HoHum:
Veteran’s Day- Be thankful of our veterans and we, who did not serve, need to honor those who did. As we look out, most here are seasoned with time. I love the account of the reunion of Pickett’s charge at Gettysburg in July 1913, 50 years after the battle, as recounted in Ken Burns’ documentary on the Civil War: “As the rebel yell rang out and the old Confederates started forward again across those fields; a moan, a gigantic gasp of disbelief arose from the Union men on Cemetery Ridge. It was then, one onlooker said, that the Yankees, unable to restrain themselves any longer, burst from behind the stone wall and flung themselves on their former enemies, not in mortal combat, but embracing them in brotherly love and affection.” “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.” Isaiah 2:4, NIV.
WBTU:
Read 2 Samuel 21:15-22
These 4 giants were connected to Goliath (one even had the name Goliath) in some way, either by family connections or from the same tribe of Rapha (giants) as the original Goliath. David slew the original Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 with a stone from his sling. Some say that David took 5 stones from the brook because he needed all 5 of them to take down this tribe of giants. If so, he needed to give them to his men because he did not take down the other 4.
Want to focus on the first of those 4 from vs. 15-17. At this time, David sat firmly on the throne. Another battle broke out on the Philistine front, and the old warrior buckled on his sword and, as usual, headed for the action. By this time David was more than 60 years old. He had run out of gas. The old stamina stalled and his reflexes failed. Spotting David in is exhausted state, this cousin of Goliath seized the moment. The Philistine would have killed David had not Abishai come to the old man’s rescue. How could it be? Where is David the warrior? Is this David, son of Jesse, who felled Goliath? Is this the man of whom they sang, “Saul had slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands”? In his prime David had been no ordinary fighting man. He terrorized the countryside. Around him were 600 crack troops, led by 30 mighty men, each with the strength of a hundred men. All of them bowed to David because he was their superior. Is this David tired? Does this warrior need help in a fight? Hard to know who lead the conversation but in vs. 17 they say... How does an old warrior feel at such a time? A glance in the mirror confirmed it. No young redheaded warrior stared back from David’s looking glass
General Douglas MacArthur said, “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”
Thesis: Need 4 things to defeat the enemy giants
For instances:
1. Need to recognize that we have giants
“Flee the evil desires of youth” 2 Timothy 2:22, NIV. No longer young so have no giants
Some have slain the giant of addiction and this is wonderful. Don’t forget that there will be more giants to slay. Some have slain the giant of lust, but there are more battles to be won! Evil never takes a day off and when we think we have something licked, something else pops up. Starts to feel like whack a mole. Different seasons of life so David adjusted. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:5, 6, NIV. When we start to get seasoned with time, we might get apathetic. Nothing will change so why try? When little David first saw Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:29 in KJV he asked, “Is there not a cause?” The “cause” here was to defend Israel and the honor of Israel’s God and to defeat the Philistines. The “cause” was clear to David and he could not understand why no one else knew it or saw it as he did. We need to keep the cause before us. What is our cause? Our cause is to glorify the Son of God through the preaching of Jesus’ gospel message. He is glorified when His plan for saving men is made known and obeyed. He is glorified when sin is exposed for what it is. He is glorified when people are evangelized and saved by His blood. He is glorified when the saved are taught God’s Word. He is glorified by lives lived faithfully to the end. Much of this is politically incorrect in our day and so much of the church acts like King Saul’s army. Preaching the doctrines of hell and sin is discouraged. To promote the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” is divisive and repugnant. There is no Biblical cause in some circles. So the army of God goes in circles getting nowhere. Lives are not changed; souls are not saved; and congregations don’t grow. David cared enough to confront and fight. Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
2. Need to have great friends
When David became exhausted he had godly people around him to help. Times in our life that we just can’t make it without the help of other Christians! Used to believe that Jesus and I could conquer the world, but now I know that I need the church, I need godly friends!
Here are the kinds of people we need:
A. People who will help us when we are weary. When David was worn out the giant saw an opportunity. The enemy hits us when we are tired. The giant set his sights on killing David. Thanks God for Abishai who came to David’s rescue!
B. People who will protect us when we are vulnerable. David’s friends were honest with him and said that it was enough. We need people in our lives who care enough to say, Stop
C. People who love us when we are not around. These men went to fight on David’s behalf even when he wasn’t at the battle. We need friends to stand up for us even when we are not there. They love us not for show, but genuinely. Yesterday was Veteran’s Day. For the veterans out here, remember in boot camp, what would happen if someone messed up? Often the whole group was punished. Why was the whole group punished? Several reasons but mainly to emphasize the group- group fails together or group succeeds together. I want to do well for unit, for my friends. On the battlefield, the principle of “never leaving a man behind” is based on the idea that every member of a military unit is critical to the success of the mission. If a soldier is wounded, lost, or captured, the unit must make every effort to recover or rescue them, even if it puts other members of the unit at risk. This principle fosters a sense of brotherhood and mutual trust among the members of the unit, who know that their fellow soldiers will not abandon them in a time of need. The principle also extends beyond the battlefield and is reflected in the military’s commitment to taking care of its veterans. The military provides a range of benefits to support the physical and mental well-being of its veterans. “Never leave a man behind” is a powerful and enduring principle that reflects the military’s commitment to teamwork, loyalty, and dedication to the mission. It is a reminder that every member of a military unit is valuable and that no one should be left behind, whether on the battlefield or in civilian life. This passage is often used in weddings but it applies here as well: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
3. Think about these 4 giants (Need to know who or what is against us)
A. Ishbi Benob- weight of his spear was 300 shekels (7 1/2 pounds). Have difficulty throwing
B. Saph- a descendant of giants
C. Brother of Goliath (Goliath the Gittite)- spear with a shaft like a weaver’s beam- same thing said of the original Goliath- A weaver’s beam was a strong, long rounded wooden pole used at the top of a loom to hold the threads. In this time a weaver’s beam would be 2 1/2 inches thick and more than 5 feet long. This reference talks about the unusual thickness and strength of the shaft of the spear compared to a normal spear.
D. Last giant had an extra digit on each hand and foot.
All of this to say that the ones who killed these giants were ordinary men with great faith!
Faith can look past the size of the problem! When others saw giants David and his men saw opportunities to show God’s strength! How big is God? Think of the size of the universe. The nearest star is about 4 light years away from earth. Light travels at the speed of 186,000 miles per second. This means that the nearest star is about 24 trillion miles away from earth. That’s a long way but we are finding that is nothing. The Bible says, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?” Isaiah 40:12. That means that God measures the universe in the space between his thumb and little finger.
God is bigger than any giant. If God is for us, who can be against us?
4. Need to have great focus
David stayed focused on the task until the end of his life. He never gave up! Need to keep serving until it is quitting time! Someone has said, “I’m not retired, I’m refired!” David did not go home and mope after being dismissed from the army. David prepared for the temple, buying land, drawing plans, and equipping personnel. He trained musicians and arranged psalms. Some of David’s finest poetry flowed from his pen during his post warrior days. Notice what David’s men said to him, yes, never again but so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished vs. 17. David’s men sent him home because of his usefulness. He was too valuable to Israel to be risked in battle. David knew that he was more than just a warrior. Soldiering was something he did for a certain period of his life, but not who he was. David was a man after God’s heart, who not only gave light to Israel long ago, but he also became a “lamp” for all men, everywhere, for all time. When hearts ache for comfort and eyes long for sight, to what pages have God’s people for centuries turned to read? Have they read the victories of David on the battlefield? No, they have reflected on the poems and songs radiating from the “Lamp of Israel.” To their credit, David’s men saw that the true heart of the kingdom was a spiritual heart. How often that is lost today?
Psalm 37 was definitely written during David’s golden years, listen to this from Psalm 37:25-28: I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing. Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.” He will never leave us or forsake us even into our golden years. James Cleveland, known as the Godfather of modern Gospel Music, wrote a song called "I Don't Believe He Brought Me This Far to Leave Me." It was inspired by the testimony of an elderly woman who had been running for Jesus for over fifty years. She declared that she didn't feel tired because she had come too far from where she started. She believed that God had brought her this far and would not abandon her. As we reflect on our own lives, we may feel like God has turned His face away from us or abandoned us. But we must remember what God promised in Hebrews 13:5, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
The old gray mare ain’t what she used to be. In an ancient legend, a carpenter and his apprentice looked at a huge oak which was very old and very gnarled. The carpenter said to his apprentice, “Do you know why this tree is so big and so old?” The apprentice answered, “No, why?” The carpenter answered, “Because it is useless. If it were useful, it would have been cut down, sawed up and used for beds and tables and chairs. But because it is useless, it has been allowed to grow. And that is why it is now so great that you can rest in its shadow.” Trees are most useful and beautiful as trees, not as furniture. Look near the office and see pictures of old warriors who have gone home. Love those aged saints who have walked and talked with God every day of their lives. I am glad they weren’t sawed and cut into benches, because I need to sit in their shade. To those who have lived quite a long time, longer than some of the rest of us: We need you- desperately. We need to sit in your shade. We need you to be our lamps.
So what?
“John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.” John 5:35, NIV. Enjoyed lamps like John the Baptist and David. Jesus has ascended but spiritually he is still around. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” John 8:12, NIV.
