God's SWAT Team
* The expanded version of this Bible study recap with clickable links is available by clicking on the "Newsletter" link above.
I count it a true privilege to have served many years as a SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team member during the course of some twenty-five years of service in our God-ordained profession. My friend, retired Marine and police officer/chaplain Ray Fairman, uses "Spiritual Weapons and Training" in his own ministry and I have found both to have powerful biblical applications for the believer in general and for law enforcement personnel in particular.
I've touched on the following two examples in past messages but, for purposes of the SWAT application, here is a quick review:
(1) Gideon's 300 in Judges 7.
* Selected by God for their SPECIAL qualities (for example, they lapped (vigilance) instead of putting their faces in the water (true warriors don't have to pray with their eyes closed -- not anywhere in the Bible to begin with).
* Divided into 3 companies: teams.
* Special weapons and tactics: torches and jars instead of swords and spears; loud trumpets, shouts, and distraction ("A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"); stealth, etc.
* Their faith and obedience to God's leadership and tactics resulted in an overwhelming victory!
(2) The victory at Jericho in Joshua 6 . Again, God used a specially selected fighting force, strategy and tactics like none ever seen before to achieve a miraculous victory.
However, for purposes of this study, I want us to focus on the accounts of "Davids Mighty Men" (SWAT Team) as revealed to us in II Samuel 23:8-39 (see also 1 Chronicles 11:10-47). As David's life and reign come to end, II Samuel 23 reveals the king sharing his last words and reminiscing about the "mighty men" who served with him on his "SWAT team." In doing so, we find that these "mighty men" -- these SWAT team members -- have a powerful spiritual lesson to teach (instruct, train) us today. Let's take a closer look at just a few of them:
Adino (v. 8):
How does one man armed only with a spear defeat 800 men in a single engagement? He was a man who didn't give up when he was outnumbered; he was a man of SPECIAL courage -- he didn't turn and run and he understood that his warrior skills came from God.
Eleazar (vs. 9 and 10):
In Hebrew his name means, "the Lord is my helper". The first principle God wants us to see here is that we can't fight our spiritual battles in our own strength or power (II Samuel 22:33 - God is my strength and power). Secondly, note that Eleazar was "one" with his sword (his hand "froze" due to his sword due to the ferocity of combat) just as police SWAT team members are taught to become "one" with their weapons. God uses Eleazar to turn our focus to Ephesians 6:17 and our spiritual "special weapon" -- the sword of the Spirit. Are you "one" with it? Are you training with your spiritual weapon so that you'll obtain your "EXPERT" badge? Take a look at Hebrews 4:12 and II Corinthians 10:4 for more.
Shammah (vs. 11, 12):
He risked his life for a "pea patch" (lentils -- a major food supply for God's people). Everyone else fled but he stood his ground and fought. By the power of God, Shammah stood in the face of impossible odds and saved the food supply. Today God tells us that we too are to stand our ground in faith. See Ephesians 6:10-13 for the spiritual warfare application.
Abishai (v. 18):
This SWAT team member took on a giant (Goliath's brother) and rescued his SWAT commander and king (David). Abishai's courage, loyalty and faith were such that God used him to defeat the enemy and protect his battle buddy. Check it out at 2 Samuel 21:15-17.
Beniah (vs. 20-23):
Beniah met the worst of enemies, in the worst of places, under the worst of conditions, and prevailed. Unlike his teammates, the Bible does not say that Beniah killed vast numbers of men. Rather, his warfare was more TACTICAL in nature (and NO LESS important). We may not rise to the heights of our profession but God can nevertheless use his sold-out, faithful, obedient and tactical prayer warriors to thwart evil both natural and spiritual (Luke 11:21-22) and effect profound changes in our homes, departments, communities and even our country.
There were a lot of men in David's army. What was it that made these few (37) SWAT team members stand out from the rest? In addition to a the unique bond of brotherhood ("Band of Brothers" -- a topic for a future study) that SWAT team members share, David's brother warriors all had one thing in common: they had a fierce LOVE (passionate, radical devotion, sold-out loyalty...) for their king. They loved him more that their own lives. Likewise, Jesus, while our true KING, is also a SERVANT-leader who personified that same kind of love and devotion both for His Heavenly Father (obedience) AND for you and I by paying the price (death on a cross) for our sin!
I'll close with this: In v. 37 Zelek the Ammonite is mentioned as being another of David's elite SWAT team members. How this this possible? The Ammonites were an evil people who had been Israel's mortal enemies for generations yet Zelek was now fighting with the "good guys." Does not Zelek represent ALL of us today? Paul tells us in Romans 5:10, For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son. Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:30 that we ALL began life as His enemies but -- like Zelek -- we too can end up fighting for our true King if we repent and turn to Him in faith. In the same way, Paul was an "enemy" of Christ -- a chief persecutor of Christians -- who changed sides to become one of our Captain's greatest warriors. God is "looking for a few good men" for His team -- won't you say "yes" to Him today?
For the believer today, honor comes not only by acts of martial valor but also in bold, wholly obedient, radical and courageous service to our true King and Captain, Jesus Christ. I believe that the context of scripture reveals that God is still calling out for an elite few willing to be part of his SWAT team. Not unlike David's team, God's SWAT team members today are still armed with His strength to STAND in the front rank before Satan and his giants. In the end, the battle is still the Lord's and the victory sure!
By God's grace alone, I'm all in! Are you? Are you right with God today? Are you sure?
