Men of Valor: David’s Mighty Men
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick David’s mighty men. They were a group of 30 or so men found 2 Samuel 23 (some scholars think there could have been as many as 37). We have already learned about his inner circle, Eleazer, Shammah and Jashobeam. But there were more mighty men who served David, somewhere around 30 or so. These mighty men fiercely loved and cared for their king. These were King David’s most fierce and loyal soldiers. They were true “men of valor.” The most respected of all of David’s soldiers, these 30 or so men were most likely chosen by David for their bravery, courage, skill, and...
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Men of Valor: Benaiah
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Benaiah is our next man of valor. Found in 2 Samuel 23:20 and 1 Chronicles 27:5, he was the son of Jehoiada, a leader in David’s army, and one of David’s most trusted advisors. Much like many of our previously studied characters, he, too, is specifically called a “man of valor.” Every great leader needs trusted advisors around him or her. People who can see things that the leader can’t see. Those who know things the leader doesn’t know. People who have different strengths and insights into what is going on and can give sage counsel to the leader to help him or her...
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Men of Valor: Shammah
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadiwck Did you know that in Ezekiel 48:35, God encourages Ezekiel, as Jerusalem is in ruins and God’s people await the rebuilding of the temple, that the name of the city would be Jehovah Shammah? It means “the Lord is there.” Shammah. It is a powerful name! A name that is mentioned several times in the Bible. In the face of desolation, this name should remind each of us of God’s ever present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). But it also reminds us of friends who are always there for us, as Shammah was for David. In Shammah’s story, he is also called “a man of...
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Men of Valor: Eleazar
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Eleazar, the son of Dodo, is our next man of valor. As a side note, Dodo is not a name I would recommend naming your next child! 2 Samuel 23 gives the account of his story. Also called “a man of valor,” Eleazar was another one of the three mighty men in King David’s inner circle. He, too, was a Benjamite, from the tribe of King Saul. Like Jashobeam, I wonder if he had to decide where his loyalties would lie, either with David or Saul and take a stand. Eleazar was most known for fighting against the Philistines, along with Jashobeam and Shammah, the other two of...
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Men of Valor: Jashobeam
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Jashobeam. Also known in 2 Samuel 23 as Josheb-Basshebeth, his name means “the people return” or “dweller among the people.” He is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 27. He is today’s man of valor. Jashobeam was one of King David’s three mighty men. A close friend and bodyguard to the king, he truly was one of the friends David could trust and return to again and again during times of joy and sorrow. He was also in charge of the first division of 24,000 men. As Jesus had an inner circle of three (Peter, James, and John), so did King David. Could it be that this is a model...
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Men of Valor: Jephthah
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick The book of Judges is a story of the rise and fall of Israel. Over and over again, they would disobey God, worship false idols, then fall into the hands of a foreign, oppressive enemy. They would then cry out to God for help and he would raise up a judge to deliver them and establish order once again. People like Gideon, Samson and Deborah took their place in God’s story to recalibrate the nation after chaos, delivering God’s people from evil. Judges 11 tells the story of Jephthah, another judge over Israel and our next man of valor. In this chapter, the Israelites...
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Men of Valor: King David
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick King David was described as “a man of valor and a man of war” in 1 Samuel 16:18. Take note that David is referred to as a man of valor even when was still a young boy, much like we saw yesterday with Zadok. It’s no wonder he went on to take on a bear and a lion when he was a mere shepherd boy. He developed valor as a young man in the pastures so he could lead in valor in the palace. Think for just a moment. Where is God developing you right now? What are the “pastures” in your life where you are training and developing yourself for future battles? Places...
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Men of Valor: Zadok
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Zadok is today’s man of valor. 1 Chronicles 12:28 describes him as “a young man mighty in valor,” who had 22 commanders under him that were from his father’s house. Just from this verse alone, we can see that Zadok was esteemed within his family and given leadership on a greater scale because of his faithfulness. He clearly must have been a very well respected and highly skilled warrior. Two particular things strike me about the story of Zadok. First, he was a man of great courage, but also skilled. You can have all the courage in the world, but lack discipline and...
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Men of Valor: Joshua’s Mighty Men
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick In a culture where men are being emasculated and torn down, God desires to raise up a generation of men who reflect his heart of strength, love and courage. Joshua’s mighty men of valor are today’s men of valor. You will find their story in Joshua 10. They were a whole team of courageous men! The Gibeonites, a tough group of grizzled soldiers, stood in the way of God’s people acquiring the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In Joshua 10:7, Joshua went up from Gilgal with “all the mighty men of valor.” These were some of Israel’s most...
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Men of Valor: Gideon, A Mighty Man
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Some years ago, my wife, Marilynn, wrote a book called “Woman of Valor.” The concept of becoming women of valor has become a theme very near and dear to her heart. Her book has recently been revised and she and I both feel it has very much been written for these days in which we are living! Valor is a character trait that God’s people must develop. I want to continue to build on last week’s women of valor theme and look at several men of valor. We are going to start by looking at the story of Gideon, a man who God called a mighty man of valor. You will find...
info_outlineby David Chadwick
Some years ago, my wife, Marilynn, wrote a book called “Woman of Valor.” The concept of becoming women of valor has become a theme very near and dear to her heart. Her book has recently been revised and she and I both feel it has very much been written for these days in which we are living!
Valor is a character trait that God’s people must develop. I want to continue to build on last week’s women of valor theme and look at several men of valor. We are going to start by looking at the story of Gideon, a man who God called a mighty man of valor.
You will find Gideon’s story in Judges 6. The Midianites overtook Israel and placed them in bondage. One of the things the Midianites would often do is swoop down on Israel during the harvest season and steal all of the food they had harvested. Aware of the Midianites’ evil tendencies, Gideon hid as he sought to harvest his food.
Suddenly, as Gideon was hiding, an angel of the Lord came to him. Some wonder if this appearance was a theophany - an appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament. The angel of the Lord looked at him and said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.” The word valor means courageous. Strong.
Gideon was acting in the opposite of valor when the Lord referred to him as a mighty man of valor. Yet that’s the beauty of this story. God does not look at who someone is, but who they can become. God did not see a coward. He saw a mighty warrior inside of Gideon. He prophesied and Gideon rose up to be exactly that: a mighty man of valor.
Ultimately, Gideon ended up being the one to mobilize the Israelites’ army of 300 (against the Midianite army of 32,000!) and defeat them. Gideon became a renowned judge of Israel, tore down the primary altar of the godless Baal, and is looked at today as a man of valor.
I pray that each of you will learn to see yourself as God sees you. Not the world. Not others. Inside of you there just may be locked up a mighty warrior!
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