First Chronicles 10:7

The Bible says in First Chronicles 10:7-14, “And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.[8] And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.[9] And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people.[10] And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.[11] And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,[12] They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.[13] So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it;[14] And inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.” These verses continue the terrible account of what happened to King Saul and his sons when they met their death on the battlefield at the hands of the Philistines. It also shows how violent some people were in those days. The day after the battle, the Philistines went out and stripped he bodies, beheaded them, took Saul’s head into the temple of Dagon, and hung their bodies on a wall for all to see. O what man is capable of doing to his fellow-man. We need a Messiah to come and change everything and fix everything. Why did Saul meet such a horrible fate? Was it because of the Philistines? No. We are told in verse thirteen that it was because of Saul sinning against the Lord, not keeping the Word of the Lord; and perhaps worst of all, Saul went to a false teacher for help instead of going to the Lord in prayer. God is a jealous God. We are fortunate that we live in the age of grace and that we can go so often to the Lord for forgiveness. Jesus forgives sin.

The Bible says in First Chronicles 11:1-3, “Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.[2] And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.[3] Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.” Why did David become king? The answer is obvious: because God wanted him to be king. God can do anything, and the Lord does do whatever He wants to do. The devil sets up many of the leaders of the world, but whenever God wants, God overrides the devil and says, “This time I am making the choice.” Blessed is the nation when that happens. David was a leader and the people noticed even when Saul was still king. Notice that God said in verse two, “Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.” David was not just told that he would be king, but he was told first, “Thou shalt feed my people Israel.” David was made king, not for David’s benefit, but for the people’s benefit. Every leader should know that they are in a place of power to help the people, not to help themselves. They will answer to God at the judgment for what they have done.

Notice in verse three it says that David became king, “according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.” God speaks through people. It is a great honor to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ in this dark and dying world. If you witness for Him, God will speak through you. Jesus said in Revelation 22:17, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

The Bible says in First Chronicles 11:4-9, “And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.[5] And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.[6] And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.[7] And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David.[8] And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city.[9] So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.” David had a great start to his time as the king of Israel. These verses tell us about the establishment of the city of Jerusalem as an Israeli city. Jerusalem was known as “the city of David” because David established the city by running off the Jebusites. The Jebusites were part of the heathen that lived in the land of Canaan, and God already told the children of Israel to conquer all the Promised Land, and so David was following God’s will. No wonder it says in verse nine, “So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.” David was a man after God’s own heart. David loved God. No wonder the Lord of hosts was with David. What is greatness? To be great is to fulfill the will of God for you. Find out what God’ will is for you, and do it with God’s help by trusting in Christ, and then you will be great in God’s eyes.

The Bible says in First Chronicles 11:10, “These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.” To be king and to be a successful king, David could not do everything by himself. He needed other people with gifts and abilities. And that is what God gave to him. David was not the only one who was strong and who had wisdom. It is a great blessing from God to have others to help in what you are called to do. Do not be too much of a loner. You need others. That is what the church is all about. Each of us has one or more gifts. Each of us is a member of the body of Christ. How effective is the body if some of the members are cut off?

The following verses tell us some of the exploits of the mighty men who were with David. The Bible says in First Chronicles 11:11-14, “And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, and Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.[12] And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.[13] He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.[14] And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.”

One of the incidents involving the above three mighty men is found in First Chronicles 11:15-19, “Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.[16] And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.[17] And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate![18] And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,[19] And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore, he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.” These were big strong men. How much they loved and respected David that they would risk their lives for him. And how much David loved and respected his men, which is why we did not drink of the water.

In the rest of this chapter we are given more names of the mighty men of valor who fought next to David in his many wars. For example, the Bible says in First Chronicles 11:20-28, “And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.[21] Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.[22] Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.[23] And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.[24] These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.[25] Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.[26] Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,[27] Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,[28] Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-ezer the Antothite,”

Chapter twelve tells us about many great fighters and warriors who came and joined themselves to David. No wonder David won so many battles. He did not fight alone. Christians are supposed to be like this: meeting together in local congregations and working together to reach their community for Christ. Souls need to be saved, and Christians need to be taught. In other words, Christians are in a spiritual battle, and they need all the help they can get. The Bible says in First Chronicles 12:1-8, “Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.[2] They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.[3] The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,[4] And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,[5] Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,[6] Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,[7] And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.[8] And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains.”

___________________________________________________