Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria Grace for Living Devotional Saturday October 14, 2023 TOPIC: THE MIGHTY MEN OF DAVID

BIBLE READING:

1 CHRONICLES 11:10-15

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. 11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an 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 Pasdammim, 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. 15 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.  

KEY VERSE:

“Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam.”  1 Chronicles 11:15  

MEDITATION:

The writer of Chronicles passes straight on to the establishment of David in Jerusalem as king over all Israel. He also documented the important roles David’s mighty men played in establishing and maintaining his kingdom. It’s important to understand that David was nothing without his mighty men, and they were nothing without him. He was their leader, but a leader is nothing without followers – and David had the mighty men to follow him.   

These men didn’t necessarily start as mighty men. They were variously described as distressed, indebted, and discontented people (1 Samuel 22:1-2). These chief of the mighty men, helped with all their might to settle David in his kingdom, in collaboration with all the loyal Israelites who followed David, especially when he was being pursued by Saul, and when escaping from his own very son. Absalom. Yet, David ascribed his success, not to the hosts he had, but to the Lord of hosts; not to the mighty men that were with him, but to the mighty God, whose presence with them made all the difference.  

If scripture took time to do a census of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:8-39), it will not be out of place to give due recognition and encouragement to genuine and selfless leaders and elders in church. Paul made this clear in 1 Timothy 5:17 as he write to Timothy.  

How much encouragement do you provide for those who labour wholeheartedly in your church?  

PRAYER:

Lord, give me grace to pray for, and support those who labour sacrificially in the church.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

ISAIAH 37-38, PHILIPPIANS 3