| Is this the best known of all the stories in the Bible? It is one of the first stories heard in Sunday School. It is very doubtful, however, if David was really the teenaged boy usually depicted. Possibly he was in his later teens or early twenties when this incident took place. Every part of the story can have an up-to-date application. For example, here are the same two companies of people, whom we find in the world today - the people of God and the enemies of God. Verse 3 says there was a valley between them, a clear division. There was no middle ground. There was a war between the two companies. There still is. The Philistines seemed to have been the most consistent and bitterest enemies the Israelites had. Today there may not always be bitter opposition by the world against the church, but there cannot be fellowship between them. On both sides there was a "champion". Goliath was certainly a giant (v.4) and full of defiance. He seemed almost unbeatable. For six long weeks he defied the Israelites. He is a picture of Satan, the prince of the world. Satan seems so strong and his temptations seem so often irresistible. But there is a champion on the other side too. No doubt it should have been Saul, who was not only the king, but also the tallest man in Israel. But Saul had lost his spiritual power through his disobedience (1 Samuel 16:1, 4). Had he fought Goliath in his own strength, he might have been sadly defeated. If Goliath had won the contest, all Israel would have been slaves to the Philistines (v.9). God had other plans, however. He had his "champion" ready. David was not part of the Israelite army. He was at home minding sheep. God was preparing him for the future. David was ready to step out with God and claim the victory for God and His people. A VERSE FOR TODAY: "This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4) | 
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