David And Goliath

David and Goliath

Introduction:

Each year there is a football game between Deer Park and LaPorte High Schools called the Border Battle. The Deer and the Bull Dogs battle it out on the field. There are nations in the world that live in perpetual conflict—the state of Israel and the Palestinians, Ukraine and Russia. In the literature we read and the films we watch there are arch-enemies. An archenemy is the main character's protagonist. It is often the hero's most prominent or well-known enemy. It seems that every hero has them. Batman has the Joker, Superman has Lex Luthor, and the Fantastic Four have Dr. Doom. Sherlock Homes has Professor Moriarty. In spy movies about the Cold War, it's always Russia versus the United States.

In the Bible, during the time of David, the Philistines were Israel's arch-rivals. The Philistines had come to prominence before the birth of Samson and ruled the tribes of Israel for forty years during the time of Samson. They were the nation that eventually captured Samson by shearing his hair and seeing that his vows to God were completely broken. They were unafraid to fight this most prominent and anointed of Israel's heroes. They poked out his eyes and tied him to the pillars of the temple to their god Dagon only to experience the way God restores those who repent. Samson's strength was restored; he pushed over the pillars and destroyed more Philistines in his death than in his life.

At the beginning of 1 Samuel the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant when it was brought onto the battlefield by Eli the priest's sons. Again, they captured something too hot for them to handle. The Philistines lived on the coast that bordered Israel. They had five prominent cities ruled by five lords. Each of these cities they took it to was plagued. When they placed the Ark in the house of Dagon as a trophy, Dagon fell before it and his hands and head were cut off. The Philistines were wise enough to send the Ark home. They knew when they had had enough, but were never afraid to fight.

During the time of Saul, they came again to fight Israel. They dominated the tool sharpening and making industry. There were no smiths in Israel, everyone had to go down to the Philistines to sharpen their farming tools and only a select few in Israel had swords. The archenemy of Israel had seemed to have the upper hand. King Saul was a great general in many ways and fought them well to a point, but there was a place where God had enough of the enemy dominating his chosen people and so we read in 1 Samuel 16:13 that Samuel anointed David to be the new king and "the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward."

David was called and anointed for numerous purposes, but one purpose that plays prominently in his life is that he was called to fight the wars of the LORD.

The Philistine Goliath was a giant. He was of the remnant of the giants. They are mysterious. He was the Philistine champion. He is the most described person in Scripture. But these words never come from the mouth of David. He has the attitude that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. I come to encourage you to day that whatever giant you are facing, God brought it to you to beat!

1. Brought to Purpose

1 Samuel 17:17-18, 20b (NLT)

"One day Jesse said to David, "Take this half-bushel of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers. And give these ten loaves of bread to your brothers. And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain, See how your brothers are getting along, and bring me back a letter from them... He arrived at the outskirts of the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battle..."

God moves us where we need to be when we need to be there. Normal everyday life and responsibility both prepared David for his future service to God and brought him to it when it was time.

At the precise moment God had planned, Jesse called David and sent him out to the army of Israel to deliver food. He was the Shipt driver dropping off the groceries. He was the errand boy, the gofer. He was the caddie carrying the master's clubs.

David never seems to worry about position as a defining characteristic of his life, but allows God to use life to carry him to where he needs to be when he needs to be there. This is a work of the Holy Spirit. God is immanent within His creation, moving things to where they need to be to accomplish His ultimate purpose and goal. He has not abandoned creation and history to itself, but is actively involved in the everyday affairs of the world on the macro and micro levels. He sees each sparrow that falls and clothes the grass. He is involved in the details. Be open to God.