Mighty Men of God
Making Mighty Men of God
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day.
23 Benaiah killed an Egyptian who was about seven and one-half feet tall and had a spear as large as a weaver’s rod. Benaiah had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
1 Chronicles 11:23
If you take away David’s mighty men, David is just a leader of a band of men. Conversely, in strengthening David, these mighty men strengthened themselves. David’s success was their success. David’s achievements were their achievements. They had a rare, Spirit-filled, symbiotic relationship in which their sum was greater than their individual parts. They brought out the best in each other.
The Thirty and the Three
There are two groups of mighty men mentioned: the thirty and the three. The three were the "Joint Chiefs of Staff," the Generals of the forces of Israel. Then there were the thirty men who were commanders of various divisions of the army. All had proven themselves to be mighty in battle & men of faith.
Benaiah
Out of the 30, one man: Benaiah the son of Jehoiada became the most prominent. He was made Captain of David’s bodyguard. He was chosen for the place of honor close to the king because of three great events of valor for which he was widely known.
On once occasion, Benaiah struck down 2 of Moab’s best men. On another occasion, he killed a Lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. Finally, he was known for the time he killed an Egyptian who was their mighty man. The Egyptian was between 7 ½ and 9 feet tall. (About the same size as Goliath that David killed.) The Egyptian had a spear like a flag pole - about 6 or 7 inches thick.
These three enemies whom Benaiah overcame are all used in Scripture as types or symbols, of enemies of the believer today.
Benaiah was a Mighty Man of David
Benaiah struck down Moab
Who was Moab? The Moabites were a nation on the borders of Israel who were related to the Israelites. Remember when Lot fled from Sodom, he hid in a cave with his two daughters. They thought they would never get married & have children, so the got there father drunk & had sex with him. One of son born was Ammon & the other Moab. They were closely related to the Israelites but always their enemies.
This Old Testament symbol is called "the flesh" referring to our selfish life. We are ashamed of what this "flesh" does and we have a hard time controlling it. Moab is a picture of the flesh throughout Scripture, everything involving an uncontrolled life to physical lust. From addictions to alcohol to addictive lifestyles involving self gratification.
And Benaiah struck down two of the best men in all of Moab!
Benaiah slew an Egyptian
Egypt is used as a type or picture of the world with its armies, temples, libraries, pharaohs, kings, all of the pomp, glory and splendor of man. It is a picture of the superficial, empty glory of the world and its ways.
This is no small enemy. This Egyption had a spear as big as a flag pole! The world with all of its power, allure and temptations is no small enemy.
It’s all about success in the world’s view.
Benaiah also fought the Lion
Peter tells us, "Your adversary, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." The Devil, like a Lion, has tremendous authority and power and he is seeking someone to devour.
The lion is the most dangerous of the three enemies. There is a reason that the Lion is called the king of beasts. The typical male lion is between 350 to 500 pounds of muscle. It is 3 ½ feet tall and 9 feet long from the nose to the tail. With one blow of his paw he can smash the human skull, one of the strongest bones in our bodies. With his jaws he can bite through any bone in the human body.
Not only did Benaiah meet a lion but he met it in the worst possible place: in a pit. A place where you are very close to it and there is no escape. But not just in a pit: in a pit on a day when the snow had fallen. I imagine Benaiah’s anxiety as he faced this lion in such close proximity. His footing was slick. Trying to grip his weapon, his hands were red with the numbness of the cold. The glare of the sun in his eyes forced him to squint to see.
The worst possible foe, in the worst place, under the worst circumstances. Yet, he won! How? The answer is in the man, his deeds simply revealed what he already was.
He was already a mighty man of valor. These deeds simply made it clear to everybody else that he was that kind of man.
We are called to be the Mighty Men of God
Do you know the every one of you has a Lion in your life?
Listen folks, Lucifer is real. But don’t make the mistake of thinking about a little red imp with a trident he carries to poke you with. Lucifer is a dark and evil angel with one agenda – your complete destruction.
You say ok, so there is an evil spirit, an evil angel that was thrown out of heaven like a drunk is tossed out of a western saloon. Why would he want to hurt me? The answer is that he doesn’t care about you – he wants to hurt God and you are one of God’s favorite kids.
Lucifer does not have all knowledge nor does he have all power but he knows enough to design a lion to attack you in a snowy pit. We all have enemies that we are afraid to meet. It may be something you are afraid of or something you fear might happen: a physical disease, a crushing disappointment, the loss of a loved one, financial ruin, or failure.
With God at our back we are going to win. We are the Mighty Men of God!
I would like to see some things come out of this series of messages. Let me tell you what they are so you can pray, work for and participate for these outcomes with me.
1) The Mighty Men of Meridian
Seven gatherings over the next year – each session focused on one of the seven promises of Promise Keepers.
2) The Launching of “A” Teams all through the community
3) 50 Men attending the AMMO Retreat on October 6-7 this fall
God Knows
JEHOIADA means "God knows"
In the Bible, the name is a clue to the character of the individual. God often changed a person’s name when he changed his character. Like Jacob, the supplanter to Israel, prince with God. Abram, exalted father to Abraham, father of a multitude. Sarai, dominating, to Sarah, princess. Simon a pebble to Peter, the rock.
Jehoiada was Benaiah’s father and his name reflects the relationship he and his son had with God.
God knows what you are facing and builds you up and gives you strength to handle it.
Nothing can happen without God knowing about it and permitting it. Jesus said that the hairs on your head are numbered. He knows what you are going through. Beyond that, God not only knows, but he feels what you feel when you are upset, angry, impatient, betrayed, hurt, or tempted. Hebrews tells us, Our high priest was tempted like us & sympathized with our weaknesses. In every respect He has been tempted like us, & knows how we feel.
God Knows
We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back.
Hebrews 12:1
In Corrie Ten Boom’s book "The Hiding Place" she tells of her & her sister in a concentration camp in horrible conditions. Then one day a degrading experience of having to take off all their clothes to stand before a group of Nazi doctors, and arrogant men, who showed their contempt for them. Corrie said to her sister, "Remember, Jesus was naked on the cross and took insults & abuse." Her sister lifted up her face with a smile, "Oh, that’s right. Oh, that helps!" God knows. He knows how you feel.
God Builds
BENAIAH means "God builds"
God has a purpose in mind. He is using what is happening to you to work toward an end.
This is not only in Heaven some day, but in the here and now. Those who go through heartaches, pressure, problems, and tribulation in God’s hands emerge softened, chastened, mellowed, more loving, warmer, and more compassionate. God knows. God builds you into his kingdom where we all have a part as the Mighty Men of God!
When I was pastoring at Beavercreek I had the fortune to work with a man who was a Mighty Man of God. Jake Speraw and was in his late 80’s and he came to the church every day to clean whatever was dirty and fix whatever was broken. One day I caught him hauling a big desk by himself down the hall. I started to help him when he turned on me and said, “You get in your office and write your sermon. I can’t preach but I can haul this desk!” So I went to my office and wrote a really good sermon!
When Jake was in his 90’s he went to the old ladies house next door and mowed her lawn then he mowed his lawn. After he was done he sat down on the back steps to drink some water. His daughter found him there on the steps a couple of hours later – he had gone home to the King of the Universe he had served as a Mighty Man of God. That, my friends is how I want to go home. Not necessarily on the back steps but after having spent my day serving my king.
When King David was on his death bed he asked Benaiah to help the young man Solomon. Under King Solomon Benaiah became his counselor & commander of the army that brought wealth and peace to Israel.
Benaiah’s trouble, problems & circumstances were all ordained by God to build character in him. God knows & God Builds.
Listen friend, He is doing that in your life right now.
God Builds
16 Be careful that no one takes part in sexual sin or is like Esau and never thinks about God. As the oldest son, Esau would have received everything from his father, but he sold all that for a single meal.
Hebrews 12:16
So when you are in the battle…
Remember, God brought you here to this place
Recognize that God will keep you in His love and give you the grace and power in this trial to behave as His child
Realize that God will make the trial a blessing, teaching you the lessons He intends you to learn
This is the Mighty Man that God Builds.
He has victory over Moab--the flesh
He has overcome Egypt,--the World
He can kill a lion on a snowy day in a pit
We are the Mighty Men of God
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57
