1Ch 11:23 | KingComments | STEP | Benaiah performs three heroic deeds by defeating three enemies who were a threat to the people of God. Successively 1. he defeats two sons of Ariel of Moab, 2. he kills a lion inside a pit at a time when there is snow, and 3. he defeats an Egyptian giant, whom he kills with his own weapon. Benaiah was a very determined man. Nor is it the case that after one victory he thought it was all right. He has a keen eye for everything that threatens God’s people. Every time new danger presented itself, he dispels it by a firm and powerful action. When defeating the lion and the Egyptian, he turns to the enemy, he takes the initiative. Benaiah is a man with courage and perseverance. From his achievements we can learn important spiritual lessons. We must remember, however, that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” ( ). The three enemies that Benaiah defeats and kills are a picture of three spiritual enemy powers we face in our life. We will see that Moab is a picture of the flesh in the believer, that the lion here is a picture of satan and that the Egyptian is a picture of the world. In the spiritual application, defeating the enemies takes place when someone comes to faith through the preaching of the gospel. Every time someone comes to faith, satan and the world are defeated. We also see it when believers are led to live by the Spirit and thereby kill the workings of the flesh. [For a more detailed applications of the heroic deeds of Benaiah, see comments on 2 Samuel 23:20-23.] Benaiah is honored, but not like the others. Yet his reward comes after years, when David’s wanderings are over and David has become king over Israel. That is the time of decoration. Then David appoints him as the head of his bodyguard ( ). The long time that has passed before Benaiah gains this important position may be an encouragement for believers who have to wait a long time before God’s public acknowledgment comes. Believers who see that believers who are less spiritual or even carnal minded seem to have more prosperity need not be discouraged. Once, at God’s time, perhaps only after years or at the public reign of the Lord Jesus, God’s public acknowledgment of what has been done for Him will come. During the rejection of David Benaiah remained faithful to him. Without shivering, he fought enemies that were a threat to society. It did not matter to him whether they approached him or whether he had to go to them himself. Where he saw danger, he acted fearlessly. We’ve seen this in the previous verses. David acknowledges Benaiah’s impressive record of service and makes him the head of his bodyguard. This ‘promotion’ must have been a great joy for Benaiah. He was already so attached to his king and now he will be even more closely involved in David’s life. As the head of the bodyguard, he will have to consult a lot with David. David will inform him of his whereabouts and his daily activities. David will tell him where he intends to go. On that basis Benaiah will have to investigate where dangers threaten and how they can be circumvented or rendered harmless. We can see a lesson here. Every victory over the flesh, the devil or the world is rewarded by the Lord Jesus with something from Himself. The power to say no to something the devil or the world offers is only found in our love for the Lord Jesus. To the Lord Jesus, this proof of our love is that important that He will tell us more about Himself. We are going to discover more and more in the Bible about how He thinks and acts, now and in the future. At the same time he gives us the responsibility to keep what He entrusts us and not to let it take away from us. Thus Paul says to Timothy: “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you” ( ). Then the task is that we do not engage in “empty chatter [and] the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”” ( ). This is found among liberal theologians who, by appealing to the Bible, justify the most brutal sins and thus deceive countless people. I read an example about a pastor who, appealing to “all things are lawful” ( ), justifies a homosexual relationship! As if that is a relationship in which God’s thoughts of love between husband and wife are also expressed. These are enemies of the worst kind. The Lord Jesus wants us to hold fast what we have – in this example, marriage as He has instituted it – until He comes ( ). When David has grown old, Benaiah faces a great danger that threatens his king. The danger comes from within. A son of David, Adonijah, wants to become king, while it is clear that Solomon is the rightful successor of David. This history we find in 1 Kings 1. Adonijah is a handsome boy and a cunning talker. He also knows who to involve in his conspiracy and who to keep out of it. He knows it makes no sense to ask Benaiah to help him. It is clear to him that he cannot get him under his influence. Does our environment also know us as someone with character? Or are we rather quick to go along with someone who has a certain ‘charisma’? Are we relying on the way someone comes across without paying attention to the content? Then ‘Adonijah’ has got hold on us. We no longer pay attention to the Lord Jesus, Whom we see as ‘old’ in the sense of old-fashioned. We are looking for new impulses to live our faith. How God wants it to be is no longer that important. ‘Experience’ or emotion is what it is all about. Not that experience or emotion is not important, but a faith where it is only all about emotion is not from God. It is not the Lord Jesus Who is central in this, but man and his feelings. Let us think about whether we are in the right company. This is the case with Benaiah. He has good comrades in the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan. They are not invited by Adonijah either. Who are our comrades, from whom do we have support when we need it? Are our friends spiritual-minded people who want to live with the Lord Jesus?

‏ 1 Chronicles 11:23

Benaiah

Benaiah performs three heroic deeds by defeating three enemies who were a threat to the people of God. Successively

1. he defeats two sons of Ariel of Moab,

2. he kills a lion inside a pit at a time when there is snow, and

3. he defeats an Egyptian giant, whom he kills with his own weapon.

Benaiah was a very determined man. Nor is it the case that after one victory he thought it was all right. He has a keen eye for everything that threatens God’s people. Every time new danger presented itself, he dispels it by a firm and powerful action. When defeating the lion and the Egyptian, he turns to the enemy, he takes the initiative. Benaiah is a man with courage and perseverance.

From his achievements we can learn important spiritual lessons. We must remember, however, that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” (Eph 6:12). The three enemies that Benaiah defeats and kills are a picture of three spiritual enemy powers we face in our life. We will see that Moab is a picture of the flesh in the believer, that the lion here is a picture of satan and that the Egyptian is a picture of the world.

In the spiritual application, defeating the enemies takes place when someone comes to faith through the preaching of the gospel. Every time someone comes to faith, satan and the world are defeated. We also see it when believers are led to live by the Spirit and thereby kill the workings of the flesh. [For a more detailed applications of the heroic deeds of Benaiah, see comments on 2 Samuel 23:20-23.]

Benaiah is honored, but not like the others. Yet his reward comes after years, when David’s wanderings are over and David has become king over Israel. That is the time of decoration. Then David appoints him as the head of his bodyguard (1Chr 11:25). The long time that has passed before Benaiah gains this important position may be an encouragement for believers who have to wait a long time before God’s public acknowledgment comes. Believers who see that believers who are less spiritual or even carnal minded seem to have more prosperity need not be discouraged. Once, at God’s time, perhaps only after years or at the public reign of the Lord Jesus, God’s public acknowledgment of what has been done for Him will come.

During the rejection of David Benaiah remained faithful to him. Without shivering, he fought enemies that were a threat to society. It did not matter to him whether they approached him or whether he had to go to them himself. Where he saw danger, he acted fearlessly. We’ve seen this in the previous verses.

David acknowledges Benaiah’s impressive record of service and makes him the head of his bodyguard. This ‘promotion’ must have been a great joy for Benaiah. He was already so attached to his king and now he will be even more closely involved in David’s life. As the head of the bodyguard, he will have to consult a lot with David. David will inform him of his whereabouts and his daily activities. David will tell him where he intends to go. On that basis Benaiah will have to investigate where dangers threaten and how they can be circumvented or rendered harmless.

We can see a lesson here. Every victory over the flesh, the devil or the world is rewarded by the Lord Jesus with something from Himself. The power to say no to something the devil or the world offers is only found in our love for the Lord Jesus. To the Lord Jesus, this proof of our love is that important that He will tell us more about Himself. We are going to discover more and more in the Bible about how He thinks and acts, now and in the future.

At the same time he gives us the responsibility to keep what He entrusts us and not to let it take away from us. Thus Paul says to Timothy: “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you” (1Tim 6:20a). Then the task is that we do not engage in “empty chatter [and] the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”” (1Tim 6:20b). This is found among liberal theologians who, by appealing to the Bible, justify the most brutal sins and thus deceive countless people.

I read an example about a pastor who, appealing to “all things are lawful” (1Cor 10:23), justifies a homosexual relationship! As if that is a relationship in which God’s thoughts of love between husband and wife are also expressed. These are enemies of the worst kind. The Lord Jesus wants us to hold fast what we have – in this example, marriage as He has instituted it – until He comes (Rev 3:11).

When David has grown old, Benaiah faces a great danger that threatens his king. The danger comes from within. A son of David, Adonijah, wants to become king, while it is clear that Solomon is the rightful successor of David. This history we find in 1 Kings 1. Adonijah is a handsome boy and a cunning talker. He also knows who to involve in his conspiracy and who to keep out of it. He knows it makes no sense to ask Benaiah to help him. It is clear to him that he cannot get him under his influence.

Does our environment also know us as someone with character? Or are we rather quick to go along with someone who has a certain ‘charisma’? Are we relying on the way someone comes across without paying attention to the content? Then ‘Adonijah’ has got hold on us. We no longer pay attention to the Lord Jesus, Whom we see as ‘old’ in the sense of old-fashioned. We are looking for new impulses to live our faith. How God wants it to be is no longer that important. ‘Experience’ or emotion is what it is all about. Not that experience or emotion is not important, but a faith where it is only all about emotion is not from God. It is not the Lord Jesus Who is central in this, but man and his feelings.

Let us think about whether we are in the right company. This is the case with Benaiah. He has good comrades in the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan. They are not invited by Adonijah either. Who are our comrades, from whom do we have support when we need it? Are our friends spiritual-minded people who want to live with the Lord Jesus?