What does it take to be a winner? Some say it is a combination of skill and luck. To be a winner you have to be good at something, work hard and be at the right place at the right time. This, people say, is what makes a winner in sports.
Of course, not everything in life is about sports. What about winning a war, or winning over discouragement, illness or loneliness, what about winning over fear, bad habits or dangerous situations? Sometimes ordinary people have to face extraordinary challenges in life, situations that seem impossible to overcome. In order to find inspiration for moments like these I want to retell the familiar story about a "little guy," a "nobody," who faced a great challenge and won the day. This is the story of David and Goliath.
The Scene — I Samuel 17:1-3
First of all, let us set the scene :
1Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and camped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array to encounter the Philistines. 3The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.
- I Samuel 17:1-3
The Philistines were the arch-enemy of the Israelites. These people lived on a strip of territory with the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the Israelite nation on the other. They continually tried to expand their territory by attacking their Jewish neihbors to the east. In addition to this, the Bible says that God often used the Philistines' aggression to punish the Israelites because of their unfaithful and disobedient conduct.
When Saul, the first king of Israel, was anointed many of his initial military campaigns were aimed at pushing back the Philistines into their own territory. When he succeeded, there would be peace. This period of peace did not last long however since Saul himself disobeyed God and the Lord roused the Philistines to once again come and attack Israel, this time with a new secret weapon.
This is the situation we find as we begin reading chapter 17 in the book of Samuel. The opposing armies were grouped on two ridges facing each other with a valley separating them. They could see and hear one another, but had to go down into the valley to fight. It was a feature of ancient warfare that opposing armies would face, examine and taunt each other before entering combat. Today we would call this "talking trash" to each other. So this is the scene before us as we see the Philistines roll out a new weapon of war.
The Champion — I Samuel 17:4-7
This fearsome weapon was a giant fighter named Goliath.
4Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. 6He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. 7The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.
- I Samuel 17:4-7
Try to imagine an age where there were no long-range weapons, where the majority of the fighting was hand-to-hand combat. Now imagine how intimidating this champion was. At a time where men's average height and weight were around 5'6" and 150 pounds, Goliath, the champion was:
- 10 feet tall (3m)
- Weighed 400 pounds (180kg)
- Carried 125 pounds of armor (60kg)
- His spear was 12 feet long (4m)
- The tip of the spear weighed 15 pounds (7kg)
- He even had someone else carry his shield
This was the secret weapon that the Philistenes unveiled on this battlefield. A giant champion superior to any man in either army!
The Challenge — I Samuel 17:8-11
I believe that most of us are familiar with the idea of psychological warfare. Tricks and ideas used to discourage or confuse the enemy. This type of approach is nothing new. Armies were using it thousands of years ago, and the Bible records a prime example of it here.
8He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. 9If 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.” 10Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
- I Samuel 17:8-11
Each day Goliath, the massive Philistine champion, would come out and challenge someone from the Israelite side to come out and fight one-on-one, man-to-man (winner take all). Whoever won became master and whoever lost became a slave. With one contest the Israelite nation could lose its freedom.
In verse 16 of this passage, it says that this taunting, this trash-talk, went on every day, morning and night for 40 days. Talk about mind games! Who could fight a giant? What was worse was that each day as the giant came out to taunt Saul and his army, other nations were getting the news that Israel, God's people, were being humiliated and defeated by a single man, and defeated without a single battle! Every day as Goliath came forth to successfully face them down, the Israelite army could feel their courage and self-esteem shrinking as their fear and shame grew. No one dared answer the call of the giant, except one.
The Challenger — I Samuel 17:12-24
In verses 12-24, the writer introduces a new character on the scene as the story shifts gears. David is the youngest of eight sons. He wasn't permitted to go to the battle, he had to stay home to take care of his father's sheep. As the youngest, his father used David as a messenger boy to bring food and get information from his other sons who are at the front lines. David was a teenager at this time.
At this point, David is a shepherd boy not aware of the great challenge that will face him the next time he goes on an errand to the battlefront and for his father.
The Transformation — I Samuel 17:25-37
As we continue reading, we see three things that happen to transform this humble shepherd boy into one of the greatest heroes/winners of all time. The first step in this transformation:
1. He hears and accepts the challenge
25The 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.”
26Then 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?” 27The people answered him in accord with this word, saying, “Thus it will be done for the man who kills him.”
28Now Eliab his 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.” 29But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?” 30Then he turned away from him to another and said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as before.
- I Samuel 17:25-30
By now, the army is visibly afraid, another day or so and the Philistines will cross the valley and destroy them all. Notice that his brothers are angry that he is there to witness their shame. King Saul is offering a reward to someone who will fight the giant. Actually, he is offering a position in the royal family and the money to fit in. The problem is that he is desperately looking for someone to do what he himself should be doing!
David, however, hears and accepts the challenge. He doesn't just hear the words of the giant, he is able to see exactly what the problem is. Despite his youth and inexperience at warfare, he recognizes that the insult isn't only directed against the army, the king or even the nation of Israel; the insult is actually against God because if you insult God's army or king, you insult God Himself.
And so, David's transformation begins with a vision, an understanding of what the true problem is, and how serious it is.
The second step in David's transformation:
2. He decides to do something
31When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to Saul, and he sent for him. 32David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
- I Samuel 17:31-32
David doesn't react with fear. This young man burns with righteous indignation (holy anger). It was so wrong to insult God, and someone had to do something about that. He decided that if no one else was going to, he would do something about it.
This brings us to the third and most important step in David's transformation; he saw the problem, he decided to do something:
3. He put his confidence in God for victory
33Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” 37And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”
- I Samuel 17:33-37
David had faced danger and death from wild animals while guarding his sheep, and had defeated them with his bare hands! He had spent many lonely nights by himself in the mountains, and these had given him a lot of time to be with God, to know and trust Him for protection. What was the difference: a lion, a bear or this Philistine animal? David would risk his life and go down into the valley to fight, and he was ready for battle because the transformation from shepherd boy to warrior was complete:
A. He was right
- Insulting God was wrong and this guy had to be put down.
- "Rightness" gives you power.
B. He was set
- Action was needed and he made the decision to act. (So many whine or criticize, but few take action.)
C. He was confident
- David knew that his victory would come from God, not himself or his strengths; so he went into battle with the right kind of confidence.
Transformations occur when we make up our minds to do right and trust God for the strength to do what is right.
The Victory — I Samuel 17:38-52
Our story now shifts back to the scene of battle.
38Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. 39David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them off. 40He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.
- I Samuel 17:38-40
At first King Saul gives David his armor, sword and helmet, but this equipment proves to be too bulky for David. He chooses to fight with his own weapon which is the shepherd's sling:
- This was a primitive slingshot where you placed a rock in a patch of leather connected by two lengths of rope and swung the rock in a circular motion over your head to create speed of delivery before releasing.
- These were deadly and very accurate within 100 feet.
- This is how David had killed animals that had attacked his sheep.
41Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. 43The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.”
- I Samuel 17:41-44
David and Goliath confront each other. They're like two prize-fighters trying to psyche each other out. Goliath is angry that the Israelites have sent a mere boy with no weapons to fight him. He curses David and threatens to kill him and give his body to the animals to eat.
45Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”
- I Samuel 17:45-47
David is not afraid and pronounces not a curse, but a judgment on Goliath in the name of the Lord. He tells him that because he insulted the Lord, both he and his army will be defeated by the Lord. This is exactly why a teenager with no weapons of war was sent, to show where the power for victory was really coming from. David had five stones but needed only one, knocking out the giant with his first shot. He then jumped on the fallen warrior and cut off his head with his own sword. (This was akin to being shot with your own weapon; talk about humiliation.)
When Goliath's men see that their secret weapon has been defeated, they lose courage and run, chased back to their boarder by the jubilant Israeli army.
Summary
Literary historians tell us that this story is the basis for every story where the "little guy" takes on the "big guy" and wins. This is where the idea comes from. But this story is special because it also teaches us what it takes to win spiritual, emotional and social battles, not just sporting events or wars. In David's case, he defeated the giant because:
1. He was a child of God
- The real difference between Goliath and David was not size or strength, it was who they were.
- Goliath was a pagan, a blasphemer, a sinner.
- David was one of God's chosen people, a believing, obedient, holy child of God.
Power to overcome is given because of our relationship with God, not our personal strength. All the working out in the gym won't help if God is not your helper!
2. He was zealous for God
The word "zealous" means jealous. It means that the things of God are important to you. David respected the things and the person of God. He was concerned about an insult to God and His people. This zeal is what inflamed his courage to go out and fight, even if he was outmatched! He was spiritually pumped!
It is this same quality that moved Noah to build the boat; John the Baptist to preach; Jesus to go to the cross for our sins; the Apostles to risk their lives preaching the gospel. Zeal is that quality that separates those who are just fooling around for Christ from those who are becoming fools for Christ.
David was a fool for God because only a fool, a zealous fool, would go fight a giant with a sling shot.
3. He had confidence in God
- The Philistines relied on size and strength alone; David relied on God for His size and strength.
- David knew from experience that the Lord saved those who called upon Him for help.
David was confident because with the God of salvation on his side, he could not lose.
All right, now you have the story of David and Goliath, an event that took place some 3000 years ago. Let us bring this battle into the twenty-first century and see if it is relevant to us today by asking the following questions:
"Who is your Goliath?"
Each person has his/her own personal Goliath facing them each day:
- Worry, bad habits, family problems
- Fear of death, money problems, issues dealing with sex
You see, every day our own personal Goliath gets up with us in the morning and challenges us to come out and fight. And every night he taunts us for having refused.
Let me ask you, when it comes to your personal Goliath, "Are you winning?" "Have you cut off his head yet?" Or are you like Saul, shrinking back in fear, paralyzed by his size and power?
Do you really want to be a giant killer?
Well, I have good news for you: you can become a victor, today! The challenge and the victory came in one day for David and it can come in one day for you. Here's where and how to start:
1. Become a child of God today
You can't defeat Goliath unless you are a child of God. And you become God's child when you are born again by the water and the Spirit (John 3:5). The water and Spirit John refers to here are further explained by Peter when he was encouraging the people he had just preached to to become Christians. In Acts 2:37-38 he tells his audience that those who repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus receive not only forgiveness for their sins but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as well. It is with the confidence of a forgiven sinner and the power of God's Spirit living inside of us that we are thus able to take on the Goliaths in our lives.
The victory is yours if...
2. You become zealous for God
Become a fool for God in your good conduct, your attitude, your Bible study, your worship, your efforts to bring others to Christ. Zeal for God generates courage, and courage moves us into the arena to fight our personal Goliaths.
You'll cut off his head if...
3. You trust in God for the final victory
If God can create billions of stars each larger than the earth; if God can create a human life from the dust of the ground; surely He can give you the strength to take care of a few puny giants! The final victory may be long in coming, but when you put your trust in God, you know that the first and most crucial step towards victory has been taken.
So, what will it be? What will you choose? Are you going to come down into the valley to fight, or are you going to stay up on the hill and remain afraid and defeated? Will this be the day that you become a giant-killer?