Asahel the brother of Joab Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem Shammah of Harod

2. 1 Chronicles 11:9-10 - And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him. Now these are the chiefs of David's mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Asahel the brother of Joab Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem Shammahof Harod Elikaof Harod Helezthe Paltite Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa Abiezerof Anathoth Mebunnaithe Hushathite Zalmonthe Ahohite Maharaiof Netophah Helebthe son of Baanah of Netophah Ittaithe son of Ribai of Gibeah Benaiahof Pirathon Hiddaiof the brooks of Gaash Abi-albonthe Arbathite Azmavethof Bahurim Eliahbathe Shaalbonite Jonathan the son of Shage Shammahthe Hararite Ahiamthe son of Sharar the Hararite Elipheletthe son of Ahasbai of Maacah Eliamthe son of Ahithophel of Gilo Hezro of Carmel Paarai the Arbite Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah Bani the Gadite Zelek the Ammonite Naharai of Beeroth the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah Ira the Ithrite Gareb the Ithrite Uriah the Hittite From 2 Samuel 23:24-29

3. Two mighty men • Brother of Joab; so also, brother of Asahel • With David when he refused to “put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 26) • Commander of 1/3 of David’s army when fighting Absalom (2 Samuel 18) • Killed Ishbi-benob (2 Samuel 21) • Killed 300 with his spear. • Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred band killed them, and had a name as well as the three. • He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three. • 2 Samuel 23:18-19 (NASB) Abishai

4. Two mighty men • Killed two “ariels” • Killed a lion in a pit • Killed Egyptian with his own spear • Remained faithful to Solomon • Became Solomon’s commander-in-chief after killing Joab • And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. • And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. • These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. • He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. • 2 Samuel 23:20-23 (ESV) Benaiah

5. He [Abishai] was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three. 2 Samuel 23:19 He [Benaiah] was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. 2 Samuel 23:23

6. The Elite Three Jashobeam Eleazar Shammah • And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. • He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the LORD brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain • 2 Samuel 23:9-10 • These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. • 2 Samuel 23:8 • And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. • But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the LORD worked a great victory. • 2 Samuel 23:11-12

7. We are in a spiritual battle! To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith 1 Timothy 1:17-19 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places… Ephesians 6:10-18

8. One of the Three Characteristics of the Elite Soldier of God

9. Characteristics of the Elite Soldier of God • Great courage and faith So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. Joshua 19:44-45 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong 1 Corinthians 16:13

10. Characteristics of the Elite Soldier of God • Willingness to stand alone At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.2 Timothy 4:16-18 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.2 Timothy 4:16-18

11. Characteristics of the Elite Soldier of God • Devotion to their king And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. And David said longingly, "Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!" Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the LORD and said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. 2 Samuel 23:13 And all his servants passed by him [David], and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you." But Ittai answered the king, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.“ 2 Samuel 15:18-21 And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.“ Ruth 1:15-17 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.“ Acts 21:12-13 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:22-24 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the LORD brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain. 2 Samuel 23:9-10

12. Characteristics of the Elite Soldier of God • Great courage and faith • Willingness to stand alone • Devotion to their king

13. We Will Be Victors Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:35-39

14. He [Eleazar] rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the LORD brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain. 2 Samuel 23:10 But he [Shammah] took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the LORD worked a great victory. 2 Samuel 23:12