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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in First Chronicles, chapter eleven,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the Message. Then all Israel
Speaker 1: assembled before David at Hebron. Look at us, They said,
Speaker 1: we're your very flesh and blood. In the past. Yes,
Speaker 1: even while Saul was king, you were the real leader
Speaker 1: of Israel. God told you you will shepherd my people Israel.
Speaker 1: You are to be the ruler of my people Israel.
Speaker 1: When all the elders of Israel came to the king
Speaker 1: at Hebron, David made a covenant with them in the
Speaker 1: presence of God at Hebron. Then they anointed David king
Speaker 1: over Israel, exactly as God had commanded through Sam. David
Speaker 1: and all Israel went to Jerusalem. It was the old
Speaker 1: Jebas where the Jebusites lived. The citizens of Jebas told
Speaker 1: David no trespassing, you can't come here. David came on
Speaker 1: anyway and captured the fortress of Zion, the city of David.
Speaker 1: David had said, the first person to kill a Jebusite
Speaker 1: will be commander in chief. Joeab son of Zeruiah, was
Speaker 1: the first, and he became the chief. David took up
Speaker 1: residence in the fortress city. That's how it got its
Speaker 1: name City of David. David fortified the city all the
Speaker 1: way around, both the outer bulwarks, the millow, and the
Speaker 1: outside wall. Joe Ab rebuilt the city gates. David's stride
Speaker 1: became longer, his embrace larger. Yes, God of the angel
Speaker 1: armies was with him. These are the chiefs of David's
Speaker 1: mighty Men, the ones who linked arms with him as
Speaker 1: he took up his kingship, with all Israel joining in,
Speaker 1: helping him become king in just the way God had
Speaker 1: spoken regarding Israel. The list of David's mighty Men. Jash
Speaker 1: Obeim son of Hakmonai was chief of the thirty. Single
Speaker 1: handedly he killed three hundred men, killed them all in
Speaker 1: one skirmish. Next was Eliezer, son of Dodi, the Ahohite,
Speaker 1: one of the big three of the mighty Men. He
Speaker 1: was with David at past Demime, where the Philistines had
Speaker 1: mustered their troops for battle. It was an area where
Speaker 1: there was a field of barley the army started to
Speaker 1: flee from the Philistines and then took its stand right
Speaker 1: in that field and turned the tide. They slaughtered the Philistines,
Speaker 1: God helping them a huge victory. The Big Three from
Speaker 1: the thirty made a rocky descent to David at the
Speaker 1: Cave of Adulum while a company of Philistines was camped
Speaker 1: in the Valley of Refee. David was houled up in
Speaker 1: the cave while the Philistines were prepared for battle at Bethlehem.
Speaker 1: David had a sudden craving what I wouldn't give for
Speaker 1: a drink of water from the well in Bethlehem, the
Speaker 1: one at the gate. The three penetrated the Philistine camp,
Speaker 1: drew water from the well at the Bethlehem gate, shouldered
Speaker 1: it and brought it to David. And then David wouldn't
Speaker 1: drink it. He poured it out as a sacred offering
Speaker 1: to God, saying, I'd rather be damned by God than
Speaker 1: drink this. It would be like drinking the lifeblood of
Speaker 1: these men. They risked their lives to bring it, so
Speaker 1: he refused to drink it. These are the kinds of
Speaker 1: things that the Big Three of the Mighty Men did Abeshi,
Speaker 1: brother of joe Ab, was the chief of the thirty.
Speaker 1: Single handedly, he fought three hundred men and killed the lot,
Speaker 1: but he never made it into the circle of the three.
Speaker 1: He was highly honored by the third he was their chief.
Speaker 1: Still he didn't measure up to the three. Benaiah, son
Speaker 1: of Jehudiah, was a mighty man from Cabzil, with many
Speaker 1: exploits to his credit. He killed two famous Moabites. He
Speaker 1: climbed down into a pit and killed a lion on
Speaker 1: a snowy day, and he killed an Egyptian, a giant
Speaker 1: seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a
Speaker 1: spear like a ship's boom, but Beanya went at him
Speaker 1: with a mere club, tore the spear from the Egyptian's
Speaker 1: hand and killed him with it. These are some of
Speaker 1: the things Benia son of Jehodiah, did, but he was
Speaker 1: never included with the three. He was highly honored among
Speaker 1: the thirty, but didn't measure up to the three. David
Speaker 1: put him in charge of his personal bodyguard. The mighty
Speaker 1: men of the military were Azahell, brother of Joab, El
Speaker 1: Hannan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shamoth, the hero righte Helees,
Speaker 1: the Pelanite Ira, son of Ikeish, the Hekawite Abeezer, the
Speaker 1: Anathyite Sibekai, the Hushathite Eli, the Ahohite Maharai, the Nataphathite
Speaker 1: hell Ed son of Banah, the Nataphathite Isthi, son of
Speaker 1: Ribi from Gibeah of the Benjamite Benaiah, the Parathonite Hohorai
Speaker 1: from the ravines of gash Abiel, the Arbathite Asthmaveth, the
Speaker 1: Baharumite Eliaba, the Shalbonite, the sons of Hashim, the Gizonite
Speaker 1: Jonathan son of Shagee, the Heroite Ahi M son of Sekhar,
Speaker 1: the Heronite Elefal son of er Hefer, the Macarathite Ahijah,
Speaker 1: the Pellanite Hesro, the Carmelite Narai son of Esbai Joel,
Speaker 1: brother of Nathan, Mibhar, son of Hagri Zelik, the Ammonite Naharai,
Speaker 1: the Berathite, the armor bearer of joe Ab son of Zeruiah, Ira,
Speaker 1: Thehrite Geib, Thehriit Uriah, the Hittite Zabads of Alai Adina
Speaker 1: son of Sheiza, the Rubenite, the Rubenite chief of the
Speaker 1: thirty Hainan son of Makah, Joshafat the Mithnite, Huziah the Ashtarathite,
Speaker 1: Seima and Jayeel, the sons of Hotham the Auroorite, Jedi
Speaker 1: El son of Shimri, Joha the Tizite, his brother Eliel
Speaker 1: the Mahaviite, Jerebi and Joshavah, the sons of el nam
Speaker 1: Ifma the Moabite, Eliel Obed and Josiel the Mezobite. Let's pray, Lord,
Speaker 1: we thank you for your word, and we thank you
Speaker 1: for the privilege of being able to look at it
Speaker 1: together today. And we thank you, Lord for this passage
Speaker 1: and how you raised up David to lead Israel, and
Speaker 1: how you surrounded him with capable people who protected him,
Speaker 1: who defended him, who served with him and helped him
Speaker 1: as he sought to rule for your glory. Lord. We
Speaker 1: know that even today David's rule is remembered and it's celebrated.
Speaker 1: But you've told us in your word that David is
Speaker 1: essentially a picture of the ultimate King of Israel who
Speaker 1: is to come, your son Jesus Christ, who in his
Speaker 1: first coming came to this earth and live the perfect life,
Speaker 1: dying for our sin rising from the grave, and then
Speaker 1: offering salvation to all who will believe in him, and
Speaker 1: who will return a second time to rule and reign
Speaker 1: over the nations. Lord, we look forward to that and
Speaker 1: we're grateful for that. And even as we see this
Speaker 1: picture of David doing this in this passage, we know
Speaker 1: that its ultimate point is to point our hearts to
Speaker 1: your son, Jesus Christ, who is king over our lives
Speaker 1: and king of all creation, and who will one day
Speaker 1: rule and reign on this earth. We're grateful, Lord that,
Speaker 1: through faith in your son Jesus Christ, we likewise have
Speaker 1: the privilege to reign with him, serving as you give
Speaker 1: us the opportunity to do so in his kingdom. Lord,
Speaker 1: we love you, We're grateful for your presence with us today.
Speaker 1: We commit this day to your care, and we thank
Speaker 1: you for all of these things in Jesus' name. Amen.