David: A Paradigm of Living Faith

In this episode, we'll talk about the famous story of David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17:33-50. Today, let's look at this young lad who has no experience in the field of arm combat but was trained only as a shepherd. If he loses this fight against Goliath the giant, then the entire nation of Israel will be paying the most humiliating penalty by becoming slaves to the Philistines for life and for all their generations to come. Basically, the fate of Israel’s future is now in his hands.
I pray that this episode will help us learn from David, a poor country shepherd boy, whose only credential is his experience with God.
Gospel in the Air is a podcast ministry of Cornerstone Christian Church. We are located in Maui, Hawaii, USA. Our number is (808) 463-8859. You can also visit our website at www.cornerstonemaui.org or you can send your email to danibanggo@gmail.com.

Transcript

Episode 21
David: A Paradigm of a Living Faith
Text: 1 Samuel 17:33-50
© Dani Banggo 08/26/2024

From the beautiful island of Maui, I want to greet you with a warm aloha! How are you today? I hope you are doing great. It’s another week gone by and here I am inviting you to join me in this short devotional meditation.

For today’s lesson we will dive into the unshakable faith of young David in facing a formidable enemy, a giant, and see how God delivered him and the entire nation of Israel. Our text is taken from 1 Samuel 17:33-50.

The story of David and Goliath is one among the most beautiful stories ever told in the Bible regarding courage and faith in God against our biggest fears and adversaries in life. In this instance, David is a young boy in his early teens whose every day routine is to tend the flock of his father (16:11). David is a shepherd, the youngest among the eight sons of his father Jesse (16:10). However, at an early age he was already anointed by Samuel, the prophet, to become God’s chosen vessel to be the future king of the nation of Israel. He will succeed Saul as the next leader of the Hebrew people at an appointed time. From then on, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David with power (16:14).

During this period in the history of Israel they were at war with the Philistines. Three of David’s older brothers were enlisted soldiers with the Israelites’ armed forces led by King Saul. One day his father, Jesse, sent David to them to know their condition. 

The Philistines boast of their champion named Goliath. He is nine feet, nine inches (9.’9”) tall.[1]  Accordingly, he covers his head with a bronze helmet and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing 125 pounds or 57 kilos (17:5-7)[2]; on his legs he wore a bronze armor, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. In addition, he carries with him a spear as big as a fence rail[3] and its iron point weighs more than 15 pounds (7 kilos)[4]. His shield is being carried by his bearer who went ahead of him. For forty days he makes his stand in the morning and in the afternoon challenging and defying the Israelites’ army into a fight and this made King Saul and all the Israelites dismayed and terrified. 

And now, David had just arrived on time for the army’s ground preparation, and he was able to witness everything that transpired and even overheard how Goliath boastfully defied the Israelites. No one has the courage to face this giant. In fact, the Bible says that everyone fears this man, “they ran from him in great fear” (17:24).  

But for David, he was not threatened instead, he was deeply incensed against the hurling invectives of Goliath not only against the whole nation of Israel but most especially to Almighty God. Seemingly, there was an ensuing argument between David and his older brother regarding this matter and because of this, it reached even the attention of King Saul and David was asked to meet him for a conference.

I have no doubt that the king was surprised to see a boy, a teenager. Maybe he was thinking of meeting someone else who has grown up, matured, more experienced and well-trained in the art of physical combat. I could just imagine how desperate King Saul is, but what else can he do? He has no choice since no one ever tried or even attempted to present himself like that of David an unusual candidate! But with God, this is what the Bible says, “(God) does not judge by external appearance” (Gal.2:6).

Then here comes the interview. The king asked him, what made you think you can beat Goliath? David’s answer was short, simple, and honest. He said: “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (17:37). In short, the only credential of this ordinary country shepherd boy is but a living testimony of what he experienced with the Living God. This experience made David a believer of a great and a big God. His living faith is based on his personal experience with God that even how strong and powerful Goliath is he knows very well that he can overcome and defeat him. God opened the eyes of King Saul and consequently, he gave David his blessing by saying, “Go, and the Lord be with you” (17:37). I believed King Saul could no longer contain the anticipation of an impending victory because he saw and felt in David the power of God’s Spirit.

They assist David for this battle by fitting him with a coat of armor, bronze helmet, and a sword. But he is not used to these kinds of stuffs. They are all too heavy for him to carry. He prefers to be by himself and use only those tools which he carries with him every day as a shepherd, namely, a staff, a shepherd’s bag, and a sling shot. What a contrast with that of Goliath! It is like fighting against an enemy equipped with the most sophisticated advanced weapons of mass destruction. How can anyone like David ever win the war? But this is how the Lord works in our lives. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Mtt.19: 26).

The day was filled with awe when David came out of the camp to meet Goliath on the arena. All were holding their breath because of fear and doubt. It is no surprise if they doubted David, especially his very own brothers who, from the very beginning opposed him. Here comes a young lad with no experience at all in the field of arm combat but was trained only as a shepherd. And if he loses this fight then the entire nation of Israel will be paying the most humiliating penalty by becoming slaves to the Philistines for life and for all their generations to come. In other words, the fate of Israel’s future is now in the hands of this young lad. 

David goes to the arena with his staff, his leather bag, and his sling shot then he picks up five smooth stones from the stream and puts them in his pouch. Goliath keeps coming near him and when he sees that it is only a boy, he cannot believe himself. He then started mocking and humiliating him. He underestimated David for his outward appearance, laughing at him, and cursing him by saying, “Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks? Come here and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field” (17:43-44). But David, empowered by the Spirit of God, was not intimidated by Goliath and instead replied to him by saying, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s…” 

My friend, what a living faith this shepherd boy has! This is faith coupled with deeds, with action. A faith which is alive and kicking! David came forward boldly in the name of the God of the armies of Israel. No amount of intimidation being employed by the enemy of God could cause him to fear and retreat. Picture in your mind how the Philistines were arrogantly cheering up their champion yelling invectives and cursing the entire armies of Israel, howling and laughing at David while on the other side, the Israelites were holding their breath, trembling, fearing and doubting what David can do against this giant. 

But gently as the wind blows and with no one noticing it, the Spirit of God came upon David. As Goliath moved on closer to him, David ran quickly to meet him on the battle line and with a sling shot circling around David’s hand with a well-chosen stone in it, and before Goliath could ever draw his spear, was hit on the forehead and fell face down on the ground and died instantly. How tragic for Goliath and for the entire Philistines’ army. Because of Goliath’s boastfulness, arrogance, and pride he fell face down on the ground. And the entire army of the Philistines were subdued and defeated to their shame and embarrassment. What a lesson to learn! Indeed, pride comes first before destruction (Prov.16:18).

In this story there are fundamental truths that we can learn and apply:

First, God is sovereign in choosing anyone to accomplish His purpose. 

At an early age, David was already chosen by God to become the future king of Israel. In other words, we cannot underestimate what God did to David to accomplish his purpose to save the nation of Israel. In principle, don’t say I’m too young or I’m past my age already to accomplish things great or small for the Lord. With God there is no age boundary. Before anything else, already God has chosen you to accomplish his purpose. And what a privilege and an opportunity to be called by Him in the service. In Isaiah 49:15-16, beautifully worded this unique relationship we have with the Lord, it reads, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget you, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” In other words, God sees us equally and He does not favor anybody. He is not a respecter of any person. All of us who have been saved through His precious blood, our names have been inscribed in His pierced nailed hands. And that means your life has a purpose and meaning. 

In the book of Psalm 139:13 through the following verses, this is what David wrote, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb…My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” And David continued and said, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your words are wonderful, I know that full well.” Indeed, this is how much your value to God. You are the crown of His creation. Therefore, cherish your life so dearly and don’t waste it for nothing.

In addition, there are always circumstances in life that we will pass through before we are called by God. We know too well the story of David that in his appointed time he succeeded King Saul to become the new king of Israel. His experience with the bear and the lion killing them both with his bare hands and that of Goliath, demolishing him with just one stone and a sling shot, were circumstances used by God in preparing him to become Israel’s king in his appointed time. 

Probably you are facing a difficult situation in your life today. Just hold on by committing everything to Him because He has greater plans for you. The Lord is showing you something beautiful that will come out because of the circumstances of life you are experiencing today. No matter your situation, keep trusting the Lord and always seek his kingdom and live righteously (Matt. 6:33). God can turn your sorrow into joy, your loneliness into laughter. The Lord can always turn those unfavorable and bad things into something good for your own good (Rom. 8:28).

Second, prepare your life now and decide on how you want to live it. 

For David, he did not just pick up any stone anywhere, but he chose the finest ones to use it to fight against Goliath. He wanted to make sure to have them in his possession by personally picking them up from the stream. And after choosing those finest stones he put them in his pouch. There is this classical movie known as The Sound of Music. There is a song in that movie that became very popular until today with the title: Climb Every Mountain. And part of its lyric goes this way, “A dream that will need all the love you can give every day of your life for as long as you live…Climb every mountain…” This simply means that if you want to be successful in life, dreaming the best you can be, then you need to give your very best, ready to sacrifice everything, your greatest love to reach that desire by climbing every mountain no matter the obstacles and hardships you may meet along the way. 

In other words, your choice for the kind of life you want to live by must be anchored on a value laden decision because in the end you will still be responsible for it. Why do I say value laden decision? Because notice how David chose 5 smooth stones. There were many other stones scattered all over the stream, but he chose only the finest ones. And when the time arrived that he needed them the most already they were there readily available for use. David knew and understood it well how big and strong his God. No amount of opposition can stop and discourage him from choosing five smooth stones. Yes, just five smooth stones are enough for him to make his stand against a giant enemy. He has proven God time and again that the God who gave him the power to overcome the fiercest animals on earth can always be trusted in whatever situation and circumstances he faces. 

Like David who chose 5 smooth stones in order to face his giant, what have you chosen too in facing your giant? Where do spend most of your time today? Are you investing it for a promising future or wasting it for nothing? I have good news for you today. It is not yet too late to make a complete turnaround today if you have not started it right. In his book, the 7 Principles of an Effective Leader, Steven Covey said that if you dream to become what you want to be in the future then “begin with the end in mind.” In other words, choose your life now and decide on how you want to live it. Choose the finest offer of your life today, which is no other than the salvation of the Lord. Once you make that decision you will never regret it. Your life will never be the same again. God has called you for this purpose and He has in store greater things for you. In Psalm 145:18-19, David wrote the following saying, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” O, what a wonderful promise of God to those who are willing to surrender their lives to Him through Jesus Christ, His Son.  

Third and final is that when you are blessed by God, don’t forget your beginning. 

Don’t forget that you started your mountain climbing right from the bottom before you reached the mountain top. In other words, learn your history because this is one way to make you humble. This is the reason why David became victorious against Goliath. He has never forgotten all the good things the Lord has done to him in the past. Indeed, the Holy Spirit does many wonderful things in your life and when He does, don’t forget where you came from. In the Old Testament, we can read that the Lord was so disappointed with the Hebrew people that they never learn their history. In Hosea 13:6 it says, “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”

Does this sound familiar? This is always the downfall of many who do not recognize their humble beginning. Let us learn from David, this poor country shepherd boy whose only credential is his experience with God. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride cometh first before destruction.” This is what happened with Goliath. He was so conceited, and he looked highly of himself hence, he fell face down on the ground and was beheaded by his own spear. Through David, God humbled this giant forever.

I want you to listen to this: God has chosen you as leader in your own respective calling. You have a purpose for living more than just being what you are today. You are worth more than your job or any other priorities that the world can offer you. Your life is not only meant to wake up every morning and report to work and then go home tired every day; and often this is the reason too that your day with the Lord, especially on Sundays, has been compromised. Your life is not only meant to settle your financial obligations every month, which is the cause of too much stress to the point that even your health is badly affected. I am not saying that we should not be mindful of the cares of life. I know and can understand that it is not so easy for some who are experiencing the “storms” of life. Probably you are under medication because of a lingering illness and the doctor has just told you that you have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness or cancer. Perhaps you have been badly affected by your company’s financial setback and you are one of those who have been laid off and until now you have had no job. The list goes on and there is no end to our problems. But on the contrary, we need to look at life in its proper perspective and you will wonder how you were beautifully formed by the Lord to enjoy His presence. He has called you for a reason and purpose. Cherish it so dearly and make it a point in your life that God will always be your guide and strength in everything no matter what. Despite your circumstance, pray that God will use you as a channel of His blessing. 

But I want you to keep this in mind, although God has ordained you for the future it is still your choice to make your own decision for your life. While it is true that God is sovereign in choosing you to accomplish His purpose, He is not forcing you against your will but He is patiently waiting for you to choose Him over and above anything else that the world can offer.

This is the reason why Jesus Christ came into this world to die on the cross to pay the price of your salvation if only you accept His offer of grace. You cannot take Jesus Christ for granted. Arrogance and ignorance have no place in heaven but only in hell. And there are only two choices you can choose from – it is either heaven or hell. There is no middle ground. 

The Bible says, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 Jn.5: 11, 12). Jesus Christ is the only source and fountain of your eternal life. Make him your Lord and Savior today. This is where you are being called for.

May God bless you as you grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And for those who are experiencing the storms of life right now may, God intervene on your behalf. May you experience his glory by restoring your life, your finances, your broken relationship and your health. May you find his grace of forgiveness and cleanse you from all unrighteousness as you recommit your life to Him.  

It is my prayer that you have been blessed today. Listen to this podcast, Gospel in the Air, and be encouraged in your daily walk with Jesus. Gospel in the Air is a podcast ministry of Cornerstone Christian Church. We are located in Maui, Hawaii, USA. Our number is (808) 463-8859. You can also visit our website at www.cornerstonemaui.org or you can send your email to danibanggo@gmail.com. This is your host, Brother Dani Marantan Banggo saying, keep punching the good fight of faith. Mahalo.

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[1] On Line Study Bible, The Complete Jewish Bible: 1 Samuel 17:4 (crosswalk.com)[2]  The NIV Rainbow Study Bible: 1 Samuel 17:5 (El Reno, Oklahoma, USA: Rainbow Studies, Inc., 1992), 321.
[3]  On Line Study Bible, The Message: 1Samuel 17:7 (crosswalk.com)
[4]  The NIV Rainbow Study Bible: 1 Samuel 17:7 (El Reno, Oklahoma, USA: Rainbow Studies, Inc. 1992), 321.