Abounding Grace

Pastor Ed Taylor: A little perspective can go a long way when you're facing a giant. He would have given the victory to any one of those men, one that would stand up for righteousness. And you don't defy my God, and you don't defy the armies of Israel. And who are you, you uncircumcised, separated, God-hating man?

That's what little David—it's like, "Wow, that kid's got some gumption." No, no, no, he's got the right perspective. It wasn't David saying, "Poor me, I'm facing such a giant of a man." No, it's "Poor giant, he's facing such a giant of my eternal God." Perspective, it's so important.

Guest (Male): All of us have encountered difficulties that we've had to contend with, but when was the last time you went looking for trouble? Now, I'm not talking about breaking the law, but rather making our presence known to a person or group of people who defy God or the things God loves.

Today on *Abounding Grace*, Pastor Ed Taylor will take a look at the familiar story of David and Goliath. Pastor Ed will show us we all face giants in life, and while it can be a little scary, it's also an opportunity to trust in God and lean on His strength. Let's head over to 1 Samuel chapter 17 as Pastor Ed introduces our study.

Pastor Ed Taylor: Open your Bibles, 1 Samuel chapter 17. It's a longer chapter, so we're going to read a few verses together. There are 58 verses in chapter 17 and one of the most beloved stories, true stories, by the way. Whenever we use the word story, don't think of it as a fictional story. The Bible is true, and it's trustworthy to be relied upon. You can base your whole life upon the Word of God.

You can come to the Word of God with a problem and an issue, and God will answer it. So when you hear the word story, don't think of it in light of something you got at Barnes & Noble in the fiction section. The Word of God is true and reliable, living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. It's the only book that exists that will change your life, not by your own doing, but by the very power of God that resides in His Word, giving forth words of life, speaking forth life into our situation.

We come to a time in 1 Samuel that we have learned that Saul, King Saul, has been rejected by God, and Samuel has been sent to go anoint a new king. And he comes to this family and sees the largest and the oldest son, the one that looks like the next king, and is rebuked by God and said, "Man looks on the outward, but I look at the heart." And we learned, didn't we, that both sides of those are true? Yes, God does know the heart, and yet all that man can see is the outward. And we need to pay attention to both.

And I would even say that with the right heart or that heart that's in tune with the Lord, the outward will follow. You don't have to live a life of hypocrisy when you're just right with the Lord, when you're living in a right relationship with Him. So on he goes through the sons and finally, "Do you have any more?" And he says, "Well, we've got, you know, David, he's out with the sheep." And not even his dad saw potential in David, but God did.

And not only will David be the next king, but his music abilities almost immediately bring him into the presence of the king to soothe King Saul from—you see, David was anointed king, but he didn't take the throne right away. And that speaks to us of what? The necessity of waiting for the perfect will of God. David was anointed, but it's going to take some time before he became king. And we learn that we need to learn how to wait on the Lord. That's a big part of our spiritual life.

And so somewhere along the way, David is invited into the court of the king because of his music abilities, and we learn that worship and music that glorifies God has such a great effect upon us. It's not the same as listening to talk radio in the morning. If you're discouraged when you wake up and you turn on talk radio, you will be more discouraged. It's just the way it is.

But I believe if you're discouraged in the morning and you turn your heart and attention, even if you, you know, those days where I just don't have it in me to read the Bible, my eyes are heavy with tears and my life is difficult, well just turn—find something that glorifies God in your music collection or on Pandora, or, you know, turn onto one of the music stations here in town and let the Holy Spirit use the music to soothe your soul of the faithfulness of God.

You may find by the time you get to work, you're singing praises unto the Lord. God has just encouraged you. We see that with King Saul, this distressing spirit came, but every time David played for him, every time David used his spiritual gift for him, he was soothed and encouraged and refreshed. It says back, notice verse 23, worship music and worship that honors God, music that honors God will bring you refreshment and make you well. Try God on it. Try God by turning your attention through music to Him.

With all that, we pick up in verse 1. "Now the Philistines," chapter 17, "gathered their armies together to battle and were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah. They encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes Dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and they encamped in the Valley of Elah and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. The Philistines," verse 3, "stood on a mountain on one side, and the Israelites stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them."

"And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head, he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was 5,000 shekels of bronze. And he had a bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his iron spearhead weighed 600 shekels, and a shield bearer went before him."

"And he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel and said to them, 'Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.' And the Philistine said, 'I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight together.' When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."

We have an encampment of armies between the Philistines and Israel in the area of Judah. By the way, it says that the Philistines were encamped in the area of Judah. Remember, Judah means praise. It really tells us that the Philistines were in a place they didn't belong. There was no praise in them. And we meet Goliath, ready for battle. A very imposing giant of a man, some nine feet tall.

Verse 4 tells us that his people, the Philistines, saw him as their champion. And he stands with his bronze helmet and coat of mail. Hundreds of pounds, you know, pounds upon pounds, taunting and coaxing. And he had a spear about 25 pounds heavy spear. Now, if you think about how heavy that is, a shot put is just 16 pounds. This is a big guy, very impressive and very scary. Not only that, but he's got a big mouth. Not only is he a big man, but he's got a big mouth.

And he says it straight up in verse 10, "I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man." And his words were so great and so grand that the children of Israel were dismayed and greatly afraid. Which, by the way, we won't develop it now, but when you listen to the words of a person that defies Israel, that defies the God of Israel, if you listen to them and you take those words in, you too will be dismayed. They just have a way. Discouragement and threats just have a way of discouraging and threatening people that listen to them and pay attention to them.

Now David, verse 12, was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, who also had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years in the days of Saul. The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to battle, which by the way, just a side note, that's exactly what Samuel said would happen when he became king. When a king comes to Israel, what would he—he would get the best of the men. So here are the three oldest sons. They go to war, following Saul.

The names of his three sons who went to battle were Eliab, his firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. David was the youngest and the three oldest followed Saul. But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. And the Philistine drew near and presented himself 40 days morning and evening. You're just getting a little insight. David was faithful taking care of his dad's sheep, doing what his dad wanted. A type of Christ, always pleasing the Father.

While we get the picture of David, verse 16, the Philistine is getting closer for 40 days morning and evening. He's drawing near and presenting himself, probably doing the same thing. "I defy the army." Just continually over and over and over again, threatening and trying to scare because he saw it. It brought great dismay. So for 40 days, it says in verse 17, then Jesse said to his son David, "Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these 10 loaves and run to your brothers at the camp."

"Carry these 10 cheeses to the captain of their thousand and see how your brothers fare and bring back news of them." Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. So David would go back and forth faithful with his direction from his dad. He would take care of the flock going occasionally back and forth. And now understand the New Testament principle of being faithful with the little. Now his dad is giving him more responsibility.

He didn't send any of the other kids, any of the other kids who were back. He picked David. He sent the youngest, the one that was showing himself faithful. And he said, "Take this food to your brothers, but also tell me what's going on. Tell me how my boys are doing." And for 40 days, while David is being prepared to be sent, for 40 days Goliath is coming to them and taunting them and presenting himself and probably giving the same old thing about, "Hey, you guys don't have anyone to fight, so just send one man."

Now, by the way, 40 is the number of testing and trials in the Bible. When you look through the scriptures, the number of 40—Noah's Ark was under the rain for 40 days, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, Jesus Himself was tested in the wilderness for 40 days. Now the armies of Israel are being taunted and tested 40 days. Verse 20, "So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper." Isn't that great?

This is a little insight when you read slowly and carefully. David took off but didn't leave it for his dad to find a keeper. David took care of the sheep while he was gone. He even set things up so that everything would be well. As a faithful young boy. "And he took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the camp as the army was going out to fight and shouting for the battle, for Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army."

"David left the supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army and came and greeted his brothers. Then," verse 23, "as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines, and he spoke according to the same words, so David heard them." This is the first time David hears what he has to say. Verse 24, "Now all the men of Israel when they saw the man fled from him and were dreadfully afraid."

"So the men of Israel said, 'Have you seen the man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And it shall be that the man who kills him, the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter and give his father's house exemption in Israel.' Then David spoke with the men who stood by him saying, 'What shall be done for the man who kills the Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?'"

David's faithful, he comes at just the time when Goliath has something to say. And again, you see the contrast between David and the others. David, when he hears the word, wants to know who gets what for taking this guy out. While everyone else is running away, verse 24, dreadfully afraid. I mean, so young, he's courageous, faithful. Verse 27, "The people answered him in this manner saying, 'So shall it be done for the man who kills him.'"

"Now Eliab, his oldest brother, heard when he spoke to the men and Eliab's anger was aroused against David and he said, 'Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.' And David said, 'What have I done now? Is there not a cause?' Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing, and these people answered him as the first ones did."

David in his youthfulness, I'm sure, had a fiery personality. How would you feel if you were the youngest of eight? You'd have to fight for your—you'd have to fight for a place and fight for an identity. And here he is. Maybe Eliab is remembering with, you know, when you grow up with your siblings, you know a little bit more about your siblings than other people do because you live in the same house with them. And he's now promoting or putting on him things that he remembered as at his home.

And he's a little jealous, and David was anointed and he wasn't. There's probably a lot of sibling things going on, and it makes sense to me that as the youngest, he's going to fight for his place, he's going to fight. But he also had courage and he had bravery. A lot of times, you know how the psychologists will tell us about all the birth order issues and all the things, and sometimes just because we listen to the wisdom of the world, we miss the reality. No, that's not just a fiery kid. That's a kid of courage.

That courage was given to him by God. It's not his birth order. It's not the place where he is. No, there's—how careful we need to be not to miss out on people because of the way the world describes them, but to truly wait upon the Lord for things to be revealed in someone's life and go, "Well, you know, that's just the youngest, he's so fiery." That's what Eliab is doing. But we know the whole story. This kid is faithful. This kid is obedient. This kid is doing exactly—"Who told you? You just want to see the war." Maybe that's a piece of it.

But what he really wants to do is obey his dad. He doesn't know what he's going into. He doesn't know how it is. He has no idea that this Goliath guy—so his brothers are selling him out. They're just selling him short, I should say. And how careful I thought, you know, we need to be really careful. The world has a lot of wisdom and the world shares a lot of ideas, but many of that wisdom, so-called wisdom, is not wisdom at all. And many of those ideas have nothing to do with the ways of God.

And if we're not careful, we'll just buy into the way the world looks at things and we'll take that and try to build it back into the scriptures. But God was able to see in this kid something that no one else was able to see, not even Samuel, the man of God. It required God to reveal it even to Samuel, to his dad, to his brothers in a moment, to all of Israel. God is setting David up to be revealed in front of all Israel. So good when you wait upon the Lord.

Verse 31, "Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul, and he sent for him." Mr. Brave King Saul there, as you'll see in a moment. "And Saul said to David, 'You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.' But David said to Saul, 'Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went after it and struck it and delivered the lamb from its mouth.'"

"'And when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard and struck it and killed it.'" What an adventure that must have been. "'Your servant has killed both lion and bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.' Moreover David said, 'The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul said to David, 'Go, and the Lord be with you.'"

What an experience he had as a kid. That's amazing what God would allow him to express his courage. When they tell Saul about David, Saul sent for David to hear what he had to say. And David shares and speaks of the proper perspective that he came to war with. He's seen the faithfulness of God. He's experienced it personally. Let me just say this. Many times like the children of Israel, we're overwhelmed by our enemies. They're big, they're imposing, they're defying, they're threatening.

And if we look and listen for too long, imagine. Fortunately, many of us don't go this long when we face the enemies in our lives, all sorts of enemies. Enemies of selfishness, enemies of people, enemies of situations. I mean, when I think of enemies, don't just think of a person. Think of things that are a threat to your spiritual growth. Think of things that stumble you. Think of things that you might describe as you're addicted to and you'll never get out, or things that, "Well, that's always how I've been," or "That's how I was raised," or "That's where I came from."

Think of enemies in a much broader perspective for this illustration that is illustrated by Goliath. Many times when we're so overwhelmed by our enemies, we're so overcome by our problems that we lose true perspective. We don't see things clearly. Have you ever been there? Has anyone? Just one person. Has anyone ever been there? Are you there now? You don't need to answer that. Truly, that's a lot of our lives.

And fortunately, I don't know so much that we would spend 40 days overwhelmed by a problem, or 40 days just totally focused on the problem, focused on the defiance, focused on the— "Man, the dude's nine feet tall and I'm five feet tall. What am I? I'm outnumbered, I'm outgunned. Look at his, you know, his spear is 25 pounds. He doesn't even have to hit me with it, just drop it on my head." And there is the army behind them, and they're taunting and they're yelled— for 40 days.

For 40 days, the children of Israel were overcome by their enemy. And nothing even happened. They went into battle array, but nothing happened. It was just— it was just what? Words. It was just words. It was just words. Remember in our study previously this last weekend, having to deal with what? Hard words. How with hard words from the mouth of Jesus that were really words of love and invitation, they were words of saying, "Come, abide in Me, take of Me, I'm your soul source, I'm here to strengthen and help."

Words that were intended to draw people, they were hard to hear and hard to understand or really hard to accept. And as a result, many of His disciples left Him and followed Him no more. The same thing's happening with the children of Israel, except these words were not words of invitation, they were hard words to hear. When we lose perspective, fear so quickly grasps our heart and our minds. We're being set up for discouragement, for defeat and ultimately destruction.

For David, he got it. In David's mind as he began to think of— and you know, none of us really have that. I mean, I can only think of that guy that used to wrestle alligators, that's all I can really— I mean, who has a testimony of going to the zoo and, "What'd you do?" "I went to the zoo, took care of a lion. Lion got loose at the zoo and they called me up, and I just got them by the beard and slapped them on my—" I mean, who has that kind of testimony? Very few people do that.

But for David, God allowed these circumstances. How did he get them? By being faithful just taking care of the sheep. All of his other brothers didn't have that responsibility. He had that responsibility. And he was faithful with it. Why? Because he wanted to obey his dad. And what did he get as a result? He got to take down a bear and a lion for just this moment. See, what you're going through right now is preparing you for what's up ahead.

You might just, "I'm just going to feed the sheep." Oh, no, no, so much more than just taking care of sheep. You're learning how to be a shepherd, David. So much more than what you're learning, a much broader spiritual perspective of life. And he could look back and think, "You know what? I see this guy, but I've taken on lions, dude. Who's this? And I've taken on bears." And he's just a kiddo, just a ruddy little kid.

So from his past, from God's past faithfulness in his life, he was able to develop the right perspective in front of Goliath. Because if we were looking at this, if this was— if we were in the audience, I'm certain that many of us, we're sizing up the situation, and we look at big Goliath and all his deal, and you look at this little kid and you're like, "Poor kid. What do you think? Five minutes? What do you think? 10 minutes?" But it wasn't poor kid from God's perspective. It was poor Goliath.

It wasn't old "poor kid, you're all set up to be, poor kid, King Saul sent you out." No, no, no, no. No, poor Saul for being a coward because I believe God could have given the victory through King Saul. He would have given the victory to any one of those men, one that would stand up for righteousness. And you don't defy my God, and you don't defy the armies of Israel. And who are you, you uncircumcised, separated, God-hating man? That's what little David— it's like, "Wow, that kid's got some gumption."

No, no, no, he's got the right perspective. It wasn't David saying, "Poor me, I'm facing such a giant of a man." No, it's "Poor giant, he's facing such a giant of my eternal God." Perspective, it's so important.

Guest (Male): What you heard today on *Abounding Grace* is part of Pastor Ed Taylor's series taken from 1 Samuel. You can hear it again online at aboundinggraceradio.com or wherever you get your podcasts. We've also got an app that makes listening to Pastor Ed easy to do on your mobile device. Just search for the Calvary Church app in the app store.

Pastor Ed, our pick of the month is a book called *The End Times in Chronological Order*. How might this help our listeners better understand what the Bible predicts will happen in the last days?

Pastor Ed Taylor: You know, a lot of questions we get through the ministry here at the church on our live radio broadcast as well is about the end times, trying to piece all the scriptures and events together so that they're understandable. And this book really helps. It is a view that I hold to biblically. We are a fellowship family that believes in the rapture of the church that will come and can come at any time, premillennial, pretribulational rapture of the church.

And through this book will help you put a lot of the pieces together, watching things happen one by one. And we really do want you to get this resource, to support us in the ministry. We so appreciate you. I recognize that things are hard and challenging, and if all you can do is pray for us, thank you, thank you, thank you. But if you can support us financially, it just helps to continue Bible teaching around the country on the radio. So pick a copy up. If you have anything over and above the donation price, that's fantastic, but I know the Lord will use it, and we want to know more and more about what the Bible has to say about the end times. And this is a great resource.

Guest (Male): Ask for a copy of *The End Times in Chronological Order* when you support the ministry today with a gift of $25 or more. Call 877-30-GRACE. And then come back next time when we'll continue our study of 1 Samuel with Pastor Ed. That's right here on *Abounding Grace*.

*Abounding Grace* is brought to you by Calvary Church in Aurora, Colorado.