1 Samuel 17:41-18:4; John 8:21-24; Psalms 110:4-7; Proverbs 24:7
OT: “The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him… He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” Then he cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!” David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel — you have defied him. Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s. He will hand you over to us.” When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground.” (1 Samuel 17:41, 43-49 CSB)
As I read this story again, it became clearly obvious to me that David did not take on Goliath for his own glory. He confronted Goliath for the Glory of God. The conflict wasn’t just a contest between David and Goliath – it was a contest between the gods of the Philistines and the One True God of Israel. Goliath cursed David by his gods… and David met that challenge in the name of the Lord of Hosts. Goliath threatened to take David’s life and feed him to the birds. David, on the other hand, said that The Lord would use him to turn the entire Philistine army into bird food. When the Goliath moved in to attack, David ran at him in the power and anointing of the Lord God of Israel. David didn’t want to become famous. He wanted His Lord to be famous. He wanted to prove, once and for all, to the Philistines and to the entire world, that Israel didn’t need gods, for it had God. Faith like David’s truly pleases the Lord. If we place our faith on the Lord and seek His glory, God will glorify Himself by doing exploits through us. God desires for His people to demonstrate His greatness as they place their faith in Him… and it is as His ordinary people become extraordinary through Him, that all the world will know that there is a God.
Jamie Hicks 