2 Samuel 21:15-22
Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was armed with a new sword , said he would kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, saying, "Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished."
In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod.
In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David's brother, killed him.
These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
“Going First” is a phrase often heard among the ladies of Valley Fellowship. It denotes a pioneering spirit, where a woman allows God to deal with a personal issue so that other women with the same issue won’t have to battle as hard to overcome it.
The account from 2 Samuel 21:15-22, where David’s men killed huge enemies, made me think of “Going First”. David took the initiative by the Spirit of God to kill Goliath when David was just a young man, but later, when he was elderly, one can easily see his influence. Four giants were slain without much thought or trepidation because of David’s obedience years before. To me, this is a great Biblical example of “Going First”.
Joy