Equality Or Unity

Equality or Unity

Morris, the loudmouth mechanic, was removing the cylinder heads from the motor of a car when he spotted a famous heart surgeon who was standing off to the side, waiting for the service manager to come take a look at his Mercedes.

Morris shouted across the garage, "Hey Doc! Is dat you? Come on ova’ here a minute."

The famous surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to where Morris the mechanic was working on the car.

Morris straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag, and asked argumentatively, "So, Mr. Fancy Doctor, look at dis here work. I ALSO open hearts, take valves out, grind ’em, put in new parts, and when I finish dis baby will purr like a kitten. So how come you get da big bucks, when you an’ me is doing basically da same work?"

The surgeon leaned over and whispered to Morris the loudmouth mechanic, "Try doing it with the engine running."

2 Samuel 23:8-12, 18-23

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time; 9and after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had withdrawn. 10He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

11Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines. 12But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory.

For the sake of brevity here, I am leaving out the story of three more mighty men who broke through the lines of the Philistines to get water for David from Bethlehem. They endangered their lives just to satisfy the needs of their king. So moved by their act of bravery, David could not bring himself to drink of the precious water he so yearned for. Instead, he poured it out on the ground as a drink offering unto the Lord.

18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three. 19He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three.

20Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. 21And he killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. 23He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.

The Three Mighty Men

1. Adino……..Ornament

His was a great feat…..800 men killed by one man in one battle. It made him chief among the "mighties" It seems that the mightiest man or the one who had accomplished the greatest feat was considered chief among the mighties.

2. Eleazar……..God is Helper

His was also a great feat…..A man, standing with his leader in the midst of an army, his comrades having run away, fighting and killing so many that his hand actually stuck to his sword. The other soldiers returned only to take the spoils.

3. Shammah……...To Stun, or Devastate, or Astonish

A great accomplishment. Shammah defended the battle ground alone after all Israel had fled, and God gave a great victory.

4. Abishai……..Father of a Gift

He also accomplished a great feat. He killed 300 men at one time with his spear. Made a great name for himself, but did not make the top three.

5. Benaiah…….God has Built

He had done many great things, three of which are listed here.

He slew 2 lion-like men of Moab.

He slew a lion in the midst of a pit in the middle of winter.

He slew an Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. He went to him with only a staff, plucked the spear out of his hand and killed the man with his own spear. Not so great?? The man was 10ft 5 in tall with a spear like a flag pole.