Delivered. Session 8 1 SAMUEL 17:32-37, God uses faithful servants to deliver His people.

Transcription

1 Session 8 Delivered God uses faithful servants to deliver His people. 1 SAMUEL 17:32-37, David said to Saul, Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him. 33 Saul replied, You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. 34 But David said to Saul, Your servant has been keeping his father s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he Date of My Bible Study: 81

2 has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with you. [...] 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 Come here, he said, and I ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals! 45 David said to the Philistine, You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord s, and he will give all of you into our hands. 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. Look in these verses for specific examples of trusting God and faithfully serving God. If heroism was defined by these qualities, how would that change your perspective about everyday tasks? FIRST THOUGHTS Few adults consider themselves heroes. The same is not true for children. As a kid, all you need is a tablecloth cape and a little imagination, and you can save the world. Around every tree is another 82 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

3 villain to stop, a robber to catch, or a damsel in distress. When we transition from childhood to adulthood, we tend to lower our expectations from saving the day to just doing our best. What if God intended the fantasies of childhood to prepare us for the adventures of adulthood? Is it possible that God is calling us to a heroic life, but we ve wrongly defined what it means to be a hero? What heroic characteristics or feats most appealed to you as a child? The account of David and Goliath has become synonymous with heroism, taking on big challenges, or doing the impossible. The bigness of the story makes it exciting, but it s that same quality that makes it hard for people to relate. Most of us are not fighting giants or saving a nation. We re holding down jobs. We re making mortgage payments. We re dropping off our kids at ball practice, going to school and church, and trying to live well. Who has the time or energy to think about heroic adventure? First Samuel 17 teaches that heroes do in times of crisis what they ve faithfully done in times of calm. David s early life was a picture of trust in God and faithful service. Yet there is an even greater truth in this chapter, for it points us to Jesus, who faced the giants of sin and death. He won the victory that we could not win on our own, and His victory is ours. He is the ultimate Hero. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT 1 SAMUEL 17:1-58 Context is crucial. Not only does it set the scene, it also establishes themes and patterns in the text. A major theme in 1 Samuel is faithful leadership. The leadership of Israel transitioned from judges (Eli and Samuel) to kings (Saul and David). Eli and Samuel are considered to be the last two judges; Saul and David are the first two kings. Regardless of our title, God wants us to be faithful. In the second session, we saw how God delivers His message through His faithful followers (1 Sam. 3). In this session, we see how God uses Session 8 : Delivered 83

4 faithful servants to deliver His people. One truth will be very clear: God employs and empowers faithfulness. He does not require brilliance; He does not need human strength; and He is not impressed by status. David was faithful in simple tasks (watching sheep and taking supplies to his brothers). Ironically, it was his faithfulness in simple tasks that put him in situations where he had to trust God in major ways. Had David not been watching the sheep, he would not have encountered the bear or lion (17:34-36). Had David not taken supplies to his brothers, he would have never heard the taunts of Goliath (17:23). Faithfulness in simple tasks can put us in situations where we have to trust God in major ways. EXPLORE THE TEXT CONFIDENCE IN GOD (1 SAM. 17:32-37) VERSES David said to Saul, Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him. 33 Saul replied, You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. There is a major difference between prideful confidence and godly confidence. Prideful confidence believes I can do it. I am able. I will make it work. The emphasis is on the self. Godly confidence believes God is able. God is sovereign. God is victorious. The emphasis is on God. Scripture teaches us to trust in God s ability not our own (1 Chron. 29:11-12; Ps. 135:6; Prov. 3:5-6). While Philippians 4:13 says, I can do all this through him who gives me strength, the emphasis is clearly on him who gives me strength. Jesus removed all doubt when He said, apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). David was confident that God would bring victory. Goliath did not taunt just any army; he taunted the armies of the living God (1 Sam. 17:26). When referencing Goliath s challenge (vv. 8-10), David said: Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him. In spite of the incredible odds against him, David had faith that victory is always in God s hands. Even though David was confident, Saul had doubts. David was only a young man, while the Philistine had been a warrior from his youth. 84 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

5 Seeing the differences in age, experience, size, and preparedness, Saul thought the fight would be over before it started. From a physical perspective, the odds were definitely in Goliath s favor. From a spiritual perspective, Goliath never stood a chance. Saul questioned David s experience in battle. How could David s lack of battle experience have been a disadvantage? How could it have been an advantage? BIBLE SKILL: Compare and contrast passages with related themes. Read Luke 2:41-50 and Luke 4:1-13, identifying actions that prepared Jesus as a leader. Compare these actions to the actions taken by David to prepare to be a leader. What is unique? What is similar? What role did their relationship with the Father play in their preparation? VERSES But David said to Saul, Your servant has been keeping his father s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. To convince Saul, David shared how God had previously enabled him to kill a lion and a bear. Let that thought sink in for just a moment. Very few people survive an attack by a lion or a bear. Apart from this story, have you ever heard of someone surviving an attack by both? The fraternity for lion and bear survivors has to be small. David did not enter that fraternity by choice. He was a shepherd (1 Sam. 16:11; 17:15), charged with tending his father s sheep. The primary duties of a shepherd are to guide, sustain, and protect Session 8 : Delivered 85

6 the flock. Protecting the flock is a full-time job. Sheep are accidentprone and easy targets for dangerous animals and robbers. David s courage was remarkable. If the average person were to see a lion or a bear carry off a lamb, he would probably write it off as a loss. David actually went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. The language suggests not only a willingness to protect the sheep, but an eagerness to take the fight to the enemy. This eagerness is seen in David s battle with Goliath. The final part of the verse is also incredible: When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. By its hairis also translated by his beard or by the chin. Two ancient translations, the Chaldee and Septuagint, translate the phrase as the lower jaw and the throat respectively. The picture is pretty clear. David grabbed the lion and the bear by their necks and killed them. VERSES Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with you. David drew from God s past faithfulness to argue for God s faithfulness in the future: The Lord who rescued me will rescue me. The word paw literally means hand. God rescued David from the hand of the lion and the bear, and He would rescue him from the hand of this Philistine. After hearing of God s deliverance in the past, King Saul told David, Go, and the Lord be with you. This phrase echoes a servant s previous description of David (16:18). The spiritual dichotomy is somewhat sad. The the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, but came powerfully upon David (16:13-14). Saul had the power to reject David s offer and find another warrior. For that matter, Saul could have fought Goliath himself. Based on former descriptions of Saul, he was literally head and shoulders taller than most people (9:2). But David made a compelling case. His insistence on God s past protection was instrumental in changing Saul s heart. 86 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

7 While it might seem cowardly for Saul to send David, his decision was somewhat courageous. The conditions of the combat were extreme. If David lost the fight, the Israelites would become the servants of the Philistines (17:9). It s doubtful that Saul made this decision on a whim. Saul needed a strong level of confidence in David s ability to fight. David s loss would have impacted the nation. How can God use our past as a foundation for our future? How can a person s past experiences help him or her succeed in the future? FALSE CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF (1 SAM. 17:42-44) VERSES He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 Come here, he said, and I ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals! David was confident that God would prevail. Goliath was confident that his abilities were unmatched. The Philistine probably felt invincible based on his size and experience. His prideful confidence perfectly illustrates a biblical truth: pride goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18). Goliath s pride was hurt when he saw that David was his competition. He despised him because of his appearance. David was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome. While those qualities may work well when dating, they re not optimal for gaining respect in battle. Warriors respect size and skill. Warriors respect scars. Warriors do not respect healthy and handsome. The Philistine either overlooked David s sling or he discounted the sling s ability to inflict any real harm. Instead, he focused on the staff in David s hand. Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks? The implication is that a stick might be appropriate for beating a dog (the lowest of animals; see 1 Sam. 24:14; 2 Sam. 3:8; 9:8; 16:9), but it s insufficient for stopping a champion. He continued his verbal assault when he cursed David by his gods. Goliath finished the insult by promising to give David s flesh to the birds and the wild animals! Session 8 : Delivered 87

8 If Goliath s size were not intimidating enough, his psychological assault could also illicit fear. In what items or people do we sometimes place our confidence? What are the limits of each item or person? How do those limits point to our need to trust in God at all times with all things? GOD S VICTORY (1 SAM. 17:45-50) VERSES David said to the Philistine, You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord s, and he will give all of you into our hands. Humility and confidence are not mutually exclusive terms. It s possible to walk humbly while brimming with confidence in God. David was confident in God s ability through him. In verse 46, David claimed the victory, predicted the timeline (this day), shared the consequences (both for Goliath and the Philistine army), and verbalized the stakes (the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel). David turned many of Goliath s arguments back on the giant. Goliath taunted David for fighting with a stick (v. 43); David taunted Goliath about the ineffectiveness of his sword and spear and javelin. Goliath boasted in his ability to kill David (v. 44); David boasted in God s ability to defeat Goliath. Goliath promised to kill David and give his corpse to the birds and the beasts (v. 44); David promised to kill Goliath and the Philistine camp and do the same thing. Goliath cursed David by his gods (v. 43); David fought Goliath in the name of his God (v. 45). If David s taunts seem prideful in any way, his motives should clarify any confusion. David was not fighting for personal gain or glory. He was fighting so that the whole world will know that there is 88 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

9 a God in Israel. David wanted all people to recognize the God of Israel and know how He delivers His people. God does not need weapons of war (Ps. 44:3-7) or the power of people (Zech. 4:6). God is the sovereign Deliverer, and the battle is the Lord s. David discerned a theological purpose in this battle. Every challenge, trial, and problem is an opportunity for God to show Himself strong before the world. KEY DOCTRINE: The Kingdom The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King. VERSES As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. The verbal assaults gave way to physical confrontation. Goliath moved closer to attack. David ran quickly to meet him in the same way he had gone after the lion and the bear (v. 35). He reached into his bag, grabbed a stone, and slung it with such deadly force that it crushed Goliath s frontal bone and sank into his forehead. With a stone, a sling, and a faithful servant, God delivered His people. God used David, who in appearance was weak and insignificant, to win the victory. Let us not fail to see also how this account ultimately points to Jesus, the representative leader of His people. Jesus faced and defeated the giants of sin and death on our behalf. On the cross, He delivered us from an enemy we were powerless to defeat. How does God use the humble and simple to defeat the proud and self-sufficient? Session 8 : Delivered 89

10 IN MY CONTEXT God calls faithful followers to take a stand against those who oppose Him and His people. Confidence in anything other than God will ultimately lead to sure defeat. God gives His followers opportunities to make His name known. In what ways are you being called upon to stand with God? What actions can you take to make sure God receives honor in the process? Examine your life, looking for areas where you are more likely to depend upon yourself than on God. Ask God to forgive you for not depending on Him fully and for the strength and humility to do so in the future. Discuss with your Bible study group ways you could actively make known in your community God s name and His offer of redemption through His Son. Identify actions the group can take to be more actively engaged. MEMORY VERSE This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 1 Samuel 17:46 90 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide