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Sermon: Mighty Men of God

Don Ruhl
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08302015MightyMenOfGod2Sa23.8-39DonRuhl

Mighty Men of God 

You can be like the mighty men of David

Second Samuel 23.8–39

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • August 30, In the year of our Lord, 2015

Scripture Reader and Reading:  – First Samuel 22.1–2

Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Phil Joseph – Onward Christian Soldiers and similar songs

Prelude: 

  1. When you fight the Lord’s battles, 
    1. you will do amazing things.
    2. Remember Samson and the numbers of the enemy that he killed.
  2. So now see the might men of David. 
    1. When they fought the Lord’s battles,
    2. they did incredible things.
      1. Like watching a movie where the hero does unimaginable things.
      2. Learn from these men in Second Samuel 23.

Persuasion: 

  1. Second Samuel 23.8–23 – Deeds of David’s Mighty Men 
    1. Courage

      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.
    2. Endurance

      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.
    3. Defend Your Ground

      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. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
    4. Loyalty to Your Leader

      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. 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!” 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. 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.
    5. Know How to Use Your Weapon

      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. 19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.
    6. Fight Against the Odds

      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. 21 And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man [1Ch 11.23 shows he was 7.5 feet]. 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. 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.
  2. Second Samuel 23.24–39 – Other Mighty Men

    24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from 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 (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
    1. We read all these names,
      1. questioning whether we have pronounced them correctly, but
      2. we know the pronunciation of that man in verse 39.
        1. The writer set us up
        2. to learn the caliber of man
          1. whom David had killed purposely in battle.
          2. Uriah left his home of the Hittites,
            1. joined the Israelites, and
            2. distinguished himself as a mighty man of David and of God.
    2. This makes David’s betrayal of Uriah even worse.
      1. How would Uriah have fared,
      2. if he had remained with his people the Hittites?
        1. Did Uriah make it to heaven?
        2. I am going to assume that he did, because of
        3. his honorable behavior
          1. when David tried to get Uriah to sleep with his wife Bathsheba
          2. that David might cover his sin with Bathsheba.
            1. That one episode did not make him worthy of heaven, but
            2. Uriah did not become honorable that night, especially when drunk.
              1. Living in honor had been his way of life.
              2. He was attracted to Israel and
                1. became a worshiper of the one true and living God.
                2. That simply extended his honor way of living.
    3. What was the meeting in heaven like
      1. for David and Uriah?
      2. for Uriah and Bathsheba?
        1. Not only did God forgive David, but
        2. Uriah would have forgiven his wife and David.

Exhortation: 

  1. Be mighty like the men of David: 
    1. Live courageously,
    2. Live with endurance,
    3. Defend your ground,
    4. Show loyalty to your leader,
    5. Know how to use your weapon,
    6. Fight against the odds, and
    7. Forgive.
  2. You can forgive 
    1. when you receive the Lord’s forgiveness
    2. for your sins against Him.
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