David and Goliath: Bold Faith

Text: 1 Samuel 17:1-58

Theme: God’s glory is more important than our own victory. David is concerned about God’s reputation, not his own.

Date: 06/13/21 File name: King_David_02 ID Number: OT09-17

After Jonah and the big fish, the story before is perhaps the best known event of the Old Testament. So compelling and well-known is the drama that it has become the primary historical metaphor in Western culture for describing any individual or group who overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to defeat an oppressor ... it’s about the little guy standing up to the big guy, the underdog against top dog.

The real story, however, is that the strong are often surprisingly weak, if looked at from the right angle.

I. SHRINKING FROM THE CHALLENGE vs. 1-11

1. verses 1-11 set up the story of David and Goliath for us

a. we don’t know how much time elapsed between the end of chapter 16 and the beginning of chapter 17

1) it’s probably a relatively short time because David is still a “youth” according to vs. 42

b. nevertheless, chapter seventeen opens with the serious news that the Philistines have invaded Jewish lands

1) they had gathered their forces for battle, and had encamped on one side of a valley at Ephes Dammin

2) they’ve advanced into the central hill country of Judah and have established a strong defensive line about fifteen miles west of Bethlehem

c. the army of Israel musters, and marches out to meet the Philistine threat

1) they encamp on the other side of the valley establishing a position blocking any deeper Philistine penetration into Israelite territory

2. even then military tactics said you want to be defending the high ground — you want to be able to attack down hill rather than fighting your way up hill

“And 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.” (1 Samuel 17:3, ESV)

a. here the two armies will be locked in a standoff for forty days

A. GOLIATH THE CHAMPION

1. Goliath is a champion among the Philistines

a. he is a soldier’s soldier ... fearless (he could afford to be!) and undefeated in battle, a leader and an example among his fellow soldiers

b. the word champion in Hebrew means a “man between two”

1) he is a person who, on the part of his own people, undertook to determine the national quarrel by engaging in single combat with a chosen warrior in the hostile army

2. Goliath is a suitable choice as the Philistine’s champion warrior

a. the Old Testament text describes him as nearly ten-feet tall — twice the height of the average Jewish man of that day

1) this, of course, has caused significant consternation among liberal scholars for years

2) this must be an embellishment to the story to make David look good they say

b. some scholars insist that the Philistine cubit was smaller than the Israelite cubit and thus Goliath was really only 7 feet 10 inches tall

ILLUS. Support for this is the fact that the oldest surviving version of the story is the Greek translation of the Book of Samuel, called the Septuagint. This was the most commonly used version at the time of Jesus. It says Goliath was “four cubits and a span,” so around seven to seven and one-half feet tall.

1) that’s a big guy today and certainly would be considered a giant 3,000 years ago when the story takes place

c. bottom line, Goliath’s great height was not a figment of Israelite imagination

ILLUS. An Egyptian papyri letter in the British Museum dated to 300 years before the David and Goliath match-up, describes Canaanite warriors of seven to nine feet in height. In addition to that, two female skeletons — each seven feet tall — and dating from 1,200 B.C. or 200 years before the 1 Samuel story, were discovered at a place called Zarethan in the Jordan River Valley.

d. even if we take the smaller height, Goliath is a redoubtable foe

3. Goliath’s weaponry is formidable

“He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.” (1 Samuel 17:5–7, NIV84)

a. Goliath was equipped with the latest weaponry and armor

1) metal was scarce at that time, and the secrets of metallurgy were often well-kept state secrets

2) we know from earlier in the book of 1st Samuel that the Philistines had cornered the market on metal craftsmanship

“Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. 21 The price was two thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads. 22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.” (1 Samuel 13:19–22, NIV84)

3) no wonder no Israelite soldier wants to take Goliath up on his challenge!

b. Goliath is a picture of power and might — the epitome of national pride

4. There Is Goliath the Champion

B. GOLIATH THE CHALLENGER

“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. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:8-11, ESV)

1. this was not an unusual form of combat in the ancient Near East

a. a champion for each opposing army would do battle as representatives of their respective armies

1) the outcome of the battle would be regarded as the judgment of the gods

2. and so Goliath demanded that Israel field their champion

3. Goliath’s words defy Israel in three ways

a. 1st, Goliath questioned their resolve to do battle by taunting them about lining up for battle

1) in vs. 8 he essentially says, Why do you even line up for battle each day if you’re not going to send someone out to meet me

b. 2nd, his words chided Israel about champion combat

1) Goliath invites an Israelite — any Israelite — to come out and oppose him

2) if the Israelite prevails, the Philistines will serve Israel, and visa-versa

3) Goliath obviously doesn’t think he can lose

c. 3rd, Goliath open defies and demeans the manhood of the Israelite warriors daring Saul to Give me a man, that we may fight together ...

1) he’s calling Saul and his army cowards

2) and they were!

“On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” (1 Samuel 17:11, NIV84)

4. there is Goliath the challanger

C. GOLIATH AND THE CHRONOLOGY

“For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.” (1 Samuel 17:16, NIV84)

1. the nagging question of chapter 17 is Why doesn’t King Saul do something? Why doesn’t he champion Israel’s cause?

a. Saul was chosen to lead the Israelites against their enemies, but when faced with Goliath he refuses to do so

b. Saul, himself is not small

1) 1 Samuel describes him as a physical specimen of Jewish manhood without equal and a head taller than anyone else in all Israel (1 Samuel 9:2), which implies he was over 6 feet tall and the obvious challenger for Goliath

2) as we see in vs. 38-39 Saul is seemingly as equally well-armed as Goliath

2. as we shall see, the difference between Saul and David, is that David implicitly trusts in God while Saul does not

3. Goliath and the Chronology

II. STANDING UP TO THE ENEMIES OF GOD vs. 12-32

1. the text now backtracks to David, the challenger-to-be

2. in this passage we get a more detailed description of David’s linage

a. he is once again introduced to us as the son of Jesse who is an Ephrathite

1) this is the old name for Bethlehem

b. he is the youngest of eight sons and Jesse is already an old man

c. his three oldest boys are serving in Saul’s army

3. though David had earlier been called a warrior (16:18) and was made a permanent courtier in Saul’s palace (16:22), he doesn’t have a role in Saul’s army assembled at the Valley of Elah

a. instead he played a support role, “going back and forth from Saul” (v. 15) in short-term stints

“but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.” (1 Samuel 17:15, NIV84)

b. this explains why Saul does not fully recognize David when he is first brought to him

1) evidently David is only sent for when a dark mood overcomes Saul because of the harmful spirit from the Lord (16:14)

A. DAVID THE BOY AND UNASSUMING HERO

1. because of the length of the standoff between the Israelites and the Philistines David’s brothers would soon be running out of whatever provisions they had initially taken with them

a. Jesse send David to resupply his brothers with roasted grain and bread

b. he also sends some cheese along for, what in the U.S. Army, would be a Battalion Commander

c. most importantly Jesse wants to know how his sons are doing

“Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them.” (1 Samuel 17:18, NIV84)

A. DAVID’S CONTEMPT FOR GOLIATH

1. in vs. 22-30 we see David’s contempt for Goliath

a. who doe he think he is defying Israel’s God like this?

2. not long after David arrives at the Israelite encampment with the provisions, the daily spectacle of Goliath’s taunt takes place

“David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.” (1 Samuel 17:22–23, NIV84)

a. and the results are the same

1) 1st, they’re afraid, vs. 24

2) 2nd, they the soldiers begin discussing “the incentive” that Saul has published among his troops vs. 25

a) for the man brave enough man up, step out and go up against Goliath ... and prevail ... (that’s the clincher) ... King Saul will make that man fabulously rich and will give him his daughter in marriage which means prestige and influence within the royal court

b) the whole army is talking about it, but no one is doing anything about it

3. David’s response is one of incredulity

a. 1st, he appears astonished that the King of Israel would have to attempt to bribe his soldiers to be brave

b. 2nd, David is incensed that this uncircumcised Philistine would dare heap shame on or defy the armies of the living God

c. as far as David is concerned, demeaning Israel’s army is equal to demeaning Israel’s God

d. 3rd, David’s older brother misunderstands David’s concern for God’s honor

1) David’s anger against Goliath is not a private thought, but an open question to surrounding soldiers

2) David make such a stir in asking questions, that his older brother Eliab accuses him of conceit, and wanting to watch the spectacle of battle

B. DAVID’S CONCERN FOR GOD’S HONOR

1. somehow, it comes to King Saul’s attention that a young man among his soldiers is incensed over Goliath’s provocation

“What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”” (1 Samuel 17:31–32, NIV84)

a. David immediately volunteers to go up against Goliath

b. Saul is immediately concerned

1) he recognized David’s youth in seemingly inexperience at hand-to-hand combat

“Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.”” (1 Samuel 17:33, NIV84)

2. David contends that though he is young he is no pushover

“But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 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.” (1 Samuel 17:34–36, NIV84)

a. there are no longer lions and bears roaming wild in Israel today, but in David’s day they did

1) the bear David refers to is the Syrian Brown Bear, and adult males can weigh up to 500 pounds

2) the lion of David speaks of is the Asiatic Lion which is a small sub-species of the African lion, but a lion, is a lion, is a lion

b. David says he has tackled these beasts personally saying that I seized it by its hair

3. vs. 34-36 are David’s first speech in the Bibl

a. as he becomes acquainted with the dire straits of Israel, and is honestly concerned with God’s honor

III. SECURING THE VICTORY FOR GOD vs. 33-58

1. this is the part of the story we know best

A. DAVID HAS CONFIDENCE IN GOD

1. in vs. 38-40 we see Saul trying to make David into something he is not by outfitting him with his own personal armor and weaponry

a. I can just see this normal sized, lanky Israeli teenager dressed in the armor of a man who stands over six-feet tall ... it had to appear somewhat comical

b. Saul’s armor is going to be a detriment to him

c. instead, David leaves all that behind, picks up his staff and a handful of smooth stones and heads for “no-man’s land”

1) David trusts that God’s Spirit will be with him

2. Goliath is not impressed

“Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”” (1 Samuel 17:41–44, NIV84)

a. Goliath is not impressed ... he should have been

b. when you’re a teenager, tending sheep and goats in the hills and valleys of Judah what do you do to pass the time of day?

1) you practice your slinging technique!

ILLUS. A trained slinger could hurl a stone the size of a silver dollar at speeds of 150 MPH. Just ask any major league baseball player who as been beaned by a 95 mph fastball. It stings!, Which is why they wear batting helmets. A fastball to an unprotected head can kill. Slingers had two basic techniques: They could lob a stone at the enemy in a high arc from a distance of up to 1,300 feet. They could also have a high velocity impact when released in a straight-line at a short distance.

3. David bring Goliath down with one shot

“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. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 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.” 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.” (1 Samuel 17:45–51, NIV84)

4. the end ... well, mostly

IV. LESSONS FROM 1ST SAMUEL 17

1. in the spiritual battles faced by believers every day, we are often called upon to face awesome and frightening foes

a. these foes look bigger and appear to be so much better equipped for battle

b. to be honest, our initial response may be like Saul’s and the Israelite army

c. but we must also remember that the battle is the Lords 1 Sam 17:47

2. 1st David Has No Delusions about the Strength of His Enemy

a. Goliath came against him with sword and spear and javelin

b. but David’s weapon was far superior

1) he came in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel

3. 2nd, David Realized That the Skill of the Human Combatants Is of Little Consequence in This Confrontation

a. Goliath, the giant, could not stand against the Lord of all creation

b. David tells Goliath that the Lord would hand him over to him that day

4. 3rd, David Knew That the Lord Would Not Only Be Able to Win this Battle, He Would Also Win the War

a. David knows that Goliath’s death will lead to the defeat of the entire Philistine army

5. 4th, David Was Aware That the Purpose of the Battle Was Broader in Scope than Goliath Realized

a. Goliath’s goal was to subjugate the Israelites in servitude

b. but David recognized that God’s honor was at stake

c. Goliath had insulted God and his chosen covenant people, now this battle would was to set the record straight

d. at its conclusion, the whole world would know that there is a God in Israel

6. 5th, David Recognized That God’s Strategy Is Perfect

a. human ability with sword and spear is often irrelevant

b. humanly speaking, David should have been no match against Goliath, a huge man and a seasoned warrior equipped with the latest and best armament

c. but God’s ways are not our ways

7. David’s battle with Goliath was as much a spiritual battle as it was a physical battle

a. for the majority of us our battles are spiritual battles

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5, NIV84)

b. at the societal level our battles are often legal and social battles, but they are equally spiritual battles

1st, moral relativism has so shaped the culture that the vast majority of Americans now see themselves as their own moral arbiter

2nd, courts acting as mini-legislatures invent new rights that real legislatures would never enact

3rd, the most influential sectors of society are allied in furthering the process of social disintegration

4th, educational institutions are quickly becoming the indoctrination centers of a leftist-progressive agenda