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David and His Mighty Men - The Books of 2 Samuel & 1 Chronicles · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And David said on that day, Whosoever
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  Speaker 1: getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and
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  Speaker 1: the lame and the blind that are hated by David's soul,
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  Speaker 1: he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The
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  Speaker 1: blind and the lame shall not come into the house.
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  Speaker 1: 2 Samuel 5.8 Lord, because you are my king, like
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  Speaker 1: David's mighty men, I will pray that my bravery, devotion,
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  Speaker 1: and wit would mirror you. I declare that as I
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  Speaker 1: train for my future destiny, I will not waver in
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  Speaker 1: my training and dedication. Thank you for giving me special
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  Speaker 1: gifts and abilities that will allow me to conquer whatever
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  Speaker 1: I face. Like Shama, I will stand in the gap
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  Speaker 1: for those who can't fight for themselves. As you elevate
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  Speaker 1: my influence, I will care for the heart of your
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  Speaker 1: people like King David and his mighty men. In the
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  Speaker 1: same way, I will praise you for assembling a squad
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  Speaker 1: around me like the dream team. I thank you that
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  Speaker 1: each person you assign to my life are gifted with
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  Speaker 1: supernatural abilities and with even bigger hearts for you. I
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  Speaker 1: declare that loyalty and a warrior's heart will rule in
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  Speaker 1: the hearts of those you've surrounded around me. Today, I
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  Speaker 1: will lift up my voice and let out a war
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  Speaker 1: cry that declares, Because the God of the universe is
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  Speaker 1: for me, no one will overcome me. I am anointed
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  Speaker 1: and appointed to reign in life, and I gladly accept
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  Speaker 1: my position of power and influence. In Jesus' name.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To
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  Speaker 1: hear the Bible come to life, stay tuned for The
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  Speaker 1: Bible in a Year. Brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: David and His Mighty Men In our last story, we
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  Speaker 2: learned about David's alliance with Abner that was quickly thwarted
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  Speaker 2: by his general Joab. Joab murdered Abner as revenge for
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  Speaker 2: his brother's death. David did not honor Joab's actions, yet
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  Speaker 2: allowed God to be the one who judged him. Meanwhile,
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  Speaker 2: three men murdered King Ish-bosheth in order to please David.
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  Speaker 2: David was not pleased and would not have the blood
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  Speaker 2: of a king on his hands, so he executed the
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  Speaker 2: men where they stood. Despite all the dysfunction, civil war,
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  Speaker 2: and heartache, David was finally crowned king over all Israel.
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  Speaker 2: He would usher in a new era of peace and restoration.
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  Speaker 2: Now we learn about David's mighty men. Their bravery, devotion,
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  Speaker 2: and wit mirrors that of their king, inspired by the
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  Speaker 2: book of 2 Samuel.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous story, we
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  Speaker 3: saw how Abner walked away from Ish-bosheth to side with David,
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  Speaker 3: whom he knew was the rightful ruler for all of Israel.
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  Speaker 3: Their alliance was short-lived, however, as Joab took revenge on
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  Speaker 3: Abner for killing his brother and murdered Abner in cold blood.
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  Speaker 3: David chose to spare Joab's life, but sent him away
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  Speaker 3: and left it to God to deal with Joab's sin.
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  Speaker 3: We also learned that Ish-bosheth's men killed him in his sleep,
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  Speaker 3: and brought his head to David, hoping to be praised
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  Speaker 3: for their act in his behalf. Instead, David condemned them
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  Speaker 3: for raising their hand against Ish-bosheth and executed them on
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  Speaker 3: the spot, a sign that he wanted to come to
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  Speaker 3: power through reconciliation rather than violence. In the end, the
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  Speaker 3: rulers of Israel crowned David as king over all of Israel,
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  Speaker 3: and the kingdom was unified under one king. But David
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  Speaker 3: did not stand alone. God surrounded him with mighty men
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  Speaker 3: of valor, 30 men who emulated David's heart of mercy, bravery,
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  Speaker 3: and wisdom. And today, we'll hear the story of David's
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  Speaker 3: mighty men.
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  Speaker 2: The sun beat heavily against David's back as he trained.
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  Speaker 2: In the hot eastern sun, David swung his sword with
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  Speaker 2: ferocity and precision. His men trained beside him in the
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  Speaker 2: heat of the midday. Their training could mean the rise
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  Speaker 2: or fall of Israel. so they did not waver in
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  Speaker 2: their discipline. David's strength grew day by day, as did
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  Speaker 2: the strength of his men. His courage was greatly due
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  Speaker 2: to the men he surrounded himself with. Thirty warriors followed
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  Speaker 2: David on all of his travels. These were called his
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  Speaker 2: mighty men. Together, they protected the people of Israel. Three
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  Speaker 2: of the thirty governed Israel alongside David as his most
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  Speaker 2: trusted warriors and counselors. There was Jasabim, who was the
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  Speaker 2: captain of the mighty men. Jashobeam was relentless in battle,
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  Speaker 2: and once stood his ground against eight hundred men in
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  Speaker 2: battle with a single spear. His strength was unparalleled, and
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  Speaker 2: his tactful mind proved as an asset to David. Then
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  Speaker 2: there was Eleazar. When a Philistine horde had descended upon
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  Speaker 2: David and the armies of Israel, all of the men
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  Speaker 2: fled except David and Eleazar. Eliezer fought alongside David until
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  Speaker 2: his hand clung to his sword from cramping. He was
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  Speaker 2: the closest to David and undyingly loyal. Last of the
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  Speaker 2: three was Shammah. Shammah was a man of principle and bravery.
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  Speaker 2: One day the Philistines were pursuing the people of Israel
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  Speaker 2: and every man fled. However, Shammah stood his ground at
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  Speaker 2: a small bean patch in order to protect the farmers there.
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  Speaker 2: He fought with the heart of a guardian and proved
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  Speaker 2: to David he was willing to lay his life down
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  Speaker 2: for the sake of the small and helpless. David's mighty
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  Speaker 2: men were a representation of David's leadership. He cared for
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  Speaker 2: them and trained them in the ways of battle and politics.
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  Speaker 2: In return, the mighty men fought for David and the
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  Speaker 2: people of Israel. Not only did they fight, but they
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  Speaker 2: responded to the needs of the people and helped care
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  Speaker 2: for them. David's heart was enriched by their friendship. and
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  Speaker 2: they were empowered by his guidance. One evening, David and
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  Speaker 2: his men were camped in the cave of Adullam. There
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  Speaker 2: they waited to ambush the Philistines who had taken over
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  Speaker 2: the city of Bethlehem. The men waited for days, needing
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  Speaker 2: the perfect moment to strike down the Philistines. They became
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  Speaker 2: weary and thirsty, for their supplies had begun to wear thin.
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  Speaker 2: In the cool of the night, David leaned back with
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  Speaker 2: his back against the cave walls, staring at the fire.
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  Speaker 2: There he talked to his men about Bethlehem, telling stories
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  Speaker 2: of the lions that would come out and take his sheep.
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  Speaker 2: David closed his eyes. A single tear fell from his eye. Ah,
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  Speaker 2: what I wouldn't give to take a drink from the
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  Speaker 2: well of Bethlehem again, David said with a slight frown.
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  Speaker 2: He missed his home and was grieved that it had
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  Speaker 2: been overrun by Philistines. As David said this, he drifted
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  Speaker 2: off into sleep. As David was sleeping, three of his
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  Speaker 2: men gathered their weapons and fled the cave. They laid
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  Speaker 2: low and near the mountainside as they made their way
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  Speaker 2: into Bethlehem. The small city was crawling with Philistines. One
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  Speaker 2: false step and they would be killed in an instant.
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  Speaker 2: Drunken laughter could be heard in the streets as the
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  Speaker 2: three men crawled their way into the city. They made
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  Speaker 2: their way to the gate where the well of Bethlehem was.
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  Speaker 2: Philistine tents surrounded the area and soldiers were near the
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  Speaker 2: gate keeping watch. With the light touch of a cat,
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  Speaker 2: one of the men crouched his way to the well
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  Speaker 2: and drew some water into his canteen. The two other
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  Speaker 2: men watched from a few yards away. Slowly, he filled
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  Speaker 2: the canteen and began to make his way back on
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  Speaker 2: all fours. As he was crawling, a guard spotted him
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  Speaker 2: from above the gate. Israelites! the soldier yelled, and immediately
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  Speaker 2: a swarm of Philistines rushed him. The two other mighty
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  Speaker 2: men drew their swords and burst through the Philistine soldiers.
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  Speaker 2: Together the men ran through the alleys of Bethlehem, fighting
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  Speaker 2: Philistines along the way. There was no other way out
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  Speaker 2: but to fight through the gate. So the three of
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  Speaker 2: them swung their swords with complete grace, just as David
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  Speaker 2: had taught them. Dozens of Philistines fell that night, and
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  Speaker 2: the three men were able to escape with their lives
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  Speaker 2: back to the caves. Dawn was approaching, and the men
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  Speaker 2: returned with exhausted smiles on their faces. The morning sun
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  Speaker 2: rays peeked through the cave entrance. The men slapped one
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  Speaker 2: another's backs and laughed as they entered the cave. The
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  Speaker 2: men bowed before David and presented him with the canteen
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  Speaker 2: filled with water from Bethlehem. David held the canteen, dumbfounded
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  Speaker 2: that the men had gone to such great lengths to
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  Speaker 2: get him the water. David opened the canteen slowly. He
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  Speaker 2: looked at the men with a smile. David stood up
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  Speaker 2: and walked to the entrance of the cave. and poured
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  Speaker 2: the water out before the Lord, and said, These men
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  Speaker 2: risked their lives for this water. It is not mine
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  Speaker 2: to drink. This act of courage for the sake of
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  Speaker 2: David embodied who the mighty men were. They were great
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  Speaker 2: warriors devoted to David. Together they trained in the hot sun,
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  Speaker 2: keeping the safety of Israel and glory of God on
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  Speaker 2: the forefront of their minds. When the Philistines heard that
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  Speaker 2: David had been anointed king, all the tribes gathered together
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  Speaker 2: to mount an attack against him. When David learned of
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  Speaker 2: the incoming attack, he gathered his mighty men and went
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  Speaker 2: to meet them at the valley of Repharim. The men
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  Speaker 2: looked down at the sea of Philistines below. Thousands of
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  Speaker 2: Philistines had gathered. They came with steel and fire, ready
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  Speaker 2: to tear David and his men limb from limb. Before
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  Speaker 2: the battle, David met with the Lord again, as he
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  Speaker 2: once did before facing Goliath. He prayed with his knees
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  Speaker 2: driven into the gravel. Earnestly, he bowed before God and
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  Speaker 2: asked Him, Do I have your favor to go up
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  Speaker 2: against them? David's fists clenched as he awaited God's response.
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  Speaker 2: In the solitude, the Lord spoke quietly, I have given
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  Speaker 2: them into your hand. So David arose and walked towards
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  Speaker 2: camp with intent. He gathered his men on top of
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  Speaker 2: the hill overlooking the valley. David raised his sword high
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  Speaker 2: in the air and roared towards the Philistines. Like a
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  Speaker 2: rushing wind, the men of Israel descended upon the Philistine
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  Speaker 2: soldiers and scattered on all ends of the valley. David
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  Speaker 2: broke into a group of Philistine soldiers and fought his
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  Speaker 2: way to the center of the battle. The soldiers surrounded
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  Speaker 2: David with intent to kill. David found himself absorbing the
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  Speaker 2: blows of dozens of Philistine soldiers. Growing tired from battle,
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  Speaker 2: David began to fall. Yet his mighty men broke into
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  Speaker 2: the group of Philistines and struck them down. The Philistines
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  Speaker 2: shattered under the fist of David and his mighty men.
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  Speaker 3: Our story begins with the new king of Israel, David,
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  Speaker 3: training alongside of his men. He had finally risen to
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  Speaker 3: the highest position in the land, king of all of Israel.
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  Speaker 3: But this was not the time to sit back and relax,
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  Speaker 3: or to become complacent, or just enjoy the spoils of war.
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  Speaker 3: He was to be ready, seeking God's will and strengthening
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  Speaker 3: his own body to defend and rescue the nation. David's
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  Speaker 3: courage and resolve came first from God, but also from
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  Speaker 3: the men who surrounded him, these mighty men of valor
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  Speaker 3: who joined to serve alongside of David and defend Israel.
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  Speaker 3: The book of Proverbs tells us that as iron sharpens iron,
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  Speaker 3: one man sharpens another. And that is precisely what these
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  Speaker 3: men did for one another and for David. Their example
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  Speaker 3: highlights the importance of being surrounded by those who seek
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  Speaker 3: God's grace and God's good, who are selfless and who
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  Speaker 3: seek the Lord. David's mighty men were a reflection of
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  Speaker 3: his leadership and his courage to fight for God's people.
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  Speaker 3: And these men were deeply committed to their king. On
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  Speaker 3: one occasion, David was hiding in the caves of Adullam,
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  Speaker 3: preparing to attack the Philistines who had taken Bethlehem. David
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  Speaker 3: lamented not being able to drink the water from the
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  Speaker 3: well of his own hometown. That night as he slept,
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  Speaker 3: three of his men snuck into Bethlehem to fill a
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  Speaker 3: jug of water for David. They were able to draw
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  Speaker 3: water but were discovered and had to fight their way
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  Speaker 3: out of town, killing many Philistines in the process. When
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  Speaker 3: they returned to camp and presented the water to David,
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  Speaker 3: he was deeply moved, but he would not drink the water. Instead,
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  Speaker 3: he poured it out in sacrifice to the Lord, saying
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  Speaker 3: in 2 Samuel 23, verse 17, Far be it from me,
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  Speaker 3: O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink
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  Speaker 3: the blood of the men who went at the risk
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  Speaker 3: of their own lives? Therefore he would not drink it.
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  Speaker 3: These things the three mighty men did. We could look
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  Speaker 3: at this and be shocked or even offended that David
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  Speaker 3: seemingly wasted this precious gift that was brought to him
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  Speaker 3: by his men at great personal risk. But in reality,
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  Speaker 3: David was doing something far greater than quenching his thirst.
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  Speaker 3: He was demonstrating in a powerful way that he knew
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  Speaker 3: his men and their gift was a blessing from God.
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  Speaker 3: So he poured it out, not as a waste, but
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  Speaker 3: as a sacrifice, a praise of thanksgiving. David would demonstrate
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  Speaker 3: this kind of understanding many times in his life, that
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  Speaker 3: an offering that costs nothing is not worthy to give
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  Speaker 3: to his God. And when David was faced with opportunities
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  Speaker 3: for battle to fight against the enemy, his first step
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  Speaker 3: always was to seek the Lord. When the Philistines learned
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  Speaker 3: that he was the king, they prepared an attack against him.
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  Speaker 3: David went to the Lord and asked if he should
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  Speaker 3: engage and if God would give him the enemy into
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  Speaker 3: his hands. Rather than acting impulsively and impatiently, as Saul
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  Speaker 3: had done before him, David went to God, waited, listened, prayed,
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  Speaker 3: and then act accordingly. This was the kind of king
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  Speaker 3: that God wanted for his people. And as a result,
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  Speaker 3: the Lord gave David many victories. But the king knew
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  Speaker 3: that something was still not right. The Ark of the
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  Speaker 3: Covenant needed to be returned to its home in Israel.
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  Speaker 3: And we'll hear how David sets his mind to do
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  Speaker 3: that the next time. Dear God, we thank you for
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  Speaker 3: today's story of the mighty men of David and what
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  Speaker 3: it teaches us about the importance of being surrounded by
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  Speaker 3: people who share our heart, our courage, our vision. Help
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  Speaker 3: us to do likewise, and help us always to seek
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  Speaker 3: your guidance in life's battles. May we seek you first
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  Speaker 3: in every fight. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for
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  Speaker 3: listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack
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  Speaker 3: Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com app and make
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  Speaker 3: prayer and Bible study a priority in your life. If
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  Speaker 3: want more resources on how to tap into God's power
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  Speaker 3: for Christian living, be sure to visit jackgram.org. God bless you.