September 23, 2007  •  Pastor Randy Smith

This morning we come to one of the most well known stories in 1 Samuel. Possibly it is the most well known story in the entire Bible. For everybody has heard about David and Goliath, and most at one time or another have made reference to this account, drawing some type of personal application.

Coaches have used this story to motivate their team when they faced an overwhelming opponent. Parents have used this story to encourage their kids to stand up to the bully on the playground. The Christian media has also cashed in on this story, teaching children that they can contribute in big situations. As we learned in Veggie Tales from Dave and the Giant Pickle that, “Little guys can do big things too.” The subtitle of the movie: “A lesson in Self-Esteem.” Adult Bible teachers tell us this story is about mustering up the bravery of David or the exhort us to “face our Goliath’s” and “slay them with our spiritual stones.”

I am not denying the good intentions of these individuals nor some secondary applications that may be gleaned from this text. But what is the primary reason God included 1 Samuel 17 in our Bibles? Should we be fixated on Goliath’s might or David’s courage, or is there a deeper meaning?

There is – and as we approach this popular passage we must discern what God desires to teach us about Himself. Remember 1 Samuel is ultimately a book about God!

As we have been learning about God, this book has taken us through a series of conflicts. We saw the conflict first between Samuel and Eli. Then as the story progressed we saw a conflict between Saul and Jonathan. Then there was a conflict between Saul and Samuel. As the book closes we will witness a conflict between Saul and David. There can be no doubt that chapter 17 is also loaded with conflict.

Therefore I plan to structure this sermon over the next two weeks around the four conflicts I see in this chapter alone. First we will see the conflict between Goliath and Israel (verses 1-11) and then Eliab and David (verses 12-30). Next Sunday as we conclude we will look at the conflict between Saul and David (verses 31-39) and then David and Goliath (verses 40-58).

And again, as I have said so often, as we examine these conflicts, we must remember that God is the ultimate hero of this story.

1. GOLIATH FRIGHTENS ISRAEL

Let’s begin. I am calling the first conflict, “Goliath Frightens Israel.”

We have learned that the Philistines were a thorn in Israel’s side. Once again conflict erupted with their archrival though this time on their home turf. The Philistines were camped in the western foothills of Judah. In an adjacent valley were camped Saul and the warriors of Israel. Both armies prepared for a major showdown but neither was willing to make the first move.

The Philistines had an idea of how to end the stalemate. They send out one from their army known as a “champion” (17:4). His name is Goliath, and he stands over nine feet tall. The text says he was clothed with a bronze helmet and scale-like body armor weighing about 125 pounds. “Greaves” or commonly know as shin guards protected his lower legs. His offensive weapons consisted of a bronze javelin and a spear, with the head itself the weight of a bowling ball. An impressive sight indeed! The author definitely wants us to register a mental picture of “shock and awe.”

As Goliath mocked with a loud voice the ranks of Israel, the monster made a suggestion. Beginning in verse 8, “‘Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine (!) and you servants (slaves) of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.’ Again the Philistine said, ‘I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.’”

Trash talking in athletics obviously has deeper roots than our present generation!

While our minds are trying to make sense of Goliath’s challenge, we must not overlook the often-missed emphasis of this text. This whole narrative will hinge upon the arrogant heart of Goliath that challenged not only Israel, but also Israel’s God. In earlier chapters of this book, God promised to deliver His people from their enemies. And in earlier chapters we saw God faithfully fulfill His promise and provide miraculous victories. For Yahweh had entered a covenant with Israel. Israel’s enemies were His enemies. For Goliath to defy the ranks of Israel was for Goliath to defy the living God Himself!

So there stood Goliath on one side – arrogant, defiant and confident in his worldly muscle. So assured of personal victory, Goliath even commits his fellow countrymen to slavery should he not succeed. Across from Goliath stood God’s army. But instead of seeing their God bigger than the giant, they ignored God and saw the giant bigger than themselves. As we read in verse 11, “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

From a natural perspective, their response seems like the logical conclusion. But through the eyes of faith, a supernatural perspective, we encounter a major problem here. Let’s not forget that Saul was chosen as a king because (9:16), “He will deliver (God’s) people from the hand of the Philistines. Let’s not forget that Saul already had many military victories under his belt when he fought as the underdog. Let’s not forget that Saul (9:2), “From his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.” So when it came time to fight Goliath wasn’t Saul selected for this very purpose? Wasn’t he the most likely opponent to answer the challenge? Why did he not rise to the occasion as he had in previous situations? Why did big words and mean looks make him cower in a corner?

I believe the answer is found in the previous chapter. It was there that we learned (16:14), “The Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul.” Apart from God’s Spirit, Saul lost his direction, his courage and his faith. As he walked by sight, the enemy of God overwhelmed him because he saw the conflict between himself and Goliath and not between Goliath and God. He failed to realize, as we will read later, that this battle belonged to the Lord (17:47).

In the previous chapter we also learned (16:7), “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” As one author said, these words apply to our finest choices (like selecting a king) and also our most formidable enemies (like slaying a giant). Saul and all Israel saw only an invincible champion. They judged by outward appearance. Yet God who looks at the heart saw nothing but a lump of proud flesh spewing blasphemous remarks.

What Israel needed was one who would sees as God sees. One, unlike Saul, in whom the Spirit would dwell mightily (16:13). One, unlike Saul, who would be a man after God’s own heart (13:14). Israel needed a savior who would be the precursor to the ultimate Savior, Jesus Christ.

Just as Israel overlooked God’s ability to defeat Goliath (17:11), they overlooked David’s possibility of being the new king (16:11). Yet this young man was about to enter the picture to secure the victory. Unlike the others, David had the faith to see beyond the hopelessness of this situation to the promises of God and His desire to use the availability of His Spirit-filled servants. David is now about to enter the scene.

2. ELIAB CHIDES DAVID

We just experienced the conflict between Goliath and Israel. Now, as we move to the second point, let’s observe the conflict between David and his eldest brother, Eliab. Notice once again the faithlessness which precipitated the conflict.

Beginning in verse 12, “Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men. The three older sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and the second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.”

This account recalls what we learned two weeks ago from chapter 16. Although Jesse had eight sons, the same three older sons that were mentioned by name before as believed to be the future king, are spoken of by name once again. Though most suitable in the eyes of man, they were all rejected in the eyes of God. Chapter 17 validates their rejection spoken of in chapter 16. The second half of verse 14 states, “Now the three oldest followed Saul.” They followed him in more than just a physical sense. Like their unqualified and Spirit-absent leader, they too walked without faith.

But leave it to David, verse 14, “the youngest.” The one not even invited when Samuel arrived to select a new king from among Jesse’s son (16:11). The one tending the flock (16:11; 17:15). The one rejected by others, but the one selected by God (16:12). Remember, “(For) God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (16:7).

In chapter 16 we saw how God’s providence brought David into the king’s palace. Saul needed a harp player and David became the hero. Now in chapter 17 we again see God’s providence at work bringing David to the front of the battlefield.

Verse 15 and following, “David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem. The Philistine came forward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand. Then Jesse said to David his son, ‘Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to your brothers. Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back news of them. For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.’ So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army.”

I think you get the picture. David, young and considered inexperienced for the conflict, was used as a gopher to shuttle supplies to his brothers on the front line. David was simply seeking to be obedient to his father’s directives. Yet the man who was faithful with the small things would soon be given greater responsibility.

Verses 22-23, “Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them.”

As Matthew Henry said, “Twice a day, morning and evening, did the insulting champion appear in the field and repeat his challenge, his own heart growing more and more proud for his not being answered and the people of Israel more and more timorous, while God designed to ripen him for destruction and to make Israel’s deliverance the more illustrious” (Commentary, 1 Sam. 12-30).

God was about to bring this babbling fool to an end. And He had just the man, filled with His Spirit, prepared to do His will. While the others were shaking in their boots, David took notice of Goliath’s remarks. As the defiant jabs were flowing from his mouth, Goliath spoke one too many times. Verse 23 informs us, “David heard them.” How did the others respond? Verse 24, “When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid.” David would see and hear the same man and draw a much different conclusion.

Beginning in verse 25, “The men of Israel said, ‘Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.’ Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, ‘What will 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 taunt the armies of the living God?’ The people answered him in accord with this word, saying, ‘Thus it will be done for the man who kills him.’”

More than anybody else, Saul wanted Goliath out of the picture. He even presented a fine reward (riches, his daughter in marriage and freedom from taxation) for any Israelite brave enough to accept this challenge. However, after analyzing the risk, all the Israelites valued their lives more than the greatest reward the king could conceive.

But now that David comes upon the scene, things are about to change. David sees Goliath from a different perspective because David is after God’s own heart. The only motivation he needed was God’s honor. He heard his God blasphemed. His affections were stirred with holy indignation. He would defend God’s honor at any cost. You see, while the others were scared to die, David would have preferred death rather than hear God’s great name dragged through the mud.

I believe we miss the gravity of this point because our present generation has tragically misunderstood God’s glory and the zeal for His name. We are bombarded with sermons that emphasize how God’s greatest desire is to make us healthy, wealthy and prosperous. We are fed with books that present God as nothing more than a cosmic genie or our big buddy upstairs. We have brought God down to our level and on 911 He was nothing more than an impotent grandfather weeping with us among the rubble. Even in solid churches we are rarely offended when someone around us takes the Lord’s name in vain as the precursor to profanity – we are even entertained by it just like the rest of the world. And quite often, misinformed Christians think it is perfectly appropriate to use God’s name as a figure of speech or an exclamation mark.

Yet throughout the Bible we read of God acting for the sake of His great name. Remember right here in 1 Samuel we read, “For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself” (12:22). Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” In Psalm 31:3 we read He leads and guides us for “(His) name’s sake.” In Matthew 19:29 Jesus informs us of the high cost of true discipleship “for (His) name’s sake.” Paul was told in Acts 9:16, “How much he must suffer for (God’s) name’s sake.” In 1 John 2:12 we read, “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.” In Psalm 79:9 Asaph cried out, “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.” And in Revelation 2:3 we read about the perseverance and endurance we should have “for (His) name’s sake.” A man or woman after God’s heart considers God’s name in all he or she does.

God’s name encompasses all that He is. One author said, “Anything relating to the true God – His being, His nature, His will, His works, His worship, His service, or His doctrine – pertains to God's name. (Considering God’s name should affect) the state of men’s thoughts and hearts – as well as to their speech” (William S. Plumer, The Ten Commandments).

As we consider Goliath’s taunts we should consider Isaiah 48:11 where God says, “For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; for how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.” That is why the Third Commandment says, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” And it continues, “For the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain” (Ex. 20:7).

David knew this and by faith in God’s promises He was prepared to act. While others were filled with fear and despair, David took immediate action and “ran to the battle line” (17:22).

I recently read about a pastor weeping over this children’s song. Unfortunately it was not because he was emotionally stirred, but rather because he was spiritually grieved. Isn’t someone very significant missing? Did you notice that God was never even mentioned!

Like this song, up until this point this narrative has been completely Godless. God has not been mentioned. Now for his first words recorded in the Bible, David breaks the spiritual silence. What a novel idea! Why don’t we inject God into this equation? He said in verse 26, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God.” Because of the power he stood behind, we could say David’s words here were weightier than the giant’s as he mocked Goliath for his pride and rebuked Israel’s army for their fear.

Dale Ralph Davis said it well. “All the believer’s life and all the church’s life requires theocentric thinking. The tragedy is that were someone to hear our thoughts and words in our dangers and troubles they would never guess that we had a living God” (1 Samuel, p. 184).

But just as David is prepared to enter this conflict with Goliath, he must first enter conflict with another—his brother!

This is possibly the worst kind of conflict when you are attacked from those on your own side. There is nothing more gut-wrenching than when those who should be cheering you on become your biggest thorns in the flesh. Infighting, friendly fire within the church has become a great hindrance to the Gospel work and has resulted in many discouraged, disappointed, depressed and defeated, once-motivated servants of Christ. Satan will muster all of his forces to oppose God’s work. Quite often he will use Spiritless people to hinder the work of Spirit-filled people. Tragically, sometimes our greatest opponents can be those within the household of faith.

This is what David experienced. Verse 28, “Now Eliab (David’s) oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David and he said, ‘Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.’”

Motivated by sheer jealously of his younger brother and humbled by David’s faithful stand, Eliab takes advantage of the opportunity to quench David’s spiritual fire. It seems he would rather see Goliath trample over Israel than witness David triumph over him. First he belittles David’s work by asking who he left watching “those few sheep” (17:28). Second he judges David’s motives claiming to know the “insolence and…wickedness of (his) heart” (17:28).

I love David’s response recorded in verse 29. Spoken only as a typical younger brother can. “But David said, ‘What have I done now? Was it not just a question?’”

You will remember that two weeks ago everybody including Samuel thought this man, Eliab, was the most logical choice for the next king. Though impressive in outward appearance, God rejected him because of a defective heart. We see that here.

Looking back, in many ways, Eliab mirrored Saul. Though impressive on the outside like Saul, he also revealed his defective heart as he expressed contempt for David. And looking forward, Eliab’s distain for David will mirror and prepare us for David’s ultimate conflict with Goliath.