One Year Bible Readings and Commentary for Sunday, May 15th
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Click Here To Read 1 Samuel 17:1-18:4
Goliath Challenges the Israelites
Goliath, a monster of a man, comes out to taunt the Israelites. He was such a massive warrior perhaps he thought no one would be brave enough to answer his challenge. In fact, he even declares that if anyone were to defeat him, the Philistines would be slaves of the Israelites. Obviously he would have never said this if he had any inclination that an Israelite would even come close defeating him, let alone even to approach him. Sure enough Saul and his warriors were fearful and panic stricken. All they looked at was the size of Goliath, and their own size. In the natural they were sure to be demolished.
Jesse Sends David to Saul's Camp
As we know from a previous passage, David was the youngest of 8 of Jesse's sons. Jesse was from Bethlehem. We had also seen where God had told him previously that David was the one who he had picked to be the next leader in Israel. Since Jesse had three sons in the army, David's job was to tend the sheep. But on this particular day Jesse asked David to bring some bread and cheese to his brothers and to the commanders of the army.
When David arrived the armies of Israel and the Philistines were ready to engage in battle in the valley Elah. Meanwhile Goliath had taken to taunting and mocking the Israelite army for 40 days daring them to put up a fight. When David saw this happened he had two relevant questions:
1. What was the reward for killing Goliath.
2. Why was this man being allowed to make fun of the armies of the living God.
Notice where David's emphasis was on. While all the other men were worried about themselves, David was worried about God's reputation. In another conversation David says, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
When David's oldest brother Eliab heard what David was saying, he basically he told him to go back home and watch the sheep. But Saul heard about David and called him in. David agrees to go fight Goliath, but Saul let's him know it is a bad idea. After all David is just a boy and Samson is a seasoned warrior. Sending David out to meet the giant Goliath was like putting him on a suicide mission.
But listen to David's reply. Instead of shrinking back in fear, David recounts his battle with a bear and a lion in the field. He ripped a sheep out of the bear's mouth, seized it by the hair and killed it. He killed the lion in a similar manner. In David's mind Goliath would be no different. The same God who gave him the power to kill these to animals would help him to fell this arrogant Philistine.
Saul tries to dress David up in oversized armor, but David sheds the unwieldly outfit and prefers only his sling shot and bag that held five smooth stones. Similarly Goliath taunted David when he saw him come out. He threatened to take care of David and feed him to the birds and other wild animals. David is undeterred and offers Goliath this reply,
“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 deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, 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.” 1 Samuel 14:15-17
David makes quick work of Goliath. Despite Goliath's massive armor and weapons, David slings a smooth but sharp stone and it strikes Goliath in the forehead. The giant goes down in a heap, and David runs over takes his sword kills him and cuts off his head. Meanwhile the Philistine army is now the one in panic mode, and the Israelites chase them and defeat them.
When the report gets to Saul about young David, he invites him over. The first question he asks him is, "Whose son are you?" When David says, "Jesse from Bethlehem", I can't imagine Saul thought of anything but the prophecy Samuel had given him.
Finally, after all this was over, David became best friends with Saul's son, Jonathan. He now stayed with Saul and his son, and we will hear a lot more about these two soon.
When you face enemies in your life how do you respond? Do you get fearful and panicky, or do you rely on God for deliverance? You may not have five smooth stones or a sling, but you have the power of the living God through His Spirit living inside of you.
As the apostle Paul says in Romans 7:31, "What then shall we fear. If God is for us, who can be against us."
Click Here to Read John 8:21-30
The Unbelieving People Warned
As Jesus had now shown the people evidence of His being the Messiah, he started to warn them of would happen if they chose to not believe in him. Importantly he told them that unless they believed in him, they would die in their sins. Once again the people asked him, "Just who are you?"
Jesus says, "The One I have been saying all along!" Jesus let them know that when he was lifted up on the cross, they would finally realize who he was. After sharing this the text says, "Many of the people came to believe in him."
Click Here to Read Proverbs 15:11
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