"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. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him…" [2 Sam 21:16-17a]

In the passage above, we see that Abishai rescued David from death, killing a giant named Ishbibenob. I think there is some further insight here which The Lord would have for us, which He has concealed, and if we, like the king described in Proverbs, would “search out a matter,” [Prov 25:2] we shall find some wonderful truth of Christ. There is here, I believe, a parallel that gives God glory. Abishai’s name means “Father of [the] gift” and Ishbibenob’s name means either “his” or “my” “seat is at Nob;” and if we replace the names with their meanings, we could paraphrase this passage in 2 Samuel by saying “The Father of [the] gift” slew he whose “seat is at Nob.” This is interesting because Isaiah speaks of a future time in chapter ten regarding the Antichrist, or The Assyrian. Near the end of the chapter, Isaiah speaks about his journey towards and attempted conquest of Jerusalem. Notice how he gets close to Jerusalem, right about the Mount of Olives, in Nob.

"As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. Behold, The Lord, The LORD of Hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. And He shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one." [Isa 10:32-34]

And notice also, though he nears Jerusalem, the only thing he can do is “shake his hand.” He can’t destroy Jerusalem nor the people in it. He is powerless against The LORD, who comes to bring him down once and for all and to destroy him. All the Wicked One can do is “shake his hand.” Likewise, all the giant in 2 Samuel can do is to think of slaying David. He “thought to have slain David.” But it never mentions him trying or attempting it, just thinking it. The giant thinks and plans but is powerless, because “The Father of [the] gift” slays him and rescues David.

So too it is with us. Sin taunts and raves at us, but it is powerless. Satan, the world, and our flesh all boast of great things; even as The Antichrist will have “a mouth speaking great things.” [Dan 7:8] Our enemies can shake their hands, say mean things, put us in fear – but at the end of the day, our Father is on our side, Jesus Christ Himself is on our side, and He will rescue us; nothing may infiltrate the city of our lives as it were except by our Father’s permission for God says plainly, “thy walls are continually before me.” [Isa 49:16]

Click here to see other posts in Daily Meditations on The Glory of Jesus, Vol I