Be an Abishai!
Question of the day: What is special about Sabbath for you?
Good morning class. I am looking forward to our study this morning! It could not be more applicable to me this morning. I will explain more later.
We are going to cover a huge amount of scripture, however it really isn't much at all. If you aren't in class today we will miss you! No matter where you are I encourage you to post comments or answers to our question on the blog.
Happy Sabbath and may God bless as we feast on His word!
This morning we are going to look at two passages. The first passage is, 2 Samuel 21: 15-22. Then we will skip over to 2 Samuel 23: 8-39.
We will come back to chapter 22 and the first part of 23. They are coming later. Since these chapters are not in chronological order I think it works this way.
Let's read together.
READ: 2 Samuel 21:15-22
Wars Against the Philistines
15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels[b] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”
18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair[c] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of[d] Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.
20 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him.
22 These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
David’s Mighty Warriors
8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth,[a] a Tahkemonite,[b] was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed[c] in one encounter.
9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim[d] for battle. Then the Israelites retreated,10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold,and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three mighty warriors 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 before the Lord. 17 “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.
18 Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.[e] He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19 Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
20 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. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear 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. 22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23 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.
24 Among the Thirty were:
Asahel the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite,
Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite,
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
27 Abiezer from Anathoth,
Sibbekai[f] the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heled[g] son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hiddai[h] from the ravines of Gaash,
31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan 33 son of[i] Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar[j] the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezro the Carmelite,
Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,
the son of Hagri,[k]
37 Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite
39 and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
I know it isn't just me.
What battles were raging around you?
What battles were you in this week?
There is beautiful encouragement in these passages. For that I am so thankful!
1. In the very first verse we read that David became exhausted. How encouraging! Why? David, the great warrior who with God on his side, slay giants, entire armies, knew when to slay and when to cut a piece of garment instead, David a man after God's own heart became exhausted. Somehow this week, knowing that was comforting. When you are surrounded by war, when you are always feeling called to fight, or forced to fight, it can be, or IS exhausting! Acknowledging that we can become exhausted, brings us to the all important point 2.
2. ABISHAI
Abishai is David nephew. The son of Davids sister. He was the only one who accompanied David when he went into Saul's camp and took the spear from Saul while he slept. He was a great warrior! They have a lot of history together. Here he came to aid of David and killed the giant. Do you need or have an Abishai? I'm sure you do or have. Sometimes an Abishai just steps in, other times we cry out for one, and sometimes we don't think we need or want them, but they are there. Sometimes we don't even know they fought the battle. Sometimes people are fighting the battle through prayer for you and you aren't even aware. Perhaps the most important question here is, "Are you Abishai for someone?" Are you? We all need an Abishai and we all need to be an Abishai for someone or many!
3. It isn't just one man who always comes to the rescue. It is a whole list of names. David was a great warrior, but David had a great team of warriors fighting with him! These two passages are filled with the names! (Thanks Chris for reading them all!) It is important that they are noted! It tells us that God doesn't ask us to fight battles alone! First, He is always with us. Second, if we will accept it there are those around us who are willing and wanting to fight with us!
This week, I had a friend who needed an Abishai! This week, I was exhausted and at one point felt guilt as I watched a friend fighting one of the battles in my life. This week, I experienced the power of sitting together and listening to each other over a bowl of soup! This week, I experienced the power of praying for each other and with each other. This week, I experienced encouraging texts at just the right moment, stating that they were in the battle with us, praying!
When God said it was not good for man to be alone, He wasn't only talking about singleness. It isn't good for us to be alone period. We are in a battle, and just like David God is always with us! Just like David God will provide other warriors to come along with us, beside us. We are NOT meant to fight this battle alone!
The only way to ensure that we are not alone, is to make sure that each of us are willing to be Abishai for each other! (Or if you prefer one of the other impossible to say names, there are a lot to choose from!)
I was blown away when I read Pastor Ryan's email last night! I wondered if he had secretly read the Sabbath School lesson that was only written in my head...LOL! We need to encourage one another and understand that it isn't just about fluffy words or sweet love notes, but these words of encouragement are the very tools needed to help us in the battle! When we encourage and build each other up, we are coming alongside Christ and ministering with HIM!
This week I read a powerful passage in Ministry of Healing. In comes from chapter 10 Helping the Tempted. It speaking to one way of being an Abishai for someone. I have underlined my favorite lines. I will close with this.
"How little do we enter into sympathy with Christ on that which should be the strongest bond of union between us and Him--compassion for depraved, guilty, suffering souls, dead in trespasses and sins! The inhumanity of man toward man is our greatest sin. Many think that they are representing the justice of God while they wholly fail of representing His tenderness and His great love. Often the ones whom they meet with sternness and severity are under the stress of temptation. Satan is wrestling with these souls, and harsh, unsympathetic words discourage them and cause them to fall a prey to the tempter's power.
It is a delicate matter to deal with minds. Only He who reads the heart knows how to bring men to repentance. Only His wisdom can give us success in reaching the lost. You may stand up stiffly, feeling, "I am holier than thou," and it matters not how correct your reasoning or how true your words; they will never touch hearts. The love of Christ, manifested in word and act, will win its way to the soul, when the reiteration of precept or argument would accomplish nothing." Ellen White MH p163
Let's enter into sympathy with Christ and show compassion to all around us!
Let's pray for His wisdom so we know how to be an Abishai for those we are called to fight with and for!
Let's spread the LOVE of Christ!!!!!!!
Go and LOVE WELL!
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