David and Goliath - The Battle is the LORD's

David and Goliath - the battle is the LORD's

1 Samuel 17: 1-11 "Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh...and Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and pitched by the valley of Elah...and the Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.  And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.......and he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul?  choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.  If he be able to fight with me and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants and serve us.  And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day: give me a man that we may fight together.  When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."

What is the meaning and focus for this passage?   God. The bible is the Word of God, its God's revelation of himself to his people.  When you focus on God and what Goliath is here doing:  reproaching, defying, mocking, deriding,  we see the primary teaching of the passage.  Goliath dishoners Israel's God.  The passage teaches that direct challenges to God through pagans challenging God's people, is an insult to God and do not go unanswered.  The modern church needs to learn this.  The mockers of the world laugh when the modern church offers forgiveness to unrepentant blaspheming people who do not want forgiveness.  We need to preach judgment and sin.  You keep mocking God and God will wipe you out.

1. Situation

2. David's reaction

3. The men and their equipment

4. The battle

5. The application

1. Situation:  Saul is King of Israel, the Philistines have crossed the border with an army..Saul gathers the armies of Israel and camps by the valley of Elah.  There is a valley between them.  The battle had not happened because Goliath had challenged Israel's champion to individual combat to the death.  Saul and his army were terrified, afraid and discouraged because they had diverted to a worldly mind, looking at the situation on the world's terms as if God did not exist.  They were looking on the outward appearance.  God does not want his people to look on the outward appearance, that is the world's way of instilling fear and awe into hearts. That is why Goliath was sent, because of the effect the outward appearance would have on the worldly mind.  1 Sam 16:7 says "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh upon the heart." Samuel had learned the lesson, don't go by the outward appearance.  We are to be more discerning than that.  Saul and his army had left God out.

2. David's reaction - David was sent by his father to the army with supplies of food.  He runs to the battlefield to see his brothers. Goliath came up out of the Philistine army and spoke the same words and David heard him.  Goliath's words for the first time fell into the ears of a real man of God; a man not looking at things in the world's way, a man with his confidence in God.  Israel was "sore afraid" but now David sees the situation through a spiritual Godly man's eyes.  V26 "And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, what shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" David's words were as heavy as Goliath, he brings a whole new worldview,  "doesn't God make a difference?"  David's elder brother scorns him for his faith and for having a wicked heart, and said that David had only come down to see the battle.  Saul also tried to stop David from fighting, but David explained that he was a shepherd boy who had killed a lion because the Lord delivered the lion into David's hand.  To David, Goliath was no more to be feared than an animal.  God is real and he delivers.  David has God's glory in mind and he believes in the living God and therefore he is not afraid.  He is not self-confident, he is God-confident.  He won't wear Saul's armor because he says it is unproved by him.

3.  The men and their equipment - Goliath is between 9'6" and 11'4" tall.  His armor is a brass helmet, a coat of mail, brass leg greaves, and carries a huge spear and a sword.  a very experienced soldier who is apparently fearless but he is boastful and arrogant. All his confidence rests in himself.   By comparison David is small, nice-looking, and fearless because of his confidence in the living God.  He is humble and simply equipped with a staff and 5 smooth stones, a shepherd's bag and a sling.  These stones could travel between 100 and 150 mph but not  great against armor.

4.  The Battle - David took 5 smooth stones and put them in his bag and drew near to Goliath..  Goliath disdained David because of his youth.. cursed David by his gods and said V43-44  "And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.  And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field."  David's speech is the key passage V45-47 "Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.  This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; ......that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.  And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's and he will give you into our hands."   The LORD is mentioned 4 times.  There is a twofold lesson V46 "that the earth will know that there is a God in Israel"  V47 "that all this assembly will know that the Lord does not save by spear and sword for the battle is the LORD's.  The battle:  David runs at the giant, slang the stone and hit Goliath in the forehead with such force that the stone disappeared into his head.  The aftermath of the battle, David ran to the giant, drew Goliath's sword out of its sheath, slew him and cut off his head.

5.  The Application -  The situation is weakness of the people of God because of their worldly mindset.  David believes in God and is fearless.  God's people should look at every fearful situation with a God-centered mind.  Don't look at things as the world does, merely outwardly.  We do not need the world's methods to kill giants, we just need the simple equipment of a shepherd.  All we need to do as God's people is do what the bible says, the battle is the LORD's.  God is not mocked and get away with it, the church is not oppressed and get away with it.   David by his actions is saying to Israel, God's reputation is at stake and that matters to me enough to risk my life for him.  Whose honor matters?  its God's honor and glory that must be upheld.    Who will fight the giant in faith that dishonors God?  We are to be Davids in prayer and fight against the enemy with the spiritual weapons because we trust in God.  The message that must come from the churches is "repent or die"  God's honor is at stake and we must preach sin and judgment. 

The study below of David and Goliath is of notes I have made from a sermon by Rev. Paul Dowling.  The link below is the original sermon at YouTube.