All It Takes Is One

3.5.22 1 Samuel 17:4–49 (EHV)

The Philistine would say, “I defy the ranks of Israel today! Give me a man, and we will fight each other!” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

32 David said to Saul, “Do not let anyone lose heart because of this Philistine! Your servant will go and fight him.” . . .David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied. . . . when the Philistine started advancing to attack David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand into his bag, took a stone from it, shot it from his sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground.

All It Takes Is One

Years ago the Army was criticized for a promotional slogan that said, “An Army of one.” It was stressing the individual over the unit, and wars aren’t usually won that way. You can have the strongest and most powerful army in the world, but if your citizenry and your politicians aren’t behind you, then you are going to lose. I’ll be surprised if Russia actually comes out AHEAD in the end of this battle with Ukraine, since their own people are protesting against this seemingly obvious act of aggression. On the other hand, the Ukrainians seem united to fight against them for their freedom. When the President of Ukraine was offered a flight out, he famously said, “I don’t need a ride. I need ammo.” Would that we had such resolve in our battles against sin, death, and the devil.

Today, as we begin Lent, we start with a battle of one. David vs. Goliath. Jesus vs. Satan. As we’ve been singing throughout Epiphany, “We stand and we watch” the army of One, our One Lord and Savior. Yet this is a good thing. Even if we had an army to try and storm into heaven, we wouldn’t make it, were it not for Jesus.

In the Old Testament text, Goliath was cursing David by the name of his gods and trash talking away. He was a trained fighter from his youth, and a giant at that. He had all of the weapons of war, custom fitted just for him. So it was a scary situation. David’s brothers were studs. When Nathan looked at them, he thought for sure that one of them would be king. Yet even THEY were afraid of Goliath. It’s not like these were wimpy men. But Goliath was a GIANT:nine feet six inches tall! How many of us would have stepped up? We have no clue how intimidating this guy may have been.

Yet all it takes is ONE, one person to stand up and say something or do something, to change the whole tide. That’s what David did. He started asking questions. He started asking, “Why isn’t anyone standing up to this uncircumcised heathen?” In other words, he was mentioning that the man didn’t have the LORD on his side. This was a SPIRITUAL thing too, not just a physical thing. And when Goliath trash talked, David had words for him as well.

“You come against me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the LORD will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head. . . . Then all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and all those gathered here will know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear, for the battle belongs to the LORD, and he will deliver you into our hand.”

Notice how he invokes the name of the LORD throughout. He spoke with confidence and faith that this victory would be told throughout the EARTH. Not only would GOLIATH be defeated, but so would the WHOLE ARMY.

These weren’t just words spoken or written over a computer from hundreds of miles away. It took strength for David to say this. Here’s another thing; everyone was watching! Mano y mano. One on one. David for the Israelites. Goliath for the Philistines. David knew that the entire army was demoralized because of Goliath’s taunts. Yet he also knew that if he stood up and won, then that would change the entire attitude of the army, and it would be told throughout the entire earth! It would breathe confidence in them.