David And Goliath Series

We’re doing a short series on courage, entitled Fearless: Possessing a Lionhearted Righteousness. It’s based off of Proverbs 28:1: “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 17 and bookmark Genesis 12.

The Story of David and Goliath

The story of David and Goliath is one of the greatest children's stories in the history of literature. It is not only the first full-blown story we read about David, but the one that most people know about and remember. David and Goliath is an epic battle and though it occurred 3,000 years ago, it remains a cultural metaphor even to this day. If you know anything at all about David, you know the story of Goliath. The truth of the matter is there are going to be times in your life when we face a threat or a problem or a challenge that is far bigger than we are. Our story is set back in time some 3,000 years ago in the ancient land of Israel. The battle of David and Goliath happens around fifteen miles outside of Bethlehem.

Think with me about the significance of David for a moment. He is the first person named in the New Testament after Jesus Christ and he is the last person named in the New Testament except for Jesus Christ. More verses in God's Word are devoted to King David than to any other person mentioned with the exception of Jesus Christ. David is born around 1040 B.C. and this is David’s coming out party, if you will. David had already been privately anointed the next king over Israel.

Turn your attention to the battle for a moment. Our story begins with these ominous words: “Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle” (1 Samuel 17:1a). The Philistines and the Israelites were great enemies. They came, and they camped on both sides of a valley … the Israelites on one hill, the Philistines on the other hill. They set up their battle lines. A wadi, or dry riverbed, separated the two armies as they stared at one another across the ravine. In the middle, of course, was no-man’s land, the danger zone, or the valley of death. No one dared to move for attacking meant crossing the valley only to make a suicidal climb uphill fighting the enemy when he is on the high ground.

Contrasting David vs. Goliath with me. What grabs us about this story is the contrast between the two doing battle. Goliath is large and David is small. In the middle of this no man’s land emerges Goliath, who is 9’9” feet tall. The young David is described as having red tinted-hair and beautiful eyes (1 Samuel 16:12). Goliath is an experienced warrior while David is but nineteen years of age. David is even the youngest of his brothers (1 Samuel 17:14). You were not eligible for the military until twenty ears of age so young David didn’t qualify (Numbers 1:3). David’s purpose was not even to do battle when he came to the frontlines. Instead, his dad sent him to food to his brothers serving in battle, include cheese and bread (1 Samuel 17:17-18).

Look at Goliath’s armor. As big as Goliath was, you wonder why he even needed armor (1 Samuel 17:5). In front of David is a giant who has a helmet of bronze and armor that weight more than 125 pounds on his chest. This was an elaborate tunic that served to protect him against blows to his body and it was made up of overlapping bronze fishlike scales. This armor not only covered his chest but extended to his knees as well. David saw three weapons of warfare on Goliath: curved sword, a javelin, and a spear (1 Samuel 17:45). The spear would be his first weapon of choice was the spear which the Bible describes as “The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam” (1 Samuel 7:7a), meaning it probably had a mechanism of a cord and weights which increased its accuracy in battle. This spear weighed in at over fifteen pounds and the Israelites soldiers felt this weapon could pierce any of their armor. To boot, he even had a shield-bearer going before him.

But not only see his armor but listen to Goliath’s taunt. Goliath is recorded as saying 33 words in our story. “As he stepped into the valley between the two armies, his words dripped with insolence: He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.’ 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.’” (1 Samuel 17:8-10)