The Battle Belongs to Yahweh

Saul has been rejected by the Lord but is still on the throne as king of Israel. David has been anointed and in 1 Samuel 16:13 “the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon David from that day on”. While Saul struggles, David has favor. The Philistines continue to trouble Israel so Saul is drawn into battle formation against them but no one wants to make a move. Goliath, a giant Philistine warrior, taunts the men of Israel, but they all know he would defeat them and they tremble in fear. But the Philistines don’t make a move either. They have sometimes been defeated by this God of Israel so both sides wait. Then this boy, David, the baby of the family, the errand boy brings food for his warrior brothers. When David hears the challenge, he rises to respond, in 1 Samuel 17:47 “the battle belongs to Yahweh, and he will give you into our hands!”. David takes on the fight for all to see and wins.

He Has Found Favor in My Sight

1 Samuel 16:14-23
Saul has been rejected as king by the Lord and Samuel has left him in

1 Samuel 15:34–35 Then Samuel went to Ramah and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel mourned over Saul, and Yahweh regretted that he made Saul king over Israel.

This was hard for Saul because in

1 Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul and an evil spirit from Yahweh tormented him.

But Saul is still on the throne. Saul’s servants are trying to help him and of all the people in their world, David is suggested in

1 Samuel 16:18 One of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing a stringed instrument, a brave man, a warrior, prudent in speech, and handsome. And Yahweh is with him.”

David has already been anointed by Samuel in the presence of the elders of Bethlehem and his brothers. Samuel knew it was for David to receive the “Spirit of Yahweh”, to receive the power to become king but this was not disclosed, for the others, it was just an anointing of God’s blessing in

1 Samuel 16:13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. Then the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon David from that day on. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

and now, we understand how David came into view by leaders among the Jewish people, how he may have come to be known by the servants of the king, and why Saul responded as he did in

1 Samuel 16:21–22 So David came to Saul and entered his service. He loved him greatly and he became Saul’s armor bearer. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, because he has found favor in my sight.”

I Defy the Battle Lines of Israel Today!

1 Samuel 17:1–11

Find Out How Your Brothers Are Doing

1 Samuel 17:12–19

All the Men of Israel Were Very Afraid

1 Samuel 17:20-30
David is still the keeper of the sheep for his father Jesse as described in 1 Samuel 17:20. David is also still the youngest son, the baby of the family, so sent on this errand to bring food to his warrior brothers.

David had been described as Saul’s armor bearer earlier, but this was a palace title where David could “stand before me” in 1 Samuel 16:22, but now, “While Saul was fully occupied with military maneuvers he would not need his minstrel, so David was back home for a while”.¹

As David arrives, he hears “the war cry” and rushes with the army toward their “battle line, and came and asked how his brothers were doing” in 1 Samuel 17:22

Goliath continues to taunt the army of Israel as he has in previous days and in 1 Samuel 17:23 “David heard his words”.

And as he does, he also hears the talk of the soldiers, but his is their fear talking, no one expects to go up against Goliath. In their minds, these rewards are unattainable because no one can defeat this Philistine giant in

1 Samuel 17:25 And the men of Israel said, “Did you see this man who has come up? For he is going up to defy Israel! It will be that the man who defeats him, the king will make him very rich with great wealth and will give him his daughter in marriage and will make his father’s house free in Israel.”

But David is responding, it is the anointing, the Spirit of Yahweh is on him and “In answer to his question (Did you see this man?), David learns of the threefold prize which will go to the one who will kill Goliath, including, along with riches and a royal bride, free status for his family in Israel. This last privilege, exempting the victor’s family from service to the king at court, was tantamount to bestowing equality with the king.”²

Even David’s older brother rebukes him in 1 Samuel 17:28. Who is David to be speaking boldly as if he could do anything. But David had thrown the challenge in

1 Samuel 17:26 … saying, “What will be done for the man who defeats this Philistine and removes the disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he defies the battle lines of the living God?”

Your Servant Will Go and Fight

1 Samuel 17:31-39