Reading
SAA Notes
David comes and does what the Christ should do – deliver his people from their enemies. David is revealed to Israel as the Messiah or the Christ of Israel. The point about Saul not seeming to know who David is, is that in such a culture, when a young man does something really brave or outstanding, you praise his father, not the young man. It’s the father who has produced such a son. Notice Saul does not say “Who is this?”, but “Whose son is this?”
SJA Notes
* God Above, praise is due to You, and to You shall vows be performed. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple!
“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, …”
And the giant comes tumbling down.
The general details of this story are well known, for good reason! This is a pivotal moment in the history of God’s people.
The world gets it wrong, and some believers too.
The primary truth here is not that David killed Goliath with a sling. It is not that David was without a sword. And it is certainly not as some say that David looked within himself for the strength to overcome his “goliath”.
The truth of the matter is that the LORD is at work.
The LORD is the one who saves. The battle and strength of arm is HIS.
David is the right-heart vehicle for God’s purposes. These words resound through history,
“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, …”
Once more we see that the Lord turns things upside down to how we would think everything should go.
Martial strength means nothing, neither does personal strength or battle frenzy (the pride of the warrior self that Goliath displayed).
What matters instead is whether we can say with certainty, because our hearts are fixed and founded in the Lord,
“For the battle is the LORD’s”!
* Dear God,
You are without equal, there are none like You.
You do not look on things like the world does, but You look at the heart.
You do not work as the world works, You choose the little and the small, the forgotten and the humble.
Lord please help us to be humble servants of You.
Amen.