Giants Will Fall

By Connie S. Arnold

The story of David killing the giant is one of the first ones we hear in Sunday School. We sang a little song telling of David sending a stone missile with his slingshot straight into the forehead of the giant, causing him to come tumbling down.  Dead: the threat over.

Before the song was written to herald the victory, there were problems. For forty days the Philistine army taunted the army of Israel with their superior strength and numbers, toying with them before the threatened murderous onslaught.

It started out innocently enough for David. His father had called him from tending the family sheep to take food supplies to his brothers who were serving with King Saul at the battlefield. He was too young for battle but tended the family sheep. With the curious enthusiasm of a young boy, we can imagine that he looked forward to his errand.

The battle was at a standstill. The armies stood on opposite hills awaiting further action. The Philistines played a new wargame. Goliath, a nine-foot giant clothed in battle array, taunted the cowering men of Saul’s army. “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other,” (1 Samuel 17:10 NIV). “If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us,” (1 Samuel 17:10 NIV).

Upon arriving, David heard the mocking of Goliath. David asked a man standing nearby, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:20 NIV). These words set David apart from his brothers. His faith in God gave him boldness. God was his teacher in the wilderness as he worked as a shepherd.

David asked so many questions to those standing around that his brothers were angry, but the words got back to Saul. David pled his cause to King Saul. “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him,” (1 Samuel 17:32 NIV).

The bravado that pushed David to ask these questions had a firm foundation. He looked to his past where God had delivered him. “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the bear will rescue me from the hand of the Philistines,” 1 Samuel 34-37, NIV).

King Saul tried to outfit him in his own armor protection. He was dressed in a tunic, a coat of armor, and a bronze helmet; but when he tried walking around, he was not able to maneuver. So, he took them off, and Saul said to him, “Go, and the Lord be with you,” 1 Samuel 17:37b, NIV)

He met Israel’s enemy with five smooth stones and his slingshot. David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands…”, (Samuel 17:45-46b, NIV).

Any Sunday School child can tell you the rest of the story. The Name of the Lord was upheld and His power was exhibited. David felled the giant with a stone from his slingshot to the forehead of Goliath.

We love this story, but let’s make it personal. We know that we are in a spiritual battle. Satan, our Goliath, stands on the opposite hill and taunts us when we’re facing a battle. Those around us may recommend self-help books (a helmet), a designated number of days in which to refrain from eating (fasting), or any other prescribed activity that we can do. We cannot deny the effectiveness of inspired writing which may bring temporary encouragement, or fasting which is encouraged by Jesus himself. But perhaps our faith placed in these things alone is faith misplaced.

Jesus gave the answer as to where to place our faith when he said to his disciples in Mark 11:24, “Have faith in God.” This is for us today. Our faith can stand firm when we reflect on the answers to prayer that we have experienced in our journey thus far. To quote Christian in The Pilgrim’s Progress, “The King has brought me safe thus far, and He will not fail me now.” He has not run out of resources, nor is His supply diminished.

Let Him bind up our tattered faith so that we can see our ‘mountains’ cast into the sea. “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 24:24 NIV).

__________CSA