Who Is A Mighty Man ?
Back in the early to mid-nineteen eighty’s our young son Paul, would charge across the living room; the sleeves of his tee shirt pulled up to expose his biceps; stop, thrust his little fist skyward and proclaim loudly: “I HAVE THE POWER!” Those of us who (had small children then) remember the Master of the Universe books and T.V. show and recognize this clarion call as one belonging to He-Man, alter ego of Prince Adam, the defender of right in the kingdom of Eternia.
Who doesn’t look up to one who is mighty, one who exudes strength and power? And, everyone wants a “hero” in their lives. Unfortunately, many today look in the wrong places and to the wrong types of individuals for examples of mighty men. The very young, while in their innocence, sometime look to cartoon hero characters as “mighty men” to look up to and imitate. However, as we grow up and enter the world of reality we must be properly instructed so as to choose the correct role models and those whose lives we seek to emulate.
The problems arise when we ascribe might and power to the wrong things. If asked who were the most mighty men of the Bible, most folks would readily identify Samson as they recall his mighty strength. Little do folks realize that the words “mighty” or “might” are not ascribed to Samson until near the end of Samson’s life when he as a prisoner asked God for his strength once more so he could be avenged for his eyes. (Judges 16:28) And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. But how many remember why his great strength was no longer? Most will say it was because his seven locks had been shaved off. This is only part of the equation which is revealed in Judges 16:19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. Then, as we read the next verse (20) we find that he was no longer mighty when “the Lord was departed from him”. And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
One must go back to Samson’s beginning to see the root of the reason that he lost his great strength. In Judges 13:5 we find the commandments of the Lord regarding the son promised to Manoah and his wife. For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. When the commandment of the Lord was broken, even the mighty Samson became ordinary.
How then is one to be mighty for the Lord? We have some excellent Bible examples of this as well. The Spirit, in 1Corinthians 11:1 had the great apostle Paul, write to the brethren there: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. This is because Paul knew where his strength originated. He was also instructed to write of this in 2Corinthians 12:10 after asking that his thorn in the flesh be removed. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
The apostle Paul was truly a mighty man. But it was to the Galatians that the Spirit had Paul reveal the source of his strength in Galatians 2:8. (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) Paul was also told by the Spirit to reveal to Timothy in 2Timothy 4:6-8 the benefit of using the “might” which comes from following the scriptures to the fullest. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Do you want to be a “mighty man”? You can start by following God’s Law in the New Testament and become His child by hearing, believing, repenting, confessing Christ, and by being baptized into Christ. Then you can have access to real strength. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13.
Dennis S - Mooresville
