Focal Passage: I Samuel 17:3-8, 32-37, 45-47
The story of David and Goliath is not first and foremost a story of “how we face the giants in our lives,” although it does have practical implications for overcoming the challenges of life. It is, however, the story of how the God of the Israelites – our great Triune God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – is once again challenged by the despotic, arrogant powers of this world.
The challenge of worldly powers against the rightful place of God as THE sovereign is as old as creation and as recent as today. It is an epoch struggle between light and dark, good and evil, righteousness and unrighteousness – “against forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:10-13) It is a continual battle that takes different forms in different seasons and epochs. IT’S WAR.
Amid this battle God uses men and women on the frontlines of this spiritual war to engage the enemy by faith, armed with every spiritual weapon God has empowered by His Spirit (II Corinthians 10:1-6; Ephesians 6:14-20). David was just such a man. Though David was imperfect, his faith in God enabled him to overcome Goliath’s arrogance and to later humbly repent of some egregious sins (Psalm 51).
Adversity and Faith (I Samuel 17:3-8). The description of Goliath is impressive. From the tribe of Gath in the Philistine region of southern Levant, he was roughly 9’ 9” tall, with armor weighing at least 125 pounds, and a spear (spear head) weighing at least 15-20 pounds. His caustic mouth was as formidable as his impressive size.
The size of the adversary doesn’t matter when God is on our side. David was appalled that Goliath’s ridicule of “the armies of the living God” would be allowed to go uncontested (2 Samuel 17:26). This reminds us that loving our enemies does not mean becoming passive towards the enemies of truth. Christians can do two things at the same time – pray for and love our enemies and adhere to and defend the truth of God. Adversity presents the opportunity to do both.
Experience and Faith (I Samuel 17:32-37). God uses our experiences to engage the adversary. David could not fight with another man’s armor (17:38-40). Instead, David rehearsed how God enabled him to defeat a lion and a bear (17:37). If God could conquer these wild animals through David’s God-given experiences, God would enable him to defeat the animalistic warrior, Goliath.
We must pay attention to what God is teaching us in every phase of life. When we face adversity, we must remember what God has taught us through our past experiences. Experience is one of God’s best teachers.
Honoring God by Faith (I Samuel 17:45-47). David defeated Goliath, cut off his head, and caused the Philistine army to flee for fear of God (17:50-58). David made sure to give God the glory. David declared “the Lord will deliver you into my hand” (17:46). Further, David’s goal was not self-aggrandizement but so that “all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (17:46). In addition, David asserted before God’s people his assured victory so that “all of this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hand” (17:47).
Adversity, experience, and a desire to honor God, coupled with a vibrant faith enables us to defy those who would defy God. B&R