1 Samuel 17

So... I had to write an intro for coming Friday night club. Why not make it into an extremely long blog post, seeing as I haven't blogged for a while? ;) Some prepstudy for you Camille ;)

Do you ever have to face giants? By that I mean, do you ever have to face daunting tasks? Are there times in your life when you feel like shrinking back into your little hole, stressed out to the max, but just willing to bide time until, hopefully, some miracle happens and all the worries and pain just disappear? I’m pretty sure all of us can say that at some time or another, we’ve had to face giants. Big mountains need climbing. Big obstacles need shifting. When life on the fast track turns into a somersaulting, fire engulfed, crashing mess, it almost seems like we die, even if it’s just for a short while. Other times, we feel we can’t keep going- the giant is too big to even consider fighting.

In 1 Sam 17, we read of a giant. But we read of more than a giant. We read of God’s character- His mercy, His strength, His power, His majesty, His jealousy, His eternal plan of redemption, His people, His Name, His glory, His battle. God reveals Himself to us through the well known story of a boy and a giant. A battle that was more than an inexperienced youth killing a huge warrior- it was a mighty God showing His power in the battle against the devil and his hosts.

David’s concern was for the hallowing of God’s Name by all people. By defying the army of Israel, Goliath was blaspheming the name of God. And by running from Goliath in fear, Saul and the men of Israel were also guilty of causing God’s Name to be blasphemed. Saul forgot that the battle is the Lord’s, that victory or defeat was in God’s hands. But we see a contrast in David- in him was the power, honour and glory of God- it was more than a ruddy boy running toward Goliath. Advancing toward the giant is the instrument God has chosen to use in the battle against Goliath, against Satan, against the forces of darkness. David has zeal and love for God. The Lord’s enemies are his enemies; he hates those who hate the Lord. He lived by faith, and enters this battle in faith.

David found His confidence not in Himself but in God- the same God who had shown His power in the past, and who would show to the people again that there is a living God in Israel. He fixed his eyes not on the problem, but the Problem-solver. The battle was the Lord’s. David could be sure of victory against Goliath because he was anointed by the Holy Spirit to be king over Israel. But the best news is that the same Spirit has been given to us. As Christians, we too are anointed, and as kings we are called to fight against sin and the devil in this life. Conflict is inevitable. But we look forward to the victory, and reigning with Christ, as we confess in LD 12. We may not give up the fight.

What is the giant that challenges you? The enemy is all around us, for we wrestle against principalities, powers, the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:13). But we’ve been given weapons to fight. Are you still fighting against all sin in your life? We can not and may not give up the fight. Often we are more like Saul, depending on our own abilities, wanting to run away, becoming afraid. We might look at our track record and think there’s no point. The devil reminds us of how we’ve failed so many times before... so why would today be any different? He laughs, tells us we’ll never win. But is that the voice we should be listening to? Can we ever give up the fight? When our confidence rests in the God, and the power of Christ’s resurrection, then we are going to get up and try again. For, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). We have confidence of victory in the Spirit. And we must put our confidence in God alone.

We are in the same age-long struggle between God and Satan that David was involved in. Peace is won eventually, not by denying the giants that are there, but by facing and dealing with them. God supplies the victory. Satan still hates and attacks the people of God, he still seeks to destroy the church with conflicts. But once more, God defeats the enemy without sword or spear. He uses a cross and grave- what is weak- to put the strong to shame. He uses His Son, dying on the cross and arising from the grave, to defeat the powers of darkness. The battle is the Lord’s. And so is the victory. He gives us the victory of His Son. He gives us the power of the Spirit. He gives us the faith to fight, to face our enemies, to triumph over evil. Conflict with giants is inevitable. But the victory is the Lord’s. And thanks be to Him, that we may share in that glorious victory.