Reminder: A mentor of mine taught me the law of first mention in the Bible a few decades ago. If you are having trouble understanding a word or phrase in the Bible you can find where it was first mentioned in scripture and build on it from there. It is a valuable tool which helps you come to a biblical conclusion without having to read everyone else’s opinion. After all, does not the Spirit of truth guide us into all truth? (John 16:13)
Today’s first mention: Armor
The word armor is first mentioned in the Bible in the form of a compound word. That word is armourbearer and it is found in Judges 9:54.
52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
Judges 9:52-54
Abimelech had a young man who bore his armor. The armor was heavy and was worn only when necessary for battle and then only the pieces of armor which were needed to defeat his foe were given to him.
- The first lesson we learn is this: The armourbearer provided what was needed.
Now we will look at the armourbearer again in 1 Samuel 14:6-7, 12-14.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
12And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.
14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
1 Samuel 14:6-7, 12-14
- The second lesson we learn is the armourbearer has your back and he will also fight alongside you.
Now we look at the word armor which is found in Ephesians 6:11:
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 5:11
If you will, allow me to list the armour of God listed in Ephesians 6:14-18 using a single word or short phrase for each piece of armour.
Truth, Righteousness, Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, Word of God, and Prayer. Who ministers those things to us? The Holy Ghost.
- The last lesson we learn is this: The Holy Ghost is our armourbearer.
May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
