Old Dog I
Back to: Armies of God 3 – Saul’s Call…
Armies of God 4 – The Intimacy Attitude
Bob Neumann, 1998
THE INTIMACY ATTITUDE.
This article is probably going to be the most difficult for anyone to comprehend or to receive unless they are at this stage themselves. If you think about the fact that ALMIGHTY GOD has an explicit purpose behind every WORD and DEED and IMAGE you may understand the importance of understanding HIS HEART for all of us in this last days.
Lesson 1 was the need to have a Caleb Mindset; [to be] very focused and anchored in GOD’S WORD (RHEMA) BREATHED INTO EACH child who KNOWS HIM.
Lesson 2 was the need to accept GODLY DISCIPLINE as one of HIS 300. HEARING HIS ORDERS AND OBEYING in spite of what the 99% may say, see, or decide to do.+
Lesson 3 was that VICTORY COMES FROM GOD no matter what we are willing to ‘pay for it’. That “THE ANOINTING” does not change the fact that the VICTORY comes in our obedience to HIS WORD. Not HIS ANOINTING that marks us.
And that leads us to
Lesson 4. The Intimacy Attitude. .
Being a soldier of GOD requires a MINDSET. A way of thinking that leads to a discipline in our lives; where the mindset leads to a level of living in our conviction; which brings to us a new anointing that reflects HIS IMAGE IN OUR LIVES. .
When GOD rejected Saul HE had GOOD REASON. And Samuel grieved. But GOD told the old prophet to stop grieving and get up and go. Many of us are wanting to stay in this grieving stage because it is solidly scriptural in a prophetic sense, but we do not see it as a stage in the process. We like Samuel must go to Bethlehem, ‘‘the city of Bread’’ and find a ‘man after GOD’S OWN HEART’; to find our new anointing from the INTIMACY of KNOWING THE FATHER.
David means “beloved”. Before Samuel ever got up to go to Jesse’s house ABBA had been spending time in the desert with young David. David was ABBA’S “beloved”, and ABBA had become David’s “BELOVED”.[He was] a reflection of GOD as he watched HIS DADDY’S SHEEP. Before he was ever ‘anointed’ he was reflecting GOD in his life. He was a worshiper with an intimacy with his GOD we only can yearn for, before he ever killed the lion or the bear.
And that leads to the confrontation with Goliath.
Now David was sent to the ‘battle line’ by DADDY. But those older and ‘more experienced’ mocked him, when they had no intention of confronting the giant.
They gave him Saul’s armor and he put it on; and rejected it for the weapon ABBA had trained us with. HIS WORD and HIS SONG. David thought of this battle as an affront to the GOD he loved and served. So he entered the battle ground with an attitude and a purpose: to destroy the enemy utterly. He was ready to kill Goliath, and all his brothers but he needed only one rock.
26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
David asked this question because he had an intimate relationship with ABBA., and he was definitely surprised that no one had dealt with the giant already. Because intimacy creates an attitude. David’s response to the giant’s taunts at GOD and GOD’s people are not understood by anyone else, especially his brothers.
They thought David had an ‘attitude’. They were right. But he had learned back in the wilderness to trust GOD. And because he trusted GOD and no one and nothing else, he acted in faith and spoke his heart. Today like then to do so will not gain any support from those who “know’’ us.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
Intimacy with GOD makes us people with an attitude the world can not understand. Yet in the day of battle we can speak out and slay the giant.
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
And you know the outcome. But what was GOD’S purpose behind it all? So we have GOD’S BELOVED in the limelight and fully seen by the entire people of GOD. And we wind up in the wilderness with David hiding from the man who perverted GOD’S ANOINTING. And he still is making war on the enemies of his people.
1000 years later ABBA “ANOINTS’’ that title/name personally to one who reflects HIS IMAGE in this world. It was the first time since Sinai where all heard the VOICE OF GOD as they saw HIS SPIRIT fall. “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON. IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED. “ And ABBA called JESUS my David SON. After which JESUS was taken into the wilderness by THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT to do battle with the enemy.
There are no coincidences in the WORD of GOD, or HIS KINGDOM. Saul drove David into the wilderness to prepare him for 40 years as KING. And when he was out in his cave two things happened.
His family joined him, and those forced out by the corruption of the rule of authority that had perverted GOD’S ANOINTING. And now we need to look at the deeper images in this saga that has waited 3000 years to play out today.
We all know David sinned, but repented; something Saul never did. And no one else in the whole OT before the prophets repented for their people. David had some hard times, but his main sin was counting the ARMY. But how did he get that army? From the time in the wilderness, among all David’s friends and family that joined him in the caves there are his three nephews…his sisters kids. right… 2 Samuel 2:18
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. (KJV)
Joab simply means GOD is FATHER. Abishai means THE FATHER’S GIFT; and, Asahel GOD HAS MADE. If you want to put it all together neatly “ABBA FATHER HAS GIVEN A GIFT ONLY HE CAN MAKE.” And this is the relationship with us as our ABBA.
JESUS said no one can get to the place of loving GOD unless we do so through HIM. If you see HIM you have seen THE FATHER.
Now all of this may seem out of place until you understand that the whole ‘BELOVED’ ARMY of GOD revolves around two of these brothers. Yet as individuals they didn’t always appear GODLY. In Abishai, ABBA’s GIFT we see that ATTITUDE come up over and over.
Joab commanded David’s army and was as ruthless as any other character in all of the scriptures. But Abishai was closer to David and a whole lot more radical than we are today. But maybe we should be.
1 Samuel 26:6-10
6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?
10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.
Personally I would have agreed with Abishai, but David ends up prophesying how those who have lost, perverted, or abused GOD’S ANOINTING will be judged if they never repent. ‘Touch not the LORD’S anointed’ takes a whole new meaning when viewed this way. It goes along with the “vengeance is MINE” image very well.
Abishai was David’s Armorbearer, which is why when later in life David met a giant, he did not win the fight.
2 Samuel 21:15-18
15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
Probably the most interesting situation occurred when Absalom revolted and David fled Jerusalem…
2 Samuel 16:6-13 .
6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. (KJV)
Personally I see no difference between Abishai’s reaction to Shimei and David’s reaction to Goliath. But David knows he is not GOD, but a man who is facing trouble and curses because of his sins. and Abishai does not run down Shimei and kill him. He obeys. In spite of his own opinions. Do we?
Abishai has an intimacy with GOD’S BELOVED that we should have. It is interesting that he commands the MIGHTY MEN OF VALOR. Not Joab.
1 Chronicles 11:20-21
20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.
21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three. (KJV)
Abishai has commanded half of David’s Army in battle. Yet has no interest for the political scene as Joab does. And the loyal men of the wilderness see it and even though there are greater warriors want him to command them. Why? Maybe they see more than the man, but the reflection of “THE BELOVED” in him. He stuck beside David for over 40 years, fought in war, waited in peace. Not really a bad role model for us today. Yet he was family, but wanted more. Where were David’s brothers and sons? Except for the bad examples we don’t know.
When a SOLDIER of the LIGHT stands in battle, he/she never stands alone because the “BELOVED SON’’ promised never to leave us or forsake us. Yet when the enemy looks he only sees the “WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD’’ shining and reflect the GLORY of THE HOLY ONE. As rag tag warriors we come as we are, all individuals, all freelancers, not committed to any sovereignty, independent. But soldiers look alike, sound alike, act alike. Warriors are dependent on skill and experience to survive the battle. So to do soldiers, but they also can trust their discipline, their brothers in the battle line, and their COMMANDER.
This all will need if we hear the KING’S SHOFAR in the days ahead and join HIM on the day of battle.
selah
Bob In Miami