David and Goliath Part 17 - Whose Son Is This?

# 253 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:52-58, “Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. 55 When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I do not know." 56 So the king said, "Inquire whose son this young man is." 57 Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" So David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite." (1 Sam 17:52-58) It seems strange to us that Saul would have forgotten who this young man was. Had not David played the harp in his court and served as a gopher for the king? Yet, maybe not so strange in that most of the time Saul was out of his mind with a distressing spirit when he called on the services of David the musician. This condition would not help his memory. This brief exchange with Saul, Abner, and David serves as a picture of a similar exchange with Jesus and the Pharisees found in Mt 22:41-45. In this exchange, Jesus asks the Pharisees, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? They replied, “The Son of David.” Then Jesus asked, “If David calls Him Lord, how is He his Son?” And like Abner, no one was able to answer..” This was the problem of the Jews, though the answer was right in front of them, they refused to see it or believe it. This is the problem of the world even today. The answer, Jesus Christ stands before them, with the facts of history, the testimony of His church through the changed lives of believers, the miraculously preserved words of Scripture, and still they do not know and they ask “whose Son is this?” This is Jesus, the Son of David, and the Son of God. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God! Believe this and be saved.

David and Goliath Part 16 - A Public Display

# 252 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:48-51, “So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. (1 Sam 17:48-51) The shepherd boy prevails with one well aimed shot and the giant topples over dead. You'd think that would be enough, but David had said that he would take the head of the giant and he meant it. Having no sword of his own he grabs the sword of Goliath to finish the job. How fitting when you think of it. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God....truth. The sword of the evil one is lies and deceit. In the end, lying does not prevail. Ps 64:8 says, “So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;” Goliath, representing Satan, done in with his own lies. Writing on this passage, the biblical commentator Matthew Henry has said, “ The crucifixion of our Lord was the execution of sin. God's enemies furnish weapons (the cross) for their own destruction.” It was customary in biblical times to make a public display of defeated foes and this was often done with a display of the heads of their enemies. Gruesome, but it made the point. And this public displaying of Samson's head would foreshadow the effects of Christ's victory that He won on the cross. Col 2:15 says, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” So when you read of this great victory of David's over Goliath, let your thoughts turn to Calvary. It was on that cross that the devil and his demons were disarmed. As Matthew Henry stated, “sin was executed.” The enemy of your soul has been disarmed and no longer has any power over you.

David and Goliath Part 15 - Spiritual Warfare

# 251 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:45-47, “Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 "Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands." (1 Sam 17:44-47) The sword, the spear, the javelin. All weapons of the flesh for the flesh, but they were no match for the Spirit of God then, and they are no match for the Spirit of God now. 2Co 10:3-5 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” The battle cry of Paul against the enemies within the church at Corinth was the battle cry of David which he used against Goliath and is summed up in Zec 4:6b, “'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts.” In our battles with the enemies of the church, we do not stoop to the tactics of lying and slander, we proclaim the truth, simply raising the standard of the Word of God, trusting that Word to break through the exterior defenses of the soul. It is the conviction of the Word of God that takes the thought life captive and brings people to repentance. (To repent is too think differently.) Our weapon is the Word of God! Heb 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Do you believe this beloved? Then get familiar with God's Word. Use it and live it. For no weapon formed against God;'s Word shall prosper.

David and Goliath Part 14 - The Lesson of the Birds

# 250 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:44-46a, “And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, (1 Sam 17:44-46a) Lots of trash talking going on here before the battle. Goliath says he will feed David's carcass to the vultures and the beasts. David saying that he will not only lop of Goliath's head, but the entire Philistine army will be food for the vultures and beasts! Either way, dinner is served for the vultures. This feast of the birds should cause us to look at the Book of Revelation and the final victory of Christ executed upon His return. It is one of the major lessons of David and Goliath. Re 19:17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 18 "that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great." 19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. You can see the similarities. Goliath representing the beast, and the Philistine army representing all the anti Christian forces or unbelievers who will be done away with for all time on the Last Day. The battle belongs to the Lord, and we read in v 21, that they were killed with “the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.” This sword is the Word of God which comes from Jesus and judges all on the Last Day. Joh 12:48 says, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” Beloved, on the Last Day, will you be “carrion” or “carried to” heaven?

David and Goliath Part 13 - Two Mighty Sticks

# 249 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:41 So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. Goliath comes to the battle with a shield bearer before him, ready to take the offensive against whomever the Israelites send out. He sees the pint-sized David and immediately begins the trash talking. “you're nothing David, worthless, you have no chance against me!” This is the same tactic the devil uses against you and I in our battles with sin, forgiveness, and guilt. His intent is to make us lose heart and give up, as we often slip back into sin. This is a common struggle for the Christian as attested to by the Apostle Paul in Ro 7:18-25, “ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Yes, it's times like this that the devil will try to make you, the backslider, feel utterly useless, and try to discourage you from staying in the fight. Persevere my brother and sister. In fact you can even agree with him in the sense that you are only coming at him with sticks. But what mighty sticks they are! For they form the cross of Christ, where the devil was forever defeated. Come to the cross and lean on the promises of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He will give you give you the victory and silence the accuser.

David and Goliath Part 12 - Do What God has Prepared You To Do

# 248 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:38-41, “So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." So David took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41 So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. (1 Sam 17:38-41) Saul, ever wanting to take matters into his own hands decides to equip David with his armor. What was he thinking? The scene is almost comical as David tries to wear the clothes of a man who was “from his shoulders upward taller than any of the people.” (1 Sam 9:2) It would be like Jeff trying to fit into Mutt's clothing. While body armor is useful, any soldier knows you better practice fighting with it on before you actually go into battle. David couldn't even walk in this stuff without falling down, how in the world could he expect to fight? So David grabs the weapons he has been trained to use as a shepherd. A staff for defense, and a slingshot for offense. This weapon is more effective than one would think. Some say a sling could hurl a baseball size stone at more than 100 mph. That is major league! We are told of some Benjamites in Scripture who could “sling a stone at a hair's breadth and not miss.” (Jud 20:16) The staff and the sling were the things that David knew. They were the things that God used to prepare David for this day of battle. The late Howard Hendricks of Dallas Theological Seminary once said, “Spend the rest of your life doing what God prepared you to do.” Seems fitting here. Don't try to be something you are not. Use your life experiences and God-given abilities in service to the Lord wherever He has placed you, always using His Word as your guide, for it is even more accurate than a Benjamites sling.

David and Goliath Part 11 - By the Hair On Its Chinny Chin Chin

# 247 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:31-37, “ Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32 Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!" (1 Sam 17:31-37) Saul has doubts about sending David out against the giant, but David reminds Saul of a couple of his exploits with lions and bears while guarding his father's sheep. And you have to admit they are impressive. He delivered a lamb out of the mouth of a lion, and when the animal reared up against him, he grab it by the hair on its chinny chin chin and slew it. David no doubt had the courage to take on this giant, but more importantly he reminds Saul that the same God who delivered those animals by the beard, would be able to deliver the giant into his hands. Do you have a prodigal child in your life? Take heart from this passage. Note that David left the other sheep to rescue the one. Does that remind you of anyone else? Mt 18:11-14 says, “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 "And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 "Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Keep praying for your prodigals, for the Lord is able to grab the devil by the scruff of his neck and secure their release.

David and Goliath Part 10 - The Lure of Complacency

# 246 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:28-30, “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." 29 And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" 30 Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. (1 Sam 17:28-30) Notice the little diversionary tactic of Eliab. He reminds David that he was supposed to be taking care of his father's sheep, not gallivanting around the countryside. This is a common ploy of the enemy of our soul and he will use other people around us for this purpose. Let's take the matter of abortion as an example. People will say things like “Why are you so bent on bringing up the right to life issue, you might alienate some people in the church? Can't you just sit quietly in the pews and do church?” David did not neglect the sheep, he took care of that business before he left home. And he answers his brother with five words we should all have in our vocabulary, “Is there not a cause?” Is there not a concern? Now, abortion is just one concern, but it ought to be a huge concern in light of the 55 million unborn children who have met there demise. Is there not a concern that we have taken precious gifts from the Lord and thrown them out! Is there not a concern for the women and men suffering from the aftermath of abortion? Is there not a concern that God hates the spilling of innocent blood? David's heart was burning about Goliath, because David was a man after God's own heart. He had no choice but to act. Should our hearts not also burn for the things that burn in the heart of God? His concerns, His causes are many and they are found in the pages of Scripture. Pray that God will give you the heart of David and the courage to act even when the enemy seeks to lure you back to the complacency of just sitting in the pews.

David and Goliath Part 9 - Do Not Fear the Wrath of Man

# 245 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:28a, “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, ” (1 Sam 17:28a) David has spoken against the cowardice of the Israelites and stirs up the wrath of his brother. This was no petty amount of ire. The word anger here means a flaring of the nostrils. His brother reacted like a mad bull. Understand something here, this is the normal reaction of those who get upset at Christians who take stands for righteousness. The heat will come, and it often comes from those who are closest to you. It can be from your own family members or even members of your church family. You see when one takes a stand and speaks against unrighteousness, it reminds the angered ones of their own shortcomings in this area, but rather than repent, they flare up their nostrils and lash back with angry words and deeds. Don't let the anger of others deter you from speaking on behalf of righteousness and acting righteously. Our world and especially the church needs a lot more people speaking to what is right and wrong according to the Word of God. You need not fear them, for Christ, your brother has been there and done that. Joh 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. The anger of His own people flared up so badly that they crucified Him. But He never stopped preaching righteousness. Stephen spoke against the unrighteous crucifixion of Jesus and their anger flared up so much that they killed him too. When the ire of others rises up against you remember the words of Job in Job 13:15,16, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. 16 He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.” Job was confident in the Word of God may God grant us the same confidence and persevering courage of Job and David.

David and Goliath Part 8 - The Honor of God

# 244 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:25-27, “So the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel." 26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "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?" 27 And the people answered him in this manner, saying, "So shall it be done for the man who kills him." (1 Sam 17:25-27) In the Navy we called this “scuttlebutt.” “Have you heard the latest? Saul says if someone can take this guy down, he will reward him with great riches, and give him his daughter, (make him a prince) AND give his dad and all family members tax exempt status for the rest of their lives.!” Evidently the pot wasn't sweet enough because no one is stepping into the ring. Then the shepherd boy, David comes along. I'm kind of disappointed that David asks, “What shall be done for the guy who takes this guy down?” I mean, it makes it sound like David is in it for the money and the prestige. But wait a minute! Notice what he says even before they answer. He is not so worried about the reward as he is about this “reproach” to Israel. The word reproach means shame. Who is this uncircumcised guy, who has the nerve to speak against the living God and bring shame to His people? And thus David's true motives are exposed. It's not that God needs us to defend His honor. He can take care of His honor by Himself, but as followers of Jesus Christ, we should always be prepared to ask ourselves, “What's more important? Material possessions, prestige, or the honor of God?” We honor God with the way we live our lives. Seek to live with courageous obedience in the face of a godless culture. Cease from shameful living and learn to speak the truth with the calling card of a life lived loving God and others.

David and Goliath Part 7 - He Withstood the Taunts

# 243 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:20b-24, “And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. 22 And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. (1 Sa 17:20b-24) Day after day the Israelites and the Philistines array their armies for battle. The Israelites doing their Ray Lewis imitation, trying to psych each other up for combat. David, bent on obeying his father races to the trenches to greet his brothers. Then, as he was speaking to them, a fearful hush falls over the soldiers as Goliath stomps out and makes his appearance, and thunders his challenge: “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” And we read, “So David heard them.” David, the Antitype Christ hears the giants accusations, and he will soon deal with him. Jesus too, knows of the taunts of the evil one. He heard every possible taunt for the same period of 40 days in the wilderness. He withstood the taunts and thereby went on to secure the victory over the devil when He went to cross, died for our sins and rose again on the third day. He did this so you and I do not have to live in dread and fear. Though he thunders his accusations against us, God is no longer listening. Here is the only loud voice that is heard in heaven: Re 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” He is cast down, he has nothing on you. Though he accuses, God is not listening because you are in Christ.

David and Goliath Part 6 - Submitting To Authorities

# 242 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:19,20a, “Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him.” (1 Sam 17:19,20a) The first thing we notice here is that David arose early in the morning. His father had given him an assignment and he didn't dilly dally. It is good advice to not put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Ec 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might;” Next we see that he didn't run off willy nilly. He took responsibility and found someone to take care of the sheep in his absence. Then we see that he explicitly followed his dad's instructions. He “went as Jesse commanded him.” He honored his father's position of authority. As it says in Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." All three of these things are good reminders for children of all ages, and can be summed up in this manner: Children obey your parents and those in authority over you expediently. Be responsible in your obedience and don't take short cuts. As long as it isn't something that flies in the face of God's Word, don't delay in whatever they assign you to do. This will not only help things go smoothly for you in your house, but it will do you well to learn it and apply it in all your future dealings with those in authority over you, including teachers, civil authorities, and yes, even church authorities, as we read in 1 Pet 5:5, “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders,” (1 Pet 5:5) Submitting to authorities is commanded by God and comes with a promised blessing, or what part of “that it may be well with you,” don't you understand?

David And Goliath Part 5 - The Pledge

# 241 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:17,18, “Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. 18 "And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them." (1 Sam 17:17,18) You can sense the loving concern of a father for his boys who are on the front lines. It's been at least 40 days and no word on how his boys were doing. So he sends David off with some granola and bread for the boys, and some cheese curds for their superior officer. (Perhaps his boys will be given some special consideration as a result of this gift.) There is a certain degree of urgency as he tells David to “run” to the camp. He gives David instructions to bring some assurances back to him that his boys were okay. The King James says that he was to bring back a “pledge.” A pledge would be more than David's Word. Typically, this pledge would be a lock hair or something that the father would be able to identify, proving that David had indeed had personal contact with his brothers. Well, he came back with more than a lock of hair, he came back with Goliath's head, thereby proving his boys were okay. I love the way Spurgeon comments on these verses. He says, “The great Antitype of David visited his brethren below, his Father sending him to us with heavenly food, and messages of love. Alas, like David, he met with a churlish reception, "he came unto his own, and his own received him not." The Lord grant that in our hearts he may ever find a welcome.” I would add to this commentary and say that the great Antitype David visited his brethren on earth and took a pledge back to heaven with Him. This pledge proved to all that He had indeed visited his brethren and accomplished His mission. This pledge was clearly visible to all, namely, his nail scarred hands and feet, and riven side. These are the wounds by which all who welcome Jesus into their heart are healed. Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

David and Goliath Part 4 A Time of Testing

# 240 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:12-16, “Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 16 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.” ( 1 Sam 17:12-16) Nothing new here, just another recap of Jesse's family. His three eldest having been called into the service of Saul's army. David, who had been called into the kings court as a musician and gopher boy did not follow Saul into battle. The implication being that he was too young, not yet fit for battle. A little wet behind the ears. I am reminded of Paul's charge to young Timothy, “”let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim 4:12) A word for any young people reading this: Seek to be an example in these things, and don't worry, your time will come, and your age will not have anything to do with it. So David is tending the sheep, meanwhile Goliath is presenting his challenge twice a day for forty straight days. There's that number again. 40. It usually signifies a complete time of testing or judgment. Well guess what, the Israelites and Saul failed the test, and they were judged as lacking in trust of the Lord and lacking in zeal. Each one of us will be faced with trials and testings in our own lives and the question always boils down to this: Will we trust God or not? Listen again to Paul's advice to Timothy in 1Ti 4:15,16, “ Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” Meditate and continue in the doctrine, that is the Word of God and victory will come.

David and Goliath Part 3 Only Christ

# 239 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:8-11, “Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 "If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." 10 And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together." 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. (1 Sam 17:8-11) The giant Goliath issues the challenge to the Israelites: “I am the best the Philistines have to offer, give me the best that the Israelites have to offer, and let's battle, winner take all!” Then he says “I defy,” the word means to strip bare, to peel back to expose, like one might peel a banana. In other words he was telling the Israelites that their men were all show and no go, and the implication is that Jehovah God was the same. No wonder David was so upset. Who will come forth and stand against this giant? Saul and his men were petrified to the point of panic as they anticipated great harm to anyone who would stand against Goliath. Who will stand against this mighty enemy? Only God could defeat such a foe. Isa 45:22 says, "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” and in Ac 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Enter David, the bloodline of Christ! Christ is our only hope against the evil foe. The enemy pressing in on you today? Is he using his calling card of fear and doubt? Remember who won this battle and call on the one who gave David his victory. Call on Jesus.

David and Goliath Part 2 Respect the Eenemy

# 238 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:4-7, “And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. (1 Sam 17:4-7) Goliath. One big dude. Over nine feet tall, fitted with impenetrable armor, and armed to the hilt. Just think of the armor he was wearing. A brass helmet, a coat of mail that consisted of bronze sheets that were overlaid as to look like fish scales. There were no openings and Goliath's vital organs were afforded complete protection. Estimates of the weight of this coat of armor range from 78 to 156 lbs, the weight included to help us get a picture of the strength of this titan. The javelin spoken of here is not what you may think, it was in reality a shield that was typically thrown over the back for easy access during a battle. His spear was huge, which should tell you something about the size and strength of his hands. It was like a weavers beam with an iron spearhead that weighed about 19 lbs. But why spend all this time talking about his armor? What is the Holy Spirit trying to teach us? Remember, Goliath is a type of Satan and the Holy Spirit is trying to teach us that he is a great and powerful foe. Don't underestimate him. Heb 2:14 says, Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,” Who destroys the one who has the power of death? Jesus. I'm reminded of Martin Luther's classic hymn, A Mighty Fortress, “For still our ancient foe, doth seek to work us woe, his craft and pow'r are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing. Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God'[s own choosing. Doest ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is He; And He must win the battle. Don't think for a moment you can take on the devil by yourself, you need Jesus!

Lessons From David and Goliath Part 1

# 237 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:1-4, “Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered together at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. (1 Sam 17:1-4) Those feisty Philistines are at it again. Perhaps they had heard that the Lord was no longer with Saul. Maybe they had heard about his unstable condition and thought this would be a good time to attack. There's a lesson here for us. The Lord is with those who act wisely, that is, those who seek to measure their behavior in accordance with God's Word. (See my Du-votional # 235 from Monday) When we cease to act wisely, (like Saul) the enemy of our souls sees it as an opportunity to retake lost ground. Further, the enemy sees our instability he knows when we are tottering in fear and doubt, and is quick to seize the opportunity. How did Luther put it? “When the water becomes troubled, the devil likes to fish.” Know these things and be prepared to lean on Jesus for mercy and help. Repent of all unwise actions, confess them as sin, and seek to live henceforth in accordance with God's Word. So the battle lines are drawn. Very real geographical locations are painstakingly given. This is not just some fairy tale story unfolding. It is an actual historical event that God allowed to play out for our own teaching and benefit. This is the account of David and Goliath. One of those first stories that we all learned about in Sunday School, and rightly so, because the lessons learned from it are vital to the Christian walk. May God the Holy Spirit impress some of those those lessons upon us in the days ahead.

Imitate Excellence

# 236 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 16:20-23, “And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21 So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. 22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight." 23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him. (1 Sam 16:20-23) Jesse follows the custom of the day and the biblical advice of Pr 18:16 as he sends a gift of bread, wine, and a goat to the king. Pr 18:16 says, “A man's gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.” This is wisdom for the ages and works well to this day. Saul is greatly pleased and loved everything about David. Not only did David serve him well as a musician but Saul also put him into service as his armor bearer. That doesn't necessarily mean that David went into battle with Saul carrying his armor. An armor bearer could also serve in the kings court as a gopher, where you would “go for” this or “go for” that for the king. Very useful servants for the king. Evidently, David's time with Saul was a kind of probationary time and having served well, Saul asks Jesse for David to continue to serve him in that capacity. This tells us a little about the character of Jesse, (from whom the Messiah would come) Saul didn't have to ask, as king he could draft David into his service. David excelled in all he did. He put forth the effort to do well, whether watching sheep, playing a harp, or just being a gopher. We would do well to imitate him wherever we may be serving or working. Pr 22:29 says, “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” Whatever you do in life seek to excel, who knows where such an attitude will lead. Col 3:23 seems appropriate her: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,”

When the Lord Is With You

# 235 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 16:18,19, “Then one of the servants answered and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him." 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep." (1 Sam 16:18,19) Saul is in need of a court musician and it just so happens that a servant in the king's court knows of a shepherd boy named David who fits the bill! This musician would be perfect for a king who is obsessed with outward appearances!. He is a skillful musician, and carries himself like a mighty warrior. He is brave, bold, a battler, and at the same time he speaks eloquently, (just read the Psalms!) he's handsome, and to top it all off, the Lord is with him. What does it mean that the Lord is with someone? How is it that someone else makes note of the presence of the Lord in someone's life? In this case we get a little clue in 1Sa 18:14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him.” David behaved wisely, that is, he measured his behavior in accordance with God's Word. When a believer is yielded to the Holy Spirit, wise behavior is a natural outcome. The Bible becomes their guide for living. The more one yield's the more noticeable will be the presence of the Lord in one's life. This yielding is key if we would desire that others would see Jesus in us. One more thing. God planted that servant in Saul's court because He wanted David to be there. He orchestrated the whole thing. Take heart from this passage if you find yourself in a tizzy about things in your future. God is in the business of orchestrating. He orchestrates the whole universe according to His good and gracious will. Observe nature and see God orchestrate. Read Scripture and see God orchestrate. Reflect on your own life and see where God has orchestrated, and take comfort. God has not forgotten you, and you are a vital part of His composition. The situation you are in has purpose, endure, trusting the Great Conductor.

Musick Has Charms To Sooth A Savage Breast

# 234 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 16:15-17, “And Saul's servants said to him, "Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16 "Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well." 17 So Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me." (1 Sam 16:15-17) William Congreve, in The Mourning Bride, wrote, “ Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast, To soften Rocks or bend a knotted Oak.” He wrote that in 1697, but clearly the idea has been around a lot longer than that! Right or wrong, the harp is the musical instrument associated with angels. There is something especially soothing about the sound of a skillfully played harp. I have worked in radio for nearly forty years now, and whenever we want a listener to picture heaven, we would always break out the harp music beds. We know that the musician called to this task of soothing Saul was none other than David, the shepherd boy. It is highly unlikely that he was toting around the big and bulky harp of today's musicians. More likely it was a small stringed lyre type of instrument. Nonetheless, he was a skillful musician, and it worked! This is not the only time we read of the soothing effect of music in Scripture. The prophet Elisha was called to give a word from the Lord concerning a possible battle with the Moabites. But, disturbed by the sinful leadership in Israel, he felt he needed to calm down a bit and so he asked for a musician. 2Ki 3:15 says, "But now bring me a musician." Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.” Adam Clarkes commentary on this verse states that this music “ likely rendered “him more susceptible” to “the prophetic influence.” Scripture places a high value on music. Who knows? The songs sung in your house of worship may speak peace to those who need it, and even open up their hearts and minds to the prophetic influence of the spoken word of God. That bit of knowledge should help worship leaders in their weekly song selections.