- How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! (2 Sam 1:27 KJV)
“How are the mighty fallen” is both an exclamation and a question. It is an exclamation as to the unimaginable wonder of how the mighty could fall! On the other hand, it is a searching question for a thoughtful and sober reflection for our learning and admonition, unto whom the end of the world are come.
HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN AS EXCLAMATION!
“How are the mighty fallen” as exclamation is the sudden and surprise reality of the fall of the mighty.
“How are the mighty fallen” as exclamation is the sudden and surprise reality of the fall of the mighty.
How are the mighty fallen!!!!
It is a very big surprise and great misery at times that mighty men could fall! Mighty men are not any ordinary or mean men. No, they are men of valor. Mighty men are men of proven records of unbeatable victories. Mighty men are men who are not only notable but noticeable (Ezekiel. 14:14, 20). Mighty men are men whose voices have become registered both in heaven and in hell (Jer. 15:1); when they stand something stand! Mighty men are standard bearers, trail blazers, captains of the hosts of the Lord; men who have mastery of wars and are guarded with strength. They are such who have mastered the effective and skillful handling of weapons of war! Mighty men are men of renown…mighty men are men of great achievements, men who have attained and maintained heights that ordinary men could not have achieved by sudden flight! According to the writer of the epistle of Hebrews, they are men who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again… mighty men are men in God’s Hall of Fame! They are such who have been trained to identify and avoid various shades and forms of traps specially designed to catch the mighty! It is unimaginable then, to think or predict the fall of the mighty. But alas! It is a sad reality-how the mighty are fallen! Ha! See how the mighty men are fallen…and the weapons of war perished!
When the mighty falls, weapon of wars perish! When the mighty are fallen, their weapons of war must also perish as there is no one that would handle it any longer! If at all, it cannot be in the exact manner peculiar to each mighty man. Oh! How the mighty are fallen and the weapons of war perished! It is better and glorious for the mighty to lay his weapon by or passed it on to another as a result of completed assignment than for the weapon of the mighty to perish by defeat at war front!
There are men who were once mighty at prayer. They had a standing in the secrete place of the Most High. They have learned the art of communion with God in such a way that heaven could not but attend to their cry. They were men who knew how to obtain immediate help from Him Who is the Present Help in times of trouble. These men were men of notable standing before God! Whenever they stood, the host of heaven rose up with them and heaven’s allied army waited at their commands. They were men upon whom nations waited to hear what the determinate counsel of the Heavenly Council was for their generation; their words became the compass by which men move. So mighty they were with God that their words never at any time fell to the ground! By the power of their prayers they could change the mind of God concerning a people due for divine and just punishment of God. Through their prayers several people have had their request granted by God. They were as though the divine stamp to the prayers of men; their voices became the voice of God as God identified with them! They were such that had access to divine secretes beyond the reach of ordinary men; men who prevailed both with God and men. At their mention of “Thus saith the Lord”, the hearts of men trembled. Mighty men indeed in the place of prayer!
There are men who were once mighty at prayer. They had a standing in the secrete place of the Most High. They have learned the art of communion with God in such a way that heaven could not but attend to their cry. They were men who knew how to obtain immediate help from Him Who is the Present Help in times of trouble. These men were men of notable standing before God! Whenever they stood, the host of heaven rose up with them and heaven’s allied army waited at their commands. They were men upon whom nations waited to hear what the determinate counsel of the Heavenly Council was for their generation; their words became the compass by which men move. So mighty they were with God that their words never at any time fell to the ground! By the power of their prayers they could change the mind of God concerning a people due for divine and just punishment of God. Through their prayers several people have had their request granted by God. They were as though the divine stamp to the prayers of men; their voices became the voice of God as God identified with them! They were such that had access to divine secretes beyond the reach of ordinary men; men who prevailed both with God and men. At their mention of “Thus saith the Lord”, the hearts of men trembled. Mighty men indeed in the place of prayer!
But when they fell, their prayer weapon of warfare also perished! They became weak and weaklings in the place of prayer; heaven became close over them and access to the throne of Grace was denied them! They immediately became stammered in the gracious and noble art where once they talked fluently and freely; they became strangers where they were once free children of the House. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapon of war perished! It is always a colossal loss to heaven and earth when the mighty are fallen!
Others were mighty in the skillful use of the engrafted Word of meekness. By the effective handling of the Word of God they have turned thousands to the Way of righteousness. Their words dropped like honey in the ears of men as they preach the word line upon line and precept upon precept. Men always waited at their “gate” to hear them. They had deeper insight into the word of God more than their equals. They were such that when they opened the word, the Word Himself opened to them! And their world wondered with amazement how they got the divine revelations and interpretation from the same Bible in the hand of fellow pilgrims. They possessed such a sharp utterance that their words in its effect on the lives of men were like a sharp two edge sword, “…piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. The Word of God in their hands is like the arrow in the hand of the mighty, mighty enough in changing the heart of men!
But when these mighty men fell, the effective weapon of the Word also perished! Sharp utterance ceased and men who were once mighty with the use of the word became feeble handler of the word of life!
Others were mighty in the skillful use of the engrafted Word of meekness. By the effective handling of the Word of God they have turned thousands to the Way of righteousness. Their words dropped like honey in the ears of men as they preach the word line upon line and precept upon precept. Men always waited at their “gate” to hear them. They had deeper insight into the word of God more than their equals. They were such that when they opened the word, the Word Himself opened to them! And their world wondered with amazement how they got the divine revelations and interpretation from the same Bible in the hand of fellow pilgrims. They possessed such a sharp utterance that their words in its effect on the lives of men were like a sharp two edge sword, “…piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. The Word of God in their hands is like the arrow in the hand of the mighty, mighty enough in changing the heart of men!
But when these mighty men fell, the effective weapon of the Word also perished! Sharp utterance ceased and men who were once mighty with the use of the word became feeble handler of the word of life!
Hmmmm… How are the mighty fallen and the weapon of war perished! Mighty teachers of the deep mysteries of the truth became teachers of fables and idle talks; the voice which once did cut men in their hearts and provoked a sincere outcry to God for change suddenly became an inducing voice for men to sleep! How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! When the mighty falls, weapon of prayer, holiness and the word become ineffective and weak in the fight of faith and battle against the Accuser of the brethren who is also seeking our souls to destroy!
The news of the fall of the mighty is not a thing to laugh at. Should such a thing be a laughing stock? I am yet to see a man, no matter how wicked who laughs while beholding the scene of a ghastly motor accident that claimed several lives and left many severely wounded. No! No man in his right senses would ever do that! Only fools and the uncircumcised at heart laughs at the fall of the mighty! The fall of the mighty is not a thing to joke about whether in the camp of saints or sinners. What should be the only response to the fall of the mighty is a prayer lamentation as expressed in the life of David for Saul.
“And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher). The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou was slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph… we become as widows and orphans when our mighty men fall by the sword of the enemy in battles! When Saul was slain, it was the beauty of Israel that was slain…the mighty have fallen, and so the strength of the people became weakened. Nothing should be more distressful than the loss of the fallen heroes of faith. The great loss incurred with the fall of the mighty men is enough to provoke a spontaneous lamentation from the daughters of Zion. But alas! “Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation” (Psalms78:64). What a heartless generation! Is that not what we see today? Mighty men are falling and Christians are joining the enemies of God to make headlines of the news of their fall even on the internet! What a disgrace this is to the body of Christ! If David (whose life king Saul was seeking after) would not do that, why should you do that to men who have been blessings to the Kingdom of our Father? Righteous men are touched in a very sensible part by the reproaches of those that reproach God. David and his men were visibly shaken over Saul’s death. “They mourned, and wept and fasted until even.” Why would you take sides with the enemy of our God in reproach against Him for the lost of His battle axe? This indeed is a mystery of iniquity! It is not a sign of maturity or strength when you fail to cry when and where such is necessary.
“And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher). The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou was slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph… we become as widows and orphans when our mighty men fall by the sword of the enemy in battles! When Saul was slain, it was the beauty of Israel that was slain…the mighty have fallen, and so the strength of the people became weakened. Nothing should be more distressful than the loss of the fallen heroes of faith. The great loss incurred with the fall of the mighty men is enough to provoke a spontaneous lamentation from the daughters of Zion. But alas! “Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation” (Psalms78:64). What a heartless generation! Is that not what we see today? Mighty men are falling and Christians are joining the enemies of God to make headlines of the news of their fall even on the internet! What a disgrace this is to the body of Christ! If David (whose life king Saul was seeking after) would not do that, why should you do that to men who have been blessings to the Kingdom of our Father? Righteous men are touched in a very sensible part by the reproaches of those that reproach God. David and his men were visibly shaken over Saul’s death. “They mourned, and wept and fasted until even.” Why would you take sides with the enemy of our God in reproach against Him for the lost of His battle axe? This indeed is a mystery of iniquity! It is not a sign of maturity or strength when you fail to cry when and where such is necessary.
Come out from the camp of the mockers of the mighty that are fallen and join thyself to the group of concerned men who groans in prayers for the restoration of God’s mighty heroes who are being slain in their high places! In Ezekiel chapter 19, God specifically instructed a whole prophet to lament because His mighty men were captured in battles. We cannot do less today!
Mighty men are fallen around us and needless to mention. There are great preachers whose voices are no longer being heard upon the mountain tops. They are not dead yet, but they have become history in their life time. What a pitiable and sober condition! There are great Gospel singers who once sang for God but now they have become “once upon a time”. They are now making spot in the prison of the world of entertainment. There are great drama ministers who have been slain in their high places! Mighty men are fallen and no man takes it to heart to lament! This is the word of the Lord to you today: “O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation”. “Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” (Joel 1:14; 2:17).
God is seeking for men who will raise a loud cry unto heaven for the lifting up of His wounded soldiers in battle. God is sending this to you today because He wants to send help to His mighty men who are fallen in battle. But He is only waiting for you to withdraw that help on their behalf. Remember the wounded soldiers are not always the one to treat themselves. God is counting on you!
And perhaps you are the mighty man who is fallen, even if you are the cause of your own downfall, I hear God saying to you like Israel of old, “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help” (Ho:13:9). “The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down” (Psalms: 145:14)”. “Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people”(Psalms 89:19).
There is help today for the mighty, even the mighty that are fallen! God is waiting for you to reach out to Him for this help as it can only be accessed through prayer. He who heard the cry of Samson for help will send the help of His lifting to you! You are lifted by the help of His countenance!
God is seeking for men who will raise a loud cry unto heaven for the lifting up of His wounded soldiers in battle. God is sending this to you today because He wants to send help to His mighty men who are fallen in battle. But He is only waiting for you to withdraw that help on their behalf. Remember the wounded soldiers are not always the one to treat themselves. God is counting on you!
And perhaps you are the mighty man who is fallen, even if you are the cause of your own downfall, I hear God saying to you like Israel of old, “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help” (Ho:13:9). “The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down” (Psalms: 145:14)”. “Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people”(Psalms 89:19).
There is help today for the mighty, even the mighty that are fallen! God is waiting for you to reach out to Him for this help as it can only be accessed through prayer. He who heard the cry of Samson for help will send the help of His lifting to you! You are lifted by the help of His countenance!