Articles
The Difference-Maker
Twice a day for forty days, the stalemate continued. The Philistines’ pride was Goliath, 9½ feet tall. Fully armed and extremely intimidating, Goliath repeatedly dared Israel to put forward a man to fight him. There were no takers.
Except one
When David the young shepherd arrived on the scene, he heard Goliath’s challenge. His reaction was totally different from everyone else’s: “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26 NASB).
When David announced he would take on the giant, King Saul was skeptical. David then cited the times he had successfully killed a lion and bear that attacked his flock. “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” (v. 37).
When David went out to face Goliath, he said, “. . . I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel . . . . This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands . . . . that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel . . .” (vv. 45-46).
In a few moments it was all over. Goliath lay prone on the ground, beheaded.
The Philistines fled, with Israel in hot pursuit.
So what made the difference?
Note in David’s statements quoted above he consistently expresses confidence in God.
To Saul’s army, it was Goliath versus Israel. To David, it was Goliath versus God.
And he knew which had the greater Power.
We deal today with the same God David did.
Oh, to believe as David did!
