031 Where Are The Mighty Men of David?

The Watchman discusses the three mighty men of David and ponders, "What made them so mighty?" What was the criteria that those three men met to become the first rank within all of David's leaders of his army? Are there any men that meet that criteria today? Join the Watchman to find out more.

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Transcript

031 Where Are The Mighty Men of David? 

Welcome to The Watchman Speaks. I’m your host, Lonnie Richardson.

Today I want to discuss something that, until four years ago, I was totally unaware of. It was brought to my attention by an older man who was walking with me and strengthening me with his wisdom. On one particular day, for no apparent reason, he handed me a book. The title of the book was, The Making of a Man of God: Lessons From the Life of David, by Alan Redpath. 

Now for those of you who are not old enough to know, Alan Redpath was a twentieth century English evangelist who came to America in 1953 to pastor Moody Church in Chicago after leaving a pastorate at Duke Street Baptist Church in London. He pastored at Moody Church until 1962 when he left to pastor a church in Edinburgh, Scotland. I was born in 1962. Redpath published The Making of a Man of God; Lessons From the Life of David in 1962. Alan Redpath was born January 9, 1907 and died March 16, 1989.

When I opened the book and began reading, I was struck by the following statement on the first page. “The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime.” When I read that statement and noticed that the book was published in the year of my birth, I knew that this book was written for me. The truth is, it is a book that was written for anyone who straps on their sandals and calls themselves, “Christian”.

I thought to myself, “THIS book might be worth reading.” I didn’t know how prophetic my own words were at the time. This book by Alan Redpath is not the fuzzy, sweet, feel good drivel that is peddled by the likes of Joel Osteen, Steven Furtick, or T.D. Jakes. THIS book has teeth! This book will challenge you to the extent, that if you digest its content, that you will be crushed beyond recognition. I was handed this book four years ago and I’ve read it from cover to cover no less than three dozen times. Each time I read it, I recognize something that I’ve missed in the previous readings. Every time I read this book, I grow nearer to God and stronger in His Spirit! It has changed my life! It’s that kind of book!

When I was handed this book, I was struggling in discouragement and holy discontent. I was frustrated with my new calling as a watchman. No one wanted to hear about the trumpets in the Bible. No one wanted to know about God’s time, His seasons, and how God works in His time and seasons. No one wanted to hear what God had given me to say. Truth of the matter is that has not changed. Still yet, no one wants to hear it. But now, I have the resolve, the strength, the fortitude to stand firm and say what needs to be said. I didn’t have that back then.

One of Alan Redpath’s quotes from his life of ministry is, “When God wants to do an impossible task, He takes an impossible man, and He crushes him.” It is safe to say that I was an impossible candidate and that Redpath’s words have held true. I have been totally, utterly, and unrecognizably crushed.

Another of Redpath’s quotes is, “The Christian life doesn’t get easier as one gets older.” I can attest to that fact. With all the equipping in my life that has been brought about through God’s Word and His Spirit, the accomplishing of the assigned tasks has not become easier. However, the ability to forge ahead when needed and the courage to stand firm when necessary have become much easier. The battles are still fierce at times and the storms still come and go. But the levels of comfort and peace to wage ware and confront the storms has increased significantly. 

So, why am I bringing up this book, The Making of a Man of God: Lessons From the Life of David, by Alan Redpath? 

First, it is a book that is much needed in today’s church. It is not the sweet, fuzzy, warm Cotton candy gospel that is peddled by most author’s today to make a buck. It is wisdom straight from the pages of the Bible. There are valuable lessons to be learned from the life of King David that he experienced long before he was ever crowned king. Remember, Saul anointed David as king while Saul was still king. There is a huge difference between being anointed king and being crowned king. David had to embark on a journey. It was not an easy journey. Certainly, it was a journey that you or I would be envious of.

As Redpath stated, God had an impossible task of putting a righteous man on the throne to rule Israel. He found an impossible prospect of a shepherd boy named David who would be taken from the sheep pastures and thrust into kingship on a throne. But David’s journey from the pasture to the palace was not to be an easy one, not by any means. 

Second, I believe that it is a book that is valuable for equipping the saints. I go to church, or I look at social media platforms and I see it time and time again. “Oh woe is me! Y’all pray for me! I’m in a tight spot! I need the Lord’s help!” What they are doing is sending invitations for a pity party. I know. I’ve done it too. But now, instead, of sending invitations to a pity party, I send out notifications of the blessings that I received during times of duress. I face difficulties, situations, and circumstances that are not at all pleasant just like everyone else does. However, I am not riddled with fear, anxiety, or depression. These are lessons that David had to learn to become king. These are lessons that I have learned from David on my journey to becoming The Old Watchman. 

Finally, I believe this book serves as a good dose of reality for the Christian of today. God does not exist to give you what you want or to hand you a life on easy street. David is the only person in the Bible of whom it was said that he was a man after God’s own heart. Some will say that David understood God and God’s will and that David chased after God’s heart. I suppose there is some relevance to that. What do you think David was doing all those cold and lonely nights as he was alone, watching over the sheep? It was just him, the sheep, and the celestial bodies in the night sky. I would suggest that David had plenty of time to spend with God. 

Others would argue that David was the subject of God’s favor and I can’t argue with that. David was the lowest son on Jesse’s totem pole. Jesse, himself, was of a lower family. It could be said that David was the lowest son of one of the lowliest families and yet God chose him to become king. Certainly, David had his faults. He was an adulterer and murderer. Yet he returned to God and God forgave him of his heinous deeds. 

I’m inclined to think that it is a bit of both. That David sought after God’s heart and that God’s heart was inclined to favor David. It still doesn’t mean that David had a life on easy street to get from the sheep pasture to the palace. Think about that. 

One of the things in The Making of a Man of God: Lessons From the Life of David, by Alan Redpath, is that there is a lesson that referenced the “Mighty Men of David”. 

The Mighty Men of David were three men under David’s command before he was crowned king. We find them in 2nd Samuel 23:8-12

“There are the names of the mighty men whom David had; Josheb-basshebeth a Tachmonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time; and 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. He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand grew 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. Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Harahite, 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; and the Lord brought about a great victory.

These were the Three Mighty Men of David. They are also mentioned in 1st Chronicles 11:10-14. Here you will notice a difference or two. Josheb-basshebeth the Tachonite is called Jashobeam the Hacmonite. It’s the same person of the same origin. Remember, Samuel was a book of a prophet, Chronicles was written from a priestly view. Instead of eight hundred slain, it lists three hundred slain with a spear. Different battles. Different accomplishments. Same man. 

Shammah, the son of Agee the Harahite, is not mentioned in 1st Chronicles. 

However, it is safe to say that these three Mighty Men of David were more than able men who were not afraid to open a can of “kickembootie” should the need arise. They were men that one would do well to let alone. Their ability to wage war is definitely not in question. I wonder if that is what made them The Mighty Men of David? 

It would appear that such is not the case. If we read further in 2nd Samuel 23 and 1st Chronicles 11 we find the following accounts. We see that Abshai, brother of Joab, had killed three hundred with a spear. Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored and became their commander, however he did not attain to the first three. There is no question that he was a mighty warrior but his fighting abilities did not grant him the stature of the first three in the first rank.

Then there was Jehoiada who struck down two Moabites, killed a lion in a pit, and killed a massive Egyptian with the Egyptian’s own spear. He was honored among the thirty cheiftans but did not attain to the three Mighty Men of David. I don’t know about you but I’ve not climbed down into any pit to kill any lions and I’ve not taken a weapon away from anyone much less killed them with it. 

So obviously, their courage and fighting abilities were not what made them “Mighty Men of David”. Now there were thirty Cheiftans or commanders under David but none of them attained the stature of the Three Mighty Men of David. So, what made the Mighty Men of David so mighty that they attained a stature above all the rest? 

I wondered about that for some time. Redpath didn’t say in his book. But the question lingered on my mind for some time. Then, when I was reading the book in the second year that I had it, the reason was made clear. 

In 2nd Samuel 23 and 1st Chronicles 11 there is an account of how the three men went to join with David in a cave in Abdullum. David was craving water from the well which was by the gates of the city Bethlehem. Bethlehem, at the time, was captive under the Philistines. These three men went to Bethlehem, fought through enemy lines, drew the water from the well, fought back through enemy lines, all to fetch David a drink of water.

Then, David wouldn’t drink it! David said, “Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Then, David poured the water out before the Lord. 

 I don’t know about you, but if I’d taken on the entire Philistine army, twice, to fetch a drink of water only to have it poured out, I would have either been nine kinds of hot or twenty seven kinds of disappointed. The Mighty Men of David were neither. They merely waited for David’s next orders.

You see, what made the Mighty Men of David so mighty is that they were willing to risk EVERYTHING to see the will of God come to fruition that David become King. We should all be thankful to them for we owe them a debt of gratitude. Not only did they risk their lives but the lives and wellbeing of their wives and children. A widow and children of a man who was killed or who died had a long, hard row to hoe. There was no welfare or government assistance in those days. And if you are so young that you have no idea what I’m talking about when I say a long, hard row to hoe, let me explain it to you. 

Back in the days before Tik Tok, Youtube, Facebook, back in the days before the internet, people worked for a living. You couldn’t make a living with “patrons only” web site prancing around in your lingerie or creating content for a YouTube channel. Everyone worked for a living. EVERYONE! For farmers who raised row crops like cotton you would go out into the field with a hoe, that’s a cutting instrument on the end of a stick, and you would hoe or cut grass and weeds out of the cotton rows so that the cotton wouldn’t have to compete with grass and weeds for water or nutrients from the soil. You’d stand at one end of these rows, and it would be so long that you could barely see the other end three fourths of a mile or so away. If you got a long row such as that that was grown up in grass or weeds, that was a long, hard row to hoe. In other words, life was difficult. But the widows and children of men who had been killed or had died, life was a struggle for survival. My grandmother was one such woman. She raised nine kids to be grown after my grandfather died shortly after the depression. She never complained. Not once.

Now days, some of you have a melt down if your Vinte double shot Mocha espresso with Hazelnut syrup isn’t just right. What you don’t realize is that my grandmother fed nine kids, for a month and clothed them, for what that cup of Starbuck’s coffee cost you. That’s a long hard row to hoe. Most of you don’t have a clue.

You see, because these three men risked EVERYTHING to see God’s will come to fruition and David become king, even for something so minute as fetching a drink of water, that’s what made them the Mighty Men of David. 

Let me interject something here. Solomon as the first of David’s line to be crowned king. More than that, Solomon was coronated King with the sound of the trumpet or shofar. Jesus will be the last of David’s line to become King. He will establish His Kingdom and His Kingship at the blast of the trumpet of God. 

Here is the realization that came to me and the one question I had to ask myself.

 David had three mighty men who risked everything to see God’s will done in David becoming King. There were thirty other commanders but these three rose above all the others. One day, Jesus will return to be King. Where are the Mighty Men of Yeshua ha-Mashiach, Jesus Christ?

Where are the men willing to risk everything to see Jesus become king of kings and Lord of lords? I’ll let you think about that for a few moments. I assure you that I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about it. I’ve spent a lot of time praying about it.

I can hear some of you now, “Well, Lonnie, they are everywhere.” My reply is, “No, they are not.”

I’m not talking about a pastor, evangelist, or teacher. Well, I could be, but for the most part I’m not. What I’m talking about is this. Where are the men who are willing to RISK losing EVERYTHING for Jesus? I mean, after all, Jesus gave everything for us. 

Where are the men who are willing to take a stand against the onslaught of evil in this world and say, “Enough! IT STOPS AND ENDS HERE!” Where are the men who will take a stand and call that which is good, good and that which is evil, evil? Are they everywhere?

Know this, when you take a stand against entities or governing bodies that are supporting and promoting evil, you had best be prepared to face some heat. When you make a stand, the heat will come. 

Oh, there are a few. A coach who was fired for praying publicly has been re-instated. He held to his faith, unashamed, and it cost him his livelihood. Now, after litigation, he’s working again.  That’s a good thing. Pastors who were arrested for holding outdoor services during the initial stages of the Covid Pandemic are being cleared. They risked their very freedom, were arrested, charged with a crime and faced litigation, costly litigation. Those men are being cleared.  

I don’t know how many nurses and health care workers that I know who quit their jobs and gave up careers because they wouldn’t take a covid vaccine because Uncle Joe Biden told them they had to. Some of them are filtering back into the workforce, but not all of them. I didn’t take the jab. I took a stand. 

When you take a stand, you are going to face some heat. Are you willing to face the heat, or are you going to compromise with the world to get along? 

Know this, the Bible speaks of corrupt and over bearing governance put into place by God. What??!! God puts that governance into place? Why? I’m so glad you asked. God allows an over bearing governance so that people will turn back to Him. When they do, historically and biblically, God has wiped out those governances and healed the land. It’s a repeating pattern in the Bible. Go ahead. Open your Bibles. It’s in there. 

But when the stand is taken and the people repent and turn back to God with all their heart, the enemy doesn’t like that. There are costs involved. There is a price to pay. The heat is coming. The demonic entities driving the forces of evil do not give up easily. They will flood your world with persecution and strife. The heat is coming. Can you….Will you take the heat and not be moved? 

I’m seeing flashes in the pan, indicating that there are men who will stand up to the heat and hold their positions. I don’t know if they will last or if they are truly, merely, flashes in the pan. But I am seeing a nation of people who, for the most part, are afraid, frustrated, fed up, and disillusioned by what is going on around us.  

Case in point. Last week a federal judge “temporarily” shot down a Montana law stating that drag queen readings in public libraries is illegal. Wow! It’s difficult to shoot down a federal judge ruling. How does he/she get to be a federal judge. A federal judge is appointed, not elected. Does that give you any idea as to how high the level of evil has climbed in our country? The question is not should drag queens be reading stories to children in schools or public libraries. The question is, “Why do drag queens seek an audience of children?” Here’s another question. “Why are school boards, who are elected officials, and teachers, employed by elected officials, so inclined to furnish drag queens with an audience of our children?” Here’s one more question for you. “Why would parents take their children to a public library for a drag queen reading?”

It would appear to me, Christians, that we need to evaluate our voting power as a means to rid the appointing authority appointing judges in the federal judge system pushing a minority agenda thereby eliminating those judges, and while we’re at it, elect school board officials who have our kids best interest at heart. 

Here’s another question for you. “Why would parents take their children to a public library for a drag queen reading?” I don’t have a solution to correct that problem.

Do you see where this is going? Where are the MIGHTY MEN OF DAVID who will make a stand for our LORD who is coming to be recognized as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, over all!

Who will take the heat? Most I have seen, shrink away when the heat comes down. But there are a few brave souls. There are a few who have been scorched and still stand. 

Where are the Mighty Men of David? They are not everywhere. They are but few and they are very far in between each other.

Which is why I highly recommend this book, The Making of a Man of God: Lessons From the Life of David, by Alan Redpath. Therein, you will learn what you need to take that stand and face the heat, just like David did. Get the book. Read the book. You can find it on Amazon. I’m not listing any associate link. I don’t get one penny from the sales. I’m telling you, it can change your life.

I am The Old Watchman, Ezekiel. You have been warned. 

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