1 Samuel 17:1-19 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 17:1-19. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
The story of David and Goliath is one of the best known stories in the Bible and shows us that with God nothing is impossible. But also, when read through a New Testament lens, this story is also a powerful picture pointing to the day when our Lord Jesus Christ would defeat Satan, our biggest enemy, for us.
1 Samuel 17:1-3 (NIV)
1 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.
2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
On verses 1-3: The Philistines gathered in Judah, a territory belonging to the nation of Israel, God’s chosen nation. “Judah” literally means “praise”. What’s the lesson here? The first place your biggest enemy Satan will try to occupy in your life is the place of praise. In other words, Satan will try to steal and take over that part of your life which was meant for joyful praise and which belongs to God and God’s people. That includes your time in church and your own private time with God. Don’t let the enemy steal the place of praise in your life. That place belongs to God and God’s people!
1 Samuel 17:4 (NIV)
4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall.
On verse 4: Scholars say that Goliath’s name means to “strip, remove or take into exile”. This is exactly what Satan wants to do with our lives. Satan wants to strip us of our joy, our peace, our hope, our purpose and our identity. He wants to take us out of the land God prepared for us and hold us captive in his territory.
1 Samuel 17:5-7 (NIV)
5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels;
6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.
7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
On verses 5-7: Like Goliath, our enemy Satan is well equipped and well armed. That’s why Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 that we need to put on the full armor of God so that we can take a stand against a well armed enemy (Ephesians 6:11-18).
1 Samuel 17:8 (NIV)
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
On verse 8: Goliath challenges the Israelites to choose one man and “have him come down” (v8) to fight. For the Israelites back then, that man would be David. For us today, that man is Jesus Christ, the son of David, who would indeed “come down” from heaven to fight for us.
1 Samuel 17:9 (NIV)
9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.”
On verse 9: Satan’s goal is for us to become his subjects, to serve his purposes and not God’s purposes. When our Champion Jesus was killed on the cross, Satan thought he had won and that we would become his subjects. But Jesus rose again and defeated our enemy, and now as the children of God we have authority over Satan and his demons.
1 Samuel 17:10-11 (NIV)
10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.”
11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
On verses 10-11: King Saul himself was a tall man, head and shoulders above everyone else in Israel. As commander in chief of Israel’s army, Saul would have been a logical choice to fight Goliath. But even Saul was terrified of Goliath (v11) and felt he was no match against him. What can we learn from this? Yesterday I told you that Saul is a picture of our old self. No matter how strong we think we are, on our own we are no match for Satan. We need someone stronger – God’s appointed hero, Jesus – to fight that enemy for us.
1 Samuel 17:12-14a (NIV)
12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was old and well advanced in years.
13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah.
14 David was the youngest.
On verses 12-14a: David was the youngest son of an ordinary family in a small town. His older brothers appeared to be physically more impressive than David was. Yet God chose David to be Israel’s king and giant-slayer. Don’t think that God can’t use you because of your background, birth order, or how you compare to others. The fact is: God loves to take the “weak things of the world” to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27) and to show His extraordinary power through ordinary people like you and me.
1 Samuel 17:14b-15 (NIV)
14 …The three oldest followed Saul,
15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
On verses 14-15: What David may have lacked in size, he made up for in heart. Notice how even after he was anointed Israel’s new king by Samuel, David still went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep. What can we learn from this? No matter how highly you are exalted in this world and no matter how busy you get, always stay humble, never forget where you came from and take good care of your family.
1 Samuel 17:16 (NIV)
16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
On verse 16: In the Bible, 40 tends to be a number that represents testing. For example, Jesus fasted in the desert and was tempted for 40 days. Noah’s ark withstood 40 days and 40 nights of constant rain. Moses fasted on Mount Sinai for 40 days praying for the nation of Israel. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Why does God allow us to be tested? It’s to refine us, to make us stronger and to reveal His power through us. Maybe you’re going through a time of testing. See your test as a testimony in the making. Remember that after the testing comes the blessing, if we hang on to Jesus and don’t give up (James 1:12).
1 Samuel 17:17-19 (NIV)
17 Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp.
18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them.
19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
On verses 17-19: Jesse was concerned about how his older sons were doing while they served in Saul’s army. So Jesse sends David to bring bread for David’s brothers. Similarly, when we were serving our old self (our own King Saul), our Heavenly Father was concerned for us. Out of love for His children, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to bring the bread of life for his brothers and sisters, you and me (John 6:48).
Thank You Father that when we were outgunned and outmatched by our enemy, You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to come down and be our Champion, our Hero and our Saviour, to bring us the bread of life and to defeat our enemy for us. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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