And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great deliverance. 1 Chronicles 11:11-14
David’s mighty men and their feats are listed by name in the Bible. King David was a mighty warrior who spurred other men to greatness beside him. The timing of David’s rise to leadership in the kingdom of Israel came for God’s people shortly after the time of the Judges, when every man did that which was right in his own eyes—the last four hundred years had been a roller coaster of failure and victory. Even Saul’s reign had not brought stability. David’s trust in God and courage to stand against the enemy caused a shift in the mindset of the Israelites, and these mighty men helped bring peace to their nation by their willingness to hold their ground against the enemy.
This passage jumped out at me for two reasons. The first was the sad fact that only three men were prepared to hold their ground. Most of the people fled before the Philistines. However, the encouraging part was that these men did not take credit for their victory but noted that the Lord saved them by a great deliverance. David’s influence on the mighty men’s lives taught them that they did not stand alone in battle. God went with them even in the hardest fights.
These men had seen David as a young man march right into the presence of a giant who had made the entire Israeli army cower. Trusting His God, David sliced off Goliath’s head with the giant’s sword after stunning him with a rock from a shepherd boy’s sling. David gave all the glory to his God, and nothing now seemed impossible to those who served the God of Israel. A few years later, another generation of warriors would slay Goliath’s brothers, and one would save King David’s life on the battlefield. David was not content to slay giants alone. He trained an army after him to protect and preserve the nation’s peace.
In application to our current state, the enemy is gaining ground. Incrementally, Satan has turned this nation to serve his purposes. Those who seek to save lives are viewed as the enemy. Those who champion the truth of the Bible are called evil. Many Christians are silently watching the enemy take more ground.
Now, I am not advocating for sharpening swords and chopping off heads. I am urging believers to blow the dust of their “sword of the Spirits, which is the word of God.” We can no more hold our ground without our Bibles than these mighty men could have without their weapons. Those who already know the Word must continue to stand and hold their ground. Our shields of faith will quench every fiery dart of the wicked. Boldness in the “mighty men” will ignite boldness in the hearts of the next generation. It is always too early to give the enemy ground. Keep standing and keep trusting that God is fighting right beside you. (Read Ephesians 6 for more study!)
Have a blessed day in the house of the Lord, my friends.
Erica B.
His Song in the Night 