In the Name of the Lord Almighty

1 Samuel 17:1-58

Key Verse 17:45

“David said to the Philistine, "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 defied.” 

Today’s passage is arguably the most famous duel in the whole world. The cost of today’s duel was tremendous. Either David or Goliath would be killed, and the rest of the Philistines or the Israelites would be slaves and subject to other nation. So it is the battle where David and Goliath should not lose. But mysteriously today’s passage shows the heart of David. 

Last Sunday we learned that the Lord anointed David because the Lord looks at the heart of men. But last week’s passage did not explain what kind of heart David has. Today’s passage shows what kind of heart David has. So the question we want to think about today is ‘what kind of heart does David have?”

Part I.  David’s heart is the heart of shepherd. (v.1-36)

 Verses 1-16 describes how the battle started and how Goliath showed himself. Verses 1-3 reads, “1 Samuel 17:1-3 

    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. 

    So two armies gathered on each hill and in the middle there was valley. Let us read verses 4-11 responsibly to see how Goliath is presented and what he did.

    “A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. [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. 

    [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. [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." [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.” 

    Verses 12-31 shows how the Lord sent David into the scene. He came to the scene when he obeyed his father.

Verse 16 reads, “For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.” 

    Let’s read verses 20-24. “Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. [21] Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. [22] David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers. [23] As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. [24] When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.”

    David found out that Saul was looking for a volunteer because Saul put great wealth, marriage to his daughter and tax exemption for the father’s family of the man who would kill Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:32-36 

    “David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." 

    [33] Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." 

    [34] But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, [35] I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. [36] Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.” 

 David explanation shows that David’s heart is the heart of shepherd.  

    David was young shepherd boy and indeed he did not have any battle experience. He never killed any man. But David said to Saul that to David’s eyes Goliath is like the lion and bear which he killed. David took care of few sheep of his father. They were not his sheep but his father’s sheep. But he was very faithful to his duty and most of all he was a good shepherd. He could fight against the lion and bear at the cost of his life because he was a good shepherd. His heart is the heart of good shepherd.

Jesus said in John 10:11-13 “[11] "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. [13] The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” 

According to Jesus, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. We cannot know who is hired hand and the good shepherd in normal times. But the crisis comes we can know it. When wolf comes we can know who is the good shepherd and who is hired hand because good shepherd will risk his life to protect his sheep whereas hired hand will run away. 

David was a good shepherd because he lays down his life for the sheep even though the sheep were not his sheep but his father’s sheep. In order to rescue his sheep he even chased after the lion and bear. When they turned back on him he struck them down. Although David has been only a shepherd God gave him such a extraordinary battle experience to David because of his shepherd heart. His heart was the heart of shepherd. And God has been prepared David for the battle with Goliath in his divine will. If we are faithful to whatever duty which is given to us we can also prepare ourselves for the Lord’s greater purpose. 

Because David’s heart was a heart of a shepherd he was disciplined and trained without knowledge that God has prepared himself for huge battle with Goliath. 

Do you think David calculated when he attacked the lion or bear to rescue sheep? No. There was no calculation because of his shepherd heart for the sheep. No calculation and no fear. A few days ago one person has a trouble but I was not able to help him because he does not want to talk about his problem at that moment. So while I was thinking about this and that his shepherdess just talked to him two hours straight and the problem was resolved. She did not calculate at all and there is no fear in her because of her shepherd heart for her sheep.

I also have seen so many times missionary Isaac Kim did not calculate at all but pours everything he has for his sheep which is all of us. Whenever I see it I am amazed. He does for all of us although some of us may not realize it. At least I saw three times distinctively when he helped Jeff Wright, Neil Renzi and Jonathon Plyes. As I said he does for all of us without except but some of us may not just see it. No calculation and no fear because of shepherd’s heart and it was the heart of David and it was the heart of Jesus Christ. 

Secondly, David’s heart is the heart of trust. (v.37-58)

Verse 37 reads, “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." Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you." 

David said in 1 Samuel 17:45-47 

    “David said to the Philistine, "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 defied. [46] 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. [47] 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, and he will give all of you into our hands." 

    David revealed his heart was the heart of trusting in the Lord Almighty. He clearly compared himself with Goliath. Goliath came against David trusting the power of his military weapons such as sword, spear, and javelin. But David came against him in the name of the Lord Almighty. The Almighty God who is the God of the armies of Israel whom Goliath defied. 

David also knew what the Lord Almighty want to reveal through his victory. The first one is for the whole world. It is that the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. To demonstrate the existence of the living God was the Lord’s purpose of giving victory to David over Goliath. David and Goliath are so unmatched from human point of view. Goliath is 9 feet and 9 inches champion of battles having spear, sword and javelin. David was only young man without any battle experience having a shepherd’s staff, and sling and 5 small stones. Since the match is so unbalanced that all the peoples of the whole world would know that the victory comes from the living God and there is the true living God in Israel when David wins the battle.

The Lord had another purpose in giving victory to David. It was for the people in the battle field. It is to teach that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves and the battle is the Lord’s. The Lord does not depend on military powers to save people. The Lord can win battle regardless of number of soldiers or weapons. He is not limited by any visible forces and human power. 

Now who is our Goliath and who is our David?

Goliath represents Satan, the power of sin and death. David refers to Jesus Christ. In today’s passage David won victory by killing Goliath but Jesus Christ won victory by being killed and raised from the dead. 

Indeed the way for us to win the battle against our Goliath is to have the heart of trust. To trust the Lord will give us victory through Jesus Christ. To trusting what the Lord has done for us is the way for us to win victory against our Goliath. Our David, Jesus Christ, has already won victory over our Goliath because he knows that we cannot win over Goliath like the Israelites. So he fought against Goliath and won the battle. All we need to do is to have the heart of trust, trusting what Jesus has done for us. Jesus died for our sins and delivered us from the power of sin and death.

On the cross Jesus had the heart of trust. He believed that the Lord God will give him the victory when he trusted in him completely and surrendered himself completely.

    

Now 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 shows how we can win victory over our enemy.

2 Cor. 10:3-5 

    “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. [4] The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. [5] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 

When we look at Jesus he also did not use the weapons of the world. On the contrary he used God’s divine weapon. Instead of killing his enemies Jesus was killed by his enemies. And in this way he saved all peoples on earth. 

So in the same way we need to use God’s divine weapon which is the word of God and prayer and the gospel in order to win victory over our enemy, the power of sin and death and Satan and all kinds of arguments and pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.

If we use weapons of this world we lost huge blessings because we will be defeated before God’s eyes.  

Hannah in 1 Samuel in chapter 1 shows a good example. She was provoked by her rival Peninnah year after year. Penninah gave Hannah hard time out of her jealousy because her husband loved Hannah. Hannah could have used weapons of the world. She could have talked to her husband and ask him to take care of her. Or she could fight against Peninnah whenever Peninnah gave her hard time. If she had done so probably she would be get out her trouble. Her rival would not provoke her year after year. But think about it twice. 

If she had done it what will she lose? She will lose the blessing of producing Samuel, man whom God used so preciously for all peoples of Israel. She would lose to become spiritually mature person through prayer. She would not know the Lord so intimately. In addition, she would lose 3 sons and 2 daughters whom she produced later in addition to Samuel. Hannah’s shame and bareness was completely wiped out. If she had used the weapons of the world she would lose all of these blessings from God. 

One day shepherd Terry told me that missionary Mari quoted Matthew 12:30 which says, "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters” in the course of helping one student. Here “me” refers to “Jesus”. And whoever does not gather with Jesus scatters. Now she meant is that if anyone does not gather with Jesus he will scatter. Interesting thing is from time to time this verse is reminded of my mind and it seems to me it shows missionary Mari’s life of faith. The meaning comes to me in this way. ‘If you do not commit yourself with Jesus and live for Jesus you will scatter. You will not have any security. You will just scatter. You will be blown away and disappear someday as if a chaff is blown away by the wind and no more”. It teaches me the importance of gathering with Jesus which is commitment to him and for him. It is interesting because this verse is reminded in my heart even though I do not think about it. It seems to be this verse is the summary of her whole life of faith. Indeed if we do not follow Jesus’ way and commit our lives for Jesus we will scatter and there is no security. We will just disappear and blown up like chaff by the wind.

Our greatest divine weapon is the gospel and our complete trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection is the best way to use it. 

David had the heart of trust. He trusted ‘in the name of the Lord Almighty”. Jesus trusted in the name of his Father and his love and surrendered himself completely on the cross. By trusting what Jesus has done for us we can also surrender ourselves fully to the Lord and we can win victory over our sinful desires.

There was one student I know. One day suddenly he was severely attacked by lustful desires to watch adulterous movie while he was in the school library. The battle is whether he would trust burning desire of lust in his heart or what Jesus has done for him. Now what he did was that he sat down in his table and began to pray. He said to himself, “Jesus died for my sins and therefore my very lustful desires arising in my heart now was also paid and taken away.” He does not remember how long he prayed. As he trusted what Jesus has done for him suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his heart momentarily and the lustful desire was completely gone. Later he realized that the pain he felt in his heart was the pain of crucifixion. God’s divine weapon of the gospel was realized in his life in that way through prayer.

Another person I know had a trouble to control his appetite because he is overweight. He wanted to eat less but it did not work. Then one day he heard the message. “It is finished” which Jesus said on the cross. Now his battle is whether he trusts his hunger and appetite which is so strong or Jesus’ word “It is finished.” When he realized that Jesus finished his salvation on the cross he realized that Jesus also finished his desire to eat unnecessarily. As long as he held on the word of God “It is finished” he would be able to control his appetite and lose weight.

Indeed our weapon is not the weapons of the world but God’s divine weapons which can demolish all kinds of arguments and pretension that set itself up against the knowledge of God and all of our sinful desires. And we must trust in what God has done for us through Jesus.

David’s heart was the heart of trust. Because he fully believed that the Lord is the living God and the Lord has power to deliver him and the Lord has power to give him victory he could defeat Goliath with his own shepherd staff and sling. He did not need any other extra weapons. 

Surely we live in a world where our Goliath challenges us day by day and even mock us. But we come to our Goliath and challenge him not with weapons of the world but with God’s divine weapons, “in the name of the Lord Almighty” and what he has done through the word of God and prayer.

Surely if we learn the heart of shepherd and the heart of trust from David we can be victorious in our battle against our Goliath. In fact, the heart of shepherd and the heart of trust is none other than the heart of Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, what is the heart of David? David’s heart is the heart of shepherd and his heart is the heart of trust. He trusted the Lord Almighty and won the battle against Goliath. Who is our Goliath and our David? Our Goliath is Satan, the power of sin and death. Our David is Jesus. How can we win battle against our Goliath? By depending on God’s divine weapon which is the gospel, the word of God, and prayer. 

One word: I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty. 

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