Battles and Heroes

O. T. #738  "Battles and Heroes"
April 20, 2016
2 Samuel 21-Part 2
verse???

LET IT GLOW

We talked about the first of the six accounts of the matters pertaining to David's life-The Lord's Judgment Against Israel. These appeared in the last four chapters of 2 Samuel, although these are not in chronological order.

II. The Account of David's Warriors

This section describes Israel's defeating of the four giant Philistines.
The Hebrew term for giant  is the word  raphe (raw-faw'), which means invigorating, giant.

David became weak and exhausted. Swindoll gives us three reasons for it:
Absalom's death after conspiracy to kill David, a 3 year famine, the Philistines were at war with Israel again.

Who wouldn't feel exhausted after all David had experienced? A person can only take so much. Loss of a son, famine, and war would be enough to get most people down, wouldn't it? What kind of things cause us to become spiritually exhausted? Where do we turn when we become exhausted?


LET IT GROW

Here are David's heroes, who killed the four giants of Gath:

1. Ishbibenob, using a 7 pound bronze spearhead and a new sword, cornered David to kill him. Abishai came to David's rescue and killed the giant. David's men declared, "You are not going out to battle with us again! Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?"
2. Another battle at Gob occurred against the giant Philistines. Shibbecai killed Saph, another descendant of the giants.
3. In another battle at God, Elhanan killed the brother of Goliath of Gath. His spear handle was as thick as a weaver's beam.
4. During the fourth battle at Gath, the Israelites encountered a giant with 6 fingers on each hand and 6 toes on each foot. He was killed by Jonathan, David's nephew.

(This account is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 20:4-8.) It was when David became weak and exhausted that these men took over, interceded for their king, protected them and defeated the enemy-giants.

Do you ever become exhausted spiritually as you face the enemies day in and day out? Do you have Christians who will intercede for you, defeating your giants through intercessory prayer?
Are you a prayer warrior for your Christian brothers and sisters, pastor?

LET IT GO

When things become too heavy, too hard, too overwhelming, turn to Jesus.

Let Him handle the opposition, the enemy, all things.

Intercede for those that are doing spiritual battle.







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