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)