Believers, and the “big” men of the world
I believe wholeheartedly that we must become rooted and grounded in the Lord, Himself (Ephesians 3:17)…..in this age we are living in….
….we must learn to rely on Him…..to trust Him with our whole being….
…in spiritual things,….in reasonable or emotional things…..and with our physical well-being.
I am going to use David, the shepherd, as an example.
He kept his father’s sheep. Day and night, through cold and heat, and from wild beasts,….David watched for the well-being of the sheep.
David had been secretly anointed king of Israel, yet had left the working out of this promise to God.
He had gone back to the sheep….the flocks of his father, Jessie.
But one day, things change……forever for him….and through him, the nation of Israel….
…and all this comes from a very simple command from his father….nothing fancy, or dramatically…….just go bring food to his brothers who were in the army with Saul.
(Sometimes the way the Lord leads us may be step by step…..nothing fancy or dramatic….just guidance, which followed will help us in the most important decisions of our lives.)
Once there, David hears the challenge of one of the most “big” and powerful men of the world he lived in…..Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:4, 8, 10 “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.
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 the servants of Saul? Choose you a man of you and let him come down to me.
And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.”
Goliath was a “champion”…..he was no novice, in the killing business.
He was a giant….approximately 10-11 feet tall.
He had a helmet of brass, and a coat of brass plates overlaid like scales of a fish,….he wore brass boots, and had a brass corselet around his neck….his spear was too large for most men to carry or put their hand around.
He was pretty much unconquerable,…..and he knew it.
This conversation was a mocking challenge….to Saul….to any Israelite who believed in their God,……Who was a Shield to protect their army.
David took this challenge very personally….for Goliath was attacking God….the Living and True God….not just His army.
No one else seem to mind Goliath’s mocking….nor the sneer in his voice as Goliath called on the “servants of Saul”….instead of the servants of the Living God.
But David did…..and asked immediately…
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?”
This Philistine “reproached” them everyday… (forty days…1 Samuel 17:16)
“Reproach” here means “to pull off, strip of dignity, to disgrace”.
But David would not have Goliath continue…..so he looked for a way to see about defeating this giant….
So in front of Saul…
1 Samuel 17:32 “And David said to Saul, Let not man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
And here we come to the second “big” man of David’s time…..the king Saul.
(As believers, we come into contact with all sorts of people.
There are believing friends,….
….out-right enemies…..
….and hypocrites…..many who are head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to human ability 1 Samuel 10:23-24.
Saul was that kind of man. Israel had wanted a king, like the other nations, that could lead them in and out of battle,….and Saul was head and shoulders taller than them all.
Yet, here, when the army is at a stalemate…..Saul does nothing. He is as afraid and dismayed as all Israel….1 Samuel 17:11.)
Saul’s belief in the God of Israel has always been just because he was a Hebrew…..not because he knew God personally.
(though for a time Saul was taught such knowledge through Samuel….but he never got to the point where he loved and obeyed God personally. 1 Samuel 15:22-23, 30 notice “thy God”)
But Saul does “believe” and trust in worldly means….and if David is determined to face this Philistine….
….he will give him the best in his kingdom…..his armor.
(Now as believers, we are to beware of using worldly means to gain spiritual battles….2 Corinthians 10:3-5……it does not work…and can entangle us in snares.)
1 Samuel 17:38-39 “And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
And David girded his sword upon his armor, 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.”
Now David, was going to yield to Saul….”he assayed to go”…..and go out with these….
…..but God’s wisdom reigned over him….
….and he, instead, he told Saul….”I cannot use these….I have not proved them in battle, like I have my sling and staff.”
And he took them off.
Many times we are given opportunities for God’s glory….but it is as important how we stand and fight….as well, as that we do.
As we all know…..Goliath fell under the weight of the Living God….using a simple stone,…a sling,….and a willing, believing servant.
But before they fought….David gave this testimony…
1 Samuel 17:45-47 “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 has defied.
This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand;….that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and with spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
This is the believing obedience we need in these days….for don’t we face many “big” and powerful men who mock and refuse to believe our God?
David and Saul’s armor
David and Goliath
Both were “big” men in their time….
Saul’s armor had to be rejected because David had not proved it….it was not for him
Goliath was huge…..yet fell under the power of God, used through David, it is true….but in God’s name and by His power.
(Yes, we have an armor of God, but He has given it to us…..which is:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might”….
……truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, with the Spirit’s help in the Word of God, and prayer. Ephesians 6:10-18)
We are not to use the methods of this world….that would be like fighting Goliath with a sword….against his sword and spear.
We are not to use the methods of someone else….they may give good advice….even believing in their advice….like Saul….but that will fail,….for we have not proved them…
….instead, we are to use the power of God’s might….what we have,…….in His Name….stand and be delivered.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 