To get a fresh perspective on a very familiar Bible story/event, we begin with getting the lay of the land. “Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.” (1 Samuel 17:1) Valley of Elah was a bottle-necked where Saul and the Israelites had set up their encampment trying to keep the Philistines from making any further inroads into Saul’s kingdom. They had a defensive position on Socoh, but so did the Philistines. They were caught in a stalemate with the Philistines.
During this time David had fairly easy access to the encampment as he “went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem.” (1 Samuel 17:15) As we discussed in our previous lesson on one-sided relationships, David served Saul as his private musician and one of his armor bearers. 1 Samuel 16:21 says, “Saul loved David.” That was because “whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.” (vs 23) “Whenever” wasn’t all the time. In this impasse between the two armies, it appears that David was not needed as an armor bearer or musician. His being unfamiliar with Goliath’s challenge suggests that David had actually been back with his sheep for over a month when his Dad sent him to check on his three oldest brothers, Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah who were serving in the army.
Then Jesse said to David his son, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to your brothers. Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back news of them.” For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. (1 Samuel 17;17-19)
Right then, not much fighting was going on because a one-on-one challenge by the Philistines had Saul once again stuck.
Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span (9’9”). He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor, which weighed five thousand shekels (125#) of bronze. He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels (15#) of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. “If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” (1 Samuel 17:4-10)
What was Saul and his army’s response? “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”(vs. 11) Why? He was big. He was strong. He was heavily armored. He was a seasoned warrior. He was loud. And the challenge bore HUGE consequences: winner takes all! The one who prevails finishes off the challenger and the entire nation of the defeated champion becomes the servants of the victor’s nation. It was more than simply risking their own lives, but the freedom and wellbeing of their families and entire nation. Who was the “logical” champion expected to step up and defend Israel? The king! Saul wasn’t as tall as Goliath, “from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.” If he is cowering in his tent, shrinking down smaller and smaller into fear, how can you expect his soldiers to respond any differently? Actually, I am surprised the evil spirit didn’t take advantage of all this – but maybe it didn’t have too?
This wasn’t a one-time challenge. According to 1 Samuel 17:16, “The Philistine came forward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand.” Twice a day for forty days! Compare verse 11 with verse 24. “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:11) “When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:24) I have a feeling that every time Goliath made the challenge he took a step closer. At 9’9” tall, those were pretty large steps towards them. They first heard the challenge and now could clearly see him. Our spiritual enemy works the same way. Each time he gets closer, each time louder, each time looking bigger and stronger! We tend to cower in fear and perceived defenselessness.
Just before one of those 80 challenges, David shows up. David’s Dad, Jesse, had four other sons he could have sent to check on his three oldest, but he sent David. Maybe it was because he had inroads with Saul as his musician/armor bearer. Possibly sending one of the others would have risked their being drafted into service. Whatever Jesse’s reason, it was God’s sovereignty that brought God’s champion to the battlefield to face the enemy. He gets there just as they are going about their daily game of playing “at war.”
So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army. 1 Samuel 17:20,21
There is something very sad about this. Every day they would all get dressed for battle, go through their routine, shouting their war cry. They showed up on the outside, but not on the inside. I have this horrible feeling that describes a lot of believer’s attitude regarding spiritual warfare. We put on what identifies us as Christians, line up with other believers just like us, proudly shout our battle cry and then cower on the inside afraid we may be called out for one-on-one battle with the enemy.
Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them. When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. 1 Samuel 17:22-24
David is talking to his brothers, when Goliath shows up for his morning challenge. I visualize him standing with a group of soldiers, turning to hear what the giant is bellowing and turning back to find he is standing there alone. His shock over the situation garners him attention from his brother’s fellow soldiers.
The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” The people answered him in accord with this word, saying, “Thus it will be done for the man who kills him.”
Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?” Then he turned away from him to another and said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as before. 1 Samuel 17:25-30
I think we are safe to say that his oldest brother, Eliab was not happy to have David there, let alone asking a lot of questions. “Eliab’s anger burned against David.” That is more than mere annoyance. “What have I done now?” tells me that this is not the first time he was subjected to Eliab’s angry accusations.
What did Eliab question – David’s actions, motive or his character? “I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” Have you ever had someone who should know you best, love and support you the most, question your intent or integrity? How did that make you feel? Did it have any affect on your stepping out in faith? Satan knows just whom to use and what to do to discourage us from partnering with God and accomplishing mighty things for His kingdom. I wonder if Eliab saw something in David, that he did not see in himself? Maybe Eliab feared David’s faith. Remember, stuck people are threatened by faith walkers and risk takers. It underlines their lack of faith and inaction. How did David handle Eliab? He “turned away.” He knew whom to fight, who the true enemy was, and when to walk away. The enemy may sound like his oldest brother, but is really a lot bigger.
David kept asking the soldiers around him, “What is promised?” Why do you think he kept asking over and over again? I don’t think he wanted to know upfront what he would get out of it, but if so much was being offered why weren’t they taking up the challenge. They had the same God. They had the same power and resources available to them as he did. It was incredulous to him that they could not see the advantage they had as people of God over “this uncircumcised Philistine, that taunts the armies of the living God.” I love how David saw him from God’s perspective. It really does shrink giants!
Do you remember what God told Samuel regarding David and his brothers? “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) This applies to our challengers as well.
They heard David’s faith talk and a candle of hope was lit in this seemingly endless dark and desperate situation. Like David, we must not underestimate the enlightening power of our faith. In Matthew 5:16 we are told, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” James 3:6 states that “the tongue is a fire.” One uncontrolled spark can start a forest fire. One faith-ignited spark can light an entire home (Matthew 5:15) or even battlefield. That spark of hope spread quickly. Word got back to Saul that someone had just arrived who may be willing to take up the challenge. “What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.” (1 Samuel 17:31)
Someone was there, not because of the challenge, but because that was where God wanted him to be. (Even if Eliab was not a bit happy about it. I don’t think Satan was either.) He would be God’s champion, because God was his! Jeremiah 20:11
(NAS) states, “But the Lord is with me like a dreaded champion.” Our challenges and challengers may truly be giant sized, but they are dwarfed by the size of our God. “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4b) Do you truly believe that to be true?
In my imagination, Saul hears that someone has stepped up and was willing to step out, so excitedly sends for this mystery soldier. He stands there watching the doorway of his tent when David walks in. I see Saul looking right over the top of his head, not seeing him at all. Still watching, still waiting. Where is this champion who will fight the Philistine giant? What do you think he was expecting? Maybe someone like himself or at least someone with some resemblance to the threat: a giant of a man, big, strong, tried warrior, maybe battle-scarred. He expected the Hulk to walk in and got Underdog. I think he expected someone who was everything he wished he truly were. He watched expectantly, but almost missed what he was watching for because of his expectations.
Micah 7:7 makes a wonderfully sounding declaration: “But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.” The question is: Do we miss God’s presence, power and provision because of what we “expect’ that to look like?
How do you think he felt when he realized this “champion” was only David? The clue for me is in David’s response, “Let no one (including Saul) lose heart.” (1 Samuel 17:32a) Don’t be discouraged, disillusioned or disappointed. That was exactly how Saul responded. I have a feeling David could see it all over his face. I am surprised that Saul did not explode in anger. This situation obviously had taken its toll and made him depressed and despondent.
One of the boldest declaration of faith and partnership - second only to Jesus’ bold declaration “Not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) - is David’s announcement, “Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
What was Saul’s initial attitude regarding David when he volunteered to fight Goliath? “Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” (v 33) Too young, too small, too inexperienced, too not what he expected! Saul knew and loved David as a musician and even as an armor bearer. He had him slotted into a particular role with specific abilities and limitations. He didn’t know how to handle this “out of the box” – been there right in front of him or at least available to him all along – answer to his nation’s greatest need. David? What is he going to do, lull the giant into complacency with his harp? Funny, how we even expect the unexpected to do the expected.
David knew God had been preparing him for this very challenge. “But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (vs 34-36) Hours spent practicing with his sling had proven itself useful in refocusing a wandering sheep or frightening off stalking predators, like coyotes or foxes. When the enemy was a ferocious lion or bear, his skills had to be backed with courage. He had been willing to take that risk then because he valued his flock and here he valued his countrymen more. He trusted his God and believed he was called to the task – then and now. His age was not the determining factor.
Nothing about David mattered. It was all God! “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:37a) What David believed enabled him to face this challenge. David did not lose his perspective on the size of his God regardless how big, scary looking or sounding the beast was that stood before him. “This uncircumcised Philistine” was just another smelly old bear or noisy lion. Both of these are to be taken seriously, just as is the roaring lion skulking around wanting to destroy us. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Satan is hungry, desperate and has a wicked agenda. He is threatening. He is powerful. He is also less then!
Just as God had prepared David for this challenge, He had been preparing Saul. Saul had seen and heard David’s love and faith in God as his musician and armor bearer. His walk gave credibility to his talk, and his talk gave clarity to his walk. Those months together prepared the way for Saul to know that David’s faith was real. While David was living in the moment partnering with God and Saul, being gracious and giving God the glory, God was preparing both of them for this moment where Saul would need to decide whether or not to entrust the welfare of his entire kingdom to David’s faith. He believed David had a partnership with God he could trust. “Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” (1 Samuel 17:37b) This is a HUGE. He was entrusting his entire kingdom and everyone in it into David’s partnership with God.
We never know when that moment will arrive in our own lives, in a ministry or relationship, when someone else will need to decide whether or not our faith and our God is trustworthy. It is the day-to-day living out the integrity of our faith that makes that entrustment possible. We have to have a partnership that others can trust – a partnership they can put their trust in.
I personally find the next part quite humorous. I love the way The Message describes it: “Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge. David told Saul, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this.” And he took it all off.” (vs. 38,39)
Why do you think Saul wanted David to wear his armor? He knew his armor was the best available and provided the most protection. It had protected him; maybe, hopefully, it would protect David. Maybe Saul wanted everyone to know that this boy represented him and had his blessing/authorization. Possibly it made up for the fact that it should have been him going out there to fight this giant. However, the most obvious reason is because this is how a warrior went to war - how a soldier dressed for battle.
We often think the same way. We have in our belief system a set way of how spiritual warfare is carried out. For some it may be so many days of fasting, for others a specific number of people praying, or it may be quoting from a certain translation. If others are going to be victorious in battle or if I am going to be victorious in the next one, then it needs to be done exactly the same way I did it before. We begin not only to trust the process, but also preach it. This assumption limits God and can truly handicap the one going into warfare.
David knew he couldn’t wear Saul’s armor into battle. It didn’t fit. He had no training or experience regarding how to use them to his advantage, even if it could be altered. We cannot fight our God-given battles with other’s armor. They can bring their shield into the battle on our behalf, but we have to have a firm grip on the weapons God gives to us. We have to trust the provisions He entrusts to us and seek to master them under the Holy Spirit’s tutelage. They may look quite small and inadequate – a sling compared to a javelin, spear and sword, but they are the weapons God has chosen for us. “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds [or giants].” (2 Corinthians 10:4 The Message)
He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag, which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:40)
Why did David pick up five stones? Did he really think he would have a second chance at this element of surprise? David may only see one giant, but he knew something important. Goliath had four brothers. (2 Samuel 21:15-21) When God provides the resources, He provides what we need to destroy ALL our enemies, even if they attack one at a time.
Many years ago, the Lord brought a grandfatherly man into my life named Floyd Bennett. We shared the same birthday (50 years apart) and a passionate love for the word of God. He blessed me one day with 5 smooth stones on which he had shakily written: GOD IS; GOD HAS; GOD DOES; GOD CAN; and GOD WILL.
He told me any one of these stones could be used to defeat any giant at anytime in my life. I needed to get familiar with their shape and weight, and practice throwing them at possibilities. I needed to know that I could trust their adequacy, because they are truth empowered by God. Then, as I step across the brook of confrontation to face the roaring enemy, stop and pick up these stones and tuck them next to my heart. When I come face to face with a giant, reach in, pull out a stone and let it fly! Like David, I didn’t need to worry about which stone I grabbed. Any of the five, empowered by the Holy Spirit, will do the job.
1. God is. (Exodus 15:2,3; Deuteronomy 31:8; 2 Corinthians 9:8)
2. God has. (Psalm 126: 2,3; Isaiah 50:4,5; 63:7)
3. God does. (Psalm 118:15,16; 136:4; Ecclesiastes 3:14)
4. God can. (Deuteronomy 3:24; Job 42:2)
5. God will (Psalm 121:7; 138:8; Isaiah 58:11)
Think of a giant you are facing right now: a fear, a doubt, an illness, a situation, an unanswered prayer, a seemingly impossibility, etc.; now grab one of these stones. How does that stone knock your giant down to size?
With his “stick” (a simplified staff without the top hook), sling-shot and a pouch full of rocks, David stepped forward. The Message captures the absurdity of this drama: As the Philistine paced back and forth, his shield bearer in front of him, he noticed David. He took one look down on him and sneered—a mere youngster, apple-cheeked and peach-fuzzed. The Philistine ridiculed David. “Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?” And he cursed him by his gods. “Come on,” said the Philistine. “I’ll make roadkill of you for the buzzards. I’ll turn you into a tasty morsel for the field mice.” David answered, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of GOD of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day GOD is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that GOD doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to GOD—he’s handing you to us on a platter!” 1 Samuel 17:41-47 MSG
I’m not sure what Goliath expected after forty morning and forty evenings of challenging Israel. Obviously, it was not David. This was an insult, a mockery of his superiority. He saw the walking or shepherd stick in David’s hand and called him a boy out to play fetch not fight a champion. He missed the sling hanging from his belt. But that really wasn’t David’s most powerful weapon: “The name of the Lord!”
The name of the Lord is our most powerful weapon as well. It declares God’s authority, strength, ability and character. It represents the presence and power of God. It is so significant that we are specifically commanded not to “use it in vain:” carelessly, demeaning or for self-serving purposes. (Exodus 20:7) It is definitely not to be used as if it was a magic talisman that gives us supernatural power or to get us what we want. Through faith in Christ, we are given this powerful weapon. We can get so caught up in the size of the giant, that we forget these amazing truths and the fact that it is a choice. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses (big, obvious symbols of power and strength), but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7)
Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 1 Samuel 17:48-51
T0 me, the word “rose” sticks out. Had he gotten so self-assured and cocky in his challenges that he brought a stool out to the battlefield or condescendingly knelt? Twice a day for forty days, no one took a stand; no one showed up to fight. No wonder the enemy was getting arrogant and confident. Don’t be surprised if your spiritual enemy shows up cocky and arrogant. It is part of his ploy in spiritual and emotional warfare to appear bigger and stronger then he really is.
This fully armored giant had only one vulnerable spot: right between his eyes. Even then it was susceptible only from a very specific angle. He would have had to lift his chin, as in surprise or laughter, and the projectile strike him from an arching up direction. Don’t underestimate the accuracy of a slingshot. Judges 20:16 refers to 700 left-handed soldiers who “could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” David directed it at the enemy and God did the rest. The invisible hand of God guided an ordinary stone with perfect accuracy. The giant fell to be finished off by his own sword.
God showed up to slay this giant, because David showed up. They worked in partnership. That same victory is extended to us as well. Just think of the possibilities if we willingly show up and partner with God.
