Facing the Impossible

Experiencing David’s Challenges

Angaryliov;yan Timax

“or2a-ov;ivnnyr Tavi;i Hyd

1 Sam 17:1-11

We are walking with David and learning from his experiences. We move from his music and poetry at the palace, to the field, a war zone. God anointed David as a king. A shepherd became a king. His qualities were many: “…who is skillful in playing (a musician), a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him” (1 Sam 16:18).

David’s first mission was an unexpected one to be a musician in the court. Not any kind of musician, a musician who was filled with the Spirit of Lord.

Two anointed kings: one lost God’s presence, and the other was filled with God’s Spirit. What a contrast!

The setting of the war (17:1-3)

The narrator describes the war zone. The Philistines were threatening the Israelites. The two armies had taken high positions on a hill with a valley between them.

“And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.” (17:3)

Descriptions of the Giant (the impossibility) (17:4-7)

“And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span….” (17:4)

Goliath’s height is incredible, his nickname is champion (literally meaning a man of the space in between), his armor is very heavy and his helmet alone is 125 pounds (57 kilos). It is interesting how the narrator describes this man from top to bottom. We are facing a mission that is impossible.

The threat (17:8-11)

“Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants.” (17:8b,9a)

This threat continued for forty days. Everyday this giant man would come and dare the Israelites. And everyone was afraid of the situation, including King Saul.

We find Jesse sending his son David to a second mission after being anointed as a king. This time instead of the palace, he sends his son to the war zone.

We find an interesting picture here: a young boy David, from the city of Bethlehem was sent with a mission to take food to his brothers. I am not sure his father knew what was going on, but he was sending his youngest son to the field to take food to his brothers and bring good news back.

We will continue in English.