David and Goliath
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Top 5 OT Bible stories: 32 of those who responded mentioned David and Goliath. That’s more than any other Old Testament story you remember from childhood.
This is the only OT story in our series that doesn’t involve a miracle:
Daniel - hungry lions didn’t recognize Daniel as supper when he was thrown into their den
Jonah - not just a storm; a fish swallowed Jonah! It didn’t digest him but vomitted him on dry land 3 days later
Noah - the animals presented themselves 2x2 to enter the ark; that’s not how tortoises, rhinoceros, and boa constrictors usually act (that doesn’t even include all the rain and water rising)
Moses encountered a bush that was aflame but did not burn up.
In David’s story, nothing miraculous happens … unless you consider David’s deep faith in God a miraculous work of the HS.
Still, it’s an amazing story. David steps up as Israel’s champion. It shouldn’t be necessary. There were many older, more experienced warriors in Israel’s army.
If you followed the Bible readings this week, you’ll recall that King Saul led a successful military campaign against the Amalekites. Saul and his commanders have military expertise. The trouble is King Saul has rebelled against the Lord. Although he started his reign humble and shy, Saul has become proud. He defeated the Amalekites, but he disobeyed the Lord.
While King Saul were marching home, Samuel was told to deliver God’s judgement.
The word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night.
Because of King Saul’s disobedience, David was anointed as King Saul’s succesor in the next chapter. David was the youngest of Jesse’s 8 boys. The ceremony and dinner was delayed until someone fetched David from where he was out of town, tending the sheep. Nobody bothered to invite him.
And now we have open conflict with the Philistines, who live between Israel and the Mediterranean coast. The Philistines invaded Judah, so King Saul calls out his army. “Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.”
That’s where we meet Goliath: 9’ 9” tall, clothed in bronze armour, carrying a javelin, spear, and protected by his shield bearer. He offers 1:1 combat: “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” Those are fighting words!
You know what should have happened. Saul, God’s chosen king, should have stepped forward. King Saul was also a big man. Not as big as Goliath, but Saul was taller than most of the Israelites - a head taller.
And … like all the Israelites of his day, Saul was raised on the stories of the judges - heroes who delivered God’s people in the power of the Lord. Heroes of faith like:
Ehud, Jephthah, Deborah, Gideon, and Samson.
Saul, chosen and anointed by God as the leader of God’s covenant people, should have risen to the challenge like the judges did. He should have stepped forward in the power of the Lord to meet Goliath in battle. But it didn’t happen.
How did Saul respond to Goliath’s threats?“On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” It led to a stalemate. Goliath issued his challenge each morning for 40 days and Saul and his army just shivered in fear.
That didn’t happen. Saul lost his nerve. He lost confidence in the Lord. He forgot God’s care. He forgot how God fought the battles for his dearly loved people. Instead, Saul froze.
On hearing Goliath’s threats and taunts and defiance, “Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” It led to a stalemate. Goliath issued his challenge each morning for 40 days and Saul and his army stood across the valley and shivered in fear.
And then David showed up. Just a kid-brother bringing care packages from home for his big brothers. You hear the sibling rivalry in their squabbling:
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?”
David is intrigued by the reward King Saul offers to anyone who accepts Goliath’s challenge but he’s also offended by the insults of Goliath - insults to God’s people; insults to God. “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
When he talks with Saul, it’s clear that David’s confidence is not in his own skill. Like Moses, Noah, and Daniel, David’s confidence in this conflict comes from God. Listen as David describes his confidence in the Lord:
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 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.”
David’s confidence in the Lord is even more clear in his battle cry as he faces Goliath across the valley:
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.”
And then they went into battle. Goliath moving closer to attack and David running quickly to the battle line to meet him. The sling has a greater range than Goliath’s javelin. David hit Goliath in the forehead with a stone from his sling and killed him.
I did some research on this. In the hands of a skilled slinger, a stone from a sling can reach the same speed as a 9mm bullet from a handgun according to some sources. That’s definitely enough force to kill a man; even a giant. “One little stone went up in the air … and the giant came tumbling down.
It’s an amazing story. God used a young shepherd to rescue his people frm the oppression of their enemies. Like all the stories of the OT, these events point ahead to another rescuer. Another hero, stepping forward to fight the battle for his dearly loved people.
Like King Saul, we face God’s judgement on sin. I (we) face danger from death and the evil one. Adam & Eve led all humankind into rebellion against God, cutting us off from a life of freedom. Like King Saul and the armies of Israel, we find ourselves frightened and paralyzed against sin, evil, and death. The size and power of the forces of evil hold taunt us with the frightening thought that God doesn’t care enough to help us anymore. Like Saul and the Israelites, the threats and taunts of the evil one leave us dismayed and terrified.
But out of his great love and compassion, our God sends a hero, a champion to rescue us. David’s great, great grandson also steps forward in the name of the Lord to be the champion, rescuing God’s people from oppression. His name is Jesus. Like David, Jesus is the anointed one, anointed to be our prophet, priest, and king.
Being fully God and fully human, Jesus can step forward. The big showdown between Jesus and the forces of evil took place at the cross. Jesus was stripped, flogged, nailed to the cross, and hung from the crossbeam to die a terribly painful death.
By offering himself as a righteous sacrifice, a scapegoat for our punishment, Jesus conquered sin and death and all the forces of evil. The enemy threw everything possible at Jesus, but 3 days after dying, Jesus rose victorious from the grave.
Just like David’s victory brought freedom and plunder to all the Israelites, so Jesus’ victory bring freedom and amazing gifts to all who put their faith in Jesus. You’re invited, like David, to trust 100% in God’s protection and care. By faith in Jesus Christ, you have won the victory!
(pause)
Sometimes the response to a sermon is a call to action. Sometimes it’s a call to prayer. Today’s sermon is an invitation to marvel at God’s care, his rescue plan, the long, long story of redemption through our Lord Jesus Christ.
You’re invited to marvel at the way the Lord rescued his dearly people through a young shepherd. God’s spirit worked mightily in David to give him confidence to tackle Goliath in the name of the Lord. The HS can also work mightily in you to grow in faith and confidence in God’s providential care.
Take a look back at your journey of faith and marvel at how you’ve grown - at what God’s done to help you grow in faith and faith practices.
And … marvel at the way the Lord rescues his dearly loved people through the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. God’s spirit worked mightily in Jesus so that he offered himself in combat, defeating sin, death, and the evil one, rescuing us from all evil forces. The enemy has been defeated! Praise God!
