Facing Giants: Don't Run

David and Goliath: Overcoming Giants

Theme: Facing the Giant and Moving on.

Text: 1 Samuel 17:1 - 58

Introduction

The story of David and Goliath is one of the most popular stories in scripture. It has been used throughout the world to illustrate the ability of the small to defeat the big. The underdog to defy all odds and take down the heavily favored. From sports, to business, to life.

This story has been told repeatedly. Yet in that it will cause us to dismiss the power and importance of it.

The willingness to defy all the odds and defeat the giant.

These giants come to mean many things. They could be obstacles in our way. (Jesus referred to mountains that are obstacles).

So this morning let us review with fresh eyes and see what God is teaching us. We are going into the last Sunday before the Christmas season. I wanted to share with you this message as almost a summary message of 2020.

The Story.

We quickly learn that David was the youngest of eight sons. He had two jobs 1) a shepherd 2) to bring supplies to 3 of his brothers who were on the front lines of battle. He would bring reports back to his father Jesse about the welfare of this brothers.

This time as he shows up there is a different battle formation. Two armies are standing around the Valley of Elah. They are “lined up in battle formation to face” each other.

Scripture and description

1Sa 17:3-7 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them. (4) Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches tall (some translations vary because the word here is cubit which is flexible according to the person it usually measured around 18 inches but was from the tip of your finger to your elbow) (5) and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed 125 pounds. (6) There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze sword was slung between his shoulders. (7) His spear shaft was like a weaver's beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed 15 pounds. In addition, a shield-bearer was walking in front of him.

1Sa 17: (8) He stood and shouted to the battle formations: "Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?" He asked them, "Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. (9) If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us."

This happened for 40 days.

1Sa 17:11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

They were afraid. This caused them to freeze. Fear causes paralysis. It can cause us not to react.

David hears this and begins to inquire. Is there a reward for the defeat? Why are the people letting this happen? David calls him and “uncircumcised

1Sa 17:26 David spoke to the men who were standing with him: "What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

His brother hears him speaking and rebukes him. He refers to him and a young arrogant man who has no idea what he is talking about. Word get back to King Saul, their leader and now Saul is inquiring of David.

King Saul should have been the one to battle this giant. Why? He was the anointed leader of Israel. 2) He was heads above the others

When Goliath demands an Israelite champion to fight with him (vv. 8-10), Saul ought to have accepted the challenge. After all, hadn’t God anointed him to “save [Israel] from the hand of their enemies all around” (10:1)? Wasn’t that what the people wanted when they demanded Samuel find them a king—”that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles” (8:19-20)? Like Goliath, Saul was large and well-armed. And yet Saul’s reaction to Goliath’s trash talk is not resolute action but dismay and fear (17:11). This was supposed to be the story of “Saul and Goliath,” but nobody remembers it that way because Saul flaked out.

From https://pursiful.com/2009/10/06/saul-and-goliath-the-tale-of-the-tape/

1 Samuel 9:2 reminds us that Saul was an head taller than those around him. Which is interesting because when we find him to be anointed he is hiding in the crowd which meant he stooped down.