PLEASE NO HATE MAIL! THAT IS NOT A SLAM!
It is, however, shameless self-promotion for this post. 🙂 Seriously, compared to Goliath, David was a dwarf. There. I have now given away the direction of my post and my sermon for Sunday. As I make my way through the life of David, there is no doubt his encounter with Goliath is a major scene. And I suspect that most of you have heard or read it.
Studies by experts far smarter than me that say Goliath was a mammoth individual. He stood somewhere near 9’9″ tall. Add to his height the length of his arms and you have one imposing character. But there’s more!!
He wore a coat of mail, a heavy canvas-like undergarment interlaced with overlapping ringlets of bronze. This coat went from shoulder to knee and weighed 175-200 pounds.
Throw in a bronze helmet and bronze leggings.
He carried a bronze javelin, whose head weighed about 20-25 pounds.
Don’t forget the shield carried by his shield-bearer, which was the size of a full-grown man.
Each day he and the army of the Philistines taunted the army of King Saul and the Israelites. NO ONE would stand up and fight. Then, along comes David, a mere teenager, the “runt” of his father’s litter. And right here is the point of this post and the message for Sunday. Three things David was sure of:
DAVID KNEW HIS ENEMY
Goliath was H-U-G-E! But David didn’t give a rip. He was reviling the God of the Israelites. Goliath might have been a giant, but in David’s eye he was an eyesore. We too need to know our enemy. Check it out here.
DAVID KNEW HIS WEAPON
Saul tried to get him to wear his armor. I gotta admit the picture I get is funny. Adult-sized armor on a child. David said, “No can do. I defended sheep with my staff and my sling. I got all I need.” Check out our weapons here.
DAVID KNEW HIS STRENGTH
They approach each other- Goliath with his shield-bearer and David with his staff, sling, and five smooth stones. The rest of the story is history. But this verse stands out: “Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7. Make your way back one more time here.
We all have giants in our lives. Anger. Temper. Addiction. Weight. Use of time. Feeling inferior. It is different for all of us. But we can also defeat those giants. We just need to remember David’s example.
Would you mind saying a prayer for me and the church I pastor Sunday? Thanks. Now let me ask you, are you dealing with the giants in your life? How do you handle them? Hopefully I have given you some food for thought.
I would say I’m still struggling with the giant of forgiveness toward some folks from my former church. I need a slingshot and a rock.
I hope you find the ability to use them Larry and kill that beast.
David was certainly politically incorrect. He trusted the LORD instead of the politics or strength of man! I love that line, Oh, to only trust in the name of the Lord our God. His trust…umm dwarfs mine!…Praying for you and your church right now Bill!
Thanks for your prayers Tom.
That’s one of my favorite Bible stories and more now than when I was a kid. David’s faith is the only giant in that epic battle.
I have some giants, one of my biggest ones is fear of business and legal issues. I do fine for a while with the mind and faith in God and His sovereignty in my life, then sometimes my flesh resurrects the giants… My season of gaining wisdom, He’s got my back, I just need to have the faith of our forefathers.
Praying for you and your flock Bill. You’re a good man.
Your fears are the same many of us face Floyd. Praying for your faith to deal with what comes up. Thanks for your kind words.
There are some really amazing highs in the life of David from this interaction with Goliath and his zeal during portions of his kingly reign. However, there are some amazing lows too. Lots of folks talk about Bathsheba, but many forget his murder of Bathsheba’s husband. Now before you wag your preaching finger at me, I have had more lows than highs by a truck-load. All this to say that I appreciate David all the more for his full story.
As for giants, I am in combat with one at the moment. I will likely write about it soon if I can find some traction and get my feet under me.
I wouldn’t wag my finger at you. I know that different characters relate to different people. 🙂 Praying you will be able to slay your giant.
I will be happy to say a prayer for you and your message this Sunday.
As for Giants, I turn everything to God and He guides my every move. Strange as that sounds, He has been doing it all for the past 25 years. I am truly blessed!
Walk daily with God at your side!
Ed
Thanks for your prayers Ed. It is through people’s prayers, like yours, that the Spirit works.
This is the 3rd time in 2 days that I have been lead to the armour of God.
1st – my personal study
2nd – a verse a friend of mine from Tennessee had sent via email
3rd – Your post
I think God may be saying something here 🙂
I have Epheshians 6:12-18 on my wall right in my line of sight behind and above my monitor as a continual reminder…
There have been times where I have chosen to ignore the giants, try to run away.
I think David’s example is telling us that they can’t be ignored or fleed from.
They must be confronted and conquered. We can not do this alone. I believe we must be willing to allow God to do it through us.
I would agree with your assessment that He might be saying something. 😛 Giants do need to be dealt with. Totally agree with you.
It’s amazing what God can do with so little if we will simply have faith. I’m so glad my faith only has to be as big as a mustard seed to move a mountain and I’m even more glad God isn’t content to let my faith remain small- He stretches me and while it is painful, it is so worth it!
So what’s the next biggest seed from a mustard seed- that’s what I’m working on 🙂
Don’t know the answer to your question TC. Reckon I will have to stick with the mustard seed.
I have been and will keep praying for you and your church.
Thank you Jason. Much appreciated.
Hi Bill,
Perseverance is the way I have been dealing with my giant.
When I am in a place of not being able to go on anymore in myself, I call out to God for strength and ability to keep going. I ask Him to help me get my filings ready and to help me do what I need to do to keep on going on.
(For those who may not know, I’m involved in a matrimonial property and spousal support battle with my former husband in the courts.)
The face of my giant has shifted at times to the court itself. The legal system and ‘brotherhood’ is a GIANT of giganitic proportions. It holds most, if not nearly all, of the power in this ‘game’. The justices call each other ‘brothers and sisters’ if you can imagine this. The lawyers (I overheard talking in the Court of Appeal in Calgary) call other lawyers ‘brothers and sisters’ also. This is a religious organization, and it’s not related to our God at all.
Keep fighting that giant Linda.
Hi Bill,
I will pray for your message and the saints’ ability to hear and respond to God on Sunday.
As saints we need to block out some things of the world that discourages our faith. The ‘giants’ make themselves look very big and daunting.
As saints we need to stop believing the world’s rhetoric and stand with God. The world criticizes our faith, but it is involved deeply in ‘religion’ itself. The devil’s religion.
We need to despise the shame associated with Jesus and proclaim Him loudly and boldly to those we encounter in our daily lives. What we believers have in Jesus Christ far surpasses anything the world thinks it has. We need to call their ‘game’ so to speak.
Thanks for your prayers.
That description of Goliath is astounding, I guess I never gave thought as to just how big he was & how much strong “armor” he had…and I love all the verses you referred us to. The armor of God….I put it on everyday, without it, I am weak & vulnerable…even with it, I can be weakened & vulnerable, but I must keep in the word & trust in the One who is always here for me.
The giants in my life are usually believing that God thinks I’m His somebody special and whatever crisis my kids might be going through, but I am learning that yes, I am special & useful to God and when a crisis occurs, I completely hand it over to God, which has given me great peace, instead of walking the floor, wailing & gnashing my teeth! 🙂
We pray everyday for you & your church Bill.
It is easy to read a story and not really see. The verses fit into David’s story and ours. Thanks for your (and Michael’s) prayers.
Ha-Ha, Ryan. I was directed to the armor of God less than 24 hours ago at (of all places) an AA meeting. I needed it then and I need it today….really, I need it every day. I keep dropping my shield and trying to live on my own power. And my giant right now is fear. You’d think I’d keep that shield up and let God lead the battle. I have to keep telling myself He is Faithful and True and He is.
Good thing about the armor. Doesn’t matter where or when, it applies.
Here I expected something Tolkienesque when I read your headline.
I’m touched by how David knew his strength. He had defeated bears and lions while working as a shepherd, so he knew that God was with him. His past led him to trust in the Almighty, so that David could risk his life.
Sorry to disappoint you about not being Tolkienesque. I could only wish. 🙂 You, though, have the real meaning of the story.
I think that I am the biggest giant I have to fight most of the time. It would help if that giant would just stay slain.
Praying right now for your church services on Sunday.
That is a great way to look at it Susan. Thanks for your prayers.