THE HEART OF AN ARMOR-BEARER

What is an armour-bearer?

ar’-mer-bar’-er (nose’ keli; Greek uses a phrase, ho airon ta skeue, literally “the one carrying the armour”):

One who carried the large shield and perhaps other weapons for a king (1 Samuel 31:4), commander-in-chief (2 Samuel 23:37), captain (1 Samuel 14:7) or champion (1 Samuel 17:7). All warriors of distinction had such an attendant. Rather than perish by the hand of a woman, Abimelech called upon his armour-bearer to give him the finishing stroke (Judges 9:54), and when King Saul’s armour-bearer refused to do this office for him that he might not become the prisoner of the Philistines, he took a sword himself and fell upon it (1 Samuel 31:4). David became Saul’s armour-bearer for a time, and Jonathan’s armour-bearer was a man of resource and courage (1 Samuel 14:7). The shield-bearer was a figure well known in the chariots of Egypt and Assyria and the Hittites, his business being to protect his fighting companion during the engagement.

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THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IS LOVE

In Samuel 16:21 we read, “And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour bearer.”
To be one’s armour bearer means you accept your God-given duty to stand with your leader and help him fulfil the vision God has given him. You fully submit yourself to him in the process.

But remember one thing: the task you are called to serve in is ultimately God’s vision, and if He did not think you could fit in with it, He would never have placed you in that ministry, to begin with.

You will not always get praised for doing a good job of supporting your leader but as Christians, our rewards are waiting for us in heaven. Would you prefer for your leader  to pat you on the back and say, “Good job,” or for Jesus to pat you on the back and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant?”

QUALITIES OF A TRUE ARMOR BEARER

• Awakens his leader, helping him to stand against all obstacles.
• Carries and handles his leader’s weapons resourcefully.
• Moves quickly alongside his leader through the thick of battle as a forceful escort who never falls behind.
• Protects and watches out for his leader continually and continuously.
• Repels any type of attack against his leader.
• Rescues his leader from all difficulties and hardships.
• Remains always on duty at his leader’s side to tend to any need which may arise.
• Keeps one eye on the leader at all times and the other eye trained on the enemy, anticipating the actions of both.
• Surrenders completely to his leader, trusting him implicitly and obeying without hesitation his every command.
• Carries out every plan of his leader successfully.
• Completes his leader’s commands perfectly.
• Assists his leader in all activities and undertakings.
• Recognizes and brings to his leader’s attention any questionable matters or any vital information.
• Exalts, respects and uplifts his leader at all times.
• Sacrificing his own life and well-being for the betterment of his leader.
• Demonstrates total intolerance of any false charge made against his leader.
• Shares the dreams, goals and visions of his leader.
• Desires to see his leader “get ahead.” Forgives his leader for any offence immediately and without harbouring resentment or anger.
• Refuses to hold a grudge against his leader for any reason.
• Demonstrates extreme loyalty to his leader, even unto death.
• He esteems his leader as more important than himself.

A biblical armorbearer was much more than just a hired hand. An armour bearer was a person who spent many years, if not his entire life, in his officer’s service. Only in this way could he come to know and understand his officer.
Servant, bodyguard, friend, companion, butler, cook and confidant are just some of the many roles the armour bearer filled in the life of his officer. His list of duties was endless. The position of armour bearer is one which requires great honour, love, tolerance and watchfulness. Unquestioning obedience was absolutely necessary, although after a few years of service the faithful armorbearer probably did not need to be told what his officer thought, desired or required. He knew him as he knew himself.

Dedication and devotion unto death were the order of each day for the biblical armorbearer.

Although there is no reference material available to indicate the exact procedure involved in the selection and training of an armorbearer in biblical days, it seems clear that whatever method was used, it was obviously a position of heartfelt loyalty.

In these modern times, being an armour-bearer to a leader in the church is as noble a task as it was then. A thriving relationship between a leader and his armour-bearer contributes to their group’s success and fruitfulness. A true armour-bearer stands by his leader whether he’s a sector, ministry or bible talk leader. He supports him despite his imperfection, even if he seemed to lack competence and wisdom. A true armour-bearer works in the background and doesn’t need to be acknowledged because he knows that it is God he is truly serving.