What the David and Goliath story is really about

— 1 Samuel 17 — Andrew Fountain: Sept 20, 2020

It’d like to tell the story today of David and Goliath

• It is often told as an “inspiriational tale”
  • But today I am going to bring out what I think is the Biblical meaning of the story

• The word “Goliath” is now used of anything big!
• See in a minute how wrong this picture is
• Story of Philistines (Palestine)
  • Came down from the north. Constant attacks
  • The Challenge
  • The vivid scene – 40 days one army in terror.
  • He defies them! They have no man who can save them.

• To undersand this we have to go right back to the beginning

1. What was God Doing in Israel at that Time?

• difference? —king is sovereign head of state, dynasty
• Was it a satisfactory system?
  • E.g. Eli & Hanna
  • Eli’s sons abusing the women
  • Needed a king, but God would rule them…
• Was it right for them to have a king?
  • Back in Deut 17:14–20 they were told that one day they would have a king

Quick survey of 1 Samuel:

1–3

shows terrible condition of Israel. (Eli mistakes prayer for drunkenness. What does that say!)

• His sons, who were to follow him, were evil men. The land was in chaos because no clear godly leader.

4–6

tells of the ark of the covenant.

• They tried to manipulate God, but he showed his power.

7

God won a great victory through Samuel, but Samuel’s sons

• … same old story. A problem.

Israel needed a king, but God was to rule over them.

How could this be resolved?

How could a king rule them and God rule them? …Christ.

8

Evil demand for a king - to be like the nations.

• Rejected God. Wanted political and military strength.
• Tangible power…no faith.

9–10

Saul chosen. What do we know about him? Tall, a champion (demonstrate “head and shoulders”). Hansome

11–12

God reveals the solution to problem - a king, but under God in covenant.

13–15

Saul rejects this. Refuses to obey God. Autonomous.

16

God raises up his own servant.

17

The great test of Israel. 40 days. (mean anything?)

Who was their champion?

Who should have been out there?

Who was Israel’s giant?

What happened to their security? …they failed.

• Who should have been facing him?

This speaks to us:

• We all have this tendency to look on outward things for our confidence. We like the tangible.
• It is hard to trust God as our provider
• it is so easy for us to “look at the nations” and adopt world’s values

2. David’s true understanding

1 Samuel 17 - David and Goliath

v25

Not a child (was given a wife!)

v28

Older brothers!

v34–36

David’s faith is not coming out of a vacuum. He has a track-record with God

v38–39

Why do you think Saul wanted David to wear his armour, including the helmet?

v45–47

David had a clear understanding of God’s plan for Israel. (Had the Spirit)

v49

Note that the focus of attack is on Goliath’s head

• He is making an allusion to Josh. 4:23,24 “He has done this so all the nations of the earth might recognize the LORD’s power”
  • A light to the nations (intended) - this is God’s purpose throughout.
  • this was putting out the light. This was the hope of the world
• Unless we grasp this, we won’t understand the significance of many things that happened to Israel. e.g. CAPTIVITY.
  • We won’t understand God’s dealings with the church today.
  • We are the hope of the world
  • We have an awesome responsibility as God’s people.
• It made David angry.. does it make you angry to see... ?
  • How dare they - the bride of Christ, his glorious redeemed.
  • Friends, it should anger us.
  But how is he so sure that he should be the one to save them?
• Because he is the anointed king, the chosen one.

this brings us to the main teaching of the passage.

3. Our Champion

• Promise to Eve: One of her descendents would crush the head of the Serpent (Satan)
  • Brief history (Pharoah, Herod)
• David was a picture of Christ, (annointed=Christ) the King of Israel,
  the willing servant who obeyed his father humbly.
• Goliath was the enemy. Satan. Not just an interesting story. cut off head
  • The champion of God’s enemies was challenging the Anointed one
  • David was prophetically enacting the battle that would happen on the cross—Satan’s final defeat
• Attach specificaly on his head
  • Scaley armour
• We are like those Israelites.
  We put our trust in man and have failed, yet God has not left us, but sent his champion, the Lord Jesus, to win a resounding victory.
  • Go back and look at v.32
• This event was not to teach Israel that it needed more shepherd boys,
  • or even more faithful shepherd boys.
• It needed God
  • Humans will always fail by themselves.
• But this is the glorious message.
  • We can feel very alone, but we have a champion!
  • He has gone out and defeated sin on our behalf.
  • So what do we do? We have the joy of entering into his victory

• When we are threatened by temptation, no possible way out,
  • terrible fear, we don’t have to tackle it alone.
    • We have Christ. He has won!
    • We may overcome in the power of his victory.
  • This is the true meaning!
• Do we do this passively? There are some people who have the idea..
  • No, because Christ is in us, so can succeed with Christ’s help.

• One more point: Were the Israelites doing a good job at trusting God at that point?
  • No, but God still saved them.
• We sometimes put our trust in man and fail
  • God’s faithfulness to us is bigger than our history of being true to him

• They wanted the security of a king like the nations had.
• How do you believe you will find fulfillment?
  • Images from advertising are all bombarding us with answers to this question
  • “Non-stop shopping for thrill seekers.”
  • We are all being pushed towards chosing the same champion as the world does
  • Ask God right now: “How am I trusting in a Saul”
• What about our Goliaths?
  • Giants: Health break-down, death of loved one, unemployment, financial ruin, lonliness.

Prayer

• May it be Christ who is our King, our chief joy.
  May our relationship with him mean more than any other.
• May the Lord bless us his people.
  May we show forth Christ to this dark generation as his faithful servants looking to him for all our confidence and all our fulfillment.

Updated on 2020-09-22 by Andrew Fountain