Pax Present: QIC Ginger, Monkey, Wee Man, Web, Keds, Squatter, Band-Aid, Belding, Knobby, Swamp Fox, Chilla’, Mr. Rogers, Dipstick, Paycheck, Jesus.

1 Sam. 17:4-11

-Goliath was the Philistines’ giant but Saul was Israel’s. (1 Sam 9:1-2; 10:22-24) He wasn’t a head taller than “every” Israelite, he was a head taller than “any” Israelite! That means Saul was the most physically impressive warrior in all of Israel! He was a head taller than anyone else in all of Israel! -Goliath was the Philistines’ chosen man but Saul was God’s chosen man! But Saul had become focused on Saul and lost sight of God and Gods purposes in raising him up as King.

-It was Saul’s responsibility to answer Goliath’s challenge but he was plagued by fear.

-It was Saul’s responsibility to answer Goliath’s challenge but he was plagued by fear.

-Saul’s fear centered on what it could cost him as king to challenge Goliath. Since the focus was on self, fear of loss won the day. -David’s first reaction to hearing Goliath’s threats was righteous indignation that he should defy the Lord! This is because David knew the Lord passionately and was offended for God as a result!

1 Sam. 17:31-37 -What David had said was reported to Saul and Saul sent for him. -David’s view of Goliath was that no one should lose heart because of the giant. But Saul’s fear had already spread that plague over the Israelite army.

-Saul’s fear led him to try to dissuade David from facing Goliath. But David’s faith would not be deterred.

-His faith had come from knowing God, from seeing God work in the past and from viewing the giant through the lens of God’s ability not the size of the challenge!

-Once again….if Saul was truly concerned for David he should have gone out to fight the battle himself. But he didn’t.

-It is clear that Saul had already resigned himself to defeat and was just delaying it as long as possible. That’s what giants do to us.

-God’s plan was to slay Goliath with a stone. It’s clear. We assume that that was God’s plan because of who David was. But when David described the way he killed lions and bears as a shepherd it doesn’t sound like he killed them from afar with a sling but by striking them in close quarter combat. Could it be that David didn’t go to fight Goliath with a sling because it was his weapon of choice but because he had listened to the Lord as to how the battle should be fought?

-But here’s another thought. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin and specifically the city of Gibeah. The Benjamites from Gibeah were known to be some of the best slingers in Israel’s history!

-200 years before his birth Saul’s ancestors in Gibeah were master slingsman. (Judges 20:15-16)

-On top of that, when David is running from Saul Scripture says that some of Saul’s relatives from Benjamin joined David’s cause. They are described as bowmen and as those who could “sling stones right-handed or left-handed.” (1 Chronicles 12:1-2)

-Let this thought sink in: the only people in all of Scripture who are mentioned to have used a sling in battle other than David were either from Saul’s home town or Saul’s relatives!

-All this points to the idea Saul knew how to sling a stone and could have been at least as effective as David as a slingman against Goliath! Perhaps God’s plan all along was to kill Goliath with a sling and stone? After all, the penalty for blaspheme was death by stoning. Perhaps if Saul had listened to God and been a man of faith God would have used him to bring down Goliath with a sling instead of David! We will never know this side of eternity but it is wonderful to ponder!

1. Both Saul and David were raised up by God to fight Goliath.
2. Saul’s self-centeredness caused him to cower in fear and reject his responsibility.
3. David’s God-centeredness led him to respond in faith and assume someone else’s responsibility.
4. If we will not step up and lead when the giants come then God will find someone else that will.

Moleskin: Dipstick is significantly shorter than Wee Man.