Who's The Real Giant? - 1 Samuel 17:31-58
Prayer:
Lord as we take a look at this very lopsided contest between David & Goliath please help us to look beyond the externals in the passage, then help us in our own lives to also look beyond the externals... to see beyond mere personalities & the physical world & our own circumstances... to see you at work in the world.
Who's the Real Giant? Last week we got introduced to Goliath, a man of extreme proportions, believed to be as much as 9'9" tall during a time in history when the average height was only 5'. Not only was he recorded as being quite tall, he was also incredibly physically strong, a proven champion amongst warriors, and he had no respect for God or God's people. Goliath may have looked like a giant, frightening all of Israel's army including King Saul, but he was a spiritual midget in comparison with David.
David is on God's side that doesn't mean God's people are going to cheer him on... in last week's passage his brother attacked him for his interest in the situation, and in this week's passage he'll face others who attempt to discourage him.
Quickly Form Groups and answer these Questions:
1. Have you ever had a time when others tried to discourage you from doing what you felt God had called you to do? Share your experiences.
2. Who are the people most likely to discourage you?
3. What situations cause you to become discouraged?
4. Where can you find courage in the face of discouragement?
<have groups share answers... some thoughts:> People most likely to discourage: friends, family, co-workers, bosses... people close to you. Situations most likely to discourage: working hard & not accomplishing much, working hard & not feeling appreciated, bored, can't solve a problem. Where to find courage: with God, with God's Word / truths, with what God has done in your life, and possibly with fellow believers (but use caution).
1 Samuel 17 v31-33: David is again with Saul, but this time he's not there to play the harp - he's there to take on Goliath. Saul doesn't even seem to hesitate, but immediately tells David he doesn't have a chance against this guy... Saul is attempting to discourage the only guy willing to try to take out the Giant.
v34-37: David refuses to let Saul discourage him, and he does so by remembering God & what God has done in and through his life. This "boy" (using Saul's term) has chased after lions & bears, struck them & taken sheep out of their mouths - but wait, there's more - on occasions when the lion/bear turned on him he seized & killed them. From David's description it sounds like this may have happened several times. David is convinced that God was with him each of those time, and that God delivered him, and David is rock-solid in his convictions. Something about the way David told this to Saul apparently caused Saul to have confidence in David, since he is willing to let David act as Israel's champion (remember, if he looses they loose the war). We can learn from David's courage: David faced this potentially discouraging situation with Goliath and chose to focus on God, on the victories of God in his life, rather than on his own human failings. David very well may have been afraid, courage doesn't mean that you don't feel fear, instead courage faces fear and says "I may be afraid, but God..."
v38-39: Saul may have had confidence in David, but I don't think he had confidence in God... why do I think that? Because Saul tries to offer David the protection of his own armor, as if human armor is going to be of any help against this brute Goliath. David is obedient to the King & tries on the armor, but quickly realizes this isn't going to work... What works for one of us isn't necessarily what's going to work for another, God works in unique ways with each of His unique creation.
<Side note from Chronological Study Bible, paraphrased:> When Saul offered David his armor it would have been understood by the culture of that day that he was transferring his own status of King on to David. Saul's clothing & armor & weapons would have held the King's insignia, whoever possessed these would be seen as the legitimate ruler. David wasn't prepared yet for this transfer, he wasn't ready to wear these things, and even though he was chosen by God to replace Saul he was still being prepared for his future position. As we go through the coming passages we'll see additional times when David chooses to remain committed to the King that God has put in place until God calls him to that position. In next week's passage we'll see another interesting transfer of clothing & armor & weapons, but not from Saul.
v40: So instead of using Saul's armor & weapons David takes his weapon of choice, his sling, and picks up some smooth stones from the stream (which we remember is running through the middle of this mile-wide valley). And David approaches Goliath, David doesn't have size, he doesn't have Goliath's strength, but what he does have is God - God chose to use David, considered weak in the eyes of the world at that time, to defeat the one that the world considered strong. God did this in order to display His strength, in order to magnify His name. Consider this for a moment: where might God be trying to work through you, through your weaknesses, to display His strength?
<Ok, now for a bit of trivia: Anyone have any idea why David picked up 5 stones?>
I'll be honest up front that we don't have a clear answer, but here's something to consider. David would fell Goliath with one of these stones, but there were at least 4 others like him among the Philistine warriors, all descendants of Rapha (Raphaites) & believed to be Nephilim: 2 Samuel 21:15-22; 1 Chronicles 20:4-8.
v41-44: Goliath was insulted!! Not only is he being approached by a guy with a sling, this is a youth, one too young to be considered for the army (probably not even shaving yet)... So he insults David, curses David by his gods, and threatens him. Goliath is attempting to intimidate & discourage the only guy willing to come against him, he's trying to discourage David from doing what God has called him to do.
v45-47: If I were looking at this on the surface, it looks like Goliath said the equivalent of "I dare you" and David responded with "I triple dog dare you"... but David is aware of God's presence and God's power, so we shouldn't look at his words as a hopeful threat, but as rock-solid knowledge God had given to him as he faced this giant. David testifies about God Almighty, challenging all around him to have faith in the One True God, prophesying the results of the battle so that from that time forward people would remember and recognize God as the one who is the deliverer of His people. David is focused on the unseen, and clearly determined to bring glory to God. In verse 47 we read that David knew the secret to victory over his Giant: "the battle is the Lord's".
v48-50: The two approach each other, and the outcome (on the surface) seems hopeless for Israel... Goliath is covered with the whole armor of man, David wears no armor at all, and the difference must have been extreme; however, God is on Israel's side, God is able to protect David far beyond human armor. So God gave David good aim, God gave David the spot to aim at (probably the only vulnerable spot not covered with armor), and God gave David the victory over Goliath. God could have slain Goliath without David, but God chose to use this one "after His own heart" to see His will done. God's will is going to move forward wether or not any of His children get involved, but God loves to involve His chosen in His work.
v51-54: David is tougher than anyone expects him to be! He kills Goliath but doesn't stop there, he goes & removes his sword & cuts off Goliath's head - this isn't easy to do, but remember that this is the guy who's fought lions & bears, and He's got God's strength behind him. The Philistine army freaks, they leave everything behind and run away in panic, and they are killed just as David prophesied. After the Philistines have been dealt with the Israelites come back & collect plunder from the Philistine camp, and David takes up a unique collection of his own. David didn't have any real use for these things (weapons too large, head would just rot), but they were reminders of God's power and faithfulness.
v55-58: Meanwhile back in the King's tent, Saul is asking about David's family. I am struck by how David is the one whose music soothes Saul, but Saul is so self-absorbed he's never gotten to know David well enough to know what family he comes from - and in Israelite culture family is everything! After David has defeated Goliath he's brought back to Saul's tent so that Saul can find out his family & settle his account - David is supposed to get wealth, he's supposed to get Saul's daughter as wife, and his family is supposed to be tax exempt... but we'll see going forward that Saul isn't necessarily a man of his word, and David may not have received any of this.
<So who's the real Giant in this passage?>
In human terms David is a Spiritual Giant as compared to everyone else around him, but the real Giant is God... it wasn't David who defeated Goliath it was God who defeated Goliath. As we look at our lives and what we've accomplished we should be humbled - it is God that gives the ability, God that gives the strength, we are nothing without God but giants with Him.
Closing Prayer: God help us to see the truth about who you are, and the truth about who we are. Help us to remember that without you we are nothing, but with you we are your instrument in this world. Help us to call to you when we face people and circumstances that cause us to fear, help us to take courage in You and to fear only You. Amen!
Quickly Form Groups Again, and answer the following questions:
5. Where are you tempted to take credit for your own accomplishments without giving God the glory for granting you the ability to succeed?
6. What "armor of man" do you reach for when you're feeling unable to face the Giants in your life? (examples: finances, skills, friends)
7. In what circumstances are you feeling like you're in the battle all alone, struggling to trust God?
8. After sharing on the above 3 questions, take a few minutes to pray for each other about these things.
9. What are some victories from your past? How has God worked in and through your life? Encourage each other with these things.
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