A Giant Sized Victory

“David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.  And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.”  I Samuel 17:37

This verse is from one of the most familiar of Bible stories that young children learn in Sunday School–David and Goliath.  Goliath was a champion soldier of the Philistine army, bitter enemies of Israel.  He was from Gath, a city of Philistia, and a giant of a man–nine feet nine inches tall!  (I Samuel 17:4)  From Genesis 6:4 we find that there were giants in the early days of man.  These were the descendants of Anak, a Gentile, who lived in the area of Gath during the time of Joshua (Joshua 11:22), thus likely indicating that Goliath was a descendant of Anak.  He was a picture of a brute of a man especially in his armor which weighed roughly 156 pounds.  The spear that he carried weighed almost 19 pounds.  He was quite a formidable foe.

David, who was a young teenager, was not old enough to enlist in Israel’s army, but he had three brothers who were soldiers.  David’s father, Jesse, sent David with some food for his brothers who were camped near the battlefield.  He overheard some soldiers discussing the rewards that any man who could kill Goliath would receive.  David was intrigued.  Whoever could kill Goliath would receive riches, the king’s daughter, and his own family would be set for life.  David didn’t see a giant–he saw an “uncircumcised Philistine who was defying the armies of the living God” (I Samuel 17:26).  Sure, these perks would be nice, but David’s heart was more concerned about the glory and honor of the God he worshipped.  He determined that he would be the one who would take out that defiant enemy of Israel.

David’s brothers mocked him for his ambitious plan, but Saul the king sent for him.  Saul was skeptical of David’s ability against a hardened giant of a soldier, but David was able to convince him that he could do it.  He told Saul how he had killed a lion and a bear barehanded, and he could do the same for Goliath.  Saul called on the LORD to be with David as he sent him out.  I Samuel 17:49 tells us that David killed Goliath with a slingshot and a small stone.  It was only by the power of God that David was able to accomplish such a feat.  As God helped a young teenage boy in his determination to slay a giant, surely God will help us as we face our adversaries.  I read a statement a while back:  “Don’t tell God how big your giants are.  Tell your giants how big your God is!”