated the military power of their army. But in spite of the danger or consequences, they traveled twelve miles, broke through enemy lines, and came back with the water. David’s men were prepared to risk life and limb to please their king. They were ready to put their lives on the line in obedience to their lord.
If only all of Christ’s followers displayed that level of courage! We tend to equate courage with heroism--firefighters running into a burning building, soldiers preparing for battle, police arresting an armed criminal. We think of extreme sports like bungee jumping, or free climbing--activities that involve a great risk. We think of courage as something extraordinary, something unusual, something people are called upon to exhibit only in dangerous, life-threatening situations.
But most of the time, we don’t think we need it. We just don’t see "courage" as an everyday necessity. But that point of view is mistaken. Courage is not just for extreme situations. In fact, courage is basic to the exercise of every other virtue.
The Dictionary says, "Courage is the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or sudden changes in life with self-possession, confidence, and resolution." I think Mark Twain described it best: "Courage is resistance to fear--mastery of fear--not absence of fear" (sermoncentral.com).
Courage is required of God’s people everyday. It takes courage to be honest all the time. Think about why people lie. Why don’t we just state the truth, clearly and completely? Usually, because we fear the consequences. A lack of diligence could be due to a fear of failure. An unwillingness to share your faith can result from a fear of rejection. A refusal to serve others with our time and talents may stem from a fear of being taken advantage of or exploited. We stop giving because we fear the economic times.
Courage is foundational to virtually every virtue. So much so, that it’s really impossible to mature in Christ without it. It’s impossible to consistently live in obedience to Christ, and to have fellowship with Him, and please Him, as long as we’re dominated by fear instead of courage. Being courageous is central to our daily lives as followers of Christ. Without courage, all of our other virtues will be weak and easily compromised. They’ll fade away at the slightest challenge.
In a recent NCAA Cross-Country Championship held in Riverside, California, 123 of the 128 runners missed a turn. One competitor, Mike Delcavo, stayed on the 10,000-meter course and began waving for fellow runners to follow him, but he was able to convince only four other runners to go with him. When asked what his competitors thought of his mid-race decision not to follow the crowd, Delcavo responded, "They thought it was funny that I went the right way." It takes courage to go the right way, when everyone else is going the wrong way. It takes courage to keep going despite the laughter and jeers of the crowd, instead of just following them.
The Bible says, "Be strong and courageous...do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you..." (1 Chron. 28:20). J. Oswald Sanders is credited for saying, "Courage is that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger or difficulty with firmness... The highest degree of courage is seen in the person who is most fearful but refuses to give in to it" (Nelson 151). When we have God with us, we too can be strong and courageous--just like David’s mighty men.
Conclusion:
Truly is took a special, skillful person to serve as one of David’s elite--one of his mighty men. Their loyalty and bravery in service to the King of Israel and an awesome example for us to follow in our relationship to the King of Kings. They mighty men because they were...
Close enough to hear the whispered words of their King,
Committed enough to take his word as their command, and
Courageous enough to obey at any cost!
What is truly special about this story, though, is how it ends. No matter what the Lord put in David’s hand, he used it to honor God and help people--a sling, a sword, a harp, a scepter, even a cup a of water--and this was no exception. When David looked into the cup, he didn’t see water; he saw the blood of the three men who had risked their lives to satisfy his desire. To drink that water would demean all his men and cheapen the brave deed of the three heroes. Instead, David turned the cave into a temple and poured the water out as a drink offering to the Lord.
It was an act of dedication that symbolized a person’s life poured out in the service of the Lord. The three men had given themselves as a sacrifice to the Lord to serve David.
Invitation:
Are you willing to pour yourself out in service of our King? Christ would not ask anything of us that He has not done Himself. Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice for us--a drink offering for the sins of the world. He paid the ultimate price and, because of His sacrifice, salvation can be offered to you today. If you are willing to draw close to the Lord--live a committed and courageous life for Jesus Christ--then we offer you the opportunity enter into the service of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If you’re ready to come to Jesus today, to accept Him as your Savior and King, then please come...
