| DAVID AND GOLIATH |

The story of David and Goliath is a great example of one of those Sunday school lessons that we get wrong week after week. Who are the major players in this story? Is it a story about a little boy whom God can use to do great things? Is it a story about conquering our biggest fears? We mutilate this story if this is all that we see here. Please hear this as a warning not to make of the Words of scripture whatever our hearts want to hear. The Word is about God. And this event is recorded to show us his glory and faithfulness.

The main actor in this story is neither David nor Saul nor Goliath. The main player is God. Goliath is defying the ranks of Israel. God has attached his name to this people, and thus David understood that by defying Israel, this man was defying the Lord himself. The army of Israel’s reaction was to be “dismayed and greatly afraid”. But David is not afraid, rather, he is angry! Why were the armies of God afraid of a man? David remembers how he has struck down the lion and the bear. How so? He confesses that it was the Lord who delivered him. He sees that Goliath “has defied the armies of the living God.” And so David comes before this mere man, though tall and strong, “in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.” Why does he do this? “… that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”

David is jealous for the glory of God. He is not a little boy who takes on a big challenge. He is a humble servant who glorifies the Lord Almighty. This is a story about the glory of God.

David remembers the faithfulness of God. He is not a “crack shot” with the sling who goes against an unwitting warrior. He is a trusting servant who stands firm in faith in the Lord Almighty. This is a story about the faithfulness of God.

The Word is not given to reveal to us men or women or mighty deeds of valor. The Word is not given for us to emulate mighty deeds or great character. The Word is given to reveal to us the Lord so that we would place our faith in him. Never be satisfied to discover or to teach anything less.