“Holding On To the Sword”
Date: November 9, 2003 A.M. Service
Place: Allendale Baptist
Text: 2 Samuel 23:9-10
1 Chronicles 11:12-14
Introduction
• One of the realities of life is war. History has many stories of nations at war; nation against nation; and even during the Civil War, we are told of stories of families against families and even brother against brother.
• War and battles are a reality. Our nation is at war at this present time against an enemy we cannot see; one that is a great threat that hides. I am speaking of the war against terrorism.
• There are many things that come from war and the battles over the centuries. For example songs have emerged from wars such as WWI and WWII.
• For example: “Don’t sit under the apple tree”; “I’ll be Home for Christmas”, and “The Boogie Woogy Bugle Boy From Company C.”
• Also we learn and here great stories of those that are made heroes during war. For example: WWI gave us the American war hero of SGT. York; a country boy from Tennessee. WWII gave us the heroic efforts of Audy Murphy. We have also in the past two wars on terrorism; have heard of men and also women that have risked their lives and some paying the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
This morning, as we are about to turn a new page in the life of this church, and bring a recommendation from the Deacon Body to consider ordination of three men the church voted 6 months ago to serve us here at Allendale as Deacons, I want us to look at a little known man that was one of King David’s Mighty Men of Valor.
In last weeks message we saw David hiding in cave in the town of Adullam. Here David seems to make his headquarters. We also noticed that some 400 men came to join forces with the soon to be king.
We noticed that these men that came to David were:
1. Distressed
2. In Debt
3. Discontented
In 2 Samuel 23:9-10 and 1 Chronicles 11:12-14 we are given this wonderful event in the life of one of these Mighty Men by the name of Eleazar.
I want you to see with me five things of the Battle of Eleazar. First notice…
I. Eleazar’s Area of Battle
• The Bible tells us that David and his men were gathered together against the Philistines at a place called Pasdammim, “the dell of bloodshed”.
• Pasdammim is believed to be in the same general area where David had defeated the giant Goliath. This place seems to have been a recurring place of battle for Israel.
• Remember the two armies of the Israelites and the Philistines were held up for some 40 days before David took action and went out to face the Giant and killed him with a stone from his slingshot.
• Here is a lesson for us to learn here; the enemy will often take us back to old battlegrounds; places where he’s held us up in the past!
• This place was a familiar place of battle, and there are times even in the Christian life the enemy takes us to those familiar places of battle. It might be a place where he has defeated us.
• Maybe the enemy takes you to the place of temptation that has defeated you and caused you not to live a victorious life.
• There are times when the enemy the devil that’s me to that place of doubt, that place of fear, that place of lack of faith.
• But I can take him back to the “Valley of Elam”; back to Pasdammim where he was defeated.
• My dear friend, when Satan tries to steal your joy; when he tries to bring you to the place of telling you your old sins, just take him back to Calvary. The place where he was defeated by the shed blood of Jesus.
• Take him to the empty tomb, where Jesus rose from the dead to give victory over death and the grave.
Next notice…
II. Eleazar’s Account of Battle
• We are told in 1 Chronicles 11:13; “Now there the Philistines were gathered for battle, and there was a piece of ground full of barley.”
• This is the reason for Eleazar’s fighting the battle.
• Barley was a precious commodity during this time.
• But more than that this piece of property was a promise to God’s people.
• For you and me there are things that we must be willing to fight for… as Baptists for the past several decades we have been fighting over God’s Word and the inerrancy of God’s Word, the truthfulness of God’s Word.
• We must be willing to stand and fight the enemy for these things.
We have seen the Area of Battle; the Account of Battle, now notice…
III. Eleazar’s Armament of Battle
• I am greatly amazed at the weapons that are used by our military forces today. Airplanes, tanks, helicopters, automatic rifles, and on and on…
• This passage of Scripture tells us that Eleazar has but one weapon and that is his sword.
• As Christians we have many weapons to fight this fight.
• The first is faith; next is prayer…
• In Ephesians the apostle Paul tells Christians to put on the whole armor of God.
• The last item Paul says the Christian must posses it “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
• Oh my dear friend, the Word of God, is our greatest weapon against that sly enemy.
• Listen to what the writer of Hebrews says in 4:12; “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
• I am afraid that the Christian has become unfamiliar with his weapon.
• I believe it has been said; “The Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible.”
Next notice with me…
IV. Eleazar’s Ache of Battle
• Turn back to 2 Samuel 23:10; “He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary.”
• My dear friend, the Christian is a fight we have been called in and we fight along with the Lord; and yes sometimes we grow weary. Sometimes we lose strength.
• We must remember that the Lord is our strength.
• And that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens.
• Eleazar did not quit because he was weary, because he grew tired.
• I am amazed at the people, Christians who say “I am tired and burnout and need to take a break from serving the Lord for a year or so…
• This past week I read an article in the SBTC paper of a women that played the piano at a nursing home for over 35 years not once missing a service and never once getting paid a dime.
• In my meanness sometimes, when people say preacher I am just too tired and too busy to teach a Sunday School class, or just too tired to serve the Lord in His church, I wish I could just one time say; “I’m so thankful Jesus didn’t say, ‘I’m just too busy, I’m just too tired to go to the Cross and die for you today.”
• Also notice; “and his hand clave to the sword.”
• The Hebrew word for cleave has two meanings, both of which are significant I believe.
• “PURSUING”, “clinging onto”, “grasping”. He clung to it for dear life.
• "WELDING”, “soldering”. The sword was “welded” to Eleazar’s hand!
Last notice…
V. Eleazar’s Accomplishment of Battle
• "and the Lord wrought a great victory that day."
• Eleazar had probably spent many hours training himself with his sword. And when his strength was gone and there was no one there to fight with him he clung to his sword through the battle.
• But it was God’s power that enabled him to defeat the Philistines.
• Do you know what the name “Eleazar” means? It means - “God (is my) helper”.
• God helped Eleazar to defeat the enemies of Israel.
• God gave Eleazar the victory.
What battles are you facing today?
I ask you this: what weapons are you using?
What weapon is in your hand today?
1 John 5:1-4 says this; “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
Thou Art My Victory
I prayed for help, I prayed for strength, I prayed for victory:
I prayed for patience and for love,
For true humility
But as I prayed, my dying Christ By faith I seemed to see,
And as I gazed my glad heart cried,
“All things are mine, through Thee!”
If He doth dwell within my heart,
Why need I strength implore?
The Giver of all grace is mine,
And shall I ask for more?
And need I pray for victory,
When He who conquered death
Dwells in my very inmost soul,
Nearer indeed than breath?
Oh help me Lord, to realize
That Thou are all in all;
That I am more than conqueror
In great things and in small
No nee have I but Thou hast mat
Upon the cruel tree.
Oh precious, dying, risen Lord,
Thou art my victory!
A first step to victory this morning for some is coming to Jesus by faith in His death, burial and resurrection. Some need to admit you’re a sinner and profess Him as Lord and Savior today.
Some need to stop fighting own your own and let Him give you that strength you once had.
Invitation.
