The
Book of First Samuel
Chapter 17:33-58
[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.
[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.
1)
Calm & Control (Vs 32-37)
David has come and confidently said that he
will go and fight the 9 ft tall giant, Goliath
King Saul, thinks this is a cruel joke....He
has waited 40 days for a volunteer
The good news, someone has volunteered and
the bad news, it is a little shepherd boy
David almost seems to say “Calm down, this is
under control”
The “tale of the tape” - reveals to
man that David can’t win- the odds are unsurmountable
Saul says “Goliath has been a soldier longer
than you have been alive”
(Paul said I Tim 4:12 Let no man despise
thy youth)
David explains how God has prepared
him for this battle
A Lion
and a Bear................ both had been smitten and these were but a training
a preparation
·
We should be faithful where we are at, then use that faithfulness to
accomplish greater things for God
If David had run from the bear or the lion
then he is not ready to fight this giant
But he had been faithful then and he will be
faithful now
David is careful to say “God has delivered me
from the enemy & I believe He will do it again”
Proper credit and glory is given to God (Phil 1:6) God may deliver form trials or deliver you in the midst of trials
[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.
[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.
2)
Clothed (Vs 38-40)
The king began to cloth David in his own
armor to try and protect David
But David physically was hindered (the armor
is too big)
But David spiritually was
hindered, trust not man but God, we need not worldly protection but God
Human wisdom and military technology will not win this
battle
Saul
had armor but David had the whole armor of
the Lord (Eph 6:11)
Saul
had helmet but David has helmet
of salvation (Eph
6:17)
Saul had coat of mail but David has breastplate of
righteousness (Eph 6:14)
Saul
had sword but David has Sword
of the Spirit (Eph
6:17)
This same armor was available to Saul, and at one
time he used it, but now Saul trusts man’s armor
This is why David is going to fight the giant
and Saul is giving advice on the sideline
David took off man’s armor and he chose shepherd
tools (Staff- marked what God had done before)
5 smooth stones (Goliath had 4 brothers or
sons II Sam 21:18-22) David had a sling and goes
[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.
3) Conceitment (Vs 41-44)
Goliath, “looked about” had a hard time
seeing a man so small
Goliath is insulted, he mocks and curses.
This is not a fair fight (Goliath is huge and
has a shield bearer, so it is 2 against 1)
Goliath says “come to me” bring it on “I’ll feed you to the birds”
[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.
4)
Courage (Vs 45-47)
Goliaths mockery and terrible bass voice
probably struck fear in the Israelites soldiers hearts
David says “you’ve got fancy weapons, but
this is not a fair fight, I’ve got the Lord”
The Lord will give me victory and I’ll take
your head and then kill your buddies
David is bold, “bold in the Lord” and wants all to take notice of
God’s mighty power
[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.
[51] Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword,
and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head
therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
[52] And the men of
[53] And the children of
[54] And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to
5)
Confrontation (Vs 48-54)
Goliath is enraged and full of wrath and
draws near David
David w/o panic ran toward the enemy
David took his sling and his stone, with careful aim
by the Spirit of God, struck giant in the forehead
The one place where the giant had no
protection and fell on his face (Like Dagon I Sam 5)
Man said “Goliath is too big to fight” David
saw and said “Goliath is too big to miss”
David ran and stood upon the giant and took
the giants sword & cut his head off
The Philistines saw their champion was dead and ran
away.
David conquered the giant, but what about you
and I?
Does God have impossible victories awaiting
for us ?
[55] And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner,
whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I
cannot tell.
[56] And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.
[57] And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head
of the Philistine in his hand.
[58] And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young
man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
6)
Concern (Vs 55-58)
Sauls
inquiry into David’s background makes me think he didn’t recognize David
Maybe when David played he was behind a
curtain & Saul never saw his face
Maybe Saul, not entirely in his right mind,
didn’t recognize David
David is a Bethlehemite,
the son of Jesse (from the House of Bread)
Son of David David
& Jesus Both fought to represent and
substitute for the people
Both fought an enemy dominating people by fear
Both went to the battleground alone
Both sent by their father (I Sam 17:17)
Both rejected by their brethren
Both fought without concern for conventional
wisdom (defeat death by the cross)
Both won the battle yet the enemy did not
willingly give up
Both fought battle, victory assured before it
started
(Vs
47 “Our hands”) - David says victory is shared (My victory is your victory)