We come to one of the most well known stories of the Bible. David and Goliath and the Lord. As I read it again in 1 Samuel 17, I couldn’t help but think of our grandson who loves ALL the super heroes! Like Goliath, they are outfitted with muscles and special powers of strength. Heroes created because our need for a protector is so great when we are so small.

The Philistines and the Israelites are gathered each on a hill with a valley between them. Each day for 40 days a Philistine named Goliath came forward with his armor bearer and taunted the whole Israelite army. Have one man fight him and whoever loses will be subject with their whole army to the other side. Goliath was 9 feet 9 inches tall (about 3 meters); He wore a scale of bronze armor weighing 125 pounds (58 kilograms); the spear point weighed 15 pounds (6.9 kilograms). v. 4-7. Remember when the Israelites first spied out the land and were so afraid of the giants who lived there? Today we have “transformers” who each grow to immense size in the cartoons and movies we watch. Size matters to humans.

David’s three older brothers are with Saul and the Israelite army and David’s father sends David with provisions to the Israeli camp so he can hear how his sons are doing. David overhears this Philistine giant and is incensed. David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” v. 26.

His brothers try to keep him quiet. They think David is boasting because he is not a warrior who can truly understand the threat this giant of a man, fully armed, presents. David words are overheard and he is brought to Saul. Saul tells David, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” v. 33.

David has not been a warrior in Israel’s army, but he has been a shepherd for his father and has fought lions and bears when they took their sheep. He knows what he is able to do and Who it is who has helped him. “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” v. 37.

So what does Saul, a warrior, do? He naturally equips David with his armor to protect him from certain death by a warrior greater than all of them. He can’t even walk around in all of that armor so he removes it and does what he always does to protect his father’s flock. He goes to a stream and chooses five smooth stones, puts them in his shepherd’s bag, and with his sling, approaches the Philistine giant. Can you imagine what Goliath, his armor-bearer and the Philistine army thinks when they see David not fully armed? Can you imagine what David’s older brothers and the army of Israel and Saul think? I bet you could hear a pin drop!

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” v. 45-47.

I love how in the notes about Goliath it said when others looked at Goliath, they saw an opponent too powerful to defeat; when David looked at Goliath, he saw a target too big to miss!

And what happens? Goliath with his heavy armor and size and, I would imagine enraged anger, lumbered forward and David ran quickly toward him and with his sling and one stone to the forehead was able to bring the giant down. He then withdrew Goliath’s sword and killed him and then cut off his head just as he said would happen. At this turn of events, the Philistine army flees and Israel’s army with great shouting pursued and killed them.

Saul brings David to him and asks whose son he is. David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.” v. 58. I found that odd because David has been playing the lyre for Saul when he is overcome with dark thoughts. Perhaps he never really saw who played for him while in those dark moods, just as David’s brothers and the army of Israel never really saw David as a warrior until he trusted God. And what was David’s armor in the end and throughout his life? Not a sword or spear! His armor was his faith in his God who saves.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17. And then…pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Ephesians 6:18.

We live in a world with giant problems that we on our own are powerless to confront. We try. We spend ourselves in causes that support our fondest beliefs. And nothing changes. The battle is not ours. The battle is the Lord’s and He is able. Trust in Him and give everything to Him. David did. So can we. When we do, we begin to see God even through the darkness of the hate of this world. We see blessings and embrace them. We know His comfort and His peace because we live there. Thank You, God!