47. DAVID AND GOLIATH

"The battle is Yahweh's"

Aim

To show how David gained strength through his trust in God.

Synopsis

The life of a shepherd, in David's time, was a lonely one and sometimes dangerous. He had to protect his flock from wild animals, as well as lead them to good pasture. One day, a lion came and took a lamb out of David's flock; another time a bear did the same (1 Sam. 17:34, 35). But David trusted in God to help him kill those wild beasts and save his sheep. God was being a shepherd to David, just as David was to his sheep (Psa. 23). God taught David to rely on Him for protection and this was why he was not afraid even of Goliath.

1 Samuel 17

THE CHALLENGE OF THE PHILISTINE GIANT: 1 Sam. 17:1-11

The Philistines were old enemies of Israel. In the days when Samuel was judge, God helped Israel against them and they were beaten and kept away from the cities of the Israelites. Some time after Samuel anointed David, however, these Philistines invaded Israel again. King Saul, therefore, gathered together his army to defend the people of God against their enemy. In the army were Jesse's three oldest sons.

The two armies were camped on the slopes of two mountains, facing each other across the Valley of Elah. A giant Philistine from Gath, named Goliath, came out to the front of the Philistine army to challenge the Israelites. "I defy the armies of Israel this day", he shouted out. "Give me a man that we may fight together" (v10). Day after day for forty days he did this, but no Israelite dared to accept his challenge. Goliath was a giant, about three metres tall. He was an experienced soldier (vv 4, 33), covered in armour of brass from head to toe. Even King Saul, who was "head and shoulders above the people", was not brave enough to face him.

About that time Jesse sent David to see how his three brothers were getting on and to give them some food. Soon after David arrived, Goliath came out, shouting his challenge (v23). When the Israelites heard him they fled away, "greatly afraid". But David heard the giant's boastful words and asked the soldiers what was going on.

DAVID ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE: 1 Samuel 17:32-40

When David heard Goliath's words, he could see at once how insulting they were to the God of Israel. How dare this Philistine "defy the armies of the living God"\ (v26). Goliath did not know Israel's God. He did not realise that He was "the living God", who could easily save Israel from their enemies, if they had enough faith in Him. But no-one in the whole army . of Israel, camped in the valley of Elah, had enough faith in God to go and face Goliath. So David, full of faith, went to King Saul and said, "Let no man's heart fail because of him,; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine" (v32). He told Saul how God had helped him save his own sheep from a lion and a bear. He would kill this giant, just as he had killed those wild beasts. "Yahweh that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine" (v37).

Seeing David's great faith, Saul agreed. He suggested that David put on his own armour to protect him from Goliath. David was not used to such heavy armour. He needed only his staff, his sling and "five smooth stones out of the brook" (v40). He trusted in God to protect him.

FIGHTING GOD'S WARS BY FAITH: I Samuel 17:41-52

David went straight out to meet Goliath (v40). The Philistine was amazed that someone had at last dared to come and fight him, but when he saw only a young lad coming out to meet him, with a stick and a sling, he sneered at David. "Am I a dog", he roared,"that thou comest out to me with staves?" - "And the Philistine cursed David by his gods" (v43).

The battle had now become a battle between the God of Israel and the gods of the Philistines. This is how David saw it, too, for he said,"Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name ofYahweh of armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will Yahweh deliver thee into my hand" (v45). David wanted everyone to know that it was not for his own honour, but for the honour of Israel's God that he was fighting - "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all the assembly (that is, the people of Israel) shall know that Yahweh saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is Yahweh's, and He will give you into our hand" (vv 46-47).

No doubt David's bold words made Goliath angry. He got up and lumbered across in his heavy armour towards David. But David ran towards his enemy, fitting a stone to his sling as he went. He whirled it round and round and slung it, trusting God to guide it. And so God did, to show that David's faith was better protection than sword and spear (v47). The stone hurtled into the giant's forehead and he fell down heavily. Then, with Goliath's own sword, David cut off the giant's head.

When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead they fled in terror. The Israelites leaped up, shouting with excitement. David had conquered by faith and this encouraged them all. Confident now of victory, they chased the Philistines right to the gates of Ekron, slaying many on the way. God's victory was complete. Now all knew "that there is a God in Israel" (v46)

David was greatly honoured by king Saul who took him into his army. Many years later, after Saul had died, David became king over Israel.

LESSON FOR US

David's victory over Goliath teaches us one of the greatest lessons found in the Bible - faith in the true God has real power. God does not ask us to go and slay a giant, but He does want us to show the same faith as David. David really believed in "the living God" and was able to show it by his courage in fighting God's enemies. We can show our faith in the living God in the things we do and say each day. Every time we decide to do what pleases God, then we have won a battle - because when we disobey God, we are His enemies. Let us obey God and learn to have faith in Him just as David did.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

We can very easily be enemies of God ourselves, just like Goliath. It is not a nice thought, is it, because really we want to love God. He has done so much for us. But, if we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we often think unkind thoughts, or behave foolishly or disobey our parents or teachers. Sometimes we forget to do good things, which is just as bad. In all these ways we are being God's enemies. The only way to be faithful, like David, is to fill our minds with God's thoughts from the Bible and learn the lessons from the examples of the faithful men and women, whom we read about there. This is just what the Lord Jesus Christ did - all the time. Never once did he slip and sin against God. He never had a fleshly mind, wanting to please himself; he had a spiritual mind - his thoughts were always God's thoughts. It was a battle all his life and, with God's help, he won that battle and now lives forever at God's right hand.

We must see our daily lives just like that - a battle in our minds of God's thoughts against selfish thoughts. The Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy mentioned many of the wicked things that he had seen people doing and told Timothy: "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called" (1 Tim. 6:11-12). If we keep on trying, God will help us and we too will be given that wonderful gift of everlasting life when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

QUESTIONS

Short Answers

1. How did David protect his father's sheep from attack by wild beasts?

2. Who faced each other across the valley of Elah?

3. What did the Israelites do when they saw Goliath?

4. What did Goliath look like?

5. What weapons did Goliath have?

6. What weapons did David choose?

7. How did David kill Goliath?

8. What did the Philistines do when they saw that their champion was dead?

Detailed Answers

1.  

   1. How did David feel when he heard Goliath's words?

   2. How did David know that he could defeat Goliath?

2.  

   1. What did Goliath say when he saw David?

   2. Was this just a battle between David and the giant?

3. Complete the following quotation: "Thou contest to me with a sword ..." (1 Sam. 17:45).

4. What did David want

   1. "all the earth" to know?

   2. all the people of Israel to know?

Additional Answers

5. Tell the story of David's battle with Goliath. (Begin with David coming down to the camp of Israel to see his brothers).

6. We have a battle in our minds every day.

   1. How can we be faithful, like David?

   2. What will God give us if we keep trying to please Him?