Bringing Down Giants

Last time, I shared some insights from Malcom Gladwell on David’s advantages over Goliath. In this blog, we’ll consider Dutch Sheets’ perspective on David’s spiritual strengths in his book Giants May Fall.

While David had visible weapons (a sling and stone), he likewise had invisible tools at his disposal. Faith guarded him from the front like a shield. Spoken words, brandished like swords, carved a clear and certain picture of that faith.

David Knew Who Goliath Was Not

David formed one layer of his faith shield by recognizing who Goliath was not. In 1 Samuel 17:26, he called the giant an “uncircumcised Philistine.” This wasn’t name calling, on David’s part. It was an attempt to remind his nervous countrymen that Goliath had no covenant with God.

Israel’s singular mark of circumcision denoted who stood behind them—the Lord of Hosts. The blood that flowed from their sons suggested a connection to the sacrificial blood poured around the altar. It also foreshadowed the blood that would one day flow from their covenant partner’s Son, the Christ of God. His life, poured out in their defense, would guarantee the agreement between God and His people would stand, even when humans broke the bargain.

David Knew Who God Was

The second layer of David’s spiritual sheild was his confidence in who God was. It was also a recognition of who Israel was to God. As far back as Genesis 17:8, the Lord had promised the very land on which Goliath stood as an everlasting inheritance for the children of Abraham. The title deed had been renewed with Isaac and passed on to Jacob (later known as Israel). The Philistines could not possess what belonged to Israel.

A third layer of his faith shield was David’s personal relationship and history with God. His own experience with God made David bold enough to declare, “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” (1 Samuel 17:37).

David Knew What God Could Do

Lessons learned in the sheepfold not only formed a defensive weapon for David, they formed an offensive one. David drove bold words toward Goliath like sharp swords.

“You come to me with a sword, 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 . . . that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. . . . For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:45–47). Once these words were brandished out loud and David brought Goliath down, an entire army began to flee from him in terror.

Faith and words become shield and sword. Confident in the difference between what opposes us and who defends us, we make a declaration of our faith. Conviction becomes a flaming sword if we pronounce it out loud. Together, they can bring low what stands against us.