The Greatest Most Fearless Warrior in Scripture

Title of my sermon will be displayed, but I want to put up there first arguably. Which is not part of the title, but I want you to think arguably. The title of the message is the greatest. Most fearless warrior in scripture.

And I'm not just talking about. What a man can do with his body. But it also ties into a mindset. The mentality of a warrior. Do you feel like you may have it? You look at this Bible and all through it, you have stories of warriors. Armies. As a matter of fact, you go back to Ephesians 6 and Paul is actually talking about putting on the what? Well, you have read the Bible there. We're not going to start from zero today on our heroes on this amazing warrior. But yes, talks about putting on the armor of God just like a warrior. I do like 2 Timothy 2 if you'll go with me. Let's go to that one first. 2 Timothy 2 as I lay my case out for you here. 2 Timothy 2 verses 3 and 4 from the New King James Version. Verse 3 it says, You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. How you doing?

How you doing with that? You're still alive. Diane says. You're here. Still fighting. He tells us to young Timothy to tell the people to tell the brethren in the church and is also written for us. You must endure. Not a pleasant word sometime, but then the next one's even worse. Hardship. Endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare. Entangles himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who enlisted you as a soldier. Who enlisted you as a soldier? That's right. Jesus Christ.

John. 18. Go with me. John 18. Verse 36 Jesus Christ stand before Pilate. And Jesus said my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight. Fight. So. Is that kind of telling us somewhere down the road? We're going to have to fight. Hmm. So that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here. Or you might say not yet.

Paul actually. Mentions to. Philharmon Philemon. However, you want to call it. Potato, Pitata, tomato, tomato. He says verse 1 chapter chapter 1 verse 2. He said he entered says. Greetings to my soldier.

He says my fellow soldier. So Paul's saying he's a soldier.

So. What comes to your mind? When you think of as a title, the greatest, most fearless warrior in Scripture. Think about it for a second. 10 seconds. Who you thinking about? I'm going to open it up in a minute. Think about it. My first thought had to go to Joshua 5 verse. 14 and 15 were Joshua is confronted. By this dude. If I can say that word. He has many names. But this one he says who are you? Are you a force or against us? And he said what I'm commander of the Lord's Army. Who do you think that was? Pre incarnate Christ. You notice Joshua was not silly enough to say let's get in a wrestling match. He knew. No warrior. So. Not you've had time to think. And we have. People watching. The people here who comes to your mind. As perhaps this elite. Best most fearless. Warrior. In the entire Scripture anybody have an answer?

He's Christ who? What you say? David. Benia. Who is that guy? Anybody know who Benia is? So. He made it up. He must have made it up. Because we know David. We know of. Joshua. As a matter of fact, we know of. Caleb. What why would Caleb's name be up there anybody? Remember who Caleb was? There were these two dudes. Only the two out of twelve which was who Joshua and Caleb about entering the land of the Giants. Is that what you're going to say Frank?

Yes. So that made him fearless. Any other reason Caleb would be considered. On the top of this list. Do you remember what land he got when he went into the promise land? He was from where? He's from the tribe of Judah. Caleb was. Right. What land did he get? Uh-huh. And who? Who possessed the land that Caleb went after? Anybody remember? Giants. Nefalem. The Giants mighty people big they called you. He said I'll take it. He was the oldest one there.

And you know. He's one of the few. I think there's actually two or three. It's debatable. They will debate of all the land that drove. Those Canaanites you might say out of the land. The rest had them just staying a little bit and coming back but Caleb drove them out. Wow. Not bad for an old-timer. Anyone else? Anybody want to make up a name like Beniah? Yes. Yes. Yes. He would have to he was a warrior. Wasn't he warrior with a heart? Bill did you have somebody or you did he she still? He still. Oh well, I prefer people. I don't need a dog and I don't need a donkey. No one's spiritual. But in Daniel chapter 10 the name of the Prince of Persia. And this Prince of Persia is Michael. He was fighting this Prince of Persia. Yep.

So he had to go and get help. How do you have help? This guy was very very efficient and very strong. Yep. True.

I'm looking for a physical man. Not Jesus Christ. He could have whipped the whole world. Basically did. Yes, Jeff. Gideon. Gideon. Yes. Had a little doubt in his mind, but he did take on with just 300 men. Am I correct? He's wasn't his choice to take 300, but yes, very brave. Yes. No, no, he was actually a surgeon. Removed ears. And Christ was a plastic surgeon because he put it back on. Right? So we know that story. Yes, sir.

Conquers. I love that. Yes. As we're even told to conquer to go and conquer. Yes, sir. Yes. Oh, okay. They were didn't know they physically but they were mentally strong. I don't I guess if you saw him thrown in a fire and four or five guys got burned up just throwing them in and you saw him walking around in there and then you saw him come back out. I think I would be pretty scared of him. Would you? What did you say? Oh, Samson. Yes. Wouldn't Samson be a good friend of mine? Yes. Wouldn't Samson be up there? Talk about a warrior. All he needs is a jawbone. He'll go whipping. Killed a thousand men at that time. Yes, Lillian.

Deborah.

Yes. Yes, and she was as brave as any man matter of fact. God had to choose her because the man wouldn't step up to the plate. And she doesn't make us feel too good about ourselves today, man. Would you consider Abraham? Would you? You remember when he went after his nephew? How many men did he take with him? 318 and including the himself and the two other men that came it made 321. 321 men. That's a decent-sized little army. You're a baguettean size, right? Except if you read the commentaries and you read historical accounts. They went to fight. Three different armies joined together. Three Kings have brought their armies together. And according to who you want to believe, I'll take the lowest number of the three armies is 10,000. You want to go to the highest that says a hundred thousand men. I think you got to be pretty brave to take your 320 and go. Oh, there's just 10,000 there. He was pretty fearless, wasn't he? Pretty fearless. So what do all these people have in common that we've talked about that you've brought up? Maybe God. Maybe faith in God. And I think that's true. Have to ask the question. Do we have that kind of faith? Put back in that time would we be able to fill their shoes? I don't see anybody going pick me pick me.

We were chosen just like them. But maybe there's another answer besides ones we've looked at. Maybe it's tests. Maybe that's what they have in common. They were all given tests. They were all tested physically, mentally. Spiritually, they were all tested. And they all came out here, even Samson. At the end. But I want to give you a name today. That is at the top of my list because his name means made by the Lord. Made by wouldn't that be amazing? Made by the Lord. I would like that except this name. I've never heard of anyone else named. Today. I mean we talked about in scripture about David. No other man in the scriptures that we can find in the entire Bible has David's name.

Made by the Lord. Made by the Lord. Let me ask you a question. Were you made by the Lord? Yep. And the syndicate they call being a made man. Well, here we're made by God. Because none of us want to be where we once were. But hopefully. We're being made. Made over by God. This individual showed up one almost exactly. 1000 years before Jesus Christ's birth.

Would you like to know his name?

Benaiah. He was just sitting there going what? Benaiah. You wouldn't guess Dale would have it. And you were right. One of David's mighty men. Was Benaiah. Maybe you've heard of him. No, it's very obscure. This individual. But if you read and that's what I will. Do here today. Is I want to tell you. Why was and then what we can learn from him. Because not just important to know history. It's like how does that relate to me? How do I okay? What's good about this for me? So hopefully at the end of this you will know why. There's never been a movie made of Benaiah. I don't know. It's an amazing individual. You see him listed with two other men in 1 Chronicles 18 and verse 17. You don't have to turn there as a matter of fact. I don't think I even gave you that. I know I didn't. But in 1 Chronicles 18 verse 17. He's named along with two other people. Joab and Zadok. Everybody knows who Joab is. Everybody knows who Zadok was. But then Benaiah. He's part of David's main administration. Can I get washed away in all the storyline? Didn't he? Or did he? So who was this guy? And how could it be on that list of the top three? Serving David and we do hardly even knowing. That way of one man that knew his name. You like the picture? I thought is incredible. David pulled that up and that is so correct. Did you paint that? I know you're an artist and build you paint that. Oh man. Open one of you painted that it was so good. And very very true. Well, he was a son of Yehoda. Everybody know who Yehoda was? There's a couple of Yehodas in the Bible. Matter of fact, they kept naming Yehoda at the time of David was the chief priest. So he was the son of the chief priest. Do we smell nepotism? Hmm. Did he get this job just because his dad was somebody? His dad was was the chief priest. Says he's from the tribe of Levi. Well, wait a minute. If he was worth his salt, wouldn't he be in the Levitical priesthood? Did he abandon ship? Did all the Levites serve? In the priesthood? Anybody have an answer? No. No. Be a rather large tribe. Didn't need that many. But then it says his hometown. Hmm. Kebzizil. Kebzil. Kebzil. What does that have to do with it? Why do we care? Can you find Kebzil on the map? No. So it's very obscure town. This this young man was from. But you know where it was? Was west of Beersheba. And the southern part of Judah. Right almost on the border. From Edom. Hmm. So what does that tell us?

Hostile territory. He grew up in hostile territory. Because you were so far away from the main cities. Raiders could come in and they tried and they took you. So can you tell me he didn't? Wasn't excited. Wasn't growing up having his hand on a weapon. Having to protect his family. Having to protect the village. Came from maybe a warrior background. And then scripture says he was actually set by David over.

His bodyguards. Who is bodyguards? His mighty men. 30 or so mighty men. 33 37 whatever you whoever wants to come with those numbers. But they were the ones that fought right near David and they also surrounded the palace there. Their houses were built so that if the walls collect somebody breached the walls and they came in to kill the King they would be standing last one standing to protect it.

And this is who David wanted over those mighty men. Now I find it strange. Because Benaiah if you look through scripture. There's another Benaiah. As one of the mighty men. As a matter of fact, there's nine Benaiahs in scripture. So maybe the name wasn't so obscure back then. Maybe even his reputation wasn't so obscure back then.

Is it possible? People would have named. Their child. Our descendants after this incredible which I called the greatest most fearless warrior in scripture. Is that possible? There's only one way when you read Benaiahs name that you can distinguish him from the others that are scattered out is was his father. Jehoi de. Yehoi de. The priest because it mentions when it mentions this Benaiahs name mentions his father as a son of. So let's go. Time I have. Time I have. Let's go to First Chronicles if you will join me in this story because I'm just going to cover just a little bit of a story.

I encourage you to read other sources outside the Bible. I read the Bible for the main source, but you can also find historically this man was known. In Jewish writings and other type of writings. Okay. First, let's go to First Chronicles 11 verse 22. I'll be reading from the New King James Version and says Benaiah was the son of Yehoi de. The son of a valiant man from.

Kabziel. Who. Had done many deeds was he talking about his father or him it was talking about him. He had killed two lion like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. Cult. Pit a lion. He didn't have a 38 in his hand. Had a club or a spear or sword. And he went in. Jumped in that pit by himself. And slaughtered that lion.

That's pretty impressive. I'd look down and go hi Kitty. I wouldn't be jumping down, but that's the type of person that he was. And you notice the difference between him and Daniel. Daniel didn't have fight. The angel came down and close the mouths of a lion. This lion his mouth wasn't closed. He was there to attack. And we read verse 23 and he killed an Egyptian. A man of great height five cubits tall. How tall is five cubits tall? Seven and a half feet. Seven foot six inches. How tall were the typical men of his day? Five to five two right.

Five or two. This is this. Five foot seven and a half feet and he was a warrior. Let's read about that. In the Egyptians hand. There had been a spear. Like a weavers beam. How tall is a weavers beam? I'm sure you all have those that you weave cotton and stuff at home on. Five feet. So the spear itself. Was as tall as. Benaiah. Benaiah. For this seven and a half foot giant. And so and it said it's actually two.

Two and a half inches in diameter. As I said, let's let's finish reading that. Had been like a weavers beam and he went down to him. With a what a sword. A staff. You want to put another word a stick. Yep. A stick. Fighting this man with a five foot spear. Wrestle the spear out of the warrior's hand. And killed him with his own spear. Sounds like Hollywood. Doesn't it? 24. These things. Benaiah the son of Yehoda had done and won a name among.

Three mighty men. Indeed. He was more honored than the 30. But he did not attain to the level of the first three. And David appointed him over his guard. For simple scriptures. Tell us a lot about Benaiah. Matter of fact, if that isn't enough, you can turn to 2nd Samuel 23 verses 20 through 23. Also. For scriptures telling us the same story.

You don't have to turn there. It's basically the same story. Why tell it twice? Established. The story is established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. So God wants us know this man really existed. He really did. Do some amazing things. Are you impressed? I was. But there's more to this. As Paul Harvey used to say the rest of the story. So I'd like you to go with me. To 1st Kings. 1st Kings 1. 1st Kings 1.

David is old. It says in verse one. He's old. He's advanced years. He's been in bed for the last three to four to five years. He's not able to get around. He knows he's going to die. He's 70 years old 69 or 70. And. You remember last time I was here. We talked about all of David's kids. All of his sons. How many did he have? How many remember where were you awake last time? 18 to 19 could have been 20 with the other. Yes. A lot of boys. All would have been what? Princess. All but have been a prince. They all wanted to be what? Yeah, Absalom did didn't he? So let's read this story at the end of David's life. Because this man shows up again. In one way to save the day. Let's go down to verse five. Now, Adonijah the son of Hagath. Exalted himself saying I'll be king. Oh, but a humble guy wasn't he? David sitting there being real sick and so forth and they're all wondering who's going to be who's going to be the king who's going to be the king and he had more than a few to choose from. He said I'll be king and he prepared for himself. Chariots and horsemen and 50 men to run behind him. Oh, sorry. They didn't run behind him. What does it say? Before him announcing that. He's there. This is the original entourage. As you might say, this is his posse. He's and he's got all this. I you take 50 men running in front of Chariots and this guy riding in it. People are going to go. Oh, look who's here. Doesn't he look royal? Boy. He looks like he could rain. A plot by him. Verse six. And his father had not. Rebuked him at any time. His father had not rebuked him at any time. They may have been a man after God's own heart, but he wasn't a disciplinarian. Wasn't a very good father, was he? As we can tell from the other stories. As we can tell from the other stories. Because this is added here to tell us the backdrop of this. And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, why have you done so? Why have you done this? Why have you done that? So he had done other things. Trying to usurp. David's authority. He was also He was also a very good looking man. Doesn't that make it King even better? Look at him. Boy, that's a handsome guy. Man. Look at him. Any woman would want him. Good looking man. His mother had born him after who? Who is another good looking man? So obviously his mother Haggith was a good looking woman. She had two good looking sons. David was called good looking. Ugly people marry ugly people. Good, uglier people. Good looking people. Marry good looking people. They get better looking people. Right? I mean, that's just kind of what this is showing. Verse 7. Then he conferred with Joab, the son Azaria. His mother, Jariah was his mother. He conferred with him. About what? Taking. The kingship. Taking it over. Why would you go to Joab, your uncle?

Who was ahead of the military? He was ahead of the entire army. You get that? Remember when David numbered the men in Judah and Israel? You remember how many men there were? Who could serve as soldiers? 1.5 million. 1.5 million. Now, was that as many men as was in the standing army? No. But they think at least 500,000 men were standing. Joab had at his disposal had under him who would do what he said when he said 500,000 men. Pretty smart man to go to if you want to be king.

So he said Joab conferred with, he conferred with Joab and with Abiathar. The priest. And they followed and helped Adonijah. You see anything about going to David here? Nope. Verse 8, Bezadok the priest, Benaniah son of Yehoda, and Nathan the prophet and a few other the other men. The mighty men didn't follow. And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fat calf by the stone of Zohileth, which is actually means the serpent. Which is by Enrogam. He also invited all his brothers. Remember all those 18 brothers? He invited them all to come to his coronation. Invite all his brothers the king's sons. And all the men of Judah the king's servants. Hmm. So he invited a lot of people to this. Where did he get all this food? Why would you just take it? Is that how it's done? No. No, you find out earlier that David had actually made his sons responsible for the food in different villages in different sections. And they were given the authority. They had to give so much. It was their job to collect the food, take care of the people, and then bring excess or what the king wanted for his own table. So he had access to this. So he decided off spring for a party. And it's a party about me. Verse 10. But he did not invite. I'll shame shame Nathan the prophet. Benaiah the mighty man. Or Solomon his brother. And I think most of you know the story. About Nathan had to go to David who was oblivious at this time. And he had to go to Bathsheba and said, hey. Hadn't I just about to take the throne. And if he does, he knew what was going to happen to Solomon Bathsheba.

They were going to be taken out of the picture. And so they had to wake up David. So they did this in the in the next few verses. And David said this thing can't happen. I know it's supposed to be Solomon. So let's go down to verse 32. First Kings. One. Verse 32 and King David said call to me Zadok the priest Nathan the prophet and. Benaiah the son of Yehoda. So they came before the king. And the king also said to them take with you the servants of your Lord and have Solomon my son. Right on my own mule. Now that doesn't sound too attractive, but it was it was important because this was not an ordinary mule. This wasn't a talking mule like they used to have on TV or movies, but this was this was the best looking mule you would find anywhere. That's what they had for the king. It was an impressive. Looking animal and take him down to Gihon. There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him King over Israel. And blow the horn and say long live King Solomon. Then you shall come up after him. And he shall come and sit on my throne. And he shall be king in my place for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah. And but neither the son of Yehoda is the one that answers this. Does he have confidence? Yes, he does. And you see what he says here answer the king and he said Amen. May the Lord God of my Lord the King say so too. And the Lord has been with my Lord the King even so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my Lord King David. Wow. That's kind of a proclamation is that even David would have to say don't know where that came from but I think it came from God. And Beniah was ready to make that stand. As we can see. As we can see.

Like you to think about something here. Because the story then takes place they go and do everything that David had asked him to do.

How would you like to be on the wrong side of this thing? Here you had the high priest was was at aether. He had been with David when he ran from Absalom. He'd been there. Here you had Joab. Man over the entire army 500,000 men at his disposal. And now they were on the wrong side. And so interesting when Adam Niger found out as he was having this party and everybody said what's going on what's going on. Hey the King Solomon is King Solomon and they heard and guess where everybody went. Away from Adam Niger. Because they realize what he had tried to do. Even Joab ran. Had the aether ran. It's like uh-oh. We're in trouble. So let's finish a story by going to chapter 2. Going chapter 2. Chapter 2 and. We see that Solomon has. At an idea. Killed his brother. Why did he have him killed anybody remember? Yes, he wanted David's woman that took care of him because that would hear he was another way to usurp and everybody go what she was with David. Still trying. Except at an idea was so dumb he went to whom to ask for her. Bachelor.

And so Solomon. So I had it. You're gone. Because you're just going to further cause problems. Now let's go down to chapter 2. The first Kings verse 28.

Said the news came to Joab for Joab had defected to at an idea though he had not defected to Absalom when he tried. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord and took hold of the horns at the altar. So there's the altar out there and they had these horns and he was holding all these horns like. I'm a religious man.

Wanting to come before the mercy seat. I'm going to find out there wasn't any mercy here. Verse 29. And Solomon was told. Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the Lord. Therefore he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Beniah. Saying go strike him down. Think about this. Joab hadn't relinquished his authority over the army. Why didn't he call the army to say we're taking you out. Because he knew. He knew. His days were numbered. So Beniah went to the tabernacle of the Lord and said to him which he had fought with and been with for all those years. This is the king come out. And he said no but I will die here. And Beniah brought back word to the king and thus said Job and thus he answered me. The difference between Joab and Beniah is shown right here. If you study the work in the history of Joab if he could kill you he'd kill you. And if he got these words he wouldn't go back and he wouldn't say well you know let's see what's good. What do you want to do. He just kill you. Remember Absalom. Remember Abner. Remember all these people. This was not Beniah. Showing here he was a godly man. He took orders and he also respected and he knew God was in charge. So let's finish the rest of the story now. Verse 31 and the king said to him do as he has said it strike him down and bury him that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed and it was a lot. So the Lord will return his blood on his head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he and killed them with the sword. Abner the son of Nour. The commander of the army of Israel and a masa son of Jethre the commander of the army of Judah though his father David did not know it. He didn't know he'd killed a masa. Their blood shall therefore return on the head of Joab and upon the descent of head of the descendants forever and upon David and his descendants upon his house and his throne there shall be peace forever from the Lord. So Benaiah the son of Yehoda went up and struck and killed him and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. The king put Benaiah the son of Yehoda in his place over the army and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar. A wonderful story. But why would I waste my time on a sermon about it? It's a good history. It's good history. It's a good story. Make incredible movie. Great character. But we have to relate to the story. 2 Timothy 3 and verse 16 says the scripture is given for our admonition for our lessons for us to learn. God breathed. This is God's breathed word. What is it? Have to do with us now 3000 years later. This obscure leader and warrior in God's army. People know Abner. They know Joab. But Benaiah. He was something else. So I asked you today as I end this sermon. Do we have a warrior's mentality? In our battle with the dark side every day. Whether you realize it or not. We are in a battle. Why all those references to soldiers in the New Testament? Why? For us to wake up and realize. God has called us for battle. Unlike today. They had real swords. This is our sword. It's pointed to us. We need to read and sharpen our sword every day. So that we're prepared for this battle. Because it is a dark side out there. We don't have snowy days. Here in Florida and I'm so thankful for that. Even though I hear it's so next week. It's going to be 38 here in Vero Beach. No, you don't have to flee the city. It's not that bad.

But are we prepared? To jump down. In a pit. Without a snow. Because what does people do? Because what does Peter say we wrestle against? You don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but it's principalities and he said Satan walks about as a. That's right. Got your sword sharp. Are we staying in strong spiritual condition? Mine's getting kind of ragged and old. But it's still pretty sharp. Is yours? So we must fight that lion. We must fight negativity. Because that's one of the worst things we can have in this life. Because Christ gave came that we may have life and live it more abundantly. Satan wants to say no, he didn't.

What's the use? Why fight? Just do what you want to do. You'll like life better. It's a negative way to look at the world. Christ came so that we didn't have to look at this world with all the negativity. So whether or not I give you this because we need the mindset of a warrior. We sometimes need to be reminded that we're in a battle. And it's a battle we can win every single day. But we have to be prepared. So this week I'd like you to bring light into the darkness. Because you're going to see darkness. But he's giving you a light. God's warriors bring light. Into darkness. Because we are light to the entire world. You are the light of the world is what Christ said on the Sermon on the Mount. City set up on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light so shine before me and that they may see your great works and glorify your father the same way. They did with Benio.