VICTORY STARTS WITH GOD

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors—they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised—this is the list of David’s mighty warriors:

Jashobeam, a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the Lord. “God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

The mighty warriors were:

Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth, Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hurai from the ravines of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him, Hanan son of Maakah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, Jediael son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):

Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites; and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.

Ezer was the chief, Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third, Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, Jeremiah the tenth and Makbannai the eleventh.

These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand. It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. ¹⁷ David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.”

Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said:

“We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you.”

So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.

Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, “It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.”) When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh. They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army. Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.

These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:

from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;

from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;

from Levi—4,600, including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

from Benjamin, Saul’s tribe—3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;

from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;

from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;

from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;

from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;

from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;

and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them. Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

1 Chronicles 11:10-47, 12:1-40

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

No nation since the dawn of mankind has survived without a fighting force willing to defend it. It was true in biblical times and it’s true today.

We know it was true in biblical times because the scriptures often tell us brave men who fought to support and defend their nation or tribe or clan. As look at our passage from chapters 11 and 12 of 1 Chronicles, we find one such instance as the men who supported and fought for David to “give his kingship strong support” as he established the kingdom of Israel are given recognition. And we’re told this all happened because the Lord had promised it.

We read first of three mighty warriors who distinguished themselves above their peers. Interestingly enough, we’re only told of two of the three in the Chronicles account. The third warrior can be found in 2 Samuel 23:8-12. His name was Shammah. In both accounts, whether in Chapter 11 of 1 Chronicles of Chapter 23 of Samuel, specific mention is made about the acts that led to these men being distinguished above their fighting peers.

After the Three are mentioned, we find a couple of other fighting men given homage.

One of them, Abishai was praised as being even greater than the Three. In fact, scripture tells us that Abishai was doubly honored over the Three and became their commander.

The other was Benaiah who we’re told was a valiant fighter who performed great exploits which included striking down Moab’s two mightiest warriors and a very tall Egyptian warrior. He even went into a pit to kill a lion! We read where Benaiah was as famous as the three mighty warriors and held in great honor even though he wasn’t included in the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

From the mention of the bravest of the brave, the Chronicler goes on to give us an extensive list of other mighty fighting men which encompasses the rest of Chapter 11 and all of Chapter 12. The list included the following men who joined David at his stronghold in the wilderness:

- Men who came to David’s side as he was on the run from a murderous Saul. Of interest, the men were actually Saul’s relatives!

- Men who defected from Gadites, all army commanders who were able to handle the shield and spear.

- Other Benjamites to join Saul’s relatives and some men from Judah. All of these men were challenged by David just in case any of them had their hearts set on betraying him. Note that he tells them that God would judge them if they crossed him in any way. This led the men to proclaiming their loyalty to David and acknowledging that God was with him, leading him to success. David made them leaders of his raiding bands.

- Some of the tribe of Manasseh who joined the Philistines to help David combat Saul by going up against raiding bands.

Yes, David had many men join his cause, so many that the scriptures tell us that “he had a great army like the army of God.

At Hebron, the following men added to that great army:

from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;

from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;

from Levi—4,600, including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

from Benjamin, Saul’s tribe—3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;

from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;

from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;

from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;

from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;

from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;

and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

In other words, every tribe contributed to the effort in making David a conqueror who was victorious over Saul and a king who would rule over them all.

And most important of all, God was with them through it all.

That’s something important for us to remember because the Bible is full of examples of nations and empires who on paper seemed unbeatable but they were nonetheless defeated because God was not with them. Nations today should pay attention to this as the same God who reigned over the world in Old Testament times is the same God who reigns today.

In the end translation, it doesn’t matter how many brave, fighting warriors you have. Victory starts with God and God alone.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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