Day 135

1 Samuel 17:1–18:4; John 8:21-30; Psalm 111:1-10; Proverbs 15:11

IN MODERN-DAY Israel lies a narrow but fertile valley called Elah. On either side of the valley, hills quickly rise and cascade away. In ancient times, this valley was the borderland between Philistia and Israel, and it was within this valley that we spent our time in 1 Samuel today.

The Philistines encamped on one side of the valley, taunting the opposing Israelite army on the other side. The primary intimidation tactic for the Philistines was the voice of one of their warriors: Goliath. Every day, Goliath would walk into this valley and challenge the army of Israel to a man-to-man duel to the death that would decide the conflict between the two peoples. Each man would represent the entire army they came from, and the man who won would win for all.

Meanwhile, a young shepherd named David was sent by his father from his home near Bethlehem to bring supplies and check on his older brothers in the valley, about twelve miles away.

David arrived as the giant Goliath was giving his daily taunt. “Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!” (1 Samuel 17:25).

The offered reward was certainly appealing, but no man was willing to face Goliath —except the shepherd boy David. Before long, David was brought before King Saul, and David’s youthful confidence, combined with his blind faith in God, convinced the king to allow him to face the giant.

Saul suited David in his own royal armor for the battle, but David couldn’t fight this way. The armor didn’t fit, and he wasn’t accustomed to it —a good reminder for each of us to be who we are as we face trials and battles of our own. In the end, David went into the valley as he was —a shepherd boy who had killed lions and bears with nothing more than a deadly, accurate slingshot.

When Goliath saw a boy with no apparent weapon coming, he thought it was a joke. “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” (1 Samuel 17:43).

But David had a reply ready, and this reply is what we must remember as we face our own giants:

You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies —the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. . . . And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!

David charged. A stone flew. The giant fell. And just like that, David went from total obscurity to a celebrated national hero. His life changed immediately, and his new popularity had a profound effect on a very insecure King Saul.

Thus far in 1 Samuel, we’ve been watching Saul’s insecurities and fears consistently undermining his own leadership. From this point forward, David’s and Saul’s lives will be entangled, opening entirely new levels of paranoia and drama for Saul. But it will also offer dramatic opportunities for reflection on our own hearts’ posture and motivations.

MEDITATION:

Even Death and Destruction hold no secrets from the LORD. How much more does he know the human heart!