This week at the General Assembly we have been encouraged by speakers who have reminded us that Jesus wins. While enemies will take their shots at Christ’s Church, led foremost by the Devil who has been thrown out of heaven and is waiting for his final sentence and imprisonment. Seeing the big picture helps us place our present joys and challenges in eternal perspective.
This second epilogue passage in 2 Samuel serves a similar purpose. It provides several examples of how King David and his great military warriors defeated the best that their enemies could offer. With God on their side, they were enabled to stand against all enemies. The same is true for us. With God on our side, we will be enabled to stand against all enemies.
As with the first epilogue passage of 2 Samuel, it is not entirely clear when these events took place. However, these events likely occurred towards the earlier years of David’s reign rather than the later.
The Philistines once again renewed their efforts to subdue the Israelites and turn them into their servants. King David led his troops out to fight, but in the process of fighting became weary from the battle (v.15).
It seems quite possible that David’s weariness was because he had been singled out by a Philistine named Ishbi-benob, who had large and powerful weaponry (v.16). As with Goliath, his spear was extremely heavy. Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the same group of giants from whom Goliath had been sired. In other words, a formidable foe who was similarly powerful and dangerous as Goliath had been many years before.
As Ishbi-benob moved in for what was potentially the kill of a very highly prized scalp, Abishai swept into the space to support David and kill Ishbi-benob (v.17). Killing David, the king, would have been a massive coup for Philistine, similar to the coup that killing Winston Churchill might have been for Germany during World War Two (and the effects on the Allies disastrous as well).
David’s troops recognised the seriousness of the situation. Some people are more expendable than others, and David was not merely another soldier but the Anointed King. He was “the lamp of Israel” and his untimely death would snuff out the light which guided Israel forward in a dark world. He needed protection, so his soldiers effectively banned him from the front lines (v.17).
Abishai was not the only giant slayer (besides David himself many years before). Sibbecai the Husathite killed a giant named Saph (v.18). Elhanan struck down another Philistine, called Goliath of Gath here and in 1 Chronicles 20:5 as Lami the brother of Goliath (v.19). Perhaps Lami took on his brother’s name after his death at David’s hands.
But the Philistines kept rolling out their giants, so once again the same theme was replayed. A six finger and six toed giant whose name is otherwise unknown was dragged out to terrify Israel and cause them to give up (v.20). However, he joined the fate of many of his fellow giants. When he began to taunt Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother (that is, David’s nephew) struck him down (v.21). No further action report required, not even his name. Just another vanquished foe.
These were not just ordinary line troops, but were giants and treated as military superweapons to terrorise and defeat Israel. Yet despite these four giants being rolled out to meet and destroy Israel’s armies, “they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants” (v.22).
This is not mere historical detail. Nor is it padding to make up the wordcount on the scroll. These verses were included for a reason. Part of that reason may be to introduce the next section, which is another of David’s songs. But part of that reason is also to remind us that, with God on our side, we will prevail against all enemies.
David took care of Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Now many of his fellow goliaths meet their own fall at the hands of David’s champion warriors. In the same way, we can live with confidence that God will ultimately bring about the defeat of all his enemies, small or great. Even the greatest, most disfigured, and terrifying enemies will fall.
Yet we are not the champions in that battle. We are part of God’s army here on earth, but we are the supporting troops. Jesus is God’s chosen champion, the champion of God’s People. Jesus slayed sin and death in his great victory at the Cross, and has caused Satan to be cast down to the earth to await his final sentence.
We do not need to win the war, because Jesus has won it for us. We can trust and rely on Christ for that victory. God caused the preservation of the Messianic line through preserving David’s life, that Jesus the true and greater light would one day come. Just as God preserved David, so he will preserve us to stand against all enemies.
