Off with his head

Choosing the next King

Almighty God used his servent Samuel to establish the kingship of Israel.  Samuel was instructed to invite Jesse, a sheep herder to a sacrificial ceremony.  During this ceremony, the future king was to be appointed.  Jesse arrived in Bethlehem with six of his seven sons.

Each son was brought before Samuel for God to decide if he was worthy of the kingship.  Jesse’s six sons were presented and each rejected.  God instructed Samuel to ask for the seventh son.  Jesse had let him in the fields with the herd.  When the youngest son, about seventeen years old arrived, God found him to be worthy of the title “King of Israel.”  David was immediately anointed a chosen man of God.

The Philistine’s were gathered in Judah on one side of a mountain while the Israelites were gathered on the other side of the creek.  The Valley of Elah separated the Philistines from the Israelites and there they engaged in an ongoing war.

The Philistine champion, Goliath of Gath made trip to the valley each morning and evening for forty days.  He was a giant of a man, standing over nine feet tall and armored to the hilt for battle.  He taunted the Israelites challenging them to “choose a man and have him come down to me.  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.”

David was in Saul's camp and Goliath in the Philistines camp

David, still a teenager was sent to the battle zone by his father with food and words of encouragement to his seven younger brothers.  When David arrived, he saw and heard the words of the giant Palestine but he did not run in fear.  Fearless, David declares he can slay the giant because he is a chosen servant of God.

The Israelites were dumb-founded by the young man’s bravery but not convinced he would be their saving grace.  They offered him their best spears, swords and armor but David passed on their gifts.  Carrying his shepherds’ staff, he made his way to the creek choosing five smooth stones from the stream and put them in the leather bag at his waist.  David approached Goliath with his sling in his hand and said “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin but I come against you in the name of the Lord.  Today I will strike you down and behead you.”

Enraged, Goliath charged David.  David slipped a stone from his bag and slung it at the Philistine.  The stone struck Goliath in the forehead and he fell, face first, onto the ground.  David ran to the giant’s body, pulled out the dead man’s sword, and sliced off his head.  The Philistine’s retreated in fear and King Saul was pleased.  He appointed David a high rank within the Israelite army.

Michelangelo's "David with the head of Goliath"

David was the underdog.  How David stacked up against Goliath?

David:

• Scrappy teenager
• Sheep herder
• Rags for clothes
• Slingshot and 1 stone
• Faith in God

Goliath:

• 9 Foot 6 Inches
• Trained warrior
• Fully armored
• Multiple weapons
• Defied God

What it boiled down to was faith.  David had faith in God to protect him from Goliath and lead him in slaying the giant who defied God.

Give it up for the little guy!

~P.