Sermon Tone Analysis

*讀經：*撒上17章 45-47節

* *

*講道經文：*

1 Samuel 17:1-54【The Teenager Champion - David】

Read Scripture 1Sam.

17: 45-47

 

Purpose：

From the experience of teenager David we see how God build up one’s character and faith at his~/her young age[1].

So, be sensitive to sense the work of God in your young life (physical as well as spiritual), and have faith in Him that you are as precious in His eyes.

By depending on His grace and blessing and almighty power, you will be a winner of life.

God build up (young) people for much greater tasks that one could ever imagine.

HBI: You wouldn’t know what God (YHWH) can~/will accomplish through you until you fully trust Him and walk your life with Him.[2]

(not only that God will fight for you to win the war but also through all these experience, He may prepare you for much greater tasks in the future of your life – just like David to be King of Israel – ascendant of Jesus – part of God’s divine plan)

 

→大衛是第一個將永生神帶出的人，並在實際生活中經歷到神，並從中學習到如何依靠祂。

→大衛從過去依靠神而得勝的經歷中得著面對困難和挑戰的勇氣

→又使這眾人知道耶和華使人得勝，不是用刀用槍，因為爭戰的勝敗全在乎耶和華[3]

 

Introduction:

 

Youngsters are by nature easily being neglected忽略 or even despised輕視，藐視，看不起.

We felt like we are being neglected, our comments are not listened, we are not understood, we face difficulties everyday in our life but not seeing any solution at all…

In the transition from child to adult – confused…

 

Especially in Jewish culture, youngsters~/lads are those under the supervision of the fathers or even by the servants of the house.

Usually, they do not have much says in pretty much everything.

Some teenagers: “Adults have all kind of reasons to treat youngsters unfairly…”

 

 

Over 3,000 years ago, there was a teenager in the Palestine of Middle East who was the youngest son of an Israelite named Jesse in Bethlehem (that is where Jesus was born).

His name was David which means “beloved[4]”.

He grew up in an age of transition, where Israelites were still living as tribal communities even though it had been over 300 years since their ancestors settled in the region under the leadership of Joshua.

In those 300 years, Israel was under the leadership of Judges chosen by God.  “Israel had no king”.

However, most of the time, they kept “doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and did as they saw fit” (Joshua 13:1; 21:6).

When David was a child, Israel had their first king.

God chose a handsome and tall young man – Saul from the Benjamin tribe to be king of Israel in respond to Israelites’ request (1 Sam 8:5-7).

Yahweh was NOT happy about that since that request indicated that His people failed to trust Him fully: that He would protect them and deliver them from their enemies, especially the Philistines.

Isn’t that hurt if you tell your Dad that you want another one to your guidance since you do not think that he can protect you or being your guidance?

One day, the Philistines[5] invaded his home land and they camped 24 KM west of Bethlehem[6] at Ephes Dammim(meaning /the boundary of blood,/ so called from the continual fighting which took place there upon the borders.)以弗大憫

near Sokoh[7] in Judah (1 Sam 17:1).

The soldiers wore shinny armor, with swords and spears in their hands, with thousands of chariots;[8] they were ready to sweep out~/away完全消滅the Israelites.

The Israelites were under tremendous pressure since they were the underdog in this confrontation.

The Philistines were a fiercely aggressive people from the Aegean Sea愛琴海.

Along with other ‘Sea Peoples,’ they attacked the coasts of the east Mediterranean with their speedy ships in search of land to conquer and settle years ago.

Along with them, they brought the technique of iron melting that allowed them to make swords, and chariots.

But they kept the technique to themselves tightly.

since the Philistines kept the technique from other nations.

In Israel: “Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, ‘otherwise the Hebrews will make swords and spears’” (1Sam13:19).

“So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowpoints, mattocks[9], axes and sickles[10] sharpened” (1Sam13:20).

On the other side - Among the Israelites, only Saul and his son Jonathan had sword or spear (1Sam 13:22)The other members of Israel’s citizen militia were forced to use bronze knives and farm gears when they fought.

As Saul and Israelites aware of the threat, they came and assembled on one of the low hills of the Valley of Elah[11] (the terebinth tree) and prepared themselves to fight with the Philistines.

Two forces confronted each other across the valley (of Elah以拉).

Despite of their disadvantage in military power, they still came out and prepared to defend their homeland.

They all lined up in form, grasping tightly their mattocks~/picks鶴嘴鋤；掘根耜, plowpoints, axes, and sickles鐮刀.

Their spirit was high.

Of course, in their memory they still remembered how Saul’s son, Jonathan and his armor-bearer defeated the Philistines at Micmash 密抹(1 Sam 14),  they still remembered how Saul leaded them to defeat the Amalekites亞瑪力人(1Sam15).

They were all ready to charge向…進擊，襲擊.

And that moment, a man came out of the Philistine camp.

Even though it was across the valley, the Israelites still could see that this man – he was huge.

He was over 9 feet tall (six cubits and a spam).

He was wearing a bronze helmet and a 125 lbs (about 57 Kg – 5,000 shekels) bronze armor, he had bronze protection on his legs.

On his back, he carried a bronze spear which was as big as a weaver’s rod.

Just the iron point already weighted 16 lbs (600 shekels)[12].

He even had a soldier carrying a huge shield right before him to protect him from any possible attack.

This man was named Goliath who was trained to be a warrior as he was still young (1Sam 17:33).

He was from Gath – the place that the 12 spies checked out at the Kadesh Barnea (Deut 1:19).

The people God told Joshua to destroy as they conquered the Canaanites – but failed to follow (Josh 11:21, 22).

He was chosen as the Champion of his force.

Instead of fighting in a conventional way, the Philistine decided to send a representative out and challenged the opponent.

He came to the front of the Philistines army and stood there facing the Israelites, he shouted at the top of his voice to the Israel: “Why are you lining up here for battle?

Do you really want a fight?

Why don’t you guys choose a man and have him come down here and fight with me one on one.

If your Champion[13] could kill me, we, Philistines will become the subjects of Israel, but if I beat him and kill him, then you, Israelites will become our subjects and serve us.

I defy the armies of Israel this day.”

The Israelites, Saul and his people, were terrified.

They were terrified by this 9 feet tall hugmugas challenger, by his bronze helmet, his bronze armor, by his bronze javelin, by his ground shaken voice, they were terrified by his challenge.

The challenge looked so huge and tough and way beyond anyone’s ability to take up.

Who wanted to die young anyway?

Even the king Saul did nothing.

He was not only the leader of Israel, he was also an experienced veteran, but he also “a head taller than any of the others” (1Sam 10:23 – such a nice looking, attractive and appeal leader).

Not even Jonathan did anything – the one who once defeated the Philistines with his arm-bearer.

Not even the nephew of Saul – the commander of the army: Abner 押尼珥 did anything.

Not even one person responded, not even one person made a sound~/comment or suggestion.

They were so scared that any one made the first move or made the first eye contact would be sent down to the valley.

Next morning,

It went on everyday for forty days –

King Saul realized that something had to be done and the stand off had to be ended in some way.

So he offered an incentive to the soldiers: if any one could kill this giant, he would be awarded with great wealth and could have the daughter of Saul as his wife.

And he and his father’s family would have to pay no more tax.

(1Sam17:25)

What an attractive incentive 

Despite such attractive offer, no one seemed to be interested in that anyway.

All the sudden, looked like that no body wanted to be rich any more, no one wanted to be the son-in-law of the king, and everyone was happy to keeping paying their fair share of tax.

Then a young shepherd boy came.

This boy was the youngest son of Jess who had three sons served in Saul’s army: Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah,[14].

One day, Jesse asked David to put down the work of tending sheep and took some roasted grain and ten loaves of bread to his brothers as well as some cheese for their commander at the battle field.

As David arrived at the camp, the army was going out to its battle positions: lining up in form, grasping their weapons, RUAHHING for war on their little hill side – shouting the war cry.

However, as any other day in the last 40 days, as soon as the Philistine Champion stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance挑釁，挑戰, 反抗；蔑視, the Israelites just fled in no time.

But this shepherd boy was different.

As he heard how that Philistine defied his own people, as heard how that uncircumcised Philistine defied the armies of the living God – David responded:

 

“For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”[15]

After 40 days of intimidation威脅，恐嚇, despise – this teenage boy was the first one to remind his fellow people that “we are the army of the living God” (1Sam17:26), “this living God not only leads us, He also protect and deliver His people from bondages and invasion.”

MP1:David was the first one mentioned the “Living God” in this crisis because he had a clear and thorough understanding of the Living God – YAHWEH, that he had complete faith in Him.

He clearly knew that he was His chosen people, He belonged to this Living God who would protect and deliver him from difficulties.

Such faith was built on David’s daily fellowship with God…

 

However, David’s respond offended his eldest brother Eliab who wanted to drive him away.

MP2: (17:31-37)

Words travel fast…

In no time, Saul was informed about David’s comment.

Saul called him to his tent.

As they met, David volunteered himself that he would fight the Philistines and he told Saul that no one should afraid of him (Goliath) (1Sam17:32).

However, Saul just found it difficult to believe that this young teenager[16] would be any match to that veteran warrior.

He was hesitated to send him out as the Champion of the Israel army.