Check out all the previous David readings here.
David Reading | Week 2 | Day 2
Prayer
Allow some silence for your soul to catch up with your body. Thank God for time to spend with Him and ask Him to meet with you.
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 17:1-16
Read these verses three times slowly.
Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
Reflection & Questions
It is perhaps one of the most famous stories in the Old Testament; David and Goliath. It is a story of a giant, an underdog and an unlikely victory. However, when you dig into the weeds there is so much going on here. We’re going to take the next three readings to examine each part of the story to see what’s really going on. Today is the set up – the description of the giant, Goliath.
Goliath is a giant. There’s plenty of speculation on how tall he actually was, but the fact remains that he was tall enough and powerful enough that, “on hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” Even Saul, who was a head above everyone else in Israel, was a scaredy cat when it came to this tall guy. But one description of Goliath can pass us by if we’re not clued into Old Testament imagery. His armor and weapons are described four times using the word “snake” and it says he has “a coat of scale armor.” His armor was scaly. Who in the Old Testament was a snake? Clue, he slithered along the ground and tempted Adam and Eve. It was the devil himself. Now, Goliath wasn’t the devil, but he was doing the devil’s work, and this battle was setting up the battle of the Garden of Eden all over again. Goliath was defying not only the people of Israel, but God Himself. He was ready to destroy God’s people.
For forty days no one challenged Goliath. They let him carry on with his threats and defiance. No one stood up. King Saul was cowering in fear. The soldiers were panic-stricken. Who would come to rescue them? Tomorrow we discover a delivery boy has the true heart of a King would step up to be the deliverer.
- The devil is at work to this day trying to destroy God’s people (1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”). How can you be alert and of sober mind to the devil’s work?
- Why do you think King Saul and the Israelites were so afraid?
Prayer
Talk to God in response to today’s reading.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
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Questions?
Ed Applegate
