author: Ryan Hayden Take your Bibles with me and turn to 1 Samuel 17. 1 Samuel 17. We are going to look tonight at THE most well known story in the whole Bible. Everyone has heard of this story. The story of David and Goliath. Everyone has heard of it, but I think, almost everyone gets it wrong.
Let's read through it in sections and explain it, and then I'll give you what I think is the main point of this story.
The Story
The Standoff
Let's start by reading verses 1-3:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:1-3 - KJV
- Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
- And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
- And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
So the Philistines were Israel's biggest enemy at this time. Remember, it was the Philistines that Samson was fighting against.
If you look at a map of Israel, you have the Mediterranean sea. Then a valley. Then a bunch of mountains. Then another valley. Then more mountains.
The Philistines lived in cities near the Mediterranean sea, but now they are encroaching into Judah - they are trying to take back land that belonged to Israel.
And so Saul and Israel is brought to battle against them. They meet in this big valley with hills on each side called "the Valley of Elah." On the western side you have the Philistine army. On the eastern side you have the army of Israel. And it's a standoff. Neither side is committing to all out war yet.
And a big reason for that is the Philistine's not so secret weapon. Let's keep reading:
The Giant
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:4-7 - KJV 4. 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. 5. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 7. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
So the Philistines have this guy named Goliath. Goliath is a giant from the city of Gath.
We know that there was a race of giants that lived in Palestine. Joshua fought against them and drove them into these Philistine cities. Very likeley, Goliath is one of their decedents.
Goliath is six cubits and a span tall. That is about 9 and a half feet tall. This man is so tall that he wouldn't be able to stand up in most of your houses, because we usually just have 8 foot ceilings.
That's not unheard of either. There was a man from Alton, IL who died in 1940 (you can see lots of pictures of him online) named Robert Wadlow. Robert Wadlow was 8ft 11inches at his death, and he wasn't not bone skinny.
Goliath wasn't like Manute Boll or Taco Fall, he wasn't this spindly tall guy. He had to have been built more like Shaquille O'neal, because Goliath's armor weighed close to 200 pounds.
It's interesting that our King James translates his armor to be "a coat of mail" in verse 5, because that word "mail" shows up seven other times in the Bible and each time it is translated as "scales." That's significant and we'll come back to it.
Goliath's spear was on a beam that was like a 2x4 and the spear head on the thing was 15 pounds. So his spear head was like a sledgehammer.
This is a big tall very strong man. And the Bible calls him "a champion." What that word means specifically is "a man in the middle." He was a man who was going to fight on behalf of his country and army.
The Challenge
Let's keep reading:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:8-11 - KJV 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
So do you see the picture? Every day you have these armies facing each other. It's a standoff. Maybe they were cheering at each other. Pounding their shields with their spears. Daring each other to make the first move.
But then each day Goliath stands up and issues this challenge. Calling for a champion from Israel to fight him.
And I think the reason why they haven't fought yet is because everyone in Israel is terrified of facing Goliath on the open battle field.
Now, there was a man who was the natural choice to be a champion. Israel had a man who they elected to fight their battles for them. He was a man who was "head and shoulders above all the people." So he was the tallest man. They had king Saul. But King Saul is playing the coward here.
This goes on for forty days.
The Hero
Now, let's keep reading:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:12-18 - KJV 12. Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 13. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the first born, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. 15. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. 16. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17. And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18. And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
This is an unassuming start for David. He's home keeping his father's sheep. Yes, he served some as a musician in Saul's court. But apparently that was on an as needed basis, and David hasn't been needed for awhile, so he's back to sheep.
His older brothers went off to battle, but David stayed home with the sheep. That is, until his father sent him with some food for his brothers and to hear the news. So David sets off to see his brothers and bring them a care package and see how they are doing.
And as David is coming into the camp, coming into the army, he sees and hears the challenge. Let's keep reading...
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:19-27 - KJV 19. Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20. And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. 21. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. 22. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. 23. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. 24. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel. 26. 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? 27. And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
So David hears Goliath, but David isn't afraid. David is angry. He can't believe that someone is terrifying Israel like this and mocking Israel. These are God's people!
David hears asks about the reward for the fighter - he's thinking about it. No one should be able to talk about Israel like that.
But then His brother hears it...
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:28-29 - KJV 28. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
David's brother Eliab - the tall brother - hears David talking and accuses him of all kinds of things:
- coming of his own volition (David didn't, his dad sent him)
- leaving his sheep behind (David didn't, he made sure they were taken care of)
- being proud and naughty of heart (David was neither of those things)
- just coming to rubber neck. (That's all they were doing anyways.)
People can't see your heart. They can't see your motivations. Sometimes when they guess at it they get it really wrong. Eliab did that to David here.
But David just shook it off and kept asking. He knew there was a good cause - a good question that needed to be answered.
David's Offer
Let's keep reading
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:30-32 - KJV 30. And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. 32. And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
Finally, word gets to Saul that David wants to fight Goliath. David offers his service to Saul.
Now, Saul is skeptical. You would be too. David is young. He's not a large man.
So Saul says:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:33 - KJV 33. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
You are just a youth. You are just a teenager. You can't fight the giant.
But David answers by explaining the battles he's already fought. Look at verses 34-37
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:34-37 - KJV 34. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35. And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
Notice David's faith here. His faith isn't in himself. His faith is in God. He know God has helped him defeat the lion and the bear and that God will help him defeat the giant too.
Saul apparently sees his faith and says "Ok, go, and God be with you."
The Wrong Armor
Let's keep reading
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:38-39 - KJV 38. And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
Saul tried to get David to wear Saul's armor. That was no doubt the best armor available, and it was a huge honor for David - but it was too big for David and he wasn't used to it. So he said "I can't wear these" and took them off.
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:40 - KJV 40. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
David wasn't just talk. He was action. It was brave of him to say he'd go to battle, but here David actually drew near to Goliath. He actually stepped out into the field.
And he went out with just a shepherds tools. Just a sling and a shepherd's bag.
Now listen, please, listen. David did NOT have a slingshot. He was not out there being Denis the Menace with a little Y shaped stick and some rubber bands. He had a sling. Totally different weapon.
A sling is like a rope with a little pouch in the middle. You wind it up and throw and it enables you to throw a projectile much farther and faster and more accurately than you could throw with your arms.
This wasn't a little pebble either. It was a rock about the size of a baseball.
I recently watched a video about this - and they tested an ancient sling against a ballistic dummy and the rock absolutely obliterated the skull. It turned the brain to mush.
It wasn't even that weird for soldiers to use slings. Many ancient armies had sling divisions, in fact, the book of Judges mentions a group of seven hundred soldiers who could each sling a stone at an hair breadth. This isn't even unique in the Bible.
Goliath's Proud Reaction
Lets see how Goliath reacted.
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:41-44 - KJV 41. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. 42. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43. 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. 44. 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.
Goliath looked at David and said "This has to be a joke." There was absolutely nothing about David that struck fear or respect in Goliath's heart.
But David wasn't scared. Look at David's response:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:45-47 - KJV 45. 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. 46. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47. 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.
Notice the faith here: David is exalting God. He is saying "you might have weapons, but I have God and you have defied Him."
Goliath mocked David and said He'd give him to the birds of the air, and David gives that mocking right back at Goliath, but tells him it will be because of God's enablement.
Again, this is just dripping in faith in God's power.
Let's keep reading:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 17:48-50 - KJV 48. And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
David ran toward Goliath.
Would you run toward Shaq if he was wearing armor and was going to kill you? Would that be wise? But David ran toward Goliath, reached into his bag, got a good rock and slung it right at Goliath and hit him right in the forehead, killing him.
I won't read the rest but David cut off Goliath's head. He was the victor here.
Now, that is the story. It's a story you've all heard before. But I want to get to...
The Point
You see, this story is preached a lot, and almost always, the sermon is how you can defeat your giant. That's the point everyone makes: "If you just have faith like David, you can defeat your giants."
There was even a movie that came out called "facing the giants" - it's a great Christian movie - but it gets this story wrong. This isn't a how to manual for you on defeating your personal giants.
Remember, Goliath is a champion. He is inviting Israel to fight him in champion combat.
He challenges Israel for 40 days out in the wilderness. He's wearing snake-like armor.
Anybody see where this is going?
Back in Genesis, Adam had a little battle with a snake in the garden - and Adam lost, plunging the world into sin.
Because Adam was our head, because He was our champion, we were all plunged into sin.
Then, in Numbers, the spies were wandering in the wilderness for 40 days, checking out the promised land, and they saw giants. God punished them to 40 years of wandering.
Now, here David, a man from Bethlehem, a man who is anointed king but who is rejected by his brothers, comes out after 40 days of testing to fight as Israel's champion, and defeats the snake-giant in battle on behalf of His people.
If you don't know what that is a picture of - you aren't paying attention.
It's obviously pointing us to Christ. Christ who came as the anointed king, the son of David, who came out of Bethlehem, who was tempted by the devil 40 days in the wilderness, and who went to do battle with sin and death on our behalf.
[!bible] 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 - KJV 21. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Church, we have a Champion. We have a Champion.
And when the giant of sin, and his armor bearer the world come out to mock us, we need to remind ourselves that our Champion already went to battle for us and won.
Christ, the true and better David
Lowly shepherd, mighty king
He the champion in the battle
Where, o death, is now thy sting?
In our place He bled and conquered
Crown Him Lord of majesty
His shall be the throne forever
We shall e'er His people be
That's the point of this story. We have a Champion who has fought the battle for us and defeated our Goliath for us.
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
Praise the Lord. Let's stand together for prayer tonight.
