Read I Chron. 11: 10-47
This is the account of David's top warriors. They were famous because they did great exploits. They stand for the things God wanted to do in David's kindship. First he lists the top 3. The first one was Jashobeam. His name means "the people will return". The people had been scattered and divided and God was calling them back to him. Jashobeam had killed 300 with his sword at one battle. That took courage,strengnth, stamina, and perseverance.
The second was Eleazar which means "stregnth, might, protector". His father's name was Dodo which means "loving". God wanted to be Israel's loving helper and protector. Eleazar had fought with David in a barley field when all their men had fled. They stayed and fought off the Philistines and God gave them victory.
The third and chief was Joab (even though he is not mentioned here). His name means "god fathered". David was the first person that God said he would be a father to. (2 Sam. 7:14) They didn't know God as their father, only as an all-powerful God to be feared. David loved God as his father and God loved David as his son. David's devotion to God showed the people the love of a father and how God loved them in this way.
These 3 mighty men brought water to David when he was in battle and their was no water. They went into the enemies stronghold, risking their lives to bring David a drink of water. David honored their sacrifice by sacrificing their offering on the ground. He refused to drink it and poured it out. That is hard for us to understand but in their culture it was the deepest "thank you" they could have received. Their devotion to David passed death.
After the 3 were a company of 30 mighty warriors. Joab's brother, Abishai was their chief. He once killed 300 in a single battle, but he wasn't one of the 3. His name means "father of a gift". David was a type of Jesus who is the gift of the Lord to us just as Abishai was a gift to David.
Benaiah was one of the 30 that was singled out as very noteworthy. His name means "god has built". That is what God was doing in David's realm. He was establishing his place with his people. Benaiah did some extraordinary things for God.
God then lists all the men in the company of 30. God is looking for warriors for his army today. We have a choice to be in the multitude, the 30 or the 3. It is our choice. The one thing they all had in common was that they loved not their life unto death.
Lord, we lay down our lives as a sacrifice, pour us out as David poured out that blood-water on the battle field.
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