The Faithful Shepherd
So often, Christians are encouraged to be bold for the sake of the Gospel, to be ready to boldly proclaim the Gospel and to defend it when necessary. We’re reminded of the faithful men and women in Scripture who took a firm stand on what they believed and some who even gave their lives for it. A popular story that we’re given to help exhort us for spiritual battle (and sometimes physical battle) is the story of David and Goliath. This story is often taught in Sunday schools and churches across the world to point out that David, being a young boy, stood up against and slayed a giant; therefore, we should be more confident to slay the giants in our lives. I want to take a different approach and point to how David’s story gives Christians a view of God as our intercessor. David showed an astronomical amount of boldness and courage, and we can learn from his example. But, I believe we can also learn from the Israelite people how not to think during a Goliath-like situation. Like all of our favorite Bible stories, God is the true hero in this story. He shows Himself to be a provider, a deliverer and a defender for David in four main ways, ways I believe God still provides for His people today.
To understand God’s deliverance of His people, it’s important to first know what he delivered them from: Goliath, the champion of the Philistine army. Goliath was a 9-foot giant, a champion with the best armor, and a warrior who killed many men. From Israel’s perspective, he was invincible, and he thought so too. An important point in this story is that Goliath taunted the sovereign Lord of the universe. He challenged God’s people to stand up to him, to demonstrate that their God was more powerful than he was (1 Samuel 17:8-9). The term champion, used to describe Goliath, is “bay-nah-yim” in Hebrew, meaning “man of the space between armies.” The Philistines chose him to stand between them and other armies more than likely to save themselves from the hazards of battle and to intimidate their enemies. Goliath was a proud man who looked at himself with admiration, even in the face of Israel’s God. One thing we know about God is that He hates a proud heart. In Proverbs 15:25, it says “The LORD will destroy the house of the proud but He will establish the border of the widow.” In Proverbs 21:4, it says “Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.” Goliath’s actions and his heart towards God was sinful. His challenge against Israel was a duel of hand-to-hand combat, the outcome of which would leave Israel in victory or defeat.
The Lord Provides Discernment
As Goliath taunted the Israel army and threatened them, David was able to see what was going on through the eyes of the Lord. David noticed and was provoked by two things that raised indignation in him against Goliath. The first was that he identified that Goliath’s challenge and his defiance was a reproach to all of Israel (1 Samuel 17:26) in that he was a Philistine, an uncircumcised person, a profane man without any true religion in him. The second thing that provoked David was the knowledge and understanding that the army that this man was reproaching was the army of the living God. “And David said to the man who stood by him, ‘What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’ (v26)" In other words, David understood that this man was defying the God of the universe, and filled with the zeal of God and for his people, could not stand by and let this man threaten the salvation of Israel.
The Lord Provides Courage
After David spoke these words in 1 Samuel 17:26 and the army heard him, they told King Saul what David said. King Saul then sent for David and David said to him “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine” (v32). In Numbers 14:8-9, Joshua and Caleb gave this same exhortation to Israel 400 years prior regarding the giant Anakim. The congregation of Israel was in anguish saying, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in the wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become like prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:2-3). Joshua and Caleb reaffirmed their appraisal that the land was good and their confidence that the Lord would deliver it and its people into their hands. Likewise, David was confident in the promises of the Lord, just as we should be. This confidence in God, His deliverance, His sovereignty, and His unchanging character transformed into unquestionable courage, a type of courage that can only be given from above. God proved Himself faithful and an intercessor several times before this situation with Goliath, and David was certain He would do it again.
The Lord Provides Deliverance
After David announced to King Saul that he would fight the Philistine, Saul assumed David’s inability by judging his age and his inexperience. He stated that since David was so young and Goliath was a man of war since his youth, David would not be able to go against him. However, this ordinary shepherd, that at this point had not seen war, presented more courage than all the mighty men of Israel. David’s character is painted through Saul’s doubts in him. Further, David did not view himself as an ordinary shepherd, neither was he ashamed to acknowledge his employment. He owned the fact that he was indeed a shepherd who worked not only to tend to his father’s sheep but to protect them and defend them from harm, even from lions and bears. David said to Saul, “Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:36-37). He already knew God to be a deliverer! Just as the flock was his responsibility to protect, David’s new responsibility was to shepherd Israel, requiring him to eliminate the threat of Goliath. David here shows himself to be an example of Christ, understanding that he was to both lead and rescue his sheep. Just as before, David chose to put himself in harm’s way to defend his people, all the while confident that God would deliver him. A good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).
God Provides Victory
As David approached Goliath, he recognized that God would have victory in all things. Again, Goliath was 9-feet tall, a warrior since his youth and a man that had armed himself well; but what was David armed with? What David came to the fight with no breastplate, nor coselet, nor coat, nor spear, nor arrows could match. He came with the confidence of a Shepherd; he came with confidence purely in the power of God, and trust that God would deliver Goliath into his hands. David announced to Goliath that although he came to him with a sword and spear and javelin, he came in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel (v45-46). David spoke with as much assurance as Goliath had, but they relied on two different things. Goliath relied on his size and experience and his sword and spear, but David relied on God. They both had faith, but Goliath looked to his flesh to save him and David looked to the spirit of God. Goliath sought honor and glory from men, yet David sought honor and glory from God. Even before killing Goliath, David attributed all his success to God. Using stones and a sling, David struck Goliath down and cut off his head. The prideful giant was slayed by the young shepherd, and victory was the Lord’s. David’s victory should remind us that God is always victorious! He is all powerful and the God of both the heavens and the earth. God announces His victory through His Son Jesus in Genesis 3:15. Jesus then executed this promise of victory by His faithful living and giving Himself up in the hands of the Jews to be beaten and crucified. He then returns from the dead three days after His death giving His people hope of returning to Him in glory.
David in many ways demonstrated the Spirit of God was working in him. After all, God declared him a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). His confidence and courage should exhort Christians to put their trust in the promises of God and rest on them alone. We’re currently living in a time when we should stand strong and firm on the promises of God. Paul exhorted the people of God in Corinth to act like men (1 Corinthians 16:13), to be strong and courageous and to do all things in love. We’ve seen over the past few months cowardly acts within the church and a lack of recognition of God’s sovereignty and reign over heaven and earth. My prayer is that we will understand that the threat we face today or in the future has defiled the God of the universe, and regardless of what the threat is, God will indeed be victorious.