Who was Azmaveth? First of all, he was one of King David’s mighty men. He did not become mighty by muscle-building exercises. He was mighty because of how he chose to use his great strength and courage. When it was time to fight King David’s battles, there were no bombs and guns; they used swords and spears which required strong arms. And often they marched all night before a battle with no resting-time. Azmaveth was ready for all this because he was a mighty man.
Maybe some of you are strong too, but most of you are ordinary. You don’t expect to ever be a gold medal winner. But Azmaveth was more than a mighty man -he was King David’s man. He marched ahead with loyalty in his heart to King David, and no fear or offer of money could turn him any other way.
Azmaveth had another special honor. He had charge of the king’s treasures, and those treasures were not small. King David had won them in battle. You may read about the gold and silver and beautiful jewels in 1 Chronicles 29:2. This was a great responsibility for Azmaveth, but he was strong and faithful so that King David lost nothing.
What a high honor it is to be one of God’s treasurers. Would you like that honor? God’s treasures are given to His children, and His treasures can never be lost. Let’s check over some of them. They are found in the first chapter of Ephesians, and I will list a few of them for you.
First, we are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
Then, we are adopted into God’s family.
We are accepted in God’s beloved Son.
We are redeemed by His precious blood.
If you are one of God’s children, these treasures are yours. He purchased these priceless treasures with the lifeblood of His only begotten Son, and they belong to every one of His children. Their value never goes up and down with the market, and their colors never fade. We might forget them and fail to enjoy them, but they can never be taken away or lost. Are these treasures important to you? Do you value them?
Perhaps we should close the treasure chest because we might be showing them to someone who is not one of God’s children. Are you one whose fun and friends have turned you away from God’s treasures? You aren’t interested? If so, the enemy is pleased, because he wants to keep you from having these treasures. This is not a spear-and-sword battle; it’s an even more serious battle for your own priceless soul, because God dearly loves you and wants you for Himself. It is because Satan hates God that he wants to keep you from having the treasures that God wants to give you.
Here is something amazing to remember about our Lord Jesus Christ. “Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Are you rich with God’s treasures? If not, He wants to give them to you now. Accept Jesus as your Saviour and you will be rich with God’s treasures.
ML-11/08/1998