Mighty Men - "The King of Mighty Men" - 1 Chronicles 11, 1 Samuel 16, others.

“The King of Mighty Men”

Men thank you so much for being apart of our Spring Bible Study.

Let me begin with a few quick announcements:

Explain the books and homework

Schedule:

March 2, 9, 16, and 30

We won’t meet on March 23

The book:

the best asset you have is to spend time in God’s Word

3 weeks of reading… 12 days.

Scripture memory challenge:

Colossians 1:15-23.

week 1 is reading it 10 times and then writing it out.

Week 2’s challenge is reading it 10 times and then filling in the blanks without looking

Week 3’s challenge is reading it 10 times and writing it out without cheating.

Structure:

Teach a little bit and then have discussion at your table for a few minutes at a time.

Goals:

This to help you build relationships with the men at your table.

Make Bible reading, prayer, and Scripture memory normal

When you hear the phrase “mighty man” WHO comes to mind? What characteristics come to mind?

If you’ve got your Bible’s we are going to be in 2 Samuel 23 today.

2 Samuel 23:8–39 (KJV 1900)

8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

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 that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:

10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.

17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

Illustration: Imagine going back in time, and living in Jerusalem during King David’s reign.

You were around when Saul failed and heard that the prophet Samuel anointed another King. This young teenager, who would later become king killed Goliath.

Songs are being written about him. You’ve seen him reestablish the throne in the city of Jerusalem, and Israel is victorious.

“That’s Eleazar… he did___. That’s Josheb-basshebeth and he ___.”

What’re they doing with David?

Principles:

Mighty men love and serve the Person of the King

Mighty men love and serve the Purpose of the King.

In order to actually do this, you’ve got to know the King.

Before we get into the feats of the Mighty Men, let’s look at the remarkable King they serve.

1. Their king was Appointed and Anointed The King was

a. God’s Desire

His desire was to set up His Kingdom.

God’s desire was to prepare the nation of Israel for the true King… His Son Jesus.

God’s desire was to set up His throne in Israel.

So when He called to Samuel in verse 1, He was telling Samuel to get over it… and get ready because even the disobedience of a King couldn’t stop what God has planned.

"The kingdom agenda, then, may be defined as the visible manifestation of the comprehensive rule of God over every area of life.... The reason so many of us believers are struggling is that we want God to bless our agenda rather than us fulfilling His." (22-23)

"Getting into God's kingdom is through conversion, but getting God's kingdom into the manifestations of your everyday life comes through commitment and discipleship." (25)

"His kingdom is only visible when history emulates heaven." (25)

Think about God’s desire for your life! What has God called you to?

What we are called from and called to:

I. Called from labor to rest (Matt. 11:28) II. Called from death to life

(1 John 3:14 “14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”

III. Called from bondage to liberty (Gal 5:13)

Galatians 5:13 ESV

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

IV. Called out of darkness into light (1 Pet. 2:9)

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

V. Called from bondage to peace (1 Cor. 7:15

1 Corinthians 7:15 ESV

15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.

VI. Called to the fellowship of His Son

1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV

9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

What we are made by obeying the call:

I. We are made sons of God (John 1:12) II. We are made the children of God (Gal. 3:26) III. We are made the servants of God (Matt. 25:21) IV. We are made God's saints (Col. 1:1) V. We are made God's witnesses (I Thess. 2:10) VI. We are made workers together with God (2 Cor. 6:1) VII. We are called to a high calling (Phil. 3:14) VIII. We are called to a holy calling (2 Tim. 1:9) IX. We are called to a heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1)

God will never allow His work to die with the death or failure of a man. If it is God’s work, it goes beyond any man. Perhaps Samuel was paralyzed with mourning because of Saul’s tragic rebellion, but God was not paralyzed.

“it is ironic that Samuel’s initial reaction to the word of the LORD was fear of Saul instead of rejoicing at God’s provision to Israel.” - Johnny Mac

God not only let Samuel in on the secret of His desire, but He also did the directing on WHO the king would be.

b. God’s Direction

But it seems like as soon as we hear that God desires something for us. That He’s calling us TO something… we start asking questions:

What if I don’t marry the right person?

What if I get the wrong job?

Why do we ask those types of questions?

It could be a spiritual attack.

It could also be the fact that our thoughts aren’t always God’s thoughts.

Notice Samuel.

He quickly saw this situation by sight… in the way his peers did.

He thought like the world for a moment...

Both men had God with them through the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13, Luke 3:22).

2. Their King was a Shepherd and a Steward

David was a shepherd before being anointed as king (1 Samuel 16:11). Jesus Christ refers to himself as the good shepherd (John 10:11).

His posture was bent toward God.

He was preparing himself without even realizing it!

He was doing the work before the work started!

Payton Manning  practiced indirection. He was the winning quarterback of Super Bowl XLI. It was a rainy night, and the ball was slippery. Rex Grossman, the quarterback for the losing team, fumbled the ball several times. But Peyton Manning never fumbled. A few weeks after the Super Bowl a reporter discovered that every few weeks during the year Manning had his center (the one who snaps him the ball), Jeff Saturday, snap him water-soaked footballs.

These characteristics of David’s posture should also be markers in our own lives. What were they?

a. David was Submitted

I’d say to authority

Psalm 86:16 ESV

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant.

Psalm 116:16 ESV

16 O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds.

I’d also say he was submitted to his father.

He’s watching the sheep!

b. David was a Steward

God’s

Matthew 25:21 ESV

21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

c. And there he is, keeping the sheep: David was called for this great anointing when he was out

keeping the sheep. David simply did his job and was faithful in small things and what his father told him to do.

1. Keeping the sheep was a servant’s job. The fact that David was out keeping the sheep showed that the family of Jesse was not especially wealthy, because if they were wealthy a servant would be keeping the sheep. But they were not affluent enough to have servants.

2. Keeping the sheep meant you had time to think.

David spent a lot of time looking over the sheep and looking at the glory of God’s creation. God built in him a heart to sing about His glory in all creation (Psalm 19:1-4 and Psalm 8 are good examples).

3. Keeping the sheep took a special heart, a special care.

It meant you knew how sheep needed the care and help of a good shepherd. You learned that you were a sheep and God was your shepherd. During these years, God built in David the heart that would sing about the LORD as his shepherd (as in Psalm 23).

4. Keeping the sheep meant you had to trust God in the midst of danger.

David had lions and bears and wolves to contend with and the sheep had to be protected. “The country round Bethlehem was not a peaceful paradise, and the career of a shepherd was not the easy life of lovesick swains which poets dream.” (Blaikie)

5. David’s years keeping the sheep were not waiting time; they were training time.

It was not down time it was development time.

David was a great man and a great king over Israel because he never lost his shepherd’s heart. Psalm 78:70-72 speaks of the connection between David the king and David the shepherd: He also chose David His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes that had young He brought him, to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

c. David Struggled

Being submitted and a steward was not always easy, yall.

1 Samuel 17:34–37 ESV

34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

I should have said it like this… David was Succesful.

He fought!

The battles you face today matter.

Holiness matters.

Prayer matters

3. Their King had Badblood and was Betrayed

Both men had many enemies (Psalm 3:1, John 19:6).

Both men had many enemies (Psalm 3:1, John 19:6).

6. BETRAYAL

Both men were betrayed by a close friend (Psalm 41:9

Psalm 41:9 KJV 1900

9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, Which did eat of my bread, Hath lifted up his heel against me.

, John 18:5).

Saul pursued David in order to kill him (1 Samuel 19:9-11

1 Samuel 19:9–11 KJV 1900

9 And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

). The Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus Christ (Mark 3:6).

Ahithophel was David’s counsel and close friend (1 Chronicles 27:33). However he betrayed him by give advise to his enemy. After finding out that his advice was not followed, he hanged himself (2 Samuel 17:23). After Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, he hanged himself (Matthew 27:5).

4. Their King Faced Trials and Temptations

Both men defeated their enemies (Psalm 18:37, 1 Corinthians 15:25).

5.Their King was a Champion and Conqueror

David delivered Israel of the fear of their enemies (1 Samuel 17:48-52). Jesus Christ delivered his followers from the fear of Satan (John 16:33, Romans 16:20).

The orientation of their heart was to serve and please their King!

These men did incredible things… but you know what got their names written in a book? by loving and serving a king!

Also… did you catch all these references about their king? The king we serve is like David but GREATER!!!