It seems incredible that the giant Goliath repeated his challenge morning and evening for almost six weeks (v.16). Almost as incredible is the fact that no Israelite took up his invitation. He was not only defying Israel but also Israel's God. "Give me a man." He shouted. Then God began to move. God had a man willing to accept Goliath's challenge. In this story David is a remarkable picture of Christ. Did you notice where he was? In the father's house. Who sent him? His father. To whom? His brethren. He brought with him so much to offer them. His brethren were willing to accept what he brought but would not accept him. They rejected him and accused him of wrong motives. Look at Eliab's words in verse 28. So it was with Christ. John 1:11 says, "His own did not receive him." But David persisted in spite of this criticism and opposition. That is not always easy. Criticism can be so cruel, even among our Christian brothers and sisters. We can all be guilty of doing it, sometimes without realizing how much we are hurting our fellow believers. What helped David in this test? His past experiences and his faith in God. In verses 34-36 David told how God had helped him kill both a lion and a bear when they came to steal sheep. He believed the God who gave him the power to do that would enable him to defeat Goliath no matter how powerful the giant might be. David knew from experience what God could do. Can we see the lesson here for ourselves? Why does God allow many of the experiences we pass through? He does it so that our faith will be strengthened for greater experiences in the days ahead. REMEMBER: "The One who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) |
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