1 Samuel 17:33

Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.”

1 Samuel 17:33

Unbelief seeks to discourage the exercise of faith.

If there is one thing unbelief opposes above all else, it is faith. This is because faith shows unbelief for what it truly is – a lack of trust in God. Those who are caught in the web of unbelief labor diligently to disguise it, covering their lack of trust in God with high-sounding words - prudence, fiscal conservatism, realism, rationality, tradition. But when the verbal façade is removed, their unbelief is clearly revealed. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, people who don’t exercise faith will often attempt to cover the their unbelief with the fig leaves of rationality, while simultaneously attacking those who seek to walk by faith. Those without faith are relieved when they can convince themselves and others that their position is the reasonable one. Then, their naturalistic (anti-supernatural) worldview remains unchallenged, and its open denial of God’s power rests comfortably undisturbed.

By faith, David saw Goliath’s challenge through God’s eyes, and he knew that God would grant him the victory, no matter what the odds. So, in a stinging rebuke to the cowardice of Saul and those who followed him, the shepherd boy volunteered to face the giant. David had complete faith in God’s power, while Saul had no faith at all. This contrast set up a classic conflict between faith and unbelief, exposing Saul’s unbelieving heart. David’s faith threatened Saul’s naturalistic worldview, and so Saul set out to discourage David from following the Holy Spirit’s leading.

First, Saul gave a perfectly reasonable explanation why David couldn’t be the one to oppose Goliath: David was a youth and Goliath was an experienced warrior. Saul made a very good point – on the natural level. But his argument only considered what was apparent to the natural man: David’s inexperience and lack of resources. Considered from that perspective, the situation was hopeless. Saul was completely right - David was not able (in himself) to successfully fight the giant. But David was not deterred by Saul’s reasonable argument. He saw that Saul had failed to take into account the supernatural power of God, and he proceeded (in vv. 34-37) to cite his prior experiences of God’s divine provision in impossible circumstances.

When he realized he could not discourage David’s faith, Saul tried to get him to at least include some “reasonable precautions” in his plans. Saul spoke some religious words (“Go, and may the Lord be with you.”), and then dressed David in his own armor. After all, it was enough that David was going to face the giant by faith. It only made sense to take some precautions just in case things didn’t go well. But David refused to take anything from Saul – not his garments, his armor or his weapons. He knew that when faith and reasonable precautions are mixed together, God’s power is often ignored. In such a context, people tend to act in reliance upon the precautions, not in reliance upon God. And ultimately, it’s the precautions - the wise plans - that get the glory, not God. And so this mixture of faith and precautions ends up actually hindering faith. Thankfully, David’s determined faith (like that of our Lord when He faced Satan’s temptations) was neither discouraged nor diluted. He willingly faced this impossible challenge, relying only upon God.

What would the Church be like if Christians today followed David’s pattern? What would YOUR life be like? You see, this kind of faith isn’t just for Bible stories; it’s our heritage as God’s children. It lies at the root of our redemption and is an indicator that we are truly alive in Christ. Sadly, like Saul, many of those who try to discourage such faith are found among God’s people – even in leadership positions. Many Christians are so blinded by our anti-supernatural culture that they live in practical denial of our Father’s ability to do “exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.” (Eph. 3:20) Could this be why we see so little of God’s power in our churches? After all, the times of great advance among God’s people, times like the Reformation, the Great Awakening and the Protestant missionary movement, have been lead by men and women of faith. The examples are legion: Martin Luther, John Knox, David Brainerd, Adoniram Judson, George Mueller, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, Gladys Aylward, Watchman Nee and on and on. Each of them faced and conquered “impossible” challenges through strong, unshakeable faith in God. Our Lord calls each of us to “get out of the boat” (Matt. 14:29) and live by faith. Will you, by His grace, answer that call? Whatever the challenge God has set before you, don’t be discouraged by unbelief – your own, or that of others. Trust in the covenant character and faithful word of God, and run to meet the giant.

1 Samuel 17:32

“Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

1 Samuel 17:32

Faith acts upon the spiritual realities that lie behind our visible physical circumstances.

One of the most prominent and reoccurring themes of Scripture is “the just shall live by faith.” (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38) This truth is also the central focus of the Protestant Reformation – enshrined in the credo, sola fide. And yet, even among those who remain loyal to Scripture, this truth has often been reduced to little more than a method by which one obtains salvation. This is not the view of Scripture. Neither in its clear doctrinal passages nor in its multitudinous real-life examples does Scripture reduce faith to a mere one-time exercise that brings about new spiritual life. Certainly, saving faith DOES result in new life, but it does so as the first step toward an entirely new perspective – one that interprets all of life from God’s viewpoint.

The life of David provides us with many examples of this strong, God-honoring thinking and acting on the basis of faith. And as we struggle to learn to live by this principle, we are instructed by this shepherd boy, who interprets Goliath and his challenge on the basis of faith in the power and covenant faithfulness of God. In this, David stands tall in an ages-long succession of godly men and women, who believed God’s Word, saw the unseen and who, through faith, accomplished what was humanly impossible. (Heb. 11) God’s people are all called to live their lives on this same principle. Here again, Jesus Christ has gone before us and by His implicit trust in the Father’s word – even in the face of cruel – He shows us the way. In fact, David’s battle with the giant illustrates Christ’s battle against the great enemy of our souls.

In this section, David visited the army of Israel as it sat paralyzed by Goliath’s challenge. No one, including Saul, dared to face the giant in combat. Goliath was simply too big, too strong and too well armored: defeating him was manifestly impossible for any man. Although they were the “army of the living God,” (v.36) none of the Israelites could look past the physical realities and believe that God could bring them victory. David’s prodding questions (v.26) produced only impotent anger and frustration. Even the personal, financial and political rewards promised by Saul had failed to induce anyone to step up. (see v.25) So, it wasn’t really Goliath’s challenge that had paralyzed them; it was their unbelief that caused them to huddle in their tents. We shouldn’t be surprised. After all, how often in your life has this unbelieving focus on circumstances produced a similar result?

But where others saw impossibility, David saw an opportunity for God to work. His focus was on the spiritual issues involved, not on the outward circumstances. This is clear from his statements in v. 36. Goliath was “an uncircumcised Philistine.” In other words, big as he was, the giant was not under the covenant protection of God. Israel, on the other hand, constituted “the armies of the living God.” The army of Israel, comprised of His covenant people, was the means by which God would demonstrate His power and glory in the world. David knew where God stood on the issue, so the outcome was never in doubt. To his eyes of faith, this was a “no brainer.” He gave everyone in earshot an opportunity to volunteer and no one was interested. Yet, it was a task that someone had to undertake. Since it appeared that he was the only one willing, he concluded that this challenge was intended by God for him. And as he stepped out in faith, God blessed him with a great victory.

Perhaps you have experienced this in your own life: the inescapable conviction that a certain challenge was intended by God for you alone. When God’s call comes, it inevitably involves a task that is too difficult for you, and forces you to act on faith in God alone. The “giants” are different for each one of us – financial, relational, ministerial – but each one requires us to look beyond our circumstances to lay hold of the spiritual truths God has taught us in His Word. Many times both the challenges and the victories of faith are unseen and private. Yet they are no less real for that. And each victory strengthens our faith. The realization that we have been called to an impossible task keeps us humble and that very humility makes us fit vessels for God’s power. If you, like David, are one of God’s children the challenges will continue to come. Don’t allow the unbelief of others to keep you from stepping out in faith.

1 Samuel 17:15

“David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem.”

1 Samuel 17:15

God views character as more important than position.

It must have been very difficult for the youngest son, who had already been anointed as the next king of Israel and who already had a standing position at the king’s court, to return and submit himself to the tending of his father’s sheep. Yet David was willing to do so – even though it is always more difficult to go down in status than to go up. Perhaps he had grasped that God was equipping him for the throne. But in any case, David obviously trusted God to do what was right because we hear no word of complaint from him. His example of perseverance, even in the midst of humbling circumstances, sets an example for us that we would do well to learn.

David’s experience here illustrates the principle that God prepares his people for positions of responsibility by developing their character. This was the case with every leader God honored: Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, Peter and even our Lord Jesus. The principle is the same today, so if you expect to be used by God, expect first to learn some difficult lessons in His school for character.

This verse indicates that God deliberately held David in suspension between his two lives: the shepherd and the armor-bearer. While he stood at Saul’s right hand, David could see and almost taste the position God had promised he would someday hold. But he also was required to regularly return to the lowly position of a shepherd. Clearly, there were things he needed to learn through both experiences, but our focus at this point is the suspension between these two worlds. Why would God do this? Obviously, it required a measure of humility from David to step back into the role of the shepherd, and humility is a grace that God works into the lives of each of His people. However, David was not merely experiencing a demotion, but a suspension. With full knowledge that he was God’s anointed, David was forced to wait – one of the most difficult things for a man of action to do. [BTW, it is a fascinating study to trace the concept of “waiting” through Scripture.] God was developing David’s character in preparation for his future role as king. And the character development won’t end here – David will have to wait many more years, running for his life, hiding in caves, fighting for safety and sanity, before he will ascend to the throne. As David waited upon God’s timing, God was teaching him deep lessons in humility, patience, perseverance and faith.

In this context, it’s interesting to notice that when he faced Goliath, David had to make a choice between his two personas, and he chose the shepherd over the armor-bearer. No doubt he was tempted to go out against the giant outfitted as a warrior, but David instinctively realized that God gets glory by working powerfully through our weakness. So, it was a commonplace shepherd’s sling that defeated the enemy of Israel. Ironically, David’s embracing of the shepherd would lead to him being cast in the role of a great warrior. (See 18:7)

God’s commitment to building our character explains why He so often leaves difficult situations in our life unresolved. Holding us in suspension gets our attention. Requiring us to wait on His timing remains one of God’s most effective methods of teaching and building the character of His children. James said it like this: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:3,4)

I’m sure you can think of at least one situation in your life that remains “open” and causes you a measure of uncertainty. As you prayerfully consider that situation, recognize that God is at work through it to build your Christian character. After all, if everything in your life was certain and resolved, how would you learn to walk by faith? By its very nature, faith requires a measure of uncertainty, just as perseverance presumes a measure of difficulty. God’s methods with us are often painful, but He is preparing us for a glorious destiny. (Rom. 8:18) Unfulfilled hopes, unresolved conflicts, unexpected challenges – these are the fertile soil in which Christian character grows and bears fruit for God’s glory. “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” Gal. 6:9

1 Samuel 17:11

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

1 Samuel 17:11

When not viewed through the eyes of faith, our difficulties often seem insurmountable.

The Philistines have returned: It’s a reoccurring theme in the reigns of Saul and David. The Philistines were Israel’s archetypal foes – enemies who continuously harassed and threatened God’s people. But they were often used by God as the backdrop against which He demonstrated His power and provision for His covenant people. It’s the same story with the trials and difficulties that God allows to come into our lives: they reoccur regularly and they are used by God as a means of showing us His power and provision. David will show us that faith is the key to dealing with difficulties – whether Philistines or hard circumstances or stubborn sin or loss.

Saul and Jonathan had recently dealt the Philistines a severe blow. (1 Sam. 13,14) But these implacable enemies had once again invaded Israelite territory, and they brought their gigantic champion, Goliath, with them. Goliath challenged the army of Israel to send a champion against him in single combat, in a winner-take-all competition. But Saul and his army, overcome by fear, cowered in their tents, unwilling to take up the challenge. Why?

Admittedly, Goliath was an imposing, even frightening, figure. He was well over 9 feet tall, wore 150 lbs. of “scale armor,” carried a spear with a 20 lb. iron head and was an experienced warrior. The guy was a tank! But why did Israel hesitate? There was no rule saying single combat was necessary. They could simply have attacked the Philistine army as they had before. In fact, since Israel had faced the Philistines frequently over the years, it seems likely that they had seen Goliath before and he had presented no great difficulty. Besides, Israel had its own “giant,” an experienced warrior-king who stood “head and shoulders” above his fellow Israelites, Saul.

But Saul was the problem. Remember his spiritual condition at this point: he had been forsaken by God and the Holy Spirit had departed from him. He was a spiritual lame duck – still bearing the title of king, but no longer God’s anointed. Incapable of faith and now bereft of the Spirit’s power and Samuel's guidance, Saul had taken the field in his own strength and it wasn’t enough. He was terrified, and his cowardice had infected the entire army of Israel. [As a sidebar, notice that leadership can be negative as well as positive, and that it tends to determine the perspective of those who follow. This is especially true of spiritual leadership – a church never rises above its leaders. So pray for your elders and those who lead the church that they would be men of great faith.]

The situation cried out for a man of faith – a man who could see what was truly happening. And onto the scene stepped David. Looking through the eyes of faith, David didn’t see a giant, he saw a blaspheming enemy of God’s people; he didn’t see an insurmountable obstacle, he saw an opportunity for the Lord to demonstrate His power.

You see, faith doesn’t calculate on the same basis as unbelief. Unbelief (personified by Saul) looks only at the human resources at hand, weighing them against the size of the obstacle. In Saul’s view, an inexperienced boy couldn’t possibly prevail against this gigantic, battle-hardened warrior. (17:33) But David’s calculations of faith yielded an entirely different result. He started with the victories God had given him in the past (17:34,35), added to them the importance God places on His own glory and honor (17:36) and concluded that this battle was already won, because it was God’s fight. David’s personal strength and resources were not the issue. The only question his faith asked was whether God was in it, because if God was in it, then victory was assured. David was simply willing to be the means through which God worked. By faith he grasped that “power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

This is a lesson taught throughout the Bible. But it is a lesson many Christians today have never learned. I fear that in our day, few Christians have David’s faith – even though we have the full revelation of Jesus Christ, and have all been given the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. What about you? Have you learned the calculus of faith yet? In following God’s will, God’s power + a weak and willing vessel = the manifestation of glory of God (regardless of the size of the obstacle). The church of Jesus Christ cries out for men and women of faith. May you be part of God’s answer to that cry!

1 Samuel 16:16,19

“Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp…he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well….So Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, ’Send me your son David who is with the flock.’”

1 Samuel 16:16,19

God prepares us for His calling in our lives but we are often unaware of what He’s doing.

David was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel. But as far as we know, he had never even seen a king, let alone have any idea what the job entailed. David was no polished courtier, no battle-scarred warrior; he was a shepherd, a country bumpkin. Yet, God’s call would eventually come to fruition and David would be required to take his place as king. How would he learn the ways (both positive and negative) of the king’s court? How was he supposed to gain battle experience? After all, being a warrior-king is definitely not something you want to learn on the job! Anyone taking up that task without experience would have a very short life-expectancy.

Obviously, God had anticipated this difficulty and had made provision for David’s training. But this provision came from a most unexpected direction – from Saul himself. As a result of his desertion by the Holy Spirit, King Saul was in a very agitated mental condition. The text says that “…an evil spirit from the Lord seized him.” (v. 14) Saul’s advisors counseled him that music would calm his mind, and suggested that he find someone to play the harp for him. Providentially, David’s name came up as one who was “…a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him.” (Here again is evidence of the anointing of the Spirit on David’s life, for by the Spirit’s working, this shepherd boy had been transformed! The explanation is found in the last phrase, “the Lord is with him.”)

Yes, Saul’s affliction was the result of his disobedience, a punishment sent by God. (See 16:14) But God works on many levels simultaneously. What appeared to be a personal calamity for Saul was used by God to bring about good for David. (Rom. 8:28) So, while Saul’s torment may have been the primary event, his affliction also resulted in David’s initial training in the ways of both the court and the battlefield. Neither Saul nor David intended it to be so, but God did. (And we must not miss the rich irony of God using Saul to train his own successor.) It was inconceivable for God to issue the call and then fail to prepare and equip David.

But here is the key: David did not expect this opportunity to open for him. Nor, once it opened, did he know where it would lead. He was living his life one day at a time, as we do, and God unexpectedly opened this door of opportunity. Because of the anointing he had received, David did have the advantage of knowing what God intended for him to do in the future – an insight most of us do not have. Yet he did not know how it would come to pass. Understand: through David’s duties as a shepherd, his battles with lions (and, later, with a giant), his playing the harp for Saul and his service as the king’s armor bearer, God was quietly, unobtrusively, surprisingly at work, preparing David for His calling. And I believe that David intuitively grasped something of this. Because although he lived a double life for some time, alternating between the prominance of being the king's armor bearer and the humiliation of working as a lowly shepherd (See 1 Sam. 17:15), David continued to serve faithfully in both capacities.

This appears to be God’s standing rule: before anyone is placed by God in a position of responsibility or leadership, they are prepared and equipped for the task. This is especially true of those who are called to lead God’s people. The preparation is not always “formal,” it often takes the form of life experience – often lengthy and painful experience. This was true for Joseph, Moses, Joshua and David. It was true for Paul and the other Apostles and for Jesus Himself. And, since God has a calling for all of His people, it is true for you. Those who are being prepared often do not see their circumstances as preparative, and can tend to complain under the load of trials and sufferings and loneliness. But allow me encourage you to learn the principle from David’s life and apply it to your own: what may now appear as difficult, inconvenient or even painful is preparing you for greater usefulness in Christ’s Kingdom and for everlasting glory to come. (Rom. 8:18)