Imagine walking into a board room with 25 executives awaiting to hear a new proposal from the intern who suggests an alternate solution to a problem. Picture a child who walks on stage who is barley old enough to tie his own shoes gently take his place in front of a grand piano with an audience who has paid handsomely to hear the next Beethoven. Or consider a situation where one young man prepared for battle steps in front of a nine foot giant who is prepared to slaughter you.
This is exactly what happened to David in the story of David and Goliath in 1st Samuel Chapter 17. It is a story of an unlikely hero, an individual so full of faith to perform in the moment, someone who had the tenacity to overcome all natural fear. An individual who knew where his strength came from.
In this post, I would like to share with you a fresh new perspective on the story of David and Goliath.
The Philistine army has advanced upon the Israelite army in the Valley of Elah. The Israelite army has never been defeated and the presence of God is with them providing wisdom, strength, and victory–until this moment. In fact, it was the sight of Goliath, a philistine warrior who toward over 9 feet tall who stopped God’s people from advancing.
1 Samuel 17:4-7, A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
From an earthly perspective, Goliath was unbeatable, unstoppable, and unimaginably powerful. The wager was that if someone agreed to battle him and win, then the entire Philistine army would surrender. But the opposite also existed. If Goliath were to win, the Israelite army would become servants and slaves to the Philistines.
Now David, who was the son of Jesse, who would later become King of Israel, author of Psalms, and ancestor to Jesus Christ, was instructed to travel to the battle site to deliver food and cheese for his enlisted brothers and commanders within the Israelite army.
Everyone within the camp of Israel was astounded when David volunteered and said,
1 Samuel 17:32, David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
David knew in his heart that God would be his weapon.
Now, something to consider. Our journey to know God is not immediate in most circumstances. Decisions to follow His voice is developed over time and through faith. In fact, the bible very clearly states the mindset of David and how he made this decision to fight Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:34-37, But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
God had been building into David for several years and has developed David into a man who is a warrior for God. His perspective is of clear sight and full partnership with God’s will.
Saul the King of Israel at the time, attempted to clothe David with his own immaculate armor–however the armor was unfitting for David since he was just a boy. David opted to use five smooth stones and his sling. David proclaims,
1 Samuel 17:45-47, David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
The account of David and Goliath ends with a victory for David as he slings a single stone to the head of Goliath.
The overarching principles in this historical account is one of partnership and perspective. From the battle field, all natural odds favored Goliath to have victory over a small boy without armor. The earthly perspective was one of utter fear and a realistic reality that David would probably die–an unfair battle.
However from God’s perspective the battle was unfair too! David was bound to defeat Goliath! Each Israelite soldier was blinded by the realities of this world, and forgot to live by faith. The faith that God demanded the people of Israel to live by.
As followers of God, we must exercise our ability to see situations and obstacles of life from His position. Stop viewing the troubles and anxieties you face from an earthly perspective. The power of God can be neutralized by our inabilities to see things from what I call, the Heavenly perspective. Be prepared to have the world throw its weight and burden upon you just as Saul clothed David with his armor. Symbolically, this is noteworthy–shake off the things of this earth and be clothed by God’s spirit.
Each and every day you can choose to live by two perspectives–earth’s or heaven’s. My wife and I have been trying to conceive a child for the past two months. The other day, my wife asked me if I would be sad if it took another couple months to produce a positive indication of pregnancy. I had to quickly respond by bringing a heavenly perspective to the situation. I explained that I have faith that the child we ultimately have was designed, created, and placed in our lives at the perfect moment by God and that I have no fear or sadness while we continue to seek positive results.
Maintaining a heavenly perspective will produce the will of God in your life. Keep your eyes on things above and his falling manna will give resource, nourishment, and abundant life!
fallingmanna 