Zeruiah's Son
And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. ~2 Samuel 23:18
Of the many things that are said about David, the listing of the mighty men that he had is an inspiration to our faith. In previous My God Morning devotions, we have gleaned precious insight from the lives of Benaiah, Eleazar, Asahel, and Shammah. This morning, we want to look at the life of a man named Abishai and see how he is a model to us.
We see Abishai the son.
He was one of the three sons of Zeruiah who served in David’s army. Zeruiah was David’s sister, which made Abishai his nephew. There was a special bond and loyalty that developed between David and Abishai because of this close relationship. Zeruiah instilled a sense of commitment and value that was an impetus to the many courageous deeds that Abishai performed. The frequent mention of Abishai as a son of Zeruiah indicates her influence as a mother who cared about her son’s outcome. Every son should thank the Lord for the good influence that his mother had upon him.
We see Abishai the soldier.
Abishai was a soldier of war. He fought with the enemy. We see him being among the first to volunteer whenever David and Israel went into conflict. The very first mention of Abishai is in 1 Samuel 26:6, where David was looking for volunteers to go with him to Saul’s camp and Abishai was the first to indicate that he would go down and fight. Another time, we read of Abishai lifting his spear to slay 300 men. Another time, he slew 18,000 Edomites in the valley of salt. He was a soldier who understood the risks and fought on the frontlines nonetheless. In fact, we do not read one time of Abishai losing a battle. He was a soldier and a true patriot of Israel. David knew that Abishai could be counted on in every encounter.
We see Abishai as a succourer.
A succourer means a helper or aid. When David was in battle against a giant named Ishbibenob, this giant gained the upper hand against David. David needed help, and Abishai came to his aid at the right time. Abishai slew the giant and protected David. Abishai was there at the right time and stayed until he got the job done. We are in need of men and women who help the work of God: people who are not afraid of challenges, work, long hours, getting their hands dirty, or taking down some giants.
We see Abishai in his significance.
He was included as a chief among David’s mighty men. He earned his way to this designation. He earned the respect of his peers. He was a leader among leaders. He exercised his influence in the right way. He was always seen as a man of courage, conviction, and conquest. He was referred to as the “most honorable of three.”
We see Abishai and his steadfastness.
He was perhaps the most loyal man in David’s army. He was always seen as the first volunteer. He would not allow anyone to disrespect David. He was always the last man standing. He pursued the enemy until he finished the job. Abishai was a steadfast and loyal man.
Our churches need some Abishai’s today. We need men who possess his kind of volunteerism, valor, and victories. Be inspired this morning to step up and be an Abishai in the church.
Have a steadfast God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Chronicles 21-24