Ask The Right Question
Notes
Transcript
First, let’s summarize what’s going on so far. The Philistines and the Israelites have gathered for battle in Elah Valley, a strategic place. If the Philistines had captured this area, it would’ve meant easy access to Bethlehem and eventually Saul’s capital in Gibeah.
As they drew up sides, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, stepped forward. A champion was someone who’d fight on behalf of an entire army…think Achilles when he fights Boagrius in the movie Troy. And Goliath, he’s one hulking champion. He was about 9’9” tall. The head of his spear was 15 pounds. A men’s olympic sized hammer is 16 lbs., and they wind up before tossing it. Goliath just fought with a 15 lb. spear. His coat of mail was 125 lbs. That’s just the armor that he would’ve worn on his upper half. By comparison, the full load-out of a modern infantryman, including gear, body armor and helmet, water, rucksack…all the stuff…is between 70 and 100 lbs. Goliath’s size alone would’ve been terrifying! And, that’s our first test in this passage, because we already know how useful looks are when it comes to God. Remember that 1 Sam.16:7 applies equally to our best choices and our worst enemies!
All the while, this giant of a man is taunting God’s people. So, how did Israel respond?
…they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Eleven verses worth of text are used to introduce Goliath, and it is meant to remind us of how terrible of a foe he truly was. The writer, in good storytelling fashion, is building tension…presenting what should feel like an insurmountable problem. So when the attention is finally turned from Goliath to David, it should feel like a breath of fresh air.
Enter David in vs.12. Though, he doesn’t arrive as a warrior, but as a courier. Jesse’s three older sons had followed Saul to battle (v.13), and David is still at the house keeping sheep. Jesse calls on David, then, to take provisions to his brothers. This was pretty common. Family members would often go back and forth between battle and home to provide sustenance for soldiers from the family.
While David is there, talking with his brothers, Goliath once again starts in on one of his rant. But there’s one key difference this time, and I think it’s the turning point of the entire narrative. It’s the last part of verse 23…
And David heard him.
While everyone else runs in fear (v.24), David steps to the front with bold confidence. When he speaks, we find out where that confidence lies…
Faith Finds A Voice
Faith Finds A Voice
When we get to verse 26, David’s voice finally shatters the silence. This is actually the first time we’ve heard David speak. Maybe it’d be a good idea to pause and think about what he says:
David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall 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 defy the armies of the living God?”
His first question, well it seems a little pragmatic — what’s in it for me if I take the risk and do slay this giant? But, then he gives a little “what for” to the whole discussion. He interjects God into the text.
So much of what’s been going on in chapter 17 has been “godless” so far. That is, there are taunts by Goliath and basic introductions, but no mention of God. It does make you wonder, how often do we bumble around with no direction and no consideration of God whenever we find ourselves in troublesome situations?
But, let’s move from questioning to considering, because David’s last two words provide a host of encouragement for us. What are those last two words?
LIVING GOD
In essence, David is asking, “Shouldn’t it make a difference? You know, having a living God?” If there’s one thing that is certain, it’s that YHWH is intimately connected with Israel. Throughout her history, it is no secret that YHWH is Israel’s God and that Israel is God’s people. If there is such a deep connection between the two, do we not think that God is concerned with the slurs this Philistine is making against God’s people? Against God’s reputation, by extension? Should we expect God to allow an uncircumcised Philistine trample His reputation by disregarding His people?! And, notice the difference: the armies of Israel saw Goliath and they thought, “Invincible.” David saw Goliath and thought, “Uncircumcised.”
This is the type of perception the Living God gives us. Is this instruction as to how to view every conflict in life? Do we interpret every struggle as an uncircumcised giant that we must conquer? No, but it does reveal to us a necessary truth:
We must have the right starting point.
David started with the Living God and moved from there. We must learn to think the same way, with God at the center of the universe and everything else interpreted in light of this truth. Paul puts it this way:
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Now, the weighty question — if someone were to hear our thoughts and words in every trial we face, would they know that our trust is in the fact that we serve a Living God?
Faith Finds Its Vitality
Faith Finds Its Vitality
We’re reminded in verse 28 that the Bible is simultaneously a book of theology and a book of real life. As soon as David asks his question and received an answer, Eliab…remember him…tall, dark and handsome…another Saul as far as appearances goes?…steps forward and, in typically older brother fashion, comes to David. What are you doing here? Who’s keeping “those few sheep in the wilderness?” I know “the evil of your heart.”
And then, David’s response. I’m telling you, it’s real life. David’s like, “What have I done now? What, I can’t even speak?!” Real life.
And, while it’s a conversation many of us have probably had before, it’s theologically rich as well. Remember, connections are important in Scripture. And, there’s a connection here with Eliab. Remember that he’s served as a type already…a mirror, previously of Saul. Here, however, he is similar to Goliath. Now before you go wait, wait, wait, not one of Jesse’s boys. Just think about it. He’s a bit of a Goliath before Goliath. His contempt for David foreshadows the contempt that Goliath will show.
Even more than that, it’s almost like David faces two Goliaths before he gets to the true Goliath. He faces Goliath’s contempt in Eliab’s harsh words, and he faces Goliath’s beliefs in the words of Saul — who’s basically like, “You? You’re underequipped and ill-experienced. What odds do you seriously have at winning?! (v.33).
But it’s David’s response right in the middle of this that proves so helpful — I keep my father’s sheep (v.34). Problem solved, right? I get the confusion, because often we think of shepherds in light of Psalm 23, the great Shepherd song, and how beautiful it is. But, what if we read from Genesis before we read from Ps.23, would it change our understanding?
These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks.
What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.
Shepherd life was not the comfy life. That’s what David goes on to say — when the lion roared, when the bear bore its teeth and claws, I chased him down…killed him…took back what was mine! In essence, my training may not have come on the fields of war, but I am no stranger to the difficulties of battle. Only, my enemies have been ferocious animals instead of arrogant giants. But, David’s trust isn’t in his proficiency with weapons or his battlefield acumen. Notice what he says in verse 37:
“The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
From David’s perspective, he didn’t defeat the mouth of the lion or rescue the sheep from the bear’s mighty paw by skill or luck, but by YHWH’s gracious hand. And now, we see his firm conviction:
What the Lord has done for me before, He is capable of doing again.
Looking back in faith helps us to look forward in faith as well. This is why Israel would place ebenezer stones and build altars in the wilderness, and this is one of the many reasons trials and tribulations are so helpful for us — we have trusted and seen God deliver us before, and it builds our confidence to trust Him to deliver us again. What God did in the wilderness of Judah, is what He can do in the Valley of Elah, is what He can do in the streets of Port St. Joe. Consider:
I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
You know what this last psalm goes on to recount? Every verse ends with this refrain: “for His steadfast love endures forever” and he remembers the whole time.
Verses 4-9 — the creation account.
Verses 10-16 — the exodus and deliverance from Egypt.
Verses 17-22 — entrance into the promised land.
Our faith is sustained in the present when we consider God’s mighty deeds throughout our past. What a glorious reminder?! What a protection from pride?! The God who was is the God who is and the God who will continue to be for His children. As we just sang:
You heard Your children then
You hear Your children now
You are the same God
You answered prayers back then
And You will answer now
You are the same God
You were providing then
You are providing now
You are the same God
You moved in power then
God, move in power now
You are the same God
You were a healer then
You are a healer now
You are the same God
You were a savior then
You are a savior now
You are the same God
Faith Finds Its Victory
Faith Finds Its Victory
In verses 41-54, we finally get to the great showdown…the Violence in the Valley…the Escalation in Elah…the Flattening of the Philistines…the Grudge match against Goliath. But, it’s Goliath who actually dominates the beginning of the confrontation.
You come at me with sticks…like I’m some sort of dog?
I’m going to give your flesh to the birds and the beasts.
He even curses David in the name of his gods, probably Baals and Ashtaroths (who was the goddess of fertility and war) and Dagon, who remember, his statue already bowed before the Ark of the Covenant, but whatever.
Honestly, it seems the writer is still making an effort to paint the terrifying picture that is Goliath.
But then, David speaks. “You got zingers, Goliath? Well, I do, too!” It’s actually interesting — David’s speech takes up sixty-three Hebrew words, whereas the report of the battle only takes thirty-six.
David’s speech, as we might expect already, it is theologically rich. There is a depth to David’s relationship with YHWH that’s present even here. Let me point out a couple of things he says in vv.45-47:
David comes in the name of YHWH of hosts — the Lord of armies, who is a God in covenant with Israel (v.45).
David is sure that YHWH will deliver Goliath into his hand (v.46).
David is confident YHWH will protect His reputation so that the earth will know there is a God in Israel (v.46b).
David is confident that YHWH doesn’t need a single thing from man to deliver and save His people (v.47).
David’s confidence is not in himself. His confidence rests only in God. The same God that was ridiculed by Goliath will show just how puny the giant really is. And, it won’t be by the power of human instruments, not “with sword or spear,” but through the weakness of His servant.
So with sling and stone, we know the story, David hurls a stone at Goliath. I mean, verse 50 makes sure that we know…David didn’t even have a sword in his hand. He shows up to a sword and spear fight with a bag of rocks. He had to borrow Goliath’s sword without permission to even end the battle. But, that’s how our God works. It’s our weakness that makes us strong. Again, the psalms remind us:
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.
And perhaps the one we’re most familiar with…
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
It’s not the weapons we fight with, for we wrestle not with flesh and blood.
Our inadequacy may be the thing that best suits us for service.
And our strength lies in our weakness, for then, the strength of the Living God comes to the foreground.
As we get to the end of this passage, there’s one aspect…one over-arching idea that governs David’s faith and his confidence in God and YHWH’s response to Goliath’s mockery, and it’s this: THE HONOR AND GLORY OF GOD’S NAME. A root of the word mock or defy appears at least six times in this chapter as Goliath defies God and His people. David is deeply offended. God’s reputation and glory are at stake, so David must act.
It is God’s fame at stake, and it is God’s glory that drives David.
Not David’s cleverness...
Not David’s bravery…
Not David’s ability…
But God’s glory.
David’s passion for God’s glory is the only thing that drives him to step foot on that battlefield, and the moment his passion for God’s glory responded to such mockery in faith, David was no longer an underdog story.
In essence, David said that YHWH’s reputation…His glory…was so important that he was willing to risk his life for it.
David and Goliath is one of the most famous stories in all of the Bible. It’s mentioned and referenced often. But the simple fact of the matter is, we’ll likely never face anything remotely like it. Honestly, living in the Bible Belt, we probably don’t even face much opposition to our faith. I have a sneaky suspicion that if we lived somewhere like Somalia or Yemen or Afghanistan that many of the things that divides churches today would fly right out the window. That’s true Goliath stuff.
But I digress, because the point of this passage isn’t about identifying your Goliaths and responding to them in faith. No, the point of this passage is the glory of God. And honestly, we cower to the mockery of much lesser foes and hide the glory of God for the sake of pride and self-preservation.
It’s harbored ill-will.
It’s compromise at the Christmas party.
It’s stinginess with a tip.
It’s locker room talk with the boys.
It’s gossip in the group text.
It’s sacrificing holiness on the altar of happiness.
It’s carrying our crosses into the dens of the wicked and fitting in just fine.
You see, just like Israel’s army, we carry the name of our Lord with us everywhere we go. And, in every place that we find ourselves, we have an opportunity to either promote the cause of Christ, to shine bright the glory of God, or to bring some type of reproach on His name.
So my final question, the one I believe David wrestled with, is this:
Does the reputation of Christ mean enough to us that we are willing to risk our lives for it?
