Havasu Christian Church
Series in I Samuel
August 25, 2024
I Samuel 17:45-54
“The most familiar battle in the bible! Part 2”
“The main event!”
INTRO: Welcome to “Part 2.” “At the end of last weeks’ episode, David was tied to the rocket and it was just about to be launched into space…. Wait; that’s the wrong episode.
Last week, we saw David, volunteering to do what no one else was willing to do. This week, in part 2, we’ll see what and how David did what he did. But before we do, I mentioned a song last week that fit with both last week and this week. So, we are going to play it for you now.
EVERYBODY SAID (But Nobody Did) Acapella https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-1-MgOkiQo
Again, welcome to Part 2! The Main Event!
45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and 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 taunted.
46 “This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,
47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.”
48 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.
50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand.
51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
52 The men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the slain Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron.
53 The sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps.
54 Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.
- David met Goliath head on!
- David meets the challenge of standing alone.
- Not only is Goliath huge and scary, he has an armor bearer… a “wingman.”
- No one wants to stand up and be there, for and with David.
- He meets the challenge of Goliath’s words.
- I’ve got something you don’t!
- God is on my side!
- You’ve really made Him mad by taunting His army!
- I will strike you down and take your head.
- But I’m doing this for the glory of my God!
“and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.”
- He meets the challenge of Goliath’s weapons.
- Goliath has the full kit!
- Goliath has armor. Goliath has a spear.
- Goliath has a Javelin. Goliath has a sword.
- Goliath has a shield.
- David has a stick!
- David also has a “secret weapon!”
- He has a rock in his pouch.
- He has a sling.
- A long-distance weapon that Goliath apparently does not see!
- David “Ran quickly to the battle line…”
- There is no hesitation!
- He isn’t waiting for reinforcements.
- He isn’t “throwing down a fleece” like Gideon did.
- He isn’t rethinking his “no armor policy.”
- He isn’t looking around for another weapon.
- David reaches for one of the rocks in his pouch and uses it!
- He has chosen his ammunition with care.
- A smooth stone should fly straighter.
- I’m sure he picked the right size rock for what he needed to do.
- He lets fly!
- The stone flies true!
- This is the result of practice.
- But it is also the result of God’s help!
- Goliath is struck right in the forehead.
- The rock actually sinks into his forehead.
- This is almost certainly an “instant kill.”
- No slumping to the ground, speaking his last words.
- He pitches straight over forward, falling on his face.
- David is a man of his word.
- He uses Goliath’s own sword to finish the job by cutting Goliath’s head off!
- Israel wins a great victory!
- The Philistines run!
- The Philistines are so scared they leave everything they brought with them behind.
- The army of Israel pursues the Philistines.
- They kill a great many of them.
- They chase them until the Philistines can get into one of their fortified cities.
- Apparently, the Israelites are content to leave them there and head for home.
- On the way, they take everything worth carrying off from the Philistine camp!
- “David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.”
- I doubt he kept the head very long!
- Some time later, the sword of Goliath winds up in the Tabernacle. 1 Samuel 21:8–10
Conclusion: Anyone who says the Bible is boring has never read the Bible! What a story! But if all we get out of this today was an exciting story, we’ve wasted our time. You could have stayed home and read a Tom Clancy novel and had an exciting read.
What can we take from this story to make our lives different?
- Be willing!
- Lots of us are willing to follow God’s leading when he leads us to a buffet, and then to the couch for a nap!
- When God leads you to Goliath, are you still willing to follow?
- Meet the challenge “head on!”
- Don’t try to dodge.
- Don’t try to come up with excuses as to why God should have given the job to someone else instead of you!
- Go in “guns blazing” or “rock slinging” and trust God to steady your aim!
- We may wind up facing the challenge alone.
- We may find ourselves being attacked.
Be ready to answer with Scripture.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
- Be ready to answer in faith!
- God is going to win this battle!
- It’s not up to me to win.
- Use whatever weapons and abilities that God has given you to do what needs to be done.
- We have all been given talents and abilities by God.
- If God wants you to do something, He will make sure you have the tools to do it!
- Most likely, when God uses you successfully, others will follow.
- David didn’t resent the soldiers who attacked once Goliath was dealt with.
- We shouldn’t resent people who get a little braver when they see God working in and through our lives.
- Encourage them!
- Mentor them!
