seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Samuel 17:38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”
That smart comment in the title is from the blueletterbible.org site.
Saul tried to put his armor on David, but it didn't work. It didn't work because Saul's armor did not physically fit David. Everything was too big, and David could not move well with Saul's armor. Also, it didn't work because Saul's armor did not spiritually fit David. Armor, military technology, or human wisdom would not win this battle. The LORD God of Israel would win this battle.
A staff in his hand … five smooth stones … a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand: David used the same things he had used before. These were the same tools he had used to kill the lion and the bear before. What God had used before, He would use again.
And he drew near the Philistine: This is where it mattered. David could have said the bold words, renounced Saul's armor, trusted in God's armor, and gathered his shepherd's tools. But if he never went into the battle, what would it matter? Ultimately, David had the faith not just to talk, not just to renounce, not just to prepare, but to actually draw near the Philistine. That's real faith.
So the Philistine came … and the man who bore the shield went before him: Obviously, because of Goliath's size and experience, it was not a "fair" fight. But to add to even that, it was two against one! Goliath had an armor bearer with him.
And the Philistine cursed David by his gods: If it hadn't been established before, it is certainly settled now. This is not a fair fight. It isn't Goliath and his armor bearer against David. It is Goliath and his armor bearer against David and the LORD God of Israel. The battle is over. Anyone with any spiritual understanding could finish the story from here.
Come to me: "Bring it on, little boy!" David will be more than happy to oblige Goliath's request.
A staff in his hand … five smooth stones … a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand: David used the same things he had used before. These were the same tools he had used to kill the lion and the bear before. What God had used before, He would use again.
And he drew near the Philistine: This is where it mattered. David could have said the bold words, renounced Saul's armor, trusted in God's armor, and gathered his shepherd's tools. But if he never went into the battle, what would it matter? Ultimately, David had the faith not just to talk, not just to renounce, not just to prepare, but to actually draw near the Philistine. That's real faith.
So the Philistine came … and the man who bore the shield went before him: Obviously, because of Goliath's size and experience, it was not a "fair" fight. But to add to even that, it was two against one! Goliath had an armor bearer with him.
When Goliath asked, "Am I a dog?" it was worse than it sounds. The Hebrew word for dog (kaleb) is used in passages like Deuteronomy 23:18 for male homosexual prostitutes.
And the Philistine cursed David by his gods: If it hadn't been established before, it is certainly settled now. This is not a fair fight. It isn't Goliath and his armor bearer against David. It is Goliath and his armor bearer against David and the LORD God of Israel. The battle is over. Anyone with any spiritual understanding could finish the story from here.
Come to me: "Bring it on, little boy!" David will be more than happy to oblige Goliath's request.
I know it isn't in the Bible. I know I probably shouldn't be writing this... but I feel compelled to point out that David's brothers are probably saying something like.... "David... what are you doing? If you fail... when you fail.... the nation of Israel will have to be enslaved again... only this time it'll be those darned Philistines.
According to Got Questions....
The Philistines were an aggressive, warmongering people who occupied territory southwest of Israel between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. The name “Philistine” comes from the Hebrew word Philistia, and the Greek rendering of the name, palaistinei, gives us the modern name “Palestine.”
It's a good thing I know how this ends.
