David Goes to the Battleground to do His
Father’s will
David’s
father had sent him to check on three of his brothers who were fighting in
Israel’s army, and to bring them provisions. David was a youth who went to his
brethren in obedience to his father just as Jesus came to earth in obedience to
His Father. David arose early and went about doing his father’s business (will). David’s life is a foreshadowing of
the life of Jesus. Jesus too was “about
My Father’s business” as a youth.
(Luke 2:49) These were the first words of Jesus in the Gospels. His last
words were “It is finished!” What
was finished? His Father’s business.What Jesus had come to earth to do. As David was doing his fathers will, Jesus
came to earth to do His Heavenly Father’s will. Jesus defeated our spiritual enemy,
the devil, on the cross. Jesus did in the “spiritual” what David did in the “natural.” “The
spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. (1
Corinthians 15:46) David was a shepherd in his father’s field who became a
conquering king with a kingdom. This is a picture of Jesus.
David’s
willingness to serve in obedience to his earthly father prepared him for higher
service for God. David’s errand would soon become an opportunity to bring glory
to God and freedom from the spiritual enemy of all. In like manner, God gives
Christians the opportunity of bringing glory to God and freedom from the enemy
to others in their daily walk. How we respond and the weapons we use will
determine the outcome. We are saved for a purpose. We are His representatives
on earth. We carry the banner of Christ to a world that is lost and dying and
controlled by their fleshly nature. It is important that we use the armor of
God, not the armor of flesh in the battle. We are not fighting against flesh
and blood but against the powers and principalities in the higher places. The
arm of flesh cannot win the battle. It is a spiritual battle that only the
blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit and Word through obedience can
win. We must be victorious over the smaller assaults of our spiritual enemy to
be prepared for the larger battles. God had prepared David in the quietness of
the shepherd’s field as he tended his father’s sheep fighting off the lions and
the bears who came to steal, kill and destroy the sheep. Now David will fight a
larger battle against Goliath.
Goliath
Goliath
began as a “roaring lion seeking whom he
may devour.” Goliath “was over nine feet tall” and wore heavy
armor. He “stood and shouted to the
ranks of Israel.” The army of God’s people
was full of fear, not faith in God. Goliath’s parading with his height and
armor was to intimidate and make God’s people fear him. This is how the devil works. David, God’s lion from
the tribe of Judah, would take on the “strongman” and defeat him. After David
was anointed with the Holy Spirit, he, like Jesus, had to face the enemy of God’s
people. Goliath presented himself to God’s army for 40 days. Satan tempted
Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights after the Holy Spirit rested
upon Him. Jesus came to earth not only to save but to also take on the “strongman.”
Jesus is the spiritual Lion from the Tribe of Judah who came to earth – Satan’s
house – to defeat Satan and set God’s people free from sin and bondage. Jesus
bound the “strongman” on the cross by His blood and released His resurrection
power to help us defeat the devil.
“Choose a Man”
Goliath
arrogantly challenged king Saul to choose a man to fight him. The
representative of God’s army would fight the champion of the army of Anakim – Goliath.
Saul, the leader of God’s people and army, would be the obvious choice, but
Saul was full of fear like the others. God will choose the man – David.
The army of
the Philistines was on one mountain and the Israelite army on another with a valley
in between. Goliath descends his mountain and is now coming up the mountain to
God’s people. He is getting more brazen recognizing the fear within Israel’s
army. “When the Israelites saw the man,
they all ran with great fear.” 1 Samuel 17:24 Goliath, recognizing the fear
of God’s people, gets more arrogant. They say to David, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel.” Israel's soldiers focused on the size of Goliath and his heavy armor, but David focused
on the honor of God and the reputation of God’s people. The men of Israel said,
“this man,” but David called Goliath
“this uncircumcised Philistine.” Circumcision
was the sign of being in covenant with God. David was in covenant with God, so
God was on his side. David defended the honor of God and His people. “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that
he should defy the armies of the living God.” 1 Samuel 17:26 David will do
his part and God will do the rest. David understood that the battle was the
Lord’s.
David saw the situation through faith-filled,
spiritual eyes but the Israelites saw through man’s fleshly eyes. David had righteous indignation. How dare this
uncircumcised Philistine come against the Living God and His people!
(Continued next week)
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