Who is This Giant?

O. T. #612  "Who is This Giant?"
October 12, 2015
1 Samuel 17-Part 2
Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
1 Samuel 17:26

LET IT GLOW

Got any giants in your life, trying to take over? Israel did and it had a name. Who is this giant?

Forty days the gigantic Goliath taunted Israel and Saul did nothing about it. Meanwhile, about 1-15 miles away, in the Judean mountains, near little Bethlehem, a teenager name David was keeping watch over his father's sheep.  He was too young to fight in Israel's army. David's three older brothers were off fighting in Saul's army. David's father Jesse was concerned about his sons and sent David on an errand.

What was happening on the front lines at the battle field?

• David was sent with refreshments and to make sure his brothers were all right. No one knew this would be Goliath's last day, nor David would be a hero. While David was there, he left the food with the keeper of the supplies and ran to the battle lines where his brothers were.
• As the brothers talked, the Philistine giant, Goliath, came forward and shouted his usual defiance in a loud cry across the ravine. David heard it, yet had never seen this giant or heard his challenge before.
• The Israelis ran from Goliath in great fear.
• David wasn't impressed nor intimidated.

Did David think, "No one talks that way about the God of Israel? Why is everyone running away?"

Isn't it interesting how hindsight gives a lot of insight? Have you ever faced a Goliath, and then three days later you look back and said, "Man, I wish I'd done such and such?" That's hindsight perspective...and it's usually infallible! When you look back you always know a better way, but at the time it happens you sort of shoot from the hip. Unless you're a David.  (Swindoll)


LET IT GROW

David asks a question rather strange,(so I think), "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel?"
The reward offered by Saul is:

• great riches,
• his daughter's hand in marriage,
• and his father's house exemption from paying taxes. (verse 25)

Do you see between the lines? This chicken of a king, Saul, is enticing his soldiers to kill the giant for him. However, even all those incentives were not enough to motivate any man.

Then David gets down to the point, and asks, "For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"   (verse 26b)

Remember that Goliath's challenge was for Israel to choose a man to come down to fight him, back in verse 8? So David asked if anyone had seen this man who is coming up. (verse 25)

In his book, David, A Story of Passion and Destiny, Charles Swindoll explains:

Goliath has now crossed the ravine at the base of the valley and is coming up Israel's side. If you tolerate a Goliath, he'll take over your territory. He'll move into your camp. He'll take your thoughts that normally ought to be on God, and he'll put them on himself. That's why you can't afford to tolerate giants; you kill them.

All right folks, there we have it, plain and simple-destroy, kill, get rid of those giants that taunt us. Got any giants defeating your joy, your love, your confidence as a child of the King, Jesus?
It's time we Christians take back our family, our reputation, our church, our nation from Satan and let Jesus reign as King.

I'm referring to those giants of temptations, sin, lust, adultery, porn, materialism, pride that attack our minds and hearts, which draw us away from serving our God.

LET IT GO

Surrender to Almighty God, El Shaddai, and His reigning in my heart.

Recognize the giants who attack and want to run my life.

Stand against those giants in my life in Jesus' name.