Tag: Goliath

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Wisdom Prayer

A Close Bond!

A Close Bond!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who have close bonds with their friends. In Jesus’ name, amen.

David’s success at defeating Goliath led him to meeting with Saul and his son, Jonathan.

1 Samuel 18:1-5 (ESV) tells about Jonathan’s and David’s relationship.

“As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.”

David’s and Jonathan’s friendship will be important to each of them later on in Scripture.

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Wisdom Prayer

In the Name of the Lord of Hosts!

In the Name of the Lord of Hosts!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who come in the name of the Lord of hosts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Saul attempted to give David his armor. David eventually took off the armor, and he went out to confront Goliath.

On the battlefield, the two exchanged words.

1 Samuel 17:44-54 (ESV) describes the confrontation and what happened next.

“The Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.’ Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.’

“When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

“So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.”

That day, David’s words came true. “‘For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.’”

Whose victory was it? It was the Lord’s victory!

After David cuts off Goliath head, Abner took David to see King Saul.

David was asked whose son he was, and David told King Saul he was Jesse’s son.

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Wisdom Prayer

Those Who Have Confidence!

Those Who Have Confidence!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who have confidence. In Jesus’ name, amen.

David’s brothers were fighting in Saul’s army. David was tasked by Jesse, his father, with taking his brothers grain and ten loaves. He was also to take ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. He was also to check on his brothers and to bring back some token from them.

David showed up as the battle lines were being drawn, and he hears Goliath challenging a man of Israel to fight him.

1 Samuel 17:26 (ESV)

“And David said to the men who stood by him, ‘What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?’”

Saul sends for David, and in 1 Samuel 17:31-37 (ESV) we learn of their interaction.

“When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, ‘Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.’ But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.’ And David said, ‘The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’”

So David is about to go out to face the giant with Saul’s blessing. David is confident.

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Wisdom Prayer

Facing Challenges!

Facing Challenges!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who are facing challenges from those who think they are greater than you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In 1 Samuel 7:5-7 we learn about Goliath’s armor, javelin, and his spear’s head. He is equipped for battle, and in 1 Samuel 7:8-11 (ESV), Goliath, the Philistine, issues a challenge.

“He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.’ And the Philistine said, ‘I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.’ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

Notice the reaction of Saul’s army. Dismayed and afraid, no one goes out to fight the giant.

1 Samuel 17:16 (ESV) tells us, this kept happening. “For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.”

Still there was not one to stand up to Goliath.

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Wisdom Prayer

Facing Giants!

Facing Giants!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who are facing giants in their lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The story of David and Goliath is one of the most exciting episodes recorded in the book of 1 Samuel.

Anyone who has ever faced giant-sized opposition can relate to the match-up between a boy with a sling and a few stones as he faces the imposing figure of a giant-sized man.

We are first introduced to Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:3-4 when we are told his size.

“And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.”

The notes in the English Standard Version of the Bible say a cubit is about eighteen inches. Eighteen inches times six would be about nine feet, and the span of a man’s hand would add about another six inches.

Goliath would have terrified any normal opponent.

David was not a normal opponent.

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