The Bigger They Come.
The bigger they come, the harder they fall! They certainly don’t come any bigger than Goliath. Read how David killed a giant with the help of the Lord.
David & Goliath
Let’s read the famous story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.
“The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. [9 feet 9 inches tall] He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. [125 pounds] And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. [15 pounds – about the weight of a standard shot-put.] And his shield-bearer went before him.”
1 Samuel 17:1*17
The Hulk!
He is The Hulk. Conan the Barbarian. Duh Terminatuh. One part of this armor was less than impressive – The helmet. Philistine warriors wore feathered helmets. Sounds kind of flimsy. But that was not the strategic weakness – not the feathers, but the face. No covering over the face. Not a good thing facing a “stone-cold killer”, like David. Impressive right down to his feet, with bronze armor on his legs – but David wasn’t going to rock his socks – he was going to rock his head.
1 Samuel 17:8 says,
“He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.’”
1 Samuel 17:8
Choose a Man
“Choose a man for yourselves” – where have we heard those words before? At the very beginning of the king story – Samuel said to the people, “your king whom you have chosen for yourselves”. God said of that king, Saul, “He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 9:16). But on this day when Saul – the biggest Israelite – should face down the biggest Philistine, instead it will be David – a youth — the man after God’s own choosing.
1 Samuel 17:10-11 reads,
“And the Philistine said, ‘I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.’ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”
1 Samuel 17:10-11
Saul fails to do exactly what he was made king to do: Defy and defeat the Philistines.
What’s the Issue?
What is the real issue in this face-off between David and Goliath? It is not “Strategy for Dealing with our Personal Giants”. It is defending God’s honor.
The men of Israel said, “Surely he has come up to defy Israel.” (1 Sam 17:25), but David said he came to “defy the armies of the living God?” He was spitting in God’s face.
Richard Wurmbrand
When World War II ended, the Romanian communist government gathered religious leaders together to swear loyalty to the atheist government. Thousands did so. Sabina Wurmbrand said to her husband Richard, “Richard, stand up and wash away this shame from the face of Christ.” Richard replied, “If I do, you’ll lose your husband.” Sabina replied, “I don’t wish to have a coward as a husband.” Richard stood up in front of 4,000 and declared that the church’s duty is to glorify God and Christ alone.
He describes what the government did to him: “We were drugged, we were beaten. I forgot my whole theology. I forgot the whole Bible. I forgot the “Our Father.” I just kept happy and said, “Our Father, I have forgotten the prayer, but you surely know it by heart.” The highest form of prayer that I know is the quiet beating of a heart which loves Him. Jesus hears “tick-a-tock, tick-a-tock,” and he knows that every heartbeat is for him.”
God Used David
At that moment in the Valley of Elah, God used David to unleash a series of events that would roll out over centuries and reach their climax at high noon when the sun would go black at Jesus’ crucifixion. The little David in the valley is marching toward becoming King David, but more importantly, becoming the ancestor of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, the Son of David.
The stand I take – that you take – for Jesus tomorrow, may seem small, but God is in the business of making small things big. A little boy’s lunch. A widow’s penny. Five smooth stones. Let’s stand for Jesus and watch God work.
Are there “giants” in your life? Contact us at HopeStreamRadio, or comment below.
Brian Stapley
Brian Stapley is the husband of Margaret and “Christian-proud” father of Tabitha, Ben, Jeremy and Joel. He has been director of the Boys JIM Club of America since 1981 and a “JIM Clubber” since 1958, the year he became a Christian. The mission statement of the JIM Club is, “Discipling boys to love Jesus deeply and express him vividly.”
He has been an educator since 1970, primarily as a high school English Teacher. (Don’t dangle your participles.) He has been in fellowship at Scottlea Gospel Chapel, St. Catharines, since 1976 and travels to preach about three dozen times a year, in Ontario and New York State. He is a ventriloquist, in company with Casey, Theodore, Dodo, Grumpa, and a menagerie of others. Also, a bit of a magician.
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The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
Why Did Jesus Say “I am the Bread of Life.”
Images Courtesy of:
David & Goliath – Caravaggio
Richard Wurmbrand – Wikipedia
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