PROVE YOURSELF A MAN

“…be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.
And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn…”
I Kings 2:2-3

I hope you don’t mind, but today I am going to get personal with you. As May was winding down and June beginning, I found myself in the midst of a bread and water fast. Why, you may question. Truth be told, I felt that with Pentecost coming up I was to prepare myself. Now before you question if I have been filled with the Spirit or not, the answer is yes. At the age of twelve I was filled with the Spirit and began speaking in a heavenly language. But this time around I felt as though God was telling me to prepare for my next phase. To put it more bluntly, I feel that between now and the time of Christ’s return the world will experience one more Great Awakening. I want to be a part of it, and I felt like God was giving me a mandate in this time of fasting so I would know my place in it.
In the movie Facing the Giants, the coach faces hard times both related to his home life and work life. It is while having time with God that he is renewed in purpose and determines to give God praise no matter what happens. This becomes his purpose, his mandate. It is this same type experience I had not too long ago, just without the open field and stunning sunrise. It was while I was listening to my Bible CDs that I felt God’s prompting. Half listening and half not, my spirit heard I Kings 2:2-3 and was re-birthed.
“…be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn…”
My spirit-man rose up when I heard these words and I was cut to the heart. I began to question if I had really been being a man? The background of this passage comes in David giving his final words to Solomon, who is about to be made king. David wanted to build a place of worship but was unable because of how much blood he had shed in war. So now that dream was being passed on to Solomon. But with the desire, David also passed on instruction. “Prove yourself a man.”
You know me well enough by now I am sure to know that I am going to crack open a book or two and research the Hebrew words for a true meaning. This time around was no exception. So I dug in my Strong’s and found the word ‘man’, (ISH), meaning to be certain, a champion, a mighty man, or worthy. David was telling his son Solomon to prove himself worthy of manhood, of kingship, and of God. But how? David answered this to by stating to, “Keep charge of the LORD your God.” To break down these words as well we find that the word ‘keep’ is the word SHAMAR, which translates as keeping a hedge around, guarding, protecting, and attending to. The word ‘charge’ then is the Hebrew word MISHMERETH, and means the post, the sentry, or the ordinance. Simply put, Solomon was told to prove his worth by guarding the post he was called to as a man, as a leader of a nation, and as a seeker of God. But even still, one would question how?
David’s final charge went on to explain how by stating, “to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies.” I began to look up this collection of words as well and found my eyes being opened. David was telling Solomon that the way to carry out and pursue the course of God was in guarding God’s ‘statutes’, (CHUQQAH), the ordinances of God. He was also to guard God’s ‘commandments’, (MITSVAH), the commands and precepts of God. David urged his son to protect also the ‘judgments’, (MISHPAT), the decrees and divine laws of God. And lastly, Solomon was being addressed to hedge the ‘testimonies’, (‘EDUWTH), the witness of God. All in all, the words of David to Solomon were becoming the words God was speaking directly to me. I was being urged to pursue His course for my life, and guard His ordinances, His laws, His decrees, and His testimonies. Simply put, I was being told to go in the way that He deemed correct for my life. If I had plans to prosper in life, then it was to begin with moving in His divine way.
So then, what is the mandate that God has given me both personally and to pass on to others? It is to encourage us all to step up and be the man or woman worthy of the title God gives us. How? It is by encouraging others, as well as myself, to protect our posts. How is this done? It is done by urging others and myself to guard His ordinances, His laws, His decrees, and His testimonies.
With this in mind, I end by pointing us to I Corinthians 10. This chapter focuses on drinking of Christ, being certain of where we stand, fleeing idols, and not sitting at the table of the evil one. We are called to flee fornication, flee temptation, and flee the desire to murmur. The Israelites did these things and found disaster. We are called instead to step up and be the man and guard the post. We are not walking in the steps He has for us if we are serving idols, or walking with one foot on the devil’s side and one foot on God’s side. Just as Solomon was given a charge, so God gives to us. Be the man! Be worthy of the title and the mandate He has given you.