There are several stories in the Bible that seem to be universally known, and the biblical account of David and Goliath is certainly toward the top of that list. Sometimes, it's hard to make it a day without hearing it referenced. Even last week while I was watching a football game, I heard one of the commentators bring up the story as he described a running back blasting through a large line of defenders to score a touchdown.
When you hear the story of David and Goliath referenced, what applications come to your mind? What do you believe the Lord wants us to glean from an account like this? Frankly, I think there are multiple applications, and I intend to highlight some of them, but one particular application stands out to me when I read a passage like this that might be helpful to ask as a question.
What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail?
That's a question I'd like you to be thinking about as we work our way through the content of this Scripture.
As 1 Samuel 17 begins, we're told of a conflict that was in the midst of taking place between the Philistines and the army of Israel. Historically, conflict between these two nations was rather common, but a new element of this conflict is introduced in this passage. We're told here that day after day, the Philistine army and Israeli army would line up and face each other in battle formation. And when they lined up, the Philistines would bring their champion Goliath out to mock and intimidate the men of Israel.
Goliath was absolutely huge. In English measurements, he would be approximately 9 ft. 9 inches tall. I guarantee you've never seen someone anywhere near that height. The tallest contemporary example on record with the Guinness Book of World Records is a man named Robert Wadlow who stood 8 ft. 11 inches. I'm guessing Mr. Wadlow was frequently compared to Goliath when he lived back in the 1930s and 1940s, but the comparison, in my opinion, isn't sufficient.
Wadlow was tall and lanky, but Goliath was tall and muscular. He wore a coat of armor that weighed 125 lbs. like it was a light jacket. His chest must have been massive and his legs were probably thick like the trunk of a tree. Goliath wasn't just tall, he was strong and mobile. He was someone who could use his massive size in battle, and he seemed to take delight in watching others cower in fear before him. I get the impression that his whole sense of identity and worth were wrapped up in his great size and fighting ability.
Each day, Goliath would come before the men of Israel and challenge them to fight, but no one wanted to volunteer for the task. It seemed illogical to the men of Israel. Who among them could physically subdue this powerful, armor-covered, weapon-wielding giant? As this spectacle of mockery continued for 40 successive days, King Saul and the army of Israel looked weaker and weaker, and I'm sure their morale was quickly waning. Not even Saul who was a head taller than the average man was willing to put his life on the line to fight the Philistine champion.
David's older brothers were among the men serving in Israel's army, and his father Jesse instructed David to bring them grain and bread, along with some cheese to share with their commander. While fulfilling Jesse's request, David learned more about what was taking place.
“And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.” ”
Why was David asking these men about what was going on? His oldest brother, Eliab, didn't seem terribly fond of David's inquiry. He snapped at him and accused him of just showing up so he could watch a fight. But word got back to Saul that David was taking a heightened interest in what was taking place, and I think Saul had the impression that David was going to offer a suggestion or a solution, so he summoned him to come before him.
“And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” ”
Again, let me go back to my original question. What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail? There was something in David's heart that was stirring. In ways that might be hard for others to understand, David was certain he would be granted victory if he fought Goliath.
I hope that at some point in your life, the Lord leads you toward something that seems impossible to everyone else, but deep in your heart you have no doubt that it's all going to work out. I hope He gives you the faith to see the outcome as certain before you even begin the process of working toward the impossible goal He sets before you. I can point to four moments in my life when the Lord graced me with complete certainty that I would not experience failure when I attempted a seemingly impossible task He gave me to do. Few things have ever made me feel so alive as I felt in those moments.
One chapter earlier, in 1 Samuel 16:13, we were told that the Spirit of the Lord "rushed" upon David after Samuel anointed him to replace Saul as king. Now, we can see that the Holy Spirit was guiding David's thoughts and empowering his actions. In faith, David could see Goliath defeated even before the battle began.
You can see the confidence David had in the Lord on display in his conversation with Saul. David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” (1 Samuel 17:37)
At that point, Saul placed his armor on David, but David wasn't used to wearing something like that, so he took it back off. Frankly, I think the Lord wanted to display that His strength is sufficient in battle, and facing Goliath without armor would provide a greater demonstration of the Lord's power. Instead of bringing a sword into battle, David brought a staff, a sling, and five smooth stones, even though he only needed one.
And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”
48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. (1 Samuel 17:41-49)
After 40 days of mocking the people of Israel, mocking David, and mocking God, Goliath was brought down by a young, unarmored man, with a sling and a rock. The Spirit of God was guiding David. The Spirit of God told him he could not fail. The Spirit of God empowered the words David said, the running steps David took, and the trajectory of the rock David slung. Now, the champion of the Philistines was dead, lying face-forward on the ground.
I can't help but wonder how the conversation went when David came home to his elderly father, and Jesse asked him if his brothers enjoyed the bread.
When Goliath spent 40 days mocking the men of Israel, he wasn't just mocking their army. He came out twice a day to mock their God. His actions remind me of the activity we commonly see Satan engaged in. Satan is a mocker. He mocks God's people, and he mocks the Lord. In fact, during the earthly ministry of Jesus, we see Satan taking a similar approach to Goliath at the end of a 40-day timespan.
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ”
We're also told that Satan tried to tempt Jesus to throw Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple to see if the angels would catch Him, then he offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would worship him. But Jesus resisted Satan's mockery and tempting offers. Instead, He responded with the same offensive weapon we've been entrusted with - the Word of God. Jesus quoted Scripture from the book of Deuteronomy and told Satan to scram.
If you're engaged in living the Christian life, what's your overall impression of the kind of life you've been called to? Is it a life of strength, or a life of weakness? Is it a life of victory, or is it a life of defeat? Are you running toward the impossible things you've been promised in Christ, or are you cowering in fear at the intimidating voice of mockery that comes at you from another direction?
When David secured victory over Goliath, that was a victory that was shared with the entire army of Israel who then went and plundered the Philistines. When David stepped forward in battle, he was representing them all, and when he won the battle, they all won.
Jesus secured victory over Satan when He rose from the grave. That is a victory that is supernaturally shared with everyone who trusts in Christ. Jesus stepped in on behalf of all humanity, and when He won, all who are united to Him by faith also won.
"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere." (2 Cor. 2:14)
"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." (Col. 2:13-15)
What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail? Guess what? In Christ, you can't fail. The spiritual forces that stand against you are already defeated foes. They've been subject to open shame, and Jesus has triumphed over them. Now His victory is your victory.
© John Stange, 2023
