Benaiah - Mighty Man of God- Pt. 2

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. Benaiah killed an Egyptian who was about seven and one-half feet tall and had a spear as large as a weaver s rod. Benaiah had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. 1 Chronicles 11:22-23

Benaiah slew an Egyptian.

Egypt is used as a type or picture of the world with its armies, temples, libraries, pharaohs, kings, all of the pomp, glory and splendor of man. It is a picture of the superficial, empty glory of the world and its ways.

This is no small enemy. The Egyptian was between 7 ½ and 9 feet tall. (About the same size as Goliath that David killed.) The Egyptian had a spear like a flag pole - about 6 or 7 inches thick. The Message Bible says ‘a spear like a ship's boom!’

1 Jn 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. NIV

The world with all of its power, allure and temptations is no small enemy.

2 Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica… KJV

There is no greater heartache as a Pastor than when one sees an otherwise faithful Christian draw back to the world and succumbs to its influences and follows Christ no more. ‘Left me behind in my trouble’ was Paul’s view of Demas. (Side note: Men suffer most when "wounded in the house of their friends.")

Demas’ sole motive on leaving Paul was the love of worldly ease and home comforts. To love the world, and the things that are in the world, is one of the chief sources of danger to our soul's welfare.

It’s all about success in the world’s view. From God’s perspective, the successful man is one that has defeated the influences of the world.