READ: 2 SAMUEL 23:18-23 TEXT: v21 BENAIAH/EGYPTIAN
And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a
spear in his hand; but 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.
Although this incident is included to
tell us why Benaiah is rightly considered to be one/David's mighty men,
yet there is also an emphasis/fact that his opponent in this occasion
was an Egyptian (x3/text) This cannot be ignored, and subsequently, we
want to view the incident especially as it related to the Egyptian. In
doing so, we cannot help but see something of the greatness/Benaiah.
All sorts/lessons to be learned as we go along. 4 main points:
1) THIS EGYPTIAN TOOK ON A MAN WITH AN IMPRESSIVE TRACK RECORD:
A/ Not necessarily/chronological
order…but the report does follow after Benaiah fought 2 lion
like men and slew the lion/pit in snow
Furthermore, he is recognised as being a high rank in David's mighty and all conquering army
Impressive record
B/ We may view Benaiah as being a picture/type of Jesus Christ.
Every good man/Bible in those things in which they are good so picture Christ.
He went about doing do (Acts 10:38)
In Himself, as God, He is the only One who is good
When we see goodness coming from others, then it is Christ working in them both to will/do of His good pleasure
[i] Benaiah typifies Christ because/meaning of his name
Benaiah = Jehovah hath built and this reminds us of the dependency which Christ, as Man, ever had upon His Father
He often sought His Father in prayer and asked for help and strength e.g. Gethsemane and received it (Luke 22:42-43)
[ii] Benaiah's father's name (Jehoiada) = Jehovah knows
He was a valiant man, and done many acts.
In Exodus 15:3 the Lord reveals Himself as a man/war
[iii] His slaying of the lion (v20) pictures/Cross: Psalm 22:13/21
[iv] Beniah is described as a "mighty
man" - the same Hebrew adjective ("mighty") is used of Christ in Isaiah
9:6 where He is called "the Mighty God" (btw: The "mighty God" (Same
Hebrew connection) is further described as being Jehovah in Jer 32:10 so Christ, the Mighty God, is Jehovah
Benaiah is but a faint shadow of Him, but true nevertheless
C/ This is the One this nameless Egyptian took on.
"Who hath hardened himself against God and prospered?" (Job 9:4) Sheer madness.
D/ Surely being an Egyptian (of all
nations) ought to have taught this man a severe lesson?
His country's
annals are forever blemished by their massive defeat in their war
against God
Book/Exodus must ever be painful reading for an Egyptian
Here the whole might/country at her zenith took on God and lost
Yet what had this man learnt? Nothing!
E/ All who purport to take on God lose
Name any who won?
Where are they today?
All gone or will go.
Grow old, helpless, feeble and weak
Last great enemy (death) will seize them in a mere moment
This Egyptian fought the wrong enemy
2) THIS EGYPTIAN TOOK ON A MAN AND RISKED HIS GOODLY STANDING:
A/ Is described as being a goodly man but goodly of statue
(1 Chrons 11:23) More details given:
5 cubits high = 7'6" Giant of a man, well proportioned
His spear was like a weaver's beam - heavy/effective
These measurements are similar to those of Goliath/Gath whom David slew: 1 Samuel 17:4/7 so it gives you some idea
I think this man might well have been a mercenary, since there is no record of Israel fighting the Egyptians in their own right
No doubt: This Egyptian was some man indeed
B/ Although there is nothing moral
about the Egyptian's goodly ways (Entirely physical/military) yet we
might liken him in his glory to Adam before the fall
[i] Did not Adam have a free run in the Garden/Eden?
Was he not the crowning point/creation and lord over the animals?
Hypothetical, I admit, but there is an "What if…?" in here i.e. "What if Adam had never sinned?"
Paradise continued rather than paradise lost.
No sin/no sorrow/no suffering in the
world…just as this Egyptian could've drew the wonder/admiration
of all had he not chosen to oppose the things/God.
C/ Again, what of Adam's sons?
Some of them have done very well for themselves.
Endowed with the greatest blessings/gifts.
Under God, they have created wells to prosper and do well and enjoy (some extent) life on this earth
All this will be lost because instead of yielding to the things/God, they (at the very least) airbrush them out on their lives
Here's another way to think:
God has prospered me so much. Even if I am not a rich man materially, yet I have much more than many in this world
I do have so much going for me I can use for God's glory
I can become a Christian and use my goodly time and talents and possessions to further His Kingdom
I can live my life for God's glory
I can be another Paul who laboured
night/day using his goodly knowledge, gained from many sources, to
promote the glory of God which is our chief end on this earth
D/ Wouldn't it be a shame to lose all those things?
We can regain in Christ what we lost in Adam
But if we fight against/gospel, then
we become like this man became - a dead rotting corpse - our
glory/tatters and our shame eternal in a Christ rejecters hell
3) THIS EGYPTIAN TOOK ON A MAN WHO HAD NOT COME TO FIGHT:
A/ There was no spear (whatever length) in the hand/Benaiah
Only a staff - a mere walking aid (Not necessarily crippled - although possible the fight/lion didn't help him? Only a perhaps)
Lack/details, but we suggest: Not open warfare situation
Egyptian had no reason either to fear Benaiah nor attack him
B/ Think again re: Benaiah being a picture/Lord Jesus:
Why was the Son of God attacked?
Already quoted: He went about doing good. His words were all words. He
healed the sick and gave widows back their deceased sons. He urged folk
to love their neighbours. Sin could never be put to His account.
C/ Furthermore, He came not merely not to be threat to any one, but He came positively to save sinners
Without denying the need of grace to ensure this…yet it still a fact that He only comes where He is wanted
No one was ever brought kicking/screaming to Jesus Christ
All this makes the hatred which is shown towards Christ (as pictured by the aggression/Egyptian) all the more apprehensible
D/ It is no wonder that when the whole world stand guilty before God, that every mouth will be stopped (Romans 3:19)
Some men's guilt in other matters
maybe debatable.
There may be mitigating factors which could swing the
matter either way
One good honest jury would release where another
would not
Not so in the Day/Judgment
Silence will be deafening and self explanatory
4) THIS EGYPTIAN TOOK ON A MAN AND PERISHED WITH HIS OWN WEAPON:
A/ First thing: Benaiah fought back.
The Lord Jesus will one day fight back.
He is the meek, gentle Lamb at
the moment.
His voice is silent except to plead with/woo sinners them
to Himself
But this will not always be the case
His return is not a mission/mercy but a day/reckoning
B/ The guilty sinner will then reap what he has sown
This Egyptian died because he attacked
the harmless Benaiah
As he sharpened that spear, carried it in his hand
and thought of it as he saw his potential victim and used it as weapon
Reaped what he sowed.
Would've been better leaving it at home
C/ I have been answering some of the
critics/Calvinism for a while now.
One thing they seem to have great
difficulty grasping is this:
The condemnation/sinner is not a mere
sovereign decision of God, without any reference to the sinner himself.
Doesn't matter how often you tell them…still trot out the same
old line.
But Calvinists believe: Sinners perish in their own corruption (2 Peter 2:12)
They dig their own graves.
Cut their own throats.
No hope of success against the Son/God and they perish shamefully/process
D/ But why fight the Son/God?
Why not engage in peace with Him?
He invites the sinner to do so: Isaiah 1:18/Colossians 1:20