King Saul is devoting his life to killing David because he irrationally believes that David is out to harm him. 1 Samuel 24 tells a different story.

When Saul came back after dealing with the Philistines, he was told, “David is now in the wilderness of En Gedi.” Saul took three companies—the best he could find in all Israel—and set out in search of David and his men in the region of Wild Goat Rocks. He came to some sheep pens along the road. There was a cave there and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were huddled far back in the same cave. David’s men whispered to him, “Can you believe it? This is the day GOD was talking about when he said, ‘I’ll put your enemy in your hands. You can do whatever you want with him.’ ” Quiet as a cat, David crept up and cut off a piece of Saul’s royal robe. (1 Samuel 24.1 – 4, MSG)

David confronts Saul:

Oh, my father, look at this, look at this piece that I cut from your robe. I could have cut you—killed you!—but I didn’t. Look at the evidence! I’m not against you. I’m no rebel. I haven’t sinned against you, and yet you’re hunting me down to kill me. (1 Samuel 24.11, MSG)

Saul repents and acknowledges that David will be king:

When David had finished saying all this, Saul said, “Can this be the voice of my son David?” and he wept in loud sobs. “You’re the one in the right, not me…You’ve heaped good on me; I’ve dumped evil on you. And now you’ve done it again—treated me generously. GOD put me in your hands and you didn’t kill me…May GOD give you a bonus of blessings for what you’ve done for me today! I know now beyond doubt that you will rule as king…” (1 Samuel 24.16 – 20, MSG)

So David and Saul are reconciled, and David returns with Saul to serve him as before…Uh, no.

Then Saul went home and David and his men went up to their wilderness refuge. (1 Samuel 24.22, MSG)

Saul will be at it again in chapter 26. Jesus didn’t trust people either:

During the time [Jesus] was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover Feast, many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. But Jesus didn’t entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. He didn’t need any help in seeing right through them. (John 2.23 – 25, MSG)

David leaves the Cave of Adullam and moves about in the wilderness. For example:

David continued to live in desert hideouts and the backcountry wilderness hills of Ziph. Saul was out looking for him day after day, but God never turned David over to him. David kept out of the way in the wilderness of Ziph, secluded at Horesh, since it was plain that Saul was determined to hunt him down. (1 Samuel 23.14, 15, MSG)

You should have an idea of the kind of area David was in.

Because of its lack of water and good routes, the Judean wilderness has been (mostly) uninhabited throughout history. Consequently it was an ideal place for those seeking refuge from enemies or retreat from the world. When on the run from King Saul, David hid in various places in the Judean wilderness (the Wilderness[es] of Ziph, Maon, and En Gedi are part of the Judean Wilderness). – https://www.bibleplaces.com/judeanwilderness/

David’s hiding was complicated by the fact that the folks who did live there were often eager to hand him over to Saul:

Some Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Did you know that David is hiding out near us in the caves and canyons of Horesh?…So whenever you’re ready to come down, we’d count it an honor to hand him over to the king.” Saul said, “GOD bless you for thinking about me! Now go back and check everything out. Learn his routines…Scout out all his hiding places. Then meet me at Nacon and I’ll go with you. If he is anywhere to be found in all the thousands of Judah, I’ll track him down!” So the Ziphites set out on their reconnaissance for Saul. Meanwhile, David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the desert south of Jeshimon. (1 Samuel 23.19 – 24, MSG)

Note: God is with David; he is NOT with Saul, despite Saul’s flippant use of God-talk: “God bless you for thinking of me!”

I wrote earlier that God had to protect David and his reputation, and he used various means to do it. In this case:

Saul and his men arrived and began their search. When David heard of it, he went south to Rock Mountain, camping out in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard where he was and set off for the wilderness of Maon in pursuit. Saul was on one side of the mountain, David and his men on the other. David was in full retreat, running, with Saul and his men closing in, about to get him. Just then a messenger came to Saul and said, “Hurry! Come back! The Philistines have just attacked the country!” So Saul called off his pursuit of David and went back to deal with the Philistines. That’s how that place got the name Narrow Escape. (1 Samuel 23.25 – 28, MSG)

God can even use the enemy for his purposes!

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. (Proverbs 21.1, ESV)

And there’s a psalm:

A David psalm, when the Ziphites reported to Saul, “David is hiding out with us.”

God, for your sake, help me! Use your influence to clear me. Listen, God—I’m desperate. Don’t be too busy to hear me. Outlaws are out to get me, hit men are trying to kill me. Nothing will stop them; God means nothing to them. Oh, look! God’s right here helping! GOD’s on my side,…You got me out of every scrape, and I saw my enemies get it. (Psalm 54.Intro, 1 – 4, 7, MSG)

In my 20 years in the US Air Force, I observed two types of senior leaders. Some would come to a unit and immediately work on transferring in people they had worked with before. Within a year, these leaders would have formed a team with people they had worked with, and possibly trained, before. Others would come in and build a team with what they had. Both types of leaders could be effective, but I always admired those who could work with what they had. Not all of us have the luxury of bringing in a whole new team.

What kind of leader was David? What sort of team did he build?

So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all. (1 Samuel 22.1, 2, MSG)

“…losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader.” Wow.

Back to Saul, NOT hiding in a cave:

Saul got word of the whereabouts of David and his men. He was sitting under the big oak on the hill at Gibeah at the time, spear in hand, holding court surrounded by his officials. He said, “Listen here, you Benjaminites! Don’t think for a minute that you have any future with the son of Jesse! Do you think he’s going to hand over choice land, give you all influential jobs? Think again. Here you are, conspiring against me, whispering behind my back—not one of you is man enough to tell me that my own son is making deals with the son of Jesse, not one of you who cares enough to tell me that my son has taken the side of this, this… outlaw!” Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, spoke up: “I saw the son of Jesse meet with Ahimelech son of Ahitub, in Nob. I saw Ahimelech pray with him for GOD’s guidance, give him food, and arm him with the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” (1 Samuel 22.6 – 10, MSG)

Recall that David lied to Ahimelech, who had no idea that David was on the run. No matter. Saul had Doeg kill him anyway, Ahimelech and his entire family except for his son Abiathar who escaped and joined David. (See 1 Samuel 22.11 – 22)

We have David’s reaction in Psalm 52:

A David psalm, when Doeg the Edomite reported to Saul, “David’s at Ahimelech’s house.”

Why do you brag of evil, “Big Man”? God’s mercy carries the day. You scheme catastrophe; your tongue cuts razor-sharp, artisan in lies. You love evil more than good, you call black white. God will tear you limb from limb…Pull you up by the roots from the land of life. Good people will watch and worship… And I’m an olive tree, growing green in God’s house. I trusted in the generous mercy of God then and now. (Psalm 52.Intro, 1 – 3, 5 – 8, MSG)

And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. (1 Samuel 22.2, ESV)

Yesterday we saw the start of David’s taking his departure from his friend Jonathan and fleeing from Saul. There are 11 chapters left in 1 Samuel, and most of them are taken up with various events in this cat-and-mouse game. The challenge is that not only must God preserve David’s life, but God also must preserve his reputation so that he can become king, starting a new dynasty. We’ll see, as is common in scripture, there is “no magic formula.” The means of deliverance are different every time.

He first goes to Ahimelech, the priest, who gives him the bread from the Tabernacle and Goliath’s sword when David tells him that he is on an urgent mission from King Saul (see 1 Samuel 21). Jesus even cites this event, referring to Ahimelech’s son Abiathar, who will join David’s band in the next chapter:

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” (Mark 2.23 – 26, ESV)

Then David goes to Achish, king of Gath, where, when recognized,  he feigns madness!

“Oh,” said David, “there’s no sword like that! Give it to me!” And at that, David shot out of there, running for his life from Saul. He went to Achish, king of Gath. When the servants of Achish saw him, they said, “Can this be David, the famous David? Is this the one they sing of at their dances?

Saul kills by the thousand, David by the ten thousand!”

When David realized that he had been recognized, he panicked, fearing the worst from Achish, king of Gath. So right there, while they were looking at him, he pretended to go crazy, pounding his head on the city gate and foaming at the mouth, spit dripping from his beard. Achish took one look at him and said to his servants, “Can’t you see he’s crazy? Why did you let him in here? Don’t you think I have enough crazy people to put up with as it is without adding another? Get him out of here!” (1 Samuel 21.10 – 15, MSG)

An inauspicious start for David as he flees from Saul. He lies to the priest and then pretends to be crazy in the presence of Achish (referred to as “Abimelech” in Psalm 34’s introduction). Those are two ways to escape!

We continue to look at David’s reactions to these events.

Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears…This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!…Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34. Introduction, 1 – 4, 6 – 8, 19, ESV)

David kills Goliath, and the Israelites win a great victory, BUT David’s relationship with Saul is poisoned beyond repair:

As they returned home, after David had killed the Philistine, the women poured out of all the villages of Israel singing and dancing, welcoming King Saul with tambourines, festive songs, and lutes. In playful frolic the women sang, Saul kills by the thousand, David by the ten thousand! This made Saul angry—very angry. He took it as a personal insult. He said, “They credit David with ‘ten thousands’ and me with only ‘thousands.’ Before you know it they’ll be giving him the kingdom!” From that moment on, Saul kept his eye on David. (1 Samuel 18.6 – 9, MSG)

Saul attempts to kill David twice. (You have to wonder why a guy has a spear in his hand while sitting in his own home!)

The next day an ugly mood was sent by God to afflict Saul, who became quite beside himself, raving. David played his harp, as he usually did at such times. Saul had a spear in his hand. Suddenly Saul threw the spear, thinking, “I’ll nail David to the wall.” David ducked, and the spear missed. This happened twice. (1 Samuel 18.10 – 11, MSG)

Saul keeps sending David into battle hoping the Philistines will kill him. That doesn’t work, and chapter 19 opens with Saul ordering his servants to kill David, but Jonathan talks his father out of it.

Saul listened to Jonathan and said, “You’re right. As GOD lives, David lives. He will not be killed.” (1 Samuel 19.6, MSG)

But Saul gets into another bad mood, throws his spear again, and David escapes out the window of his house at night. Good thing, because Saul sent soldiers to kill him the next morning. David goes to Samuel in Ramah, and Saul sends men to kill him there, without success (1 Samuel 19.9 – 23).

Jonathan and David are good friends, but Jonathan seems to have a hard time understanding that his father is trying to kill David:

David got out of Naioth in Ramah alive and went to Jonathan. “What do I do now? What wrong have I inflicted on your father that makes him so determined to kill me?” “Nothing,” said Jonathan. “You’ve done nothing wrong. And you’re not going to die. Really, you’re not! My father tells me everything. He does nothing, whether big or little, without confiding in me. So why would he do this behind my back? It can’t be.” But David said, “Your father knows that we are the best of friends. So he says to himself, ‘Jonathan must know nothing of this. If he does, he’ll side with David.’ But it’s true—as sure as GOD lives, and as sure as you’re alive before me right now—he’s determined to kill me.” (1 Samuel 20.1 – 3, MSG)

So the two devise a plan for Jonathan to discern his father’s intentions. David stays away during an important series of feast days, and we have this exchange:

But the day after the New Moon, day two of the holiday, David’s seat was still empty. Saul asked Jonathan his son, “So where’s that son of Jesse? He hasn’t eaten with us either yesterday or today.” Jonathan said, “David asked my special permission to go to Bethlehem…That’s why he’s not here at the king’s table.” Saul exploded in anger at Jonathan: “You son of a slut! Don’t you think I know that you’re in cahoots with the son of Jesse, disgracing both you and your mother?… Now go get him. Bring him here. From this moment, he’s as good as dead!” Jonathan stood up to his father. “Why dead? What’s he done?” Saul threw his spear at him to kill him. That convinced Jonathan that his father was fixated on killing David. (1 Samuel 20.27 – 33, MSG)

Duh. Saul tries to spear Jonathan, too. “That convinced Jonathan…” He reports to David, and David begins his exile.

Jonathan said, “Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in GOD’s name, saying, ‘GOD will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!'” David went on his way and Jonathan returned to town. David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest. (1 Samuel 20.42 – 21.1, MSG)

How would it feel to be anointed the next king and then have to run for your life from the present king who is a lunatic? A good question, but we don’t have to wonder. David has left us a record of how he feels in the Psalms. We’ll try to match them up as we go along.

To the choirmaster: according to “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me; deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men. For behold, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men stir up strife against me…But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. (Psalm 59. Introduction, verses 1 – 3…16 – 17, ESV)

The annual extravaganza known as March Madness, or the NCAA Basketball Tournament is over. It’s always a fun event although I must admit I found that watching games between teams I didn’t care anything about was boring. BUT, there is always excellence, and excellence should be honored.

There were the usual surprises. My school, Clemson, actually won three games – a shocker! Kentucky, a perennial contender, 3-seed this year, got bumped in the first round by Oakland University (who?), a 14-seed. Turns out they had a graduate student, Jack Gohlke, who could shoot 3-pointers. They almost won their second game which went into overtime before NC State finally prevailed. NC State ended up going to the Final Four.

That’s what makes the tournament fun: teams and players you’ve never heard of and may never hear of again have their moment in the sun. Speaking of, one fun highlight reel was Audie Crooks, the freshman center for the Iowa State Women, 6′ 3″ tall but twice as wide as anyone on the court poured in 40 points to lead a come-from-behind effort against Maryland. She’s won three state titles in…wait for it…shot put.

And while we’re on the women’s game, all eyes were on Caitlin Clark of the University of Iowa who broke all scoring records this year. To get to the Final Four, Iowa had to beat LSU, who beat them in last year’s championship game. Jason Gay of the Wall Street Journal wrote a beautiful summary of that game. Here are a few snippets:

If you left me alone in a well-lit gym for the next 800 years, I could not do what Caitlin Clark did Monday night [April 1] versus LSU.

Sure, I could probably score a few points, dribbling around by myself. I could hit a few layups, maybe nail a jumper or two, throw up a 3-pointer and have it plummet like a dead goose through the net. I’ve been getting into shape—I’m confident I could run up and down the court at least four times before I stopped to call a doctor and a priest.

But to pull off what Clark pulled off, in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA women’s tournament, amid absurd hype and crushing expectations, against a fired-up rival and defending champion, the abrupt end of her historic, record-setting college career looming? 

…She’s bent the boundaries and angles of women’s basketball, with her extreme shooting and peerless vision. She takes five shots a game that would get mortals benched for the rest of the season, and hits at least three.

…I worship the passes—the full-court transition bombs; the crisp bouncers to a cutter running at the basket; the no-look, over-the-shoulder darts…

Let’s review the numbers versus LSU: 40 minutes (she played every minute), 41 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, one block and 9 of 20 from the 3-point line and beyond. – Jason Gay, Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2024

Here are Caitlin Clark’s highlights from that game, worth the four minutes if you admire artistry. (She’s #22 in white.)

They got by UConn in the Final Four and lost the championship game, this year, to the best team in basketball, the University of South Carolina. It’s said that South Carolina’s second string is better than most team’s starters. Carolina finished the season 38 – 0. After the game, coach Dawn Staley had special words of praise for Caitlin Clark and appreciation for “lifting up our sport.”

Caitlin exited the arena, head high, smiling, flashing the heart sign to her fans.

On the men’s side, UConn took on Purdue, where both teams have centers over 7 feet tall. Purdue’s Zach Edey was college men’s player of the year, and he scored a game-high 37 points. But Purdue lost 75 – 60, just as Iowa lost with Caitlin Clark, women’s player of the year being the game’s leading scorer. Proving, once again, that great teams often beat teams with great players.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1.27, ESV)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9.24 – 27, ESV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12.1, 2, ESV)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4.7, ESV)

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. (Ecclesiastes 7.2, ESV)

Because we didn’t follow our original plan to drive to my daughter’s lake house in Arkansas for the eclipse, on Saturday, I was able to attend the memorial service for my friend Mike Schmid who passed on his 72nd birthday, March 5, 2024. I’ve written about Mike before.

Mike Schmid with his wife Lorelei.

Here are some highlights from the memorial service, conducted by my friend Tom Anthony. When Tom moved back to the Colorado Springs area after a few years on staff at Max Lucado’s church in San Antonio, Texas, he was on staff at the large church Mike was attending. I’m proud to say that I connected them, and it became a fruitful relationship for both.

• Mike became a believer at the Air Force Academy, and one of his colleagues there was Harry Durgin who spoke. Harry pulled out a Navigator memory verse card and said, “We’ve always been big on scripture memory. Here’s the scripture; I’ve lost the memory! Sorry Mike.”
• Jerry White, President Emeritus of The Navigators explained how Mike came to Christ:

Mike came to my Navigator Bible class at the Air Force Academy, thinking it was on navigating an airplane. Then he saw me, as a young major, teaching the Bible. He soon came to faith, influenced by other cadets.

• Jerry also said something that could be an answer to a question I’ve asked frequently lately: “Why does God take the good ones so early?” Jerry quoted Genesis 5.24:

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5.24, NKJV)

• Finally, Tom led us in a meditation on Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3.14 – 21, which I’ll share shortly. He said Mike’s main takeaway from his four-year battle with cancer was that God loved him. We often say something like “We serve God because we love God,” and that’s true. But Mike came to believe:

God wants my love more than he wants my service.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians was that they experience God’s love. As Tom said, “A deep, relational, down-to-the-core love.” I close with Paul’s prayer, which was read at the beginning of the service and three times during Tom’s remarks:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches

• he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
• so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
• And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,
• to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ
• to know this love that surpasses knowledge—
• that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3.14 – 21, NIV, parsed for clarity)

I hope you got to see at least part of the eclipse today. We didn’t drive into totality as we had planned, but we did get 67%, the fuzzy shadows, and the crescent shadows:

I grabbed a few screenshots off of the NASA feed, including the “diamond ring” over Dallas and Bailey’s Beads over Arkansas, two places we could have traveled to.

Finally, my cousin Dan in the Dallas area sent pictures he made from his backyard:

The heavens still declare the glory of God!

Other lessons? My son Mark said, “We made the best decision we could have based on the data we had.” True. In this case, the cloud predictions were (thankfully) wrong, and I’m happy for all the people who were able to see the eclipse. And, just as “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (see Luke 12.15), a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his exotic experiences either. We saw a total eclipse in 2017 and an annular eclipse in October 2023. It would have been nice to see this one…nice but not essential.

Bob (left), Mark (far right), granddaughter Kesley (in front of me) and two other friends in 2017, western Nebraska. The “lifesaver” at the top of the picture is the total eclipse.

It’s Eclipse Day! A reminder of the regularity and precision of God’s creation and the creativity of our mathematicians and astronomers to figure it out. An Eclipse Is Evidence of Things Unseen by Christian astronomer Luke Leisman, published April 4 by Christianity Today is worth the read.

This eclipse location site is as good as any. Click on a city for information:

timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8

As I write this a couple of days in advance, Mark and I have scuttled our plan to drive to Fort Worth to see it. Cloudy weather is predicted for much of the eclipse’s path of totality.

If you are near the path of totality, and there are no clouds, do NOT be satisfied with 98% or something like that. There’s totality, and not totality, and there’s a huge difference. This cartoon captures it:

Annie Dillard, whom I have quoted before, also captures the difference in her own unique way:

A partial eclipse is very interesting. It bears almost no relation to a total eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him, or as flying in an airplane does to falling out of an airplane. Although the one experience precedes the other, it in no way prepares you for it. – Annie Dillard, “Total Eclipse,” in Teaching a Stone to Talk

This is totality. We saw the “diamond” in 2017 and made plans then to see this April 8, 2024, eclipse. The center of the path of totality includes our daughter’s lake house in Arkansas…but, alas, clouds are predicted for there too. So this eclipse will happen without our being in totality.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19.1, ESV)

Peter quotes Joel on Pentecost:

“In the last days,” God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2.17 – 21, NIV)

Today is proof of concept.

I hope you can see some of the eclipse. Remember to wear eclipse glasses or watch the shadow through a pinhole. Light diffused through trees sometimes reveals the moon’s shadow on the sun. We saw this phenomenon last October, and the folks from New York we met in New Mexico at the October 2023 eclipse are planning to take in the eclipse from the shore of Lake Ontario. Maybe they’ll send us a picture!

We come to the remarkable story of David and Goliath. So many lessons…

The enemy:

A giant nearly ten feet tall stepped out from the Philistine line into the open, Goliath from Gath. He had a bronze helmet on his head and was dressed in armor—126 pounds of it! He wore bronze shin guards and carried a bronze sword. His spear was like a fence rail—the spear tip alone weighed over fifteen pounds. His shield bearer walked ahead of him. (1 Samuel 17.4 – 7, MSG)

The Challenge:

Goliath stood there and called out to the Israelite troops, “Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? And you’re all committed to Saul, aren’t you? So pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you’ll all become our slaves and serve us. I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a man. Let us fight it out together!” (1 Samuel 17.8 – 10, MSG)

Of course, as Navigator Skip Gray pointed out, there’s no requirement that the Israelites accept his challenge. Charge, and let 10 guys take care of Goliath if necessary.

David the shepherd did not go to battle – just his three oldest brothers. David’s father, Jesse, sends him to the battle line, and he goes responsibly:

David was up at the crack of dawn and, having arranged for someone to tend his flock, took the food and was on his way just as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the army was moving into battle formation, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines moved into position, facing each other, battle-ready. David…ran to the troops who were deployed, and greeted his brothers. While they were talking together, the Philistine champion, Goliath of Gath, stepped out from the front lines of the Philistines, and gave his usual challenge. David heard him. (1 Samuel 17.20 – 23, MSG, emphasis mine)

David’s perspective: this dude is challenging God!

David, who was talking to the men standing around him, asked, “What’s in it for the man who kills that Philistine and gets rid of this ugly blot on Israel’s honor? Who does he think he is, anyway, this uncircumcised Philistine, taunting the armies of God-Alive?” (1 Samuel 17.26, MSG)

There’s an ugly exchange with Eliab: big brother against the youngest, revealing something of Eliab’s character, but David ignores him (see 1 Samuel 17.26 – 30).

David’s experience. It seems that David is at least an older teenager, not the young boy often depicted in art for children:

Saul answered David, “You can’t go and fight this Philistine. You’re too young and inexperienced—and he’s been at this fighting business since before you were born.” David said, “I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive. GOD, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.” Saul said, “Go. And GOD help you!” (1 Samuel 17.33 – 37, MSG)

David takes his own weapons, not Saul’s:

Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge. David told Saul, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this.” And he took it all off. Then David took his shepherd’s staff, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s pack, and with his sling in his hand approached Goliath. (1 Samuel 17.38 – 40, MSG)

They trade trash-talk:

The Philistine ridiculed David. “Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?…Come on. I’ll make roadkill of you for the buzzards. I’ll turn you into a tasty morsel for the field mice.”

David answered, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day GOD is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that GOD doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to GOD—he’s handing you to us on a platter!” (1 Samuel 17.43 – 45, MSG)

Goliath didn’t have a chance. He brought a knife to a gunfight.

That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt. (1 Samuel 17.48 – 49, MSG)

Artillery from a distance beats hand-to-hand combat every time, especially artillery launched by a Spirit-filled, God-empowered man.

A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle–my lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and the One in whom I take refuge… (Psalm 144.1, 2, NKJV)