"IN A PIT, ON A SNOWY DAY"
2 Samuel 23:20: There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. NLT
Have you ever had those times in your life where you felt like you were facing a lion, in a pit, on a snowy day? That certainly seems like unfavorable circumstances but let's take a look at it.
First of all, it certainly seems like an unusual circumstance, a lion in snow. We don't typically think of lions being in snowy areas. 1 Peter 5:8 says: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." I've talked about this before, remember, it doesn't mean the devil has the effects or power of a lion, he just likes to intimidate you like a roaring lion, and it seems like he always prowls around during unusual circumstances, when you already feel like you're in a pit, on a snowy day. It seems like you're facing the worst of enemies, a lion, in the worst of places, a pit, under the worst of conditions, a snowy day.
I've read this Scripture before and always visualized Benaiah being in the pit and the lion coming in to attack and for some reason the Scripture never caught my eye like it did today. It says that he chased a lion into a pit and killed it. The lion didn't chase him, he chased the lion. I did some research on this and this is what I found. Lions, though probably not plentiful, were still roaming the countryside in the Iron Age and became extinct only in modern times. Hunting lions was a favorite sport of kings and heroes. Both Egyptian and Assyrian kings chose lion-hunting scenes to depict their manliness. One of the techniques used to hunt lions was the use of a pit. The lion would be pursued into the pit, where often a net would be used to entangle it. The hunter would then go into the pit with a spear and finish the kill. The likely reason for mentioning the snow would be that it made the footing more difficult. Snow was not an altogether extraordinary occurrence in the highlands of southern Palestine (from IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament).
When you initially read this circumstance in the Bible it seems unfavorable until you understand the background. Remember, it says he chased the lion down into a pit so it's very likely he was using the very technique that I just mentioned.
Where am I going with this? Sometimes we can find ourselves in situations that seem very unfavorable but in reality the situations are intended for our benefit. Don't wait for the lion to attack you, you attack first. When you see the enemy trying to creep in to invade your territory, chase him into a pit, entangle him in the net of Prayer, and use your sword to finish the kill. Don't worry about your snowy day; use it to your advantage. You've got on shoes of peace with three inch spikes so that you can stand your ground while the enemy loses his footing as you pray and speak The Word over your situation (see Stephen's Gate: Crushing The Head of the Destiny Killer below).
It's all about perspective. You can view your situation as being backed into a corner by the enemy, in your pit, on your snowy day. Or, you can view your situation as chasing your enemy into the pit so that you have the advantage to defeat him. I don't know about you, but I like the second perspective!
If you're finding yourself in a pit on a snowy day today, I hope you can now use it to your advantage.
God Bless!
