King David had thirty mighty men. They were important to his success as a warrior and king. They appear to have been admired by the foot soldiers fighting with them. They were hale and hearty leaders, well met. Of all their exploits and some of those are recorded in Scripture, Benaiah seems to have been foremost in dramatic presentation of physical and soldierly prowess. The people made him a celebrity, gaining high interest. He was a dare-devil. Although personally fearless he seems not to have possessed the leadership qualities to gain the forefront. Primary in bravery, he was lesser in other gifts, so was not numbered with the Three. The Three stood closest to the King in friendship, leadership, counsel and policy making. One of Benaiah’s exploits appears greater than that of David going out against Goliath with a sling shot. Benaiah went out against a giant with a club, wrested the spear from the hands of the hulking man and slew him with it. We do not have record of the reactions and shouting by the on-looking soldiers who must have held off battle until the event concluded. Such special combat between called out opponents gave some momentary entertainment and relief from massive and bloody battles.
Scores of historical events, exploits in Benaiah’s case, found in Scripture and other literature, are used as analogies by writers and speakers as tools of persuasion. They are justified and riveting for the purpose, even as Jesus took experiences from life and made parables from real events (or myths) to fit the concepts he wished to communicate to his listeners. Today, we have similar right, and indeed, miss opportunities to teach our values and ideas if we are found without related analogies (parables). Parables tend to a lesson leaving specific problems for other days.
We have had our champions who have gone down into the pits of our lives and slain the enemies there that we could not engage. Our parents, or others who cared, may have done it for us. There was someone who rescued us when the situation was forbidding, difficult not only because it was a cold day, but compounded any danger in slippery ice and snow. They may be heroes, and we often bind ourselves to them in special ways. They may not be remarkable in any other way than that they are ready to do exploits for others, when situations arise, that those others could not do for themselves. Sometimes they are faulted, even for their most constructive efforts.
Benaiah apparently exploited the one gift he had, a gift somewhat related to athletic prowess. With a fearless spirit he used it for the good of those around him. He may have been more like the common man than we realize, but knowledgeable and selfless about what he could do. He seems not to have felt left out because he was not included in the inner circle, even if he was the most competent in the most threatening situation. Perhaps he was like Sergeant York, a regular fellow. York, in World War I, brought in to the American lines more than a hundred enemy soldiers entirely on his own. God appears to use such persons. They are specialists in ways we do not fully understand, by risking (self-using) their capabilities. Then they get on with life, as we do, or ought to. We are, and become, ourselves – to serve others as service to God. It is a magnificent insight to know that the only way one can give back to God is to serve the creation of God. That creation is crowned with the appearance of mankind. Anything that lifts us, improves the order of society, serves God. Therein is meaning. This is not a temporary sojourn for temporary life realization to begin and end, but the extension of life from God that survives all enemies, all hindrances, but rests in God’s order to survive to ultimate reality. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020