Destined to Reign

1 Samuel 17:32-51

David Kills Goliath

This is a popular story of the shepherd boy David who slaughtered the giant Goliath.

The armies of Israel and the Philistines were encamped on opposite hills, separated only by the Valley of Elah. The Philistine champion, Goliath, was dressed in full armour and stood in the valley, for forty days challenging any Israelite to a duel. No one among Israel’s ranks dared to accept Goliath’s challenge.

There had been many previous encounters between these two armies. Since the Philistines mastered the technology of ironworks, they held the military advantage over Israel. Israel was on the verge of defeat!

The hearts of the Israelite sank at the sight of Goliath. Finally, the youthful David stepped forward and said to King Saul, “There is no need to be afraid of that Philistine because I will engage him in a duel.”

Saul proceeded to equip David with his own armour, a bronze helmet, and a coat of mail. David strapped his sword over his armour but he couldn’t move properly under the weight of everything he had put on. The armour of a king who was rejected by God was not fit for David!

So David picked up his shepherd staff and collected five smooth stones from the brook into his shepherd pouch. He approached the Philistine with a sling in his hand. This was an asymmetrical fight!

When Goliath looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, with a ruddy and unseasoned appearance. Goliath said to David, “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods and said, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field” (vv. 43-44).

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 battle is the LORD’s” (vv. 45-46).

When Goliath arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground (vv. 48-49).

There was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled (vv. 50-51).

What is the main point of this narrative?

We will interpret this story from its plot structure. Chapter 17 consists of two main trajectories that reach their climax when David beheaded Goliath.

First, 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” (v. 33).

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” (vv. 34-36).

The narrator is highlighting that David was a good shepherd who did not hesitate to lay down his own life to strike down bears and lion in order to save his flock. Today he stepped forward, in full view of the Israelite assembly, to kill Goliath. David saved Israel from the paws of the enemy. The narrator’s goal is to declare that a king, the saviour of his people, has emerged! David was the great shepherd and the ruler of the nation. The people were his flock.

From that time onwards, the word spread, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” Earlier on, the prophet Samuel anointed David in secret, but now was the time for David to display his royal flair in public.

Secondly, David was clothed in his shepherd attire, held to his shepherd staff, and armed with smooth stones to fight Goliath. David was using the techniques he employed against wild animals to battle Goliath. Goliath’s own words highlight this point, “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?” (v. 43)

Here, the narrator is emphasising David’s extraordinary vision. People regarded Goliath as a fearsome warrior, but David saw him as a mere barking beast. Such extraordinary vision is the basis for David’s royal demeanour.

So here’s what this narrative is about – a chronicle of the emergence of God’s chosen king! The chosen king’s royal demeanour was based on his extraordinary vision. So what can we learn from this today?

Christians Are Royal Priests

Have you considered that we too are God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, and co-rulers with Christ? Did you know that we are to enjoy an abundant and victorious life to testify God’s abundance?

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.”

Perhaps we do not see how we fit into the image of a king. Perhaps we know of some non-believers who, like Goliath, seem to be more magnificent and successful. They are the ones who look more like kings. But from God’s perspective, which is the perspective of spiritual reality, we are God’s royal priests. We have a royal status. The problem is whether our lives today reflect our status as kings.

How does your life match up with your status as a king?

Let us be confident in our Christian confession. In every field, we should step forward and do our best to shine for the Lord and be His testimony. As kings, we should be neither servile nor overbearing. We should not be hesitant or feel unworthy. At the same time, we are not to be domineering or arrogant. We should not be calculative with God and with people.

Royal priests are God’s representatives on the earth who co-work with Him. We are stewards of God’s deputised authority. We have the responsibility to resist evil, carry out justice, do God’s will, build our communities with righteousness and love, and govern the earth. This was the original purpose when God created human beings in His image and placed them in the Garden of Eden. Human beings were made to represent God and carry His authority to govern the earth. But our ancestor, Adam, rebelled against God and did not fulfil his mission.

Today we who believe in Jesus are united with Christ. This is the recovery of our royal status and life. Let us all treasure this healthy and positive picture of a royal priest. Every day, by the power of the Spirit, let us live out this wonderful life and not cultivate the negative attitudes that are filled with complaints, low self-esteem, and self-destruction!

Royal Vision

If we are to have the “royal swag,” so to speak, then we ought to have a royal vision of seeing things. The royal perspective transcends that of the commoners. The difference is in values of life. The royal demeanour is founded upon extraordinary vision!

When a businessman, an artist, and an environmentalist look at the same tree, they all see different things because they have different perspectives. Let us now compare our perspective with the perspectives of the people of the world. Is there a difference?

In every stage of our lives, it is inevitable that we face various kinds of “Goliaths” clamouring around us. The devil attempts to frighten us with life’s difficulties. The devil also tempts us so that we may compromise on matters of sin. Perhaps we may even abandon the faith!

Today you need to confront the “Goliaths” in your life. God wants to give us a transcendent vision so that we may see through the problems that beset us. He wants to give us a transcendent vision so that we may see through the devil’s temptations and deceptions. God wants us to transcend these obstacles so that we may enter into the abundance of His good pleasure.

David’s slaughtering of Goliath to save Israel prefigures Jesus Christ who saved sinners by overcoming Satan and sin through His death on the cross. The salvation afforded to us by Jesus Christ enables each and every one of us who are in Christ to reign with Him. We are given this extraordinary vision to defeat the devil.

We must not give any ground to sin. We should not use the values of the world to weigh our decisions. In our daily life, we should evaluate every problem and base our decisions on the principles of the Bible. That is why we are called “a holy nation”, separated and different from the other people of the world.

When we adhere to God’s laws and cling to His power, all the “Goliaths” will become small. We can defeat them and knock them down! The Lord Jesus has overcome the evil one and we who rely on Jesus will likewise be victorious.

Do you have that “royal swag” about you? May you realise your status and have your perspective lifted up so that you may engage your daily life positively. We can depend on the authority and grace given by the Lord Jesus to knock down “Goliath” and live out the Davidic “royal swag.”