David, Goliath and the living god
1 Samuel 17
Main Idea: David’s victory over Goliath anticipates Christ’s victory as our mighty champion.
I. The Stand-off (17:1-11)
This scene opens with a stand-off, as the Isrealites are under threat from the Philistines, fearful of a “giant,” just as they were before they entered the promised land (cf. Num. 13:32-33). The Israelites’ fear of who dwelt in the promised land contributed to their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, while their fearful stand-off in this scene has lasted for 40 days (17:16)
Goliath is given one of the most detailed descriptions of anyone in the Bible. As the “champion” (lit. ‘man of the in-between’), he is outwardly impressive and intimidating because of his:
Height: ~ 9.5 ft tall (or ~7 ft depending on manuscripts)
Armor: more than 125 pounds of bronze protection on his body
Weapons: wielded a large curved sword and a spear with a head of more than 15 pounds
Protection: a shield-bearer went before him to protect him from long-range attack
Goliath invites the Israelites into a “representative warfare,” urging them to “choose a man” for themselves to battle on behalf of each nation, while “defying” (taunting, scorning, or mocking) them. Though Saul is the obvious choice, both he and “all Israel… were dismayed and greatly afraid” (17:11).
II. The Contender (17:12-37)
David suddenly enters the storyline, underestimated by the people around him, just like the account of his anointing as the future king. As David brings provisions to his family, he hears the taunts of Goliath, and is stirred to righteous anger over his scorning of Israel and Yahweh.
David has never spoken before in our story. Now the silence is broken. David brings a whole new world view. To this point the narrative has been “godless” (much like our own stewing over some insoluble dilemma), but now David injects: Doesn’t having a living God make a difference in all this? … Israel thought the Philistine invulnerable; for David he was only uncircumcised. A living God gives a whole new view of things. David’s question is not a magic charm for solving every problem; but surely it instructs us... 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.
~ Dale Ralph Davis, 1 Samuel: Looking on the Heart
Before he stands up to Goliath, he must triumph over 2 others: Eliab (17:28-30) & Saul (17:31-37). David appeals to the wild beasts he has faced as a shepherd, confident that God delivered him then, he will deliver him now against this blasphemous giant. David had already learned dependence upon God in difficulty, and the Lord has trained and prepared him for this moment.
We ought not to be unmindful of the way by which the Lord our God has led us, for if we are we shall lose much. Some saints have very short memories. It has been well said that we write our benefits in dust and our injuries in marble, and it is equally true that we generally inscribe our afflictions upon brass, while the records of the deliverances of God are written in water. It ought not so to be. If our memories were more tenacious of the merciful visitations of our God, our faith would often be strengthened in times of trial.
~ Charles Spurgeon, “The Lion-Slayer—The Giant-Killer”
III. The Battle (17:38-49)
Saul (ironically) dresses David in his kingly armor, trying to equip him for battle like Goliath. David refuses, choosing to fight with the weapons of a shepherd, not the weapons of the world.
The lengthy speeches leading into the battle reveal the theological clash of this scene. Goliath is offended that Israel sends a young man to fight him, and curses David (and Yahweh) by his gods; David appeals to the true God, who saves through what the world would regard as weakness.
Psalm 118:22-23:
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
IV. The Victory (17:50-58)
The narrator continually draws attention to the “head” of Goliath to show the folly of idolatry and as an allusion to Genesis 3:15. He has already described the armor of Goliath as being “scale-like” (17:5) as he defames the name of God. David takes the instrument of the enemy meant for evil and death and defeats him with it (cf. Heb. 2:14-15).
In the same way, we, as it were, stand on the hillside, surveying the story of history. Down in the valley we see our Christ, Jesus, entering the battle armed only with a beam of wood strapped to his shoulders. We see him face the snake who has tyrannized our lives, as he hangs on the cross. There is Jesus, like David, appearing small compared to the might of the Roman Empire, appearing weak compared to the power of the snake. But he enters the battle bravely. He entrusts himself to God. We see him saying, in effect, what David said: ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, with lies and threats and accusations, with sin and law and death. But I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, whom you have defied. This day you may strike my heel, but the LORD will hand you over to me, and I will crush your head.’ As we look, we see defeat turn into victory as Jesus bursts from the tomb. The snake is defeated. His head is crushed.
~ Tim Chester, 1 Samuel for You
Upon the defeat of the enemy by their “champion,” the Israelites rush down the hill into the field of battle, striking down the Philistines, and plundering their camp. In the same way, we must follow our champion into the battle, plundering the camp of our defeated enemy, knowing the victory has already been won by Christ (cf. Eph. 6:10-20, 2 Cor. 10:3-5).
Romans 16:20: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
