Today we’re going to be studying one of the most famous stories in the Bible. That is the story of David and Goliath. However, before we get to that part of the story, let’s start with Saul.

1 Samuel 16:14
But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

• Saul was troubled. He was troubled by an evil spirit. He was troubled by evil thoughts. Why? He just had a clear message from the prophet of the Lord that he was rejected as king and that his children would not be in line to be the next king.
• God had judged him unfaithful and so God had gone and chosen a man after His own heart. David was anointed as king even while Saul still sat on the throne.

Saul’s counsellors saw his troubled mind and heart and so they recommended as solution for him.

• 1 Samuel 16:16
  Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
• The recommendation was to find someone who could play nice soothing music when he was troubled so that his mind could have peace.
• In the providence of God, David is brought to be that player on the instrument.
• 1 Samuel 16:18-19, 21
  18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
• David is connected to Saul by the guidance of God. And under this position that he held, he was able to see the inner workings of the king and all the temptations, the troubles, the decisions and even the stresses of the role. Just by being in the palace playing his harp for Saul, he was learning what it meant to be a wise king and how to run the affairs of the kingdom.
• However, it is important to note that even though David was skilled on the musical instrument and had been tending sheep, he was also known to be a might valiant man and a man of war.
• David was not just some innocent youth that was the youngest son of Jesse and was spoilt and relegated to the menial task of a shepherd boy. God had been guiding him even at that time to prepare him for something greater.

But now we continue in 1 Samuel 17. A new situation has arisen from without.

• 1 Samuel 17:1-4
  1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
• The Philistines have come out to battle against Israel and Saul and his men were gathered to fight.
• As they are pitched against each other, the Philistines send out a champion Goliath. He was a giant! The bible says that he was six cubits tall. That is equivalent to about nine feet tall today.
• And he wasn’t just any ordinary giant. He was big, built and muscular. Look at what the Bible describes about his armour.
• 1 Samuel 17:5-7
  5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
  • The coat of mail was 5,000 shekels which is equivalent to about 41 kg or 91 pounds.
  • That didn’t include the brass on his legs and his shoulders and arms.
  • His spear head was 600 shekels which is equivalent to 7kg or 15 pounds.

He comes out and challenges the Israelites.

• 1 Samuel 17:8-9
  8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
• Whoever wins, the other side would be servant to them.
• How does Saul react?
• 1 Samuel 17:11
  When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
• Instead of seeing their king trusting in God and full of faith and ready to fight, Saul is scared. God’s Spirit is not with him and so he does not know what to do. He’s not even sure that God will fight with him and for him.
• Many of us, when we face problems, we feel like that too because we don’t have the assurance that God is with us. If He is the One that brought us to this point and allowed us to go through this trouble, then we have nothing to fear.
• Psalms 23:4
  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
• No matter the problem, no matter the circumstance, we can rejoice and have nothing to fear if we know that God is with us.
• But Saul, he doesn’t know. He’s troubled by an evil spirit. And so he’s afraid of Goliath and the Philistines and does nothing to confront this champion.
• 1 Samuel 17:16
  And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
• So for forty days Goliath comes out to challenge them, to taunt them. But they make no move. Fear has paralyzed the king and has spread across to the whole army.

Meanwhile, God is still in control and orchestrating events behind the scenes. God is about to send David.

• 1 Samuel 17:17
  And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
• David was not in the Lord’s army. Only the three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to battle. But it has been over a month and so Jesse the father wanted to know how they were doing and to send some food from home. And so David is tasked with this simple task of delivering food, not knowing that God had sent him for a more important mission.
• It’s important that we learn to be faithful in the little things. It’s important to be faithful in the menial tasks of life. David wasn’t going from the father’s house thinking that he was going to be a warrior. He was just sending food. But because he was faithful to just do this humble task, God used him for something greater.
• It is in the mundane tasks of our lives that God fits us to do greater things for Him. It is faithfulness in the little things that God is constantly building us to be ready for greater things in life.

And so off David goes to deliver food for his brothers.

• 1 Samuel 17:20
  And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.
• When David arrives, the soldiers are in the trenches. The air is thick with tension as both sides have not made a move for 40 days.
• As David is talking with his brothers, what happens?
• 1 Samuel 17:23-24
  23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
• Goliath comes out to challenge the Israelites again. And when David looks around, he sees everyone is afraid. So he gets curious – at least that is what it seems as we look at the big picture. He begins to make enquiry as to what is going on. And the more he asks around, the more he is filled with zeal to vindicate the name of God.
• 1 Samuel 17:26
  And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
• David is full of faith and ready to take on Goliath himself. Upon hearing this, how does his brothers react?
• 1 Samuel 17:28
  And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
• Eliab, the older brother, just assumed that David had come to look at the battle and was curious to see what was going on. He scolded David for leaving the sheep behind.

Upon hearing this, how does David reply?

• 1 Samuel 17:29
  And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
• David saw beyond what his brother saw. He saw that God had been guiding his steps all this time. He saw the reason why he had been sent.
• His brother just saw that he was here to deliver food and then go home. But David saw that it was for a greater purpose than just to be a delivery and messenger boy for his father.
• It takes faith to see as God sees. It takes faith to see how God works out circumstances for a reason and purpose.
• All things work together for good and for God’s purpose. The question is, do you see it?
• Do you understand why you have been brought into a particular situation? Has God been guiding and leading your life all this time? Do you understand why He led you to a course of study or a place for work? Do you understand why he led you to this place of accommodation? Do you understand the difference between providence and chance?
• God has a reason and purpose for everything. The only question is do we understand His heart?
• David definitely did. His eyes were now open and it was now clear why God had brought him at this point and also what he should do.

1 Samuel 17:32
And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

• Word got to Saul about a young man wanting to fight the giant. And so David reconfirms to Saul that he is willing and ready to fight.
• How does Saul respond?
• 1 Samuel 17:33
  And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
• Don’t think that David was just some skinny little boy, innocent in years. Remember, when he was recommended to Saul to play the harp, it was known that he was “a mighty valiant man, and a man of war.”
• But then now David speaks for himself.
• 1 Samuel 17:34-37
  34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
• He points out how he killed a bear and a lion. But now, not with any pride, but full confidence in the God whom he served, he knew that God would deliver Goliath into his hands also.
• David could clearly see now why God put him as a shepherd. It wasn’t because he was the youngest. It wasn’t because his brother didn’t like to be a shepherd. But it was because God was training him to fight against Goliath! God was leading him to this moment from the time he was a boy. And David could see that.

So what does Saul do?

• 1 Samuel 17:38-39
  38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
• Saul puts his own armour on David. He gives him his sword.
• But David takes it off. And it’s not because the armour does not fit. It’s not because it was too big for him. But because he had not proved them.
• What does that mean?
  • It’s because he had not tested the armour for himself.
  • He had never used Saul’s sword before. He had never worn armour before.
  • And if it was unfamiliar to him, it would become a hindrance rather than a help to him on the battle field.
• We cannot walk in the path of another man’s faith. We must blaze our own trail and have our own experiences.
• We have to prove for ourselves the trust and faith that we are to have in God. We can’t use the experiences of others to even be the example of how to live our own lives.
• We must know God for ourselves and fight with the weapons that God has given us and not someone else.
• David had his personal experience with God in the wilderness while taking care of sheep. He knew what worked for him. He used a sling. But it doesn’t mean that that had to be a weapon for everyone in his army or anyone wanting to be a shepherd.
• We must know for ourselves what God is calling us to do.

1 Samuel 17:40
And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

• David takes his staff, his sling and just five smooth stones from the brook. All he took was his experience as a shepherd. He didn’t need any elaborate armour to defeat Goliath. He didn’t need to use a sword. God could use him just as he was.
• But why five stone? Why not just one? Shouldn’t he had had enough faith just to take one?
• You see, we need to do our part to prepare. We know not what the future holds, so we need to do our best. And when we have done our best then we can leave the rest in God’s hands. God will not do for us what He has left for us to do.
• We need to study as hard as we can as if all the success depends on us. Then we need to pray just as intensely as if all the success depends on God. We need to work in the same manner as well.
• After we have prepared and done our part, then we can have assurance and confidence that God will do His part.
• David took five stones. But little did he know that he would only need one.

As David approaches Goliath, Goliath is angry that the Israelites have sent a boy with no experience in war. He felt insulted that David would come before him in the clothing of a shepherd instead of clad in garments of war.

• 1 Samuel 17:44-47
  44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.
• As David approaches, he has no armour. He has no weapon except a sling. But he doesn’t come with that. He comes in the name of the Lord.
• The name of the Lord is the most powerful weapon that we can use in our warfare against Satan and his host.
• Acts 4:12
  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
• Proverbs 18:10
  The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
• The name of the Lord saves us. It protects us. And in the case of David, the name of the Lord fought for him and for the whole host of Israel.
• Goliath wasn’t just simply defying the armies of Israel. He was defying the God that stood behind that nation.

1 Samuel 17:48-49
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

• David has such great faith and confidence in God. He saw clearly how God had led him to that point from his father’s house to the battlefield. And he knew that God would give him the victory no matter what happened.

Friends, are you facing a Goliath today in your life? Maybe a problem has arisen out of nowhere. Maybe you were minding your own business but trouble came looking for you. We need to review our life to see how God has been guiding.

The question that we must ask ourselves is – has God BEEN guiding your life? Has HE been the One that is in the midst of your life? Have you been submitting your life to Him each day to work out every situation that you face? If we can have the confidence with His presence, then we need not be afraid whatever situation comes upon us. Even if the problem is as big as Goliath!

Saul was quite the contrary. He knew that God wasn’t with him. He knew that he had been disobedient. An evil spirit had been troubling him. And so when Goliath came out, he ran, he hid in his tent. He was unwilling to face the problems because they seemed to just be compounding instead of getting better.

Today, God wants to give us that perfect peace in our heart. That peace above the storm. That even though we may be walking the midst of the valley of the shadow of death, we don’t need to be afraid of anything because we know that our God is right there with us. And we can say to the problem – my God is bigger than you!

Today let’s give God our hearts again. Let’s ask Him to come in and guide us once more. Let’s ask help from Him to fix our own foolish mistakes. Let’s be willing to be led by Him one more. May God guide and be with each of you today!