Benaiah, Son of Jehoida

Benaiah son of Jehoida, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.
2Samuel 23:20-21

A mere 3,500 years ago or so Benaiah from Kabzeel performed these mighty deeds. I am sure many other men did so too. So why are he and these deeds recorded in the Word of God? I have an idea. In ancient times it was considered the greatest act of courage for a man to go into combat, take his enemy's weapon from him and kill him with it.

When in basic training at Fort Knox, I saw an instructor in bayonet combat choose a husky young man from our company, and tell him to come at him and try to stick him with his rifle. When the young man charged, the instructor stepped aside and used his own weapon to parry the rifle into the ground and send him sprawling. We were impressed.

Then he demonstrated how to disarm an attacker while you are without a weapon. Suddenly he swept an oncoming rifle into the ground with his forearm. When the dust cleared, the rifle was in his hands, and he poised it as if to thrust it into its former owner. Now we were really impressed.

Again, why is this recorded? What does it teach us? When the devil tried to use the cruel cross to slay Jesus in shame and dishonor, Jesus used the cross to vanquish the devil. This sacrificial act became the means by which He won the ultimate victory over his opponent.