Sunday, January 26, 2014

"Their Carcass Is Toast"

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 1 Samuel 17:50

David prevailed over the Philistine with something as simple as a sling and a stone for a very good reason. There was no sword in his hand. He had something else. The word of his testimony!
I'll show you what I mean starting in verse 23 it says that Goliath came out and gave his 'speech' according to the same words and it ends with this statement, "So David heard them." He also saw, 'And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. verse 24. He heard and saw the same giant as every other man on that battlefield but these are the words he spoke in response to what he saw and heard. "For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

Next thing we see his brother is upset with him for making such statements of faith. He sends a couple of accusations David's way. David's response is, "What have I done now. Is there not a cause?" Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these answered him as the first ones did. verses 29-30 As David continued to speak word got back to Saul and he sent for him.

Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him, your servant will go fight this Philistine." 17:32  Saul takes one look at him and despite his words and his willingness to go fight he makes this statement, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 17:33 The king, the authority took one look at him, judged him and spoke these words to him, "You are not able. Your too young. He is too good. You can't win." Did that stop David? No. The next words he spoke were not words of defeat. 17:34-37 He explained that he had experience killing big, bad, and scary and delivering the lamb from the jaws of death. He had dealt with the lion and bear and this Philistine would be no different. ..."The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." 17:37

Saul hears him and gives him permission. He then tries to give him his own armor and sword. David refuses and goes out to battle with what he knows. His staff in one hand. Some stones in a bag and a sling in his other hand. He steps out on the field. It says that Goliath took one look at David and he disdained him for he was but a youth. It says that he cursed him and threatened to feed his flesh to the birds and the beast. David isn't affected by the giants words. His response, "You come at me with a sword, a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day  the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." 17:45-47

And it was so, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David that he hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. I think this is one of my favorite verses. He hastened and ran toward the army... He put action on the wings of the words he had just spoken. He ran towards the fulfillment of them fully believing in what was about to happen as he reached in that bag to take a stone.

From the moment David heard and saw Goliath defy the army of God it was in his heart to do something about it. His family, the king, and the giant himself all had words to say that could have discouraged him from accomplishing what was in his heart to do. The confession of his mouth, the word of his testimony, "The Lord God is with me, He will deliver me!"  The confession of his mouth was always one of faith. Don't let family, friends, authorities, or even the giants themselves steal the victory from you. Like David, you don't need a sword in your hand to slay giants. Do what David did tell them that their carcass is toast! Why? Because the battle is the Lord's!

No comments:

Post a Comment