The Battle Is The Lords

1 Samuel 17:44-51 NKJV

“The Battle is the LORD’s”

June 4, 2023

Up to this point in history, God had ruled the nation, raising up judges as they were needed. This was how things operated all the way from the time of Moses through the days of the Prophet, Priest, and Judge Samuel. God warned them that elevating a man to the throne would bring political corruption and trouble, 1 Samuel 8. But they demanded a king like the Philistines had! When a man named Saul from the tribe of Benjamin was chosen to be their king, the people were elated. Saul was a fine physical specimen, standing head and shoulders above anyone else in Israel, 1 Samuel 9. While he may have been a giant among men, he was a spiritual dwarf! Saul was a jealous man, who lived for the praises of the people. He tended to overstep his boundaries and was guilty of gross disobedience to the commands of the Lord. As a result of Saul’s rebellion, God chooses a new king to rule over Israel. He chooses a young shepherd named David, son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Ruth. He was anointed by Samuel as a boy but did not ascend the throne for another 25 years. During that time, he faced battles from his family, battles from the enemy, and battles from within. And from each challenge we learn that when the Battle is the LORD’s the victory is ours.

THE DOUBTERS - God sent Samuel to a specific city called Bethlehem, to a specific family of the line of Judah and then to the specific boy He had chosen to be the next king. After Ruth’s grandson, Jesse, only brings his seven oldest sons to be considered before the Prophet Samuel and after all being rejected, Samuel asks, “Is there is yet another son?” He is told of the youngest and he is with the sheep. He is so insignificant within the family that he is not even summoned with the rest of the boys, but he is left out of the feast and the sacrifice. He is out there doing the job of a humble shepherd. In fact, when he is mentioned by his father, he is not even called by his name; he is simply called “the youngest.” When he walks in, Samuel sees a handsome, young man and God tells the prophet to anoint the young David, for this is the one! The one rejected and passed over by his family is the very one picked by the Lord!

Even though the oil from Samuel’s horn was poured over David in the presence of his brothers, it was his family that couldn’t see his anointing. It’s those closest to you that often doubt. His brothers were standing right there when the Prophet anointed his head. His father, Jesse, when told to bring all his sons in before Samuel, they were “sanctified,” v. 5. In other words, their clothes were washed, and they are made ready for worship. When David is finally brought, there is no time for him to be washed, but he is sanctified nonetheless! His clothes may have been soiled from the pasture, but his heart was clean! God sees what man cannot see! Even Samuel was impressed with the oldest son, but God wasn’t. Even the Prophet is still looking at men through human eyes. We are the same way. When we see a youth who is good looking, well-spoken and intelligent, we look at them and say, “That young person would make a fine leader someday.” The problem is, we cannot see their heart! While the one we think will amount to little, they might just be the one used by the Lord in a mighty way! You see, God makes His choices based not on what He sees about our outward characteristics, but on what He sees within the content of our hearts. One would have thought that at least the Prophet would have learned from his experience with tall, strong and handsome King Saul, who proved to be, exactly the kind of king the Lord had warned the Israelites of. A selfish and jealous king, Saul stated his rule well but his pride and disobedience in worship moved God to choose another, “A man after God’s own heart.” So, God removed His anointing from Saul and placed it upon the young David. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 4, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

THE DANGER - In chapter 17 we are introduced to the Philistine champion, and he is a giant. His name is Goliath, which means “splendor,” and he was a splendid physical specimen. Goliath was not an ordinary soldier.