It’s fitting the day after Memorial Day and before we leave the story of David, which continues through 2 Samuel, we mention that God values warriors. How do we know? Because he devotes the end of 2 Samuel 21 and most of chapter 23 to listing warriors and their exploits. Today let’s look at chapter 21 which answers the age-old question: “Why did David choose five stones when he went to fight Goliath (1 Samuel 17)?” The answer, according to long-time Navigator Skip Gray, is simple:

Goliath had four brothers!

When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint.

• Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him…
• Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant.
• Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
• Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants. (2 Samuel 21.15 – 22, NKJV, emphases mine)

Four giants, each killed by one man, identified by name!

I was teaching an adult Sunday School class once, and one of the attendees objected to some military reference that I made. I replied something like, “My brother, I don’t write this stuff. I just report it!” The Bible is full of stories of battles in the Old Testament and metaphors of battles in the New. God often is looking for people who will fight these battles.

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?”…And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17.26, 32, ESV)

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” (Judges 6.12 – 14, NKJV)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6.10 – 13, ESV)

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5.4, 5, ESV)