For He Has Defied the Armies of the Living God!

For He Has Defied the Armies of the Living God!

Currently there are two questions that I ask myself pretty frequently these days.

1) How much do I really love God?

2) If I really love God, how much do I really hate sin and everything that he hates?

These are pretty simple questions but have led to many other questions that have kept me thinking. This past Tuesday I shared the passage on David and Goliath for our devotional time. If you’d like to read it again and refresh your memory, it’s 1 Samuel 17. I’ve heard the story from other people and from summaries in story books of the such, but reading it straight from the Bible, from the original account, I must say, I was amazed and encourage by it.

There were several things that stuck out to me, but before that I’ll just give you a brief up to date with the story so far. The nation of Israel wanted a physical king over them and God anointed Saul to be their king, but Saul rebeled and took things into his own hands. God took his blessing and his spirit from Saul. The nation of Israel are currently at war with the Philistines and they have this giant of a man Goliath who challenges them, and everyone is pissing their pants. David has three older brother in the army and is told to give them food from their father to see how they’re doing.

1) Goliath’s defiance of Israel

so Goliath, the giant of a man, goes out each day and gave this challenge, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” (1 Samuel 17:10 ESV). He saw himself as defying the ranks and the nation of Israel.

2) David’s thoughts on Goliath’s action and challenge

– And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26 ESV)

I was at awe at his response. Not only did David think of it as as reproach, which was a disappointment or disgrace, to Israel but it he took it one step farther and considered it a defiance to the armies of not Israel, but the LIVING GOD. I have a couple of Goliaths in my own life, my sin, my fears and the such, but I’ve never seen them as a defiance and challenge to the Living God Himself, I only thought it was my problem. I sometimes think that i’m in my own little world.

David is then sought out by Saul and offers himself to fight Goliath

3) His trust in, dependence on, and relationship with God

– And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!” (1 Samuel 17:32-37 ESV)

He is so offended that Goliath has made this challenge to the living God and he reassures Saul that he can do this. He tells Saul of how he has killed lions and bears just to save his sheep and that Goliath will be like one of these bears and lions, why? “FOR HE HAS DEFIED THE ARMIES OF THE LIVING GOD.” He does not even count the victories that he had over those bears and lions his own, he solely glorifies and praises God for those victories and is more than positive that just as God delivered him from those animals, He will protect him from Goliath. Sometimes I think I am honestly fighting my own battles, I forget that the Living God is my Lord and Savior. I forget that I am His son, His servant, His soldier. I forget that I only have strength because of Him who gives it to me.

4) His response to Goliath

– Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with 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 down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47 ESV)

David knew that Goliath had nothing on him. You know what David thought of Goliath’s weapons? a sword, spear, javelin? USELESS. Cuz David knew his weapon was the most powerful of all, because he came “in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.” Now that’s a weapon you can boast about. I honestly don’t think I boast about how great our God is enough in my life. I have forgotten how might He is. Just reading this passage aloud gives me the tingles down my spine. He says to Goliath, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head.” We don’t even have to go into what he says about what’s he’s going to do with the Philistines. But man, that confidence!! David was sure that the Lord was mighty to deliver and stood firm on it! Why is he doing all this? “that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear.” He was doing this for God’s glory! He saw that God’s glory and name was offended and fought hard to bring it to the top of everyone’s mind! He wanted everyone to know who His daddy was!

My Thoughts/Questions that came from reading this:

1) What is holding us Christian back from having this kind of a relationship with God? How strong is our relationship with God right now?

2) What is our Goliath?

3) Have we already declared victory in our own battles because we know that the Living God is with us?

4) IMAGINE IF ALL THE CHRISTIANS ON THIS CAMPUS WERE LIKE DAVID!

 

I don’t think it’s a revival that we need because Cornell never had a “vival” in the first place, I believe we need Davids on this campus who know that the battle was over before it even started!

 

For His Glory,

Will Poon

3 Responses

  1. Charlene says:

    Do you mean Goliath “defied” or “defiled” the armies of the living God?

  2. Jamie Tsai says:

    i think that one of the reasons we dont fully trust God is because we haven’t fully turned all of our affections towards him and set our lives upon Him. We aren’t consumed by Him.

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