God's Deliverance

From the Old Testament writings which we call the books of 1 & 2 Samuel, we are introduced early to Samuel, who was a faithful servant as prophet and priest in Israel. The people had been begging for a king and Samuel anointed Saul as Israel's first king.

Saul wasn't exactly the kind of king Israel needed. The Bible shows us a side of him that reveals a evil heart. However, it was through Saul that David, the future king, enters the picture. 

We know David best in his younger years for defeating Goliath, the giant of the Philistine army. In your reading today, look through 1 Samuel 17 to see the battles that were facing the armies of Israel. Things did not look favorable for them in their attempt to defeat the Philistines. The main character on the Philistine side was Goliath, a giant of a man, standing almost ten feet tall. Verse 11 is easy for us to understand, "When Saul and all Israel heard the words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."

A man from Bethlehem had eight sons, three of which had gone with Saul to battle the Philistines. The youngest of the eight was David.  David was sent by his father to take food to his brothers on the battlefront and to bring back some news about how they were doing. 

Goliath had now been issuing his daily challenge for someone to come fight him, for forty days. It was while David was visiting his brothers that he heard the challenge of Goliath. David witnessed the fear in the lives of all the warriors of Israel. After hearing the challenge, and seeing the fear of his comrades, David asked the question, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine?"  David's oldest brother became angry and accused him of coming there just to see the battle.  Verse 30 says that David turned away from his older brother. 

David was also confronted by Saul, who told David he was not able to stand up to the giant. "You are only a child and Goliath has been a warrior for years." After more discussion, David convinced Saul to let him go, and verse 37 gives David's convincing words. "The Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.  Saul said to him, Go, and may the Lord be with you."

We are familiar with the story of David's sling and the smooth stone which brought Goliath down. David was victorious over the giant, and all the Philistines fled in fear. 

I tell you the story today to get you to see, David was feeling the call of God to deal with a huge problem on behalf of his countrymen and brothers.  We too, feel the call of God for witnessing, evangelizing, or any number of ways to assist in defeating evil and the Evil One. David's lesson for us, when faced with insurmountable odds, is to depend on God's deliverance. David could have ran back home in fear if he had listened to his brother, or if he had listened to King Saul. David knew God would supply the victory. We should have that confidence too.  What is God calling you to do?

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