goliath

Faith vs. Feeling

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We have probably heard the story of David and Goliath numerous times, but it is a story that contains significant lessons for us today. I would like to focus on one aspect of this story—faith versus feeling. In the story, the Philistines were going to wage war against the Israelites. (See 1 Samuel 17.) The Israelites were on one mountain, and the Philistine army was on another mountain, with a valley between them. (Verse 3.) Goliath would come out of the Philistines’ camp and taunt the Israelites. He was a pretty good-sized man at “six cubits and a span.” (Verse 4.) There are different estimates of how tall he really was, but it was somewhere between 9 and 11 feet!

Goliath

Goliath would taunt the Israelites by asking them to send one of their mightiest warriors down to him so they could fight. The challenge was, if I (Goliath) win, you are going to be our servants. If you win, the Philistines will be your servants. The devil had a definite purpose for this. The devil has always liked to ridicule God’s people, and if he could put them in servitude to the Philistines,he could use them as sport, ridicule them, and do whatever he wanted with them. Goliath said, “If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye 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 those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” Verses 9–11.

Put yourself in their position. How would you like to fight someone who was 11 feet tall, who had armor on from head to toe? If you shot an arrow at him, it would not penetrate through his armor. He had a helmet of brass, and there was no space upon him that was not covered. (Verses 5–7.) It would be a discouraging situation would it not? Israel was greatly afraid. Goliath challenged the Israelite nation for 40 days, every morning and evening, ridiculing and taunting them—Come on, just bring out your best warrior to fight me! Day in and day out he taunted them. (Verse 16.)

David Arrives

David was sent by his father, Jesse, to give food to the army. Jesse’s three eldest sons were fighting with Saul in this battle. So here comes David; he gives his food to the captain of their thousand, as his father bid him do. (Verses 17, 18.) Then he went out to the battle lines to see his brothers. As he approaches the scene, he hears the commotion. He sees the two armies lined up ready for battle. He sees Goliath step forward to taunt the Israelites again, and they all turn and run for cover. David discovers that Goliath has been taunting the Israelites for 40 days, and no one has yet answered the challenge. “For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard [them]. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.” Verses 21–24.

Saul had let it be known that if anyone wanted to challenge Goliath that he would give that person a lot of wealth. He said he would set their families free, and the soldier would have Saul’s daughter as a wife—great rewards for going out to do battle with Goliath! But the Bible says, “And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Verse 26. David said, forget about the rewards,we want to take the reproach away from us. This Philistine is coming out here, and we are not even answering the challenge.

Goliath’s stature did not intimidate David as it did all of Israel. David could care less how big he was. So David began going around the camp of Israel saying, We need to take care of this guy. He’s defying Israel, so in essence he is defying the God of heaven. He is taunting and ridiculing us, and no one is answering the challenge. Not even Saul. Remember, Saul was head and shoulders above his brothers —he was a big man, too. (See 1 Samuel 9:2.) Saul should have been the one answering the challenge, since he was the biggest. He should have been out doing battle with this Philistine, but the Bible tells us that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and if we depart from the Spirit of the Lord, we have no courage of our own. That is what happened to Saul. Saul departed from the Spirit of the Lord and an evil spirit took control of him. Now he had no confidence that God would save him. (See 1 Samuel 16:14–16.)

David Accepts the Challenge

David continues talking to the camp of Israel, trying to get them to do something about Goliath. Word gets around to Saul that there is a shepherd boy making noise about taking care of this Philistine and that he would do it. Saul tells them to bring the shepherd boy to him. David comes up, with no armor on, and he says, “I will take care of this Philistine.”Saul said, “I do not think you understand who you are up against. This man is 11 feet tall, and you are nothing but a little shepherd boy.” David replies, “Yes, so what? I am going to take care of him. Who’s on my side?”

Notice David’s credentials: “Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that 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. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.” 1 Samuel 17:36, 37.

No Presumption

David is not being presumptuous here. He is not rushing into something of which he has no foreknowledge. An angel had appeared to David and told him he was going to win a battle. “David is not careful to explain to his [eldest] brother [Eliab] that he had come to the help of Israel; that God had sent him to slay Goliath. God had chosen him to be a ruler of Israel; and as the armies of the living God were in such peril, he had been directed by an angel to save Israel.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 371. David was not rushing headlong into something presumptuously; he was not being reckless. God had already told him this would happen and what he was to do.

But David, humble and unassuming, just said to Saul, I herd my father’s sheep, and when I am out in the field and a bear comes to take my lamb away, I chase that bear down and kill him and I take that lamb right out of his mouth. The same with the lion, but it is the Lord who helped me. You see, he had an experience with the Lord before, and now the Lord trusted him with something big like this.

Prepared for Battle

Saul brought out his entire armor, which probably weighed over 100 pounds, and put it on David, this little shepherd boy. Can you imagine the sight? His sword was probably dragging the ground; the coat was down past his knees, and the helmet was over his eyes. As David walks out of Saul’s tent, all of the curious spectators are watching him go out to do battle with Goliath. David thinks about how he had just told Saul that it was the Lord that had delivered him from the lion and the bear. I cannot use this stuff, he says to himself. I have not even tested it; I do not know if it even works. How can I fight with the weight of all of this armor on me? So he turns and begins to retrace his steps. (Verses 38, 39.)

The curious spectators are sure that David has become afraid and changed his mind, but that was not the thoughts of David. He returned to the king and humbly said, “Saul, I have never worn armor before; I want to take it off.” So he laid off the armor, and with a staff in one hand and a sling in the other, he walked down to the brook and picked up five smooth stones. He put the stones in his shepherd’s bag and went out to meet Goliath. Verse 42 tells us that when the Philistine saw David he disdained him because he was but a youth. Goliath was insulted. He was expecting to see the greatest warrior of Israel come out against him with all of his armor on, and here is a little shepherd boy with a staff in his hand standing before him. Goliath said, “[Am] I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?” Verse 43. “What are you going to do,” Goliath bellowed, “herd me around like you do your dog or your sheep?” He was ready to do battle, and here was a little shepherd boy.

“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” Verses 45, 46.

David is standing in the valley, and there are thousands of spectators, on either side of the valley, from the armies of Israel and Philistine. The whole, entire assembly heard what David said. He was not only going to take Goliath, he said, but the entire Philistine army would be defeated that day. “And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.” Verse 47.

“There was a ring of fearlessness in his [David’s] tone, a look of triumph and rejoicing upon his fair countenance. This speech, given in a clear, musical voice, rang out on the air, and was distinctly heard by the listening thousands marshaled for war. The anger of Goliath was roused to the very highest heat. In his rage he pushed up the helmet that protected his forehead and rushed forward to wreak vengeance upon his opponent. The son of Jesse was preparing for his foe.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 648.

Goliath was so furious he started coming for David. Instead of turning to run, David ran right for Goliath, and while he was running he took one of the five smooth stones from his bag. He put the stone in his sling; he flipped that sling, and the stone flew through the air and imbedded itself right in the forehead of Goliath. Immediately Goliath’s hands flew up as if groping in darkness; blindness overtook him, and he stood there wavering as the thousands of the two armies looked on. All of a sudden this big giant fell, as though he was a mighty oak struck by lightning. David wasted no time. He jumped upon Goliath, drew Goliath’s own sword and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Israel was ready to fight—now that the giant was gone! They chased the Philistines all the way to Ekron. (Verses 48–52.)

Lessons for us

What lessons can we learn from this story? I see a man of faith here—a little shepherd boy. “The mind should be educated to exercise faith rather than to cherish doubt, suspicion, and jealously. We are too prone to regard obstacles as impossibilities.” Review and Herald, March 17, 1910. Is that not what we are prone to do? We see something ahead of us, and we always say it is too big. We do not have enough money; we do not have enough resources, etc., etc. God expects us to use our minds, of course, but we are too prone to look at obstacles as impossibilities.

Govern the Circumstances

Let us look at our characters for a moment. We look at defects in our character, and they appear as big mountains in front of us, but we should never cherish doubt in our minds of what can happen. Ellen White says that we are too prone to look at obstacles as impossibilities. Just like Israel. That giant probably looked twice as big to them because of their doubt. “To have faith in the promises of God, to go forward by faith, pressing on without being governed by circumstances is a lesson hard to learn. Yet it is a positive necessity that every child of God should learn this lesson.” Ibid. What does it say? To walk forward by faith, pressing on without being governed by circumstances—how many of us allow the circumstances around us to govern us instead of us governing the circumstances and trusting in the Lord?

This is a lesson that is hard to learn, Mrs. White says, but it is absolutely necessary that we learn it; that we do not allow the circumstances to govern us, no matter what they are. We must learn to trust the Word of God explicitly, just like David did. He had been warned that morning by an angel that he was to fight a battle that day for the Lord. When God tells us to do something, we often stall in doing it. What does the devil do then? He creates circumstances where we will not be able to fulfill the duty. If we do not act, the devil is going to act for us, and when God tells us to do something, we had better act, instead of allowing the circumstances to govern us. “Faith is simple in its operation and powerful in its results.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, 322. Did God defeat Goliath with something very simple? A sling and a stone! Very simple. Faith is simply taking what God’s Word says and acting upon it. But many times we are like Israel of old—we allow the circumstances to govern us. What happens then? We have wrong feelings. Oh, they were afraid; they were dismayed. How often does that happen to us? We begin to be governed by our feelings instead of by faith.

Do not let Feelings Control

Feelings take control, and faith is out the window. “Faith and feeling are as distinct as the east is from the west. Faith is not dependent on feeling. We must earnestly cry to God in faith, feeling or no feeling, and then live our prayers.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1073. Do not wait for a certain feeling. It does not make any difference; we need to move forward by faith.

“Faith is not dependent on feeling. Daily we should dedicate ourselves to God and believe that Christ understands and accepts the sacrifice, without examining ourselves to see if we have that degree of feeling that we think should correspond with our faith. Have we not the assurance that our heavenly Father is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him in faith than parents are to give good gifts to their children? We should go forward as if to every prayer that we send to the throne of God we heard the response from the One whose promises never fail.” Our High Calling, 120.

We are to move forward as though that prayer is lodged at the throne of heaven and has already been answered. Too many times we allow our feelings to get in the way. We want to have some feeling to know that we are right with God, that our sins are forgiven. We want to have some degree of feeling, but faith is not dependent upon what we feel. Faith simply takes what God’s Word says and acts upon it. (See The Signs of the Times, September 9, 1889.) When we pray we are to pray as though that prayer is already lodged at the throne of heaven and has already been answered. Move forward!

“Genuine faith is founded on the Scriptures; but Satan uses so many devices to wrest the Scriptures and bring in error, that great care is needed if one would know what they really do teach. It is one of the great delusions of this time to dwell upon feeling.” Review and Herald, November 25, 1884. One of the greatest delusions of Satan is to get us to dwell upon our feelings. How many of us go on what we feel instead of what God’s Word says? We need to increase our faith, should we not? Just like the disciples, we need to pray, Increase our faith, Lord.

“Feelings, whether encouraging or discouraging, should not be made the test of the spiritual condition. [Whether you are depressed, like the Israelite nation, or elated, does not make any difference; move by faith.] By God’s Word we are to determine our true standing before him. Many are bewildered on this point. When they are happy and joyous, they think that they are accepted by God. When a change comes, and they feel depressed, they think that God has forsaken them.” Ibid., February 28, 1907.

How many of us have gone through that experience? Perhaps we have gone through some depressing times, and automatically we think that God has forsaken us. In such a case we need to claim Hebrews 13:5: ” . . . For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” We need to have such promises in store, because if we ever feel depressed and feel that the Lord has forsaken us, we can point to these promises and say, Lord you promised you would never forsake us. We are to determine our standing with God by studying His Word and by seeing what our true standing is before Him. If there is correction that needs to be made, we need to make that correction, but never are we to rely upon our feelings.

Here is another startling statement.

“Faith is not feeling. ‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’ [Hebrews 11:1.] The religion that takes the position of secluded enjoyment, that is satisfied to contemplate the religion of Jesus Christ, and that keeps its possessor from an experimental knowledge of its saving power, is a deception.” The Youth’s Instructor, February 10, 1898.

Increase Faith

How can we have our faith increased? If you had been in a hospital bed for three or four weeks,do you think you would feel strong? What happens to the muscles? They begin to weaken and to lose their tone. Our faith is no different. If we do not exercise faith, we are going to be spiritually weak. Every day we have an opportunity to exercise our faith. It must be exercised from day to day. Just read the story of David and let it encourage your heart. God will fight for His people. The battle is not ours; it is the Lord’s, but we need to cooperate with Him just as David did, not by backing down, but going forward, meeting the circumstances as they are and not allowing them to shake us.

Faith becomes strong by coming into conflict with doubts and opposing them. What is the counsel? You have today to exercise your faith. If we begin doubting and allow darkness to fill our hearts and we become discouraged, it is then time to lift up a prayer unto the Lord and sing a melody unto Him. That is what David did. He took out his harp and began playing praises to the Lord on his harp. The longer we allow our feelings of discouragement to take control of us, the worse we will become. We cannot allow it.

I know it is easy to say, but this is the only way that our faith will grow. When we are faced with these discouraging situations and we are full of doubt, then is the time to exercise faith! “The experience gained in these trials is of more value than the most costly jewels.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 555. We will have our reward in heaven, but faith is what is going to be needed to endure until the end. If we do not have it, we are not going to make it.

Do you want to have David’s experience—moving forward, not allowing the circumstances to govern you, taking control of the circumstances through the arm of the Lord? Remember the story of David and Goliath. The more we dwell upon our problems, the bigger they get, like Goliath; but the faster we exercise faith and trust in the Lord, those doubts and discouragements are going to vanish away.

We can lift one another up; we can come together and edify one another; we can build one another up in faith, but this is an individual experience between you and God. First of all you must learn not to trust yourself. All trust in self must be eradicated from the life before you can have true faith. “By faith—faith that renounces all self-trust—the needy suppliant is to lay hold upon infinite power.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159.

Mike Bauler pastors the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be contacted by e-mail at mbauler@molalla.net.

One Ounce is Heavier Than One Ton

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The story of David and Goliath is very familiar to each of us, but I want to look at it from a different perspective. We will study it in the context of the Week of Prayer theme, “What Will it Take to Stand in the Last Days?” I personally believe that the entire Bible addresses this theme. All through history to the final culmination of the end of time, God has been and is working to bring about in His people a complete and conclusive victory over sin.

Story Setting

This story, as found in 1 Samuel 17, has as its setting the slaying of Goliath by young David. When telling this story to our children, we usually emphasize the bravery of David in taking a stand against Goliath, but that is not solely what this story is about. I wish that we could tell our children more of what God’s plan and purpose is in this whole story, but I am thankful that they do have the introduction to the story of David and Goliath.

Beginning with 1 Samuel 17:1, we read: “Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which [belongeth] to Judah.” Where were the Philistines, in relation to the children of Israel? They were almost right downtown! They were in Judah! They were not over in Philistia—the place they claimed as their own. They were in the area that belonged to Judah, and they “pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and [there was] a valley between them.” Verses 2, 3.

Imagine the setting here. On one side of the valley was a mountain, most likely not terribly steep, because one army’s encampment was located there. On the other side was the camp of another army. And down the middle was a valley. Such a setting was like an amphitheater. Voices could carry long distances in this kind of setting. The troops could probably hear what the men of the opposing side were saying.

Aggressive Enemy

The Philistines were the aggressors; they were the ones who were coming against Israel. The devil, it seems, is always on the aggressive against God’s people. The Bible tells us that we are to be the ones that are on the offensive, going forth pulling down Satan’s strongholds. But as is so often the case, we just sit back enjoying our leisure, thinking that everything is going to turn out all right; then suddenly, we realize that the devil is waging an attack against us. We find ourselves floundering because we were not on the offensive.

The burden of the writer of 1 Samuel was not only to give an account of Philistine wars but also to make known one of the steps that was necessary in the process of David becoming fitted for the office of the king of Israel. Nothing is stated as to the amount of time that had lapsed between Saul’s victories of the past and the present situation. Saul had had some victories in the past and had settled back thinking that all was well—then an invasion took place. 1 Samuel 14:52 says, “And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul.” Apparently, the invasion that we are reading about in chapter 17 occurred many years after Saul was on the throne as the king of Israel.

A Giant in the Land

So there they were—one group on one side, the other group on the other side—with a valley between them.

1 Samuel 17:4–7 says, “And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height [was] six cubits and a span. And [he had] an helmet of brass upon his head, and he [was] armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat [was] five thousand shekels of brass. And [he had] greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear [was] like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.”

That is quite an intimidating picture painted in these verses! When the Scripture speaks of a champion going out from the Philistines, it is a literal meaning of a man between two middles, or one who enters into the space between two armies in order to decide the victory by a single combat.

From Joshua 11:22, we learn that the town of Gath, mentioned as the home of Goliath, was in the same geographical area as Gaza and Ashdod. Those towns, as we read in Joshua, still had giants living and occupying parts of that area. They were descendants from the giant, Anak. (See Numbers 13:33.)

Concerning this man, Goliath, who was the champion that went out, we are told that his height was six cubits and a span. By our measurements today, he would be about three inches short of ten feet tall! We have never seen anyone that big. We do not know how a person that big would look. The tallest person we have had record of, in the United States, was a man who stood over eight feet tall.

If we think about the tallest person that we have ever seen, he would not even begin to come close to Goliath’s height. Proportionate to his height, Goliath would have weighed approximately 1,800 to 1,900 pounds—close to a ton! I think Goliath’s measurements are given in the Bible to show how out of proportion the victory was. Here was this man, huge in size . . . and there was David.

Righteousness by Faith

The measurements are given to instruct us in regard to righteousness by faith. Many people have the idea that righteousness by faith was something originated by the apostle Paul. Well, I have news for you. Righteousness by faith is revealed all through the Bible, just as is grace. Many people have the idea that grace is a New Testament concept. No, no! Grace is indicated all the way from the Garden of Eden to the promised earth made new.

Righteousness by faith is what will allow God’s people to stand through the end times. If we do not have the concept of righteousness by faith and how to stand for the Lord Jesus Christ, we are going to fail when the pressures come. When the Goliaths come out against us, we are going to fall.

The strength of the enemy is presented in the form of Goliath. The Bible states that he was covered with a coat of mail—literally, clothed in a shirt with metal scales sewn onto the cloth so they would overlap one another. It was flexible, and it protected all sides of the body. Verse 5 of 1 Samuel 17 tells us that it weighed “five thousand shekels of brass,” which would be about 180 pounds. That was the weight of just one piece of Goliath’s armour! He had brass coverings on his legs and “a target of brass between his shoulders.” Verse 6.
We are not told how much those weighed, but brass is heavy. His spearhead weighed about 25 pounds and it topped a staff like a “weaver’s beam.” Verse 7. That was a heavy spear!

Goliath’s entire armour seems very heavy to us, but to him it was just normal gear. To those who saw him, as he rumbled down the hillside day after day and taunted Israel, he surely appeared to be an indomitable foe.

The armies were encamped on each side of the valley, because the valley was a very vulnerable place to be. Goliath knew that, so he would rumble down the mountainside and shout over to the Israelite army. The acoustics were so good that they could hear everything he said. When they saw and heard him, their hearts began to tremble. They were terrified. Israel was not used to seeing that kind of person.

Israel had not thought things through. Even though Goliath was huge and intimidating, they were not fighting alone. They should have at least considered that! Here was a giant of a man who weighed hundreds and hundreds of pounds, wore many pounds of armour, and acted as though nothing could interfere with his harassment of God’s people. But God would have worked for them—if they had allowed Him. God would have worked, even if David had not come upon the scene, if only they would have allowed righteousness by faith to prevail.

Servitude

All too often, the devil comes along to taunt and harass us. He is determined to discourage us. Unfortunately, we are just as scared of him as the Israelites were of Goliath.

“And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set [your] battle in array? [am] not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.” 1 Samuel 17:8, 9.

The interesting thing about this proclamation is that it was nothing but a great, big lie. We will see that as we study further. We are told that the devil has been a liar from the very beginning. The Philistines had no intention of being servants to Israel—but if they had won the battle, what do you think they would have expected of Israel? They would have expected Israel to become their servants. This whole setup should speak loudly and clearly to us.

Dismayed and Afraid

“When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” Verse 11. Saul was the leader of Israel. If anyone should have responded to the challenge of Goliath, Saul should have. He should have set the example. Goliath was a giant, but so was Saul. You may not have known that, but Saul was also a giant.

1 Samuel 10 tells of the calling of Saul and how, when they went to search for him, he was hiding among the baggage. (Verse 22.) He did not even want to respond to God’s call. When the searchers finally brought him out and stood him among the people, he stood head and shoulders above all Israel. (Verse 23.) He should have been the one who went out to meet the challenge of Goliath. When this loudly boastful Goliath came out, Saul would have immediately answered the challenge and defeated him, if his heart had been right in following the call that God had given to him. The Lord would have given him the victory.

Goliath’s taunting continued. Every day, for 40 days, he blasted the whole valley of Israel with his taunts and challenges. In our normal living, 40 days can go by quite quickly, but camped on a hillside with little to do but polish a spearhead, gather a little food occasionally, and listen to the taunting of a giant—40 days can be a long time. “When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.”

A Little Background

“Now David [was] the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose name [was] Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men [for] an old man in the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went [and] followed Saul to the battle.” 1 Samuel 17: 12. They enlisted in Saul’s army. They were a part of the organization. “And the names of his three sons that went to the battle [were] Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.” Ibid. David, it says in verse 14, “[was] the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.” This is not without significance.

This passage provides background information. It tells about David and what his position was in the family tree. He was the youngest, and it had been his task for some time to care for the sheep.

At this point, there is a flashback in the story line. Verse 15 says, “But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Beth-lehem.” This relates a little more background that is not necessarily pertinent to the story, but it is there for a purpose. It lets us know that there is more involved than just a story connecting David and Goliath.

Innocent Errand Boy

“And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched [corn], and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren.” Verses 16, 17. At this point, David was in Bethlehem, and Jesse had asked him to take a care package from home to his three brothers who were serving in the Israelite army.

“And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of [their] thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.” Verse 18. In verse 2 we read that “Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.” In verse 19, it says, “Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, [were] in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.” All that we have looked at so far has been filler information to get to the main point, but it has given us some very important background.

“David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.” Verse 20. Israel did not go out to battle or to shout. They were terrified. They were dismayed. They hardly knew how to open their mouths. “For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. And David left his carriage [the items that he brought] in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.” Verses 21, 22. You can imagine how glad they were to see him. Here they were drawn up in battle array and along came little brother to disrupt things. That was basically how they saw it.

Bold Giant

“And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: . . .” Those words he had spoken for 40 days—the taunts, the jeers, the manner of speaking against the children of Israel and Israel’s God—“David heard [them].” Verse 23.

There are times when sinners become so bold that they forget they are vulnerable. This is what gives sin its aggressiveness. In the time in which we are living, we can see that sin is very aggressive. It is taking liberties that it should never have been allowed to take. But we have acquired a lackadaisical attitude, thinking that all is well in Israel.

I want to point out that God will only allow sin to go so far. When it is time for God to bring judgment against sin, it often comes with blinding force—suddenly, quickly, with completeness, and many times with death and destruction. God’s plans know no haste and no delay. Sin will only be permitted to go so far.

Goliath thought that he was invincible. He daily paraded with all of his self-righteousness—that is what the armour represents in this story—on major display. Covered from head to foot with armour—his self-righteousness—he would shout his taunts at God’s people, and the Bible says, David heard it.

Perfect Love

“And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.” Verse 24. There are principles that are as true today as they were back then. One of these principles is that perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18.) Where were God’s people, at the moment God needed them the most? They were terrified. If perfect love casts out all fear—and these people were very afraid—what was in their hearts? Was love there? No. There was no love for God or for man, because perfect love would have cast out that fear. God’s people were terrified of this man, Goliath. They had heard these same taunts day after day for 40 days and had done nothing.

David heard the taunting, and he began to inquire, in the hearing of his brothers, what all of this was about. “And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up?” How could they not have seen him? “Surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, [that] the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.”
1 Samuel 17:25. David was not im-pressed with the promised reward. He had heard the challenge of this man against the children of Israel and against Israel’s God, and he cared that there was no response from Israel.

“And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.” Verses 26, 27.

Last Day Parallels

Here were two armies—the camp of Israel and the camp of the enemy. They were drawn up in battle array. We can draw some parallels from this with last day events.

There will be battles in the last days. There will be wars. There will be wars waged between righteousness and unrighteousness. Those on the side of righteousness will be very few in number—a little remnant, we are told. (See Early Writings, 66.) Remnant means small in number.

The great controversy is being played out right before us. On one side of the valley is the army that represents the forces of the devil, and the army on the other side represents the organized church. Pause for a moment and think about that; let it sink in, because in fact, that is the way it is—the enemies of God against the organized church. It should have been the organized church that was out there fighting the battle, because it had organization. It had captains of thousands. It had people in positions of leadership. It had money. It had armament. It had everything that counted, as far as going into battle was concerned. But there was one thing that it lacked. It lacked the power of the Holy Spirit.

King Saul should have led his troops into battle and pulled down the devil’s strongholds, but he was terrified. He had no power of the Holy Spirit operating in his life, so there they were in a standoff. Israel was too afraid to move.

This is basically where we find ourselves today. The Seventh-day Adventist denomination is too afraid to go into battle against the enemy of God and his laws. As a result, nothing is happening. There is an occupation of ground, a standoff in the hastening of the day of the Lord’s return. Scripture after Scripture would validate that statement.

Independent David

Notice that David was not a part of either group. Arriving on the scene late in time, David was small, and he was young. Does that ring any bells? David was historic. David knew the true God. He had spent time getting to know God. David was independent of Israel’s army. The Bible tells us that. He was independent of the structural forces of King Saul. Saul was supposed to do the work, but he was not doing it, so God called historic, independent David onto the scene to accomplish the work that Saul would not do.

The question needs to be asked, Who really was the church back then? Was it Saul and his forces that were the visible representation of God’s people, or was the true church represented by small David who came late on the scene?

You did not know that lesson was in the story of David and Goliath, did you? But it surely is! These accounts are written as instructions and examples to us who are living in the very end of time. They are there so we will be able to take courage and come victoriously through the time of trouble that is before us.

Resentment

This account parallels what we are facing today, so much so that it almost seems prophetic. Notice verse 28: “And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he [David] spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.” That was all David needed to hear. Here he came, happy to see his brothers who, in God’s army, were fighting the battle and trying to win the victory. He began to make inquiries when he heard the big giant. The first response he heard from his own kinfolk was, “Shame on you, you naughty little boy. I know why you are down here.” What a good object lesson in family relationships! David, bless his heart, asked, “What have I now done? [Is there] not a cause?” Verse 29.

This brother, Eliab, was one of the church members, if you please, in Saul’s group. He came to David with numerous accusations, because David was not part of the group. He thought that David had come to the battleground to satisfy some curiosity on his part. He had no idea at all what was in David’s heart.

Words Travel Quickly

After David had spoken to his brother in Saul’s church, he turned to other members in the structure of Israel. Verses 30 and 31 say, “And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed [them] before Saul.” David inquired, “Who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Verse 26. So it was reported to Saul what David had said.

This tells me that the Israelites had quite a telephone campaign, so to speak, because the word got clear back to Saul—quickly. David was out in the middle of the army somewhere, and by word of mouth, his questionings got back to Saul. In verse 31, we are told that Saul “sent for him,” and verse 32 continues, “David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him [the Philistine]; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

Just a Stripling

A little bit more of the picture is given in 1 Samuel 17:56. “The king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling [is].” A stripling is not a Mr. America or a Mr. Universe. A stripling is a bony, skinny, teenage boy who has not yet filled out his muscular maturity. Everyone recognized that. There was Goliath, wearing hundreds of pounds of armour, and there was this little stripling, who came to the king, a giant in his own right, and said, “Don’t let anyone’s heart fail because of this giant. I’ll tell you what. I’m going to fight him.” (Verse 32.)

And Saul said, “Go for it David. We’ll sit here and watch you.” Right? Oh, no. Would that it had been that way. “Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him.”—You are just a youth. He is a man of war. “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep . . . .” Verses 33, 34. “Here are my qualifications,” offered David. “I am a shepherd.”

This should say something to us. Of whom was David an example? Ah, yes, the Great Shepherd. David was a shepherd. And, he said, “I have kept my father’s sheep. And I will tell you what! There came in a lion . . . .” (Verse 34.) Our adversary, the devil, goes about as a roaring lion. (See 1 Peter 5:8.) Is the lion any match for Jesus? No.

There are several parallels that may be made of the beasts from which David protected his sheep. (1 Samuel 17:34.) The lion was the first beast in Daniel’s vision of chapter 7. The bear and the lion could represent Babylon and all of the things that Babylon could bring against the church in the last days. The bear, in Daniel’s vision, represented Medo-Persia. Babylon and Medo-Persia had a completely different philosophical approach by which to come at God’s people. Those things are recorded here for a reason. David said that a bear came and took a lamb from the flock. Babylon likes to come in and gather God’s people away from Him.

Shed Self-righteousness

“And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered [it] out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught [him] by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.” And, David said, besides all of this, “The Lord that 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. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And
David girded his sword upon his armour,” and he tried in vain to move. 1 Samuel 17:35–39.

Stop and think about what we have covered so far. There was Goliath. There was Saul, a giant in his own right. There was Saul’s huge armour. There was David, a puny, little teenager, and Saul loaded all of his armour on David, then said, “Now go get him.” David tried in vain to move and could not. Let me tell you something, friends. You cannot go anywhere with self-righteousness. That is what these texts are telling us. David said, “I cannot go with this stuff,” and he removed all of it.

“And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip [that is the bag]; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield [went] before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was [but] a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.” Verses 40–42. There was probably no one that challenged good looks more than David did.

Confrontations

“And the Philistine said . . . [Am] I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.” Verse 43. As we go out and challenge for God, we will be confronted with every vile epithet that can come out of the mouth of a human being. With God’s help, we must ascend above those things. I know what it is like to be in the work force and hear the language that is there. I know what it is like to be standing in line and hear the conversations going on around me. But we must rise above those things, if we are going to be able to stand in these last days, and we have got to do it with the spirit of David.

“And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield . . .” With all your armour of self-righteousness you come to me. “But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth.” Verses 44–46.

An Example

Why was this going to happen? It was going to happen as an example that there was indeed a God in Israel. This was why Daniel confronted Nebuchadnezzar. This was why the three Hebrew worthies confronted Nebuchadnezzar. They said, “You do not need to play the music again. We have already made our decision. We are going to stand for what is right.” (Daniel 3:15-20.)

Goliath had come rumbling into the valley for 40 days, casting his voice across the mountainside. When David heard him, he said, “Your time of probation is up. It is all over. Today, I am going to give you to the fowls and to the beasts that the whole earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:46.)

“And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.” Verse 47. Goliath could not stand to have the gospel preached to him. Those were fighting words, as far as he was concerned, because, verse 48 says, “And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.” David took off on a run. He hasted, it says, and he went “to meet the Philistine.”

We often have a tendency to sit back and think, “I will just watch this situation and see what happens.” But David took off on a run to meet the enemy, as the enemy was coming toward Israel. And then “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 the Philistine, and slew him.” Verses 49, 50.

This is where the story gets kind of gruesome. I do not understand this, but it is there, and I have to accept it for what it says. David took the Philistine’s sword out of its sheath and cut off his head. “And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.” Verse 51.

Liars

“We will be your servants! You just send someone out here, and if you can kill our giant, we will serve you.” No, they would not! They were liars! They were part of the devil’s host of liars, and they took off, fleeing.

“And the men of Israel and of Judah arose.” Verse 52. This is always the case. There are those who will go out and challenge for God. They may receive all kinds of wounds and may even sacrifice their lives, but others will try to claim the victory and the fruit. I have seen this happen repeatedly. The children of Israel, who were in a state of apostasy, attempted to claim the victory of David over the Philistines. They did do a job. They chased their enemy all the way to the gates of Ekron, and the wounded of the Philistines fell down along the way, even to Gath, and unto Ekron. (Verse 52.)

“And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.” Verse 53. They were more interested in the material belongings of the world than in validating the God of heaven.

This is a wonderful story of righteousness by faith versus righteousness by works. It is a wonderful story of how we should be able to stand in these last days. It is a wonderful story of how to prepare for the last days that are coming.

I Have Kept My Father’s Sheep

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God says to us people, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8, 9. David’s story makes this very clear.

Picture two big armies standing on hilltops facing each other, a creek in the bottom of the valley and the battle set in array. “For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.” 1 Samuel 17:21. These two armies had been standing there for forty days and nothing had happened; then David came. “And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.” Verses 22, 23.

David had been sent at his father’s command to take supplies to his brothers who were soldiers in the Israelite army. Upon his arrival he saw the giant Goliath standing out in front of the enemy’s army. “And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” Verse 10.

For forty days this giant had been challenging the army of Israel and nothing had happened. David was disappointed and shocked at the reaction of the army. “And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.” Verse 24.

Who are these men, trembling at the very sight of the Philistine giant? These are the professionals of Israel—the best warriors of the nation. They have all the credentials, all the training, all the diplomas and degrees needed. Yet when the challenge comes, they are afraid and ready to retreat. Even the rewards promised did not tempt them. The King said, “that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” Verse 25. What more could be offered to the hero? All the riches and honors of the world are offered, even the daughter of the king! Yet with all that was offered there is no one ready to stand up and accept the challenge.

How did this affect the young David as he comes out to salute his brothers? “And David spake to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Verse 26. David saw a bigger perspective in this battle. It was not an ordinary battle that was taking place. It was the battle between the Philistines, representing the world of Satan, and Israel, representing the living God. The Israelites were the depositaries of God’s law. The insults hurled at the Israelite army reflected upon their God. It was this perspective that David was trying to bring to Israel’s soldiers who were afraid of the big giant.

Like Israel, it is not for our sakes that we must fight; we must fight for the truth. We, as Seventh-day Adventists, are not just another Christian Church among many others that are fighting in a battle.

“The Lord chose a people, and made them the depositaries of His truth. It was His purpose that by the revelation of His character through Israel men should be drawn unto Him. To all the world the gospel invitation was to be given. Through the teaching of the sacrificial service, Christ was to be uplifted before the nations, and all who would look unto Him should live.” The Review and Herald, November 12, 1903.

The sacrificial system, along with the sanctuary service, was to be Israel’s instructor. The Israelites were a special people in their day, and they were to teach a correct understanding of the plan of salvation to the surrounding nations.

The sanctuary truth makes us different from any other church on the earth. It is through that truth that we are to teach the people and show forth the character of God that many people may be brought to the light.

The parallels between this situation and what is happening in Adventism today are obvious. We certainly see the reproach that has been brought upon the cause of God. No longer are God’s people the leading people of this earth. They have become the tail. The Lord’s work is folding up in many places in the world and falling back; this is a reproach to God’s work.

What has happened in Scandinavia over the last five years is shocking. Institution after institution is folding up and going under. People everywhere are asking the question, What happened to these people? Is there still a God that is leading?

We have been known in Scandinavia for decades for our health work. Danish books, written in years past describing churches, reveal that a large percentage of Physical Therapy clinics in Denmark were staffed and operated by Seventh-day Adventists as part of their mission. These physical therapists were educated at the Skodsborg Sanitarium. That sanitarium was part of the great mission of Adventism. But that sanitarium no longer functions and very few of the clinics are run by Adventists anymore. You wonder what people think today as they read those books and question whether that church is what it used to be? There is a heavy reproach upon the Lord’s people all over the world.

 

False Accusations Against God’s People

 

As soon as David begins to encourage the men, he is accused of false motives. “And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mayest see the battle.” 1 Samuel 17:27, 28.

Here is a man who is trying to instill a broader perspective into the Israelite soldier’s hearts and what is he being charged with? His own brother accuses him of selfish motives. He said, “You are trying to make yourself something.” He attacked his character.

Does that sound familiar today? The people who stand up for truth are slandered. Their motives are questioned. It encourages me to see David’s response. He did not try to vindicate himself or make all his motives right in their eyes. “And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?” Verse 29.

We are not to justify ourselves. That is God’s work. If we are slandered and our characters are ruined, it is the Lord’s work to make it right. Our only thought should be, “Is there not a cause?” What can we do to uphold God’s cause? God will take care of our reputations.

“And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.” Verse 30, 31.

“And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight this Philistine.” Verse 32. David was ready to take up the challenge. The master’s call today is who will go for Me? David answered that call.

“And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” Verse 33. Saul was not ready to risk the kingdom on David. He was not convinced that this young man could do anything. He was saying, “What do you have that makes you think that you can go up and accomplish this work? Look at the giant. He is a man of war from his youth.” In other words, He is experienced. He has his credentials. He has his education. He has a certificate, all his degrees, anything the world could offer him. He was the mightiest soldier and warrior of his time. There was no way David could go out against him in worldly terms.

Everything was at stake here. The challenge of the giant was, “Give me one man.” How was David to convince the king that he could go? We often hear today, “No, you are not ready. We cannot send you out.” How are we to convince anyone? “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear: and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, the Lord hath 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.” Verses 34–37.

David’s first words in answer to Saul’s questions were, “I kept my father’s sheep.” There as a shepherd boy, David had learned the skills that prepared him to be used to conquer Goliath. David had an experience with God and that was his qualification. He knew that God was with him and that God had worked miracles for him before. He knew that God would work miracles for him again. He went out to fight for His cause, for His name’s sake, as he fought sheep caught by a lion or bear.

It was this faith and trust in God that were his qualifications to go out to fight. “And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go.” Verse 38, 39.

Saul said, Yes, you may go, but if you go, you had better go the way I tell you and use the methods that work. You need to use the strategies that have given results in other battles. Science has shown that this armor is the best armor. This is what every other army uses when they fight.

Were these worldly methods good enough? Today, when we attempt to win souls, we look around at the other churches in order to find the methods that have proven successful for them and that they think are working. Then we adopt the practices of other churches that God never sanctioned. God says, “Learn not the way of the heathen.” Jeremiah 10:2. David knew that. He knew that these methods were not the methods that God could bless. “And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.” 1 Samuel 17:39.

He took them all off and said, No; these methods do not work. I will use what I know God can bless. So he put aside all of these methods used by the other nations. We should today also. The methods that we are told are working in other Christian churches are not for God’s people. We have methods in the Bible, and these are the methods we need to be using. We need to study and find them and put these other things aside.

 

God’s Simple Methods

 

“He took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in his shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.” Verse 40.

I can just imagine the Israelites laughing at him for trying to use these simple things against a world empires with all of its methods and techniques. But David was not ashamed. He took his simple weapons and went, unafraid, because he had seen that God had worked miracles with them. Remember, this was how he had conquered the bear and the lion.

Some read the Word that tells us what to do, and they shake their heads and say, “It sounds too simple to me. People will laugh at me if I use these simple things.” There are some people that laugh at any one who uses hydrotherapy. They say, “This is what we used one hundred years ago. We have better methods now.” But God’s methods work. Though they may be simple, they help to win souls.

In Romania, two years ago, we held an evangelistic crusade. Afterward we did home visitation. One day in the market place we met a lady. She came up and asked, “Can you come to our home and study with us?” When we went to her home, we found that her feet were black and swollen and without feeling. As soon as the medical missionary with us saw that, she said, “I can help your feet.” She began with simple hydrotherapy. Within a few days the feeling began to come back into the lady’s feet. She had been going to doctors for years and they could not help her, but because of God’s methods, she could soon walk normally with no pain. After having Bible studies in her home, the whole family, except the father, was baptized.

God’s simple means will work miracles, though the world may despise them. Take the simple Word of God with you. Some people laugh and say it is just a fable; others point to the theologians and their big books, but it does not matter. We can go with God’s simple means, in faith, knowing that God will work through them as He has promised.

“And the Philistine came on and drew nigh unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest against me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.” Verses 41–43.

How many of us are ready to stand the ridicule when we go out using God’s methods? We are often afraid of what people will say about us. We only want to do what is popular and accepted. We need to learn to be able to stand for what we know is right. “The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” Verses 44, 45.

It was not just the armies of Israel that Goliath was defying. It was the God of heaven. It was in His name that David went out to do this battle. David’s only interest was to vindicate the name of the Lord and to bring honor and glory back to His people. He said, “This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” Verse 46.

David went forth with an assurance that is amazing for a young man, facing the battle that he faced. But he knew that God was with him and nothing would shake his faith. He was doing an appointed work for God, and he went forward into battle. He said, “And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” Verse 47.

We must take up that same challenge, going out and using God’s methods to show the world that there is a God who can still work miracles and that His principles can work in our health and educational institutions. Never forget, these principles work today. We do not need to bring worldly policies into our institutions. God’s simple methods work and He blesses them.

“So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.” Verse 50. “All the wonders which God has wrought for His people, have been performed by the most simple means. When the people of God are wholly consecrated to Him, then He will employ them to carry forward His work on the earth.” The Signs of the Times, June 30, 1881.

Do we have the experience that David had, of knowing that the Lord has worked miracles in our lives? If not, we need to get it, because it is faith and trust in God that will enable us to go out in the battle to work for our King.

“In this closing work of the gospel there is a vast field to be occupied, and more than ever before, the work is to enlist helpers from the common people. Both the youth and those older in years will be called from the plow, from the vineyard, and from various other branches of labor, and sent forth by the Master to give His message. Many of these have had little opportunity for education. To human wisdom the outlook for them would seem discouraging. But Christ sees in them qualifications that will enable them to take their place in His vineyard if they put their hearts into the work and continue to be learners, He will fit them to labor for Him.” General Conference Bulletin, July 1, 1902. God is looking for a people that are ready.

Young people, do not worry if you do not have a worldly education and degrees. The Lord can use you where you are. If you are a farmer or a plumber or whatever your skills may be, the Lord can use you. He sees qualifications in you that He can use in His work.

People who have simple faith and trust in God, and take Him at His word, He can use. Be a learner of God and make sure that you improve the talents that you have. Then you can be used.

Paul reminds us, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and the things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence.” 1 Corinthians 1:27–29.

God uses simple means and simple people so that He might be glorified by our working for others. Do you want to be part of that army of workers that will reestablish the glory of His people and take away the reproach that has been put upon us by those who are not ready to use His methods in His work? The Lord will turn the captivity of Zion. Are you ready to be a part of those that the Lord can use?

Notice what gave Peter and John their ability. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13.

That is our qualification. If we spend time with Jesus, He will educate us and prepare us to take a place in His army, and take away the reproach of His people. We must be ready to let Him develop in us the faith, trust and courage that it will take to go out against the mightiest of this world. Are you ready to be part of that army? Are you ready to say, “I have kept my Father’s sheep and through that experience I am ready to go forward”?

The Lord is ready to do a mighty work for His people, to finish the work that has been started on this earth. This big battle will be finished and people will see that there is a God in Israel who still works. May we all work faithfully to that end that we soon may go home and together meet our Lord.