The story of David and Goliath in the Old Testament 1 Samuel 17 is a factual account from Biblical history demonstrating that God will intervene in supernatural ways to defend his people.
In the 11th century BC, the army of the Philistines was attacking the Israelites led by King Saul in the area known as the Levant in the Middle East. Today the area is known as Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, and Syria. This was an ongoing battle between the two tribes for the land.
Goliath was a Giant
Every morning a giant Philistine named Goliath challenged the Israelites to send one of them out to fight him.
But, Goliath was bigger and taller than anyone else; at about 9 feet 9 inches or about 3 meters tall, he was ferocious. He wore heavy armour and carried a sword, spear, and large shield. No one dared to fight him.
David was a Young Shepherd Boy who had great faith in God
One day his father asked him to take food to his older brothers, soldiers in Israel’s army.
When David arrived at the Israelite’s army camp, he heard Goliath’s challenge.
Why does no one stand up to this man and defend Israel David asked the soldiers.
King Saul of the Israelites
The king said he would greatly enrich the man who killed Goliath, and give him his daughter and make his family free in Israel, they told him.
His brothers knew that David thought he could be that man and told him to return to caring for the sheep, but David knew the Lord would defend Israel against the challenge of Goliath.
But David went to King Saul instead and told him he was not afraid to fight Goliath. He said he had protected his sheep from wild animals and killed lions and bears to save the sheep.
He explained this was because God protected him, and he knew the Lord would protect him again against Goliath.
Because of David’s bravery in protecting his sheep, Saul agreed that David could take on Goliath and gave him armour to protect him.
Still, David was not used to the weight of it and decided to fight without any, so with just five stones and a sling, he went to face Goliath.
When Goliath saw David, he shouted out that he would easily feed him to the birds and wild animals because he was only a slip of a boy and the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
David shouted back that he had the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, protection that which Goliath had continually defied.
Then David sprinted towards Goliath and threw a stone with his sling with such force that it sunk into Goliath’s forehead, and he fell to the ground. Then David took the giant’s sword and cut his head off.
When the Philistines saw that Goliath was dead, they ran away in fear and the Israelites won the battle because David had trusted in God, so God had protected Israel.
David took Goliath’s head and presented it to King Saul, who asked who his father was.
David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
Reflection on the story of David and Goliath.
An important detail in the story is that Goliath was taunting the sovereign Lord of the universe. He was trying to say that he was more powerful than the God of Israel, which is never a good idea.
David was a young man of great faith who God had protected many times in his life, and he knew without a doubt that God would be beside him if he took Goliath on.
As Goliath taunted him, David did not consider the size of the giant; he focused on the size and power of the God of Israel.
Today, we also will face a Goliath or two (more even) along the way. The message is to not look at the size of any problems we encounter but rather at the size and power of God, who created everything before our eyes today.
I believe that today God will still intercede in supernatural ways when we place our trust in him and endure in faith.
Footnotes:
David went on to marry King Saul’s daughter and became the most famous King of Israel after Saul died. He wrote many of the Psalms in the Old Testament. I particularly enjoy Psalm 23, in which he likens his days as a shepherd boy to the nature of God. You can read more about it here Psalm 23.
The Messiah (Jesus) was prophesied would enter into the world through the lineage of Jesse (Isaiah 11.10), or David as we are more familiar with today. Jesus was born into this family line of extraordinary faith, but that is another article.
Jesus is the lion and the lamb
You can find out more about David and Goliath at A Church Near You in the link below
