One “David” Book I am reading as research material for these lessons labels this 1 Samuel chapter 17 episode, “David and the Dwarf!”

Though Goliath was over nine feet tall (1 Samuel 17:4) and had draped about his massive body over 200 pounds of armour! A mere dwarf in God’s Eyes!

Even the arrow or head of his spear weighed over 20 pounds! Plus, he had an armourbearer going before him carrying a large (door-size) shield to further protect the rascal! (1 Samuel 17:7)

Trouble is, no one in Israel would fight Goliath, man to man. Not even King Saul, head and shoulders taller than anybody else in the Country! Even though he had challenged the Jewish army for forty days now, 1 Samuel 10:23.

Enter young David! (Remember … David and the Dwarf!)

He will fight him!

Not with Saul’s armour either, 1 Samuel 17:38-39.

David was relying on his faith, God had never failed him yet, especially in times of danger! He had killed a bear. He had killed a lion, singlehandedly! While watching the sheep his father owned, 1 Samuel 17:34-37.

Thus David, empowered by God, needed but one stone … “And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and SMOTE (killed) the Philistine, and SLEW him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.” 1 Samuel 17:49-50

I am wondering if God might help some of us to defeat the Goliaths that come our way! (By focusing one some past victories, the bear and the lion, David was able to trust God for future victories! We can do that too!)

Then David took home some souvenirs of the battle! Goliath’s big sword and (prepare yourself) the Giant’s (the Dwarf’s) head as well, 1 Samuel 17:54.

Hint … save some mometos of your latest victories as well. As the song says, “Each victory will help you some other to win!”

And perhaps in closing I share the “key,” the very “secret” to David’s triumph that day. David is here talking to Goliath, maybe even taunting him a little bit!

O wicked Goliath … “THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S!” And He, our great God, will give you into our hands! (1 Samuel 17:47)

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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