David and Ishbi-benob (Fighting Giants)

by  on October 10, 2010 | Topic:

2 Samuel 21:15ff  Now when the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David went down and his servants with him; and as they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. (16) Then Ishbi-benob, who was among the descendants of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, was girded with a new sword, and he intended to kill David.  (17) But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him.

  1. Giants “again” keep coming on, v15.  They were there in the beginning of David’s life and now yet in the end.  Sin and Satan do not let up.  The war against the saints continues.  Adversity continues.  The adversary continues.
  2. David was still fighting giants. He was still in the battle, fighting the good fight.  The Christian life is a fight to the finish.
  3. Giants are deadly.  Ishbi-benob had a “new” sword, that is, it was sharp.  He “intended to kill” David, that is, sin and the powers of darkness are not playing.   Sin would like to destroy us.
  4. David formerly had no trouble with giants (Goliath), but now we find him “weary”, v15.  Sin is opportunistic.  The giant hit him when he was down.  Be strong in the Lord at all times.
  5. David received help.  Abishai “helped him”.  We do well to admit we are not independent.  Paul expected help from the prayers of the saints.  All sin is “too strong” for us, 22.19.  We would not have victory over the least sin without help from above.
  6. David received help from someone who formerly frustrated him, Abishai was sometimes a frustration to David, 19.22.  But God may use such a fellow in our lives to be a real help on occasion.  Remember then the story of David and Ishbi-benob.

Bob Jennings

(1949 - 2012)
Bob Jennings began a pastoral ministry in Kirksville, Missouri in 1978 in the church that now meets at Lake Road Chapel. In 1983 he moved to Sedalia, Missouri to pastor a small flock which God had raised up in that city (now meeting at Highway M Chapel). Bob spoke at many conferences both in the United States and Eastern Europe. He also did evangelism outreach on various university campuses over the years. The Lord blessed Bob and his wife Terri with five children. Bob is respected as a godly man by all who knew him, perhaps most by his family. You can find encouragement from his many messages online, and also from his online journal which he kept during his days with cancer. Bob fell asleep in the Lord November of 2012.