The Real Giant

Introduction

Let’s see if we can fix that there.

I want you to know that as Greg and I stand before you on a regular basis, we, like everybody who stands to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, we feel the awesome responsibility that’s been placed upon us. We understand that we are handling the very Word of God. And just the awesome task and responsibility in that alone causes us sometimes literally to quake.

Souls that we love dearly and souls that we are concerned for spiritually and eternally. And we know that as we stand before this audience every Lord’s day, we understand the responsibility being given to us. And really the privilege being given to us. And a privilege and a responsibility that because of modern day technology extends beyond these four walls. Because of the tremendous work that the workers up in the booth and Mike, who works diligently preparing these videos and uploading the video and the audio to the internet, we receive emails and messages on a fairly regular basis from across the country and even across the world of people who are listening to the gospel message because of the work that you have a hand in.

Recently got a message from a couple in New Bronsforth, Texas, that said the Eland West Point Assisted Living has services in the assisted living facility there in Texas, and they use the video from these sermons every Sunday to the residents. And we’re so encouraged by that, and so encouraged by the fact that you share with your friends and neighbors the gospel message. We want to encourage you to keep doing that. We have, again, because of technology, we have wonderful resources that we didn’t have just a few years ago of being able to share the gospel with not just our brethren, but with the lost throughout the world. And I want to encourage you to keep doing and maybe become more diligent in you sharing that message.

Go to our website and share the video and the audio of these messages so that the truth can be shared not just here in Orlando, but throughout the world. Because we live in a lost and a dying world.

A story that if you’re a student of the scripture, that you’re probably very familiar with. The story of David and Goliath. But this morning we don’t want to focus so much on the events of that man to man battle between this Philistine giant and this young Israelite shepherd boy. We want to draw some lessons from that in how people viewed David. You know, there’s a lot of arenas and circumstances in life where people have different views of the same event, the same thing, or even the same person. We may view the same person or thing very differently. But usually there’s only one view, one opinion that ultimately matters. And that’s the case in the story of David and Goliath. I want to reacquaint you with this very familiar story.

The Philistines, that arch nemesis of the nation of Israel, had arrayed themselves in battle against the Israelites, and they stood on one mountain, and the army of Israel stood on the other mountain in the valley of Eli in the middle. And as they were waiting and preparing for battle, a proposition was given. The warrior of the Philistine army, a giant, literally a giant by the name of Goliath, issued a challenge. That instead of the armies of the Philistines fighting the armies of the Israelites, let’s just choose one. Goliath offered himself as the warrior for the Philistines. And he says, You, Israel, you choose somebody, and the two of us will meet in this valley and we’ll fight it out. And if I win, the Philistines will be victorious, and you’ll be our servants.

But on the other hand, if you happen to get lucky enough to beat this giant of a man, then the Philistines will be defeated and will be your servants. Maybe understandably, no one was quick to take that challenge. In fact, it says that Saul, who had killed his thousands, and all of the army of Israel who had faced bloody conflict before, were dismayed. One time the text says, another time it says they were terribly afraid. And no one wanted to accept the challenge issued by the Goliath of Gath. And you’ll remember the story. David was sent by his father, because David had three brothers fighting in this army. And David was sent by his father to bring some supplies to the army and to his brothers.

And he wandered into the camp one day when Goliath was issuing this daily challenge, twice daily challenge. And David just wondered out loud, why is nobody fighting Goliath. Finally, he was sent to Saul, the king and commander of this day, and Saul, for whatever reason, said, sure, you go fight him. And he offered his own armor and weapons, and David temporarily tried them on, but realized they weren’t going to work. And so he shed those, and this young shepherd boy, famously with just a sling and five smooth stones, not only entered that valley, that battlefield, but he ran toward Goliath. Picked one of those stones, slung it, and I firmly believe by the providence of God, that stone found its way into the forehead of that giant who fell.

And David, who had come to the battlefield without even a sword, had to borrow Goliath’s sword. And with that sword killed Goliath and cut off his head. Well, there’s the story, and there’s many lessons that we can learn from that story. But the lessons I want to look at this morning is focusing not upon the battle, not upon Goliath, but really upon the hero, David. And as you might have surmised from the title of this lesson, by the time we get to the end of this lesson, I’m going to offer to you that I think David was the real giant on that battlefield. And there was a reason why. I think we can say that David was truly the giant that day. But not everybody thought so.

1. Eliab’s View of David: A Critic

There are four other people involved in this story, who all had an opinion of David. And I want to look at those four views of David and see if there’s some lessons that maybe can be drawn to us as we fight, as we are arrayed for the battle, as we meet our foe in the valley of Elah. The first view was that of Eliab. Now, Eliab is David’s oldest brother, who was a soldier in that army, who had heard the taunts of Goliath and had done nothing about them. Look with me in the text, if you will, at Eliab, David’s oldest brother’s view of David. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 17 and skip down to verse 26. 1 Samuel 17, verse 26. Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine?

And takes away this reproach from Israel. For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him in this manner, saying, So shall it be done for the man who kills him. Now Eliab, his oldest brother, heard when he spoke to the men, and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David. And he said, Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you’ve come down to see the battle. And David said, What have I done now? Is there not a cause? And so the first view that we get to see of David on this victorious day is the view of his older brother.

And if you have siblings, you may not be surprised at the sibling rivalry that’s taking place here. Eliab, the oldest of this family, says to the youngest, David, What are you doing? And he looks at him, Eliab’s view of David is that of criticism. He has nothing but criticism toward David who’s come to the battlefield this day. What are you doing here? He says. He looks at him with contempt, and he says, Why aren’t you out taking care of the business you’re supposed to be taking care of? Why are you here? You’re proud, you’re insolent, you’re just here to see the gore of a battle. And Eliab’s view of David is a critic.

And you shouldn’t be surprised by that at all, because unfortunately, this world is full of critics, isn’t it? Our lives are often full of critics and criticism. No matter what you do, no matter what endeavor, how godly and how righteous it might be, expect an Eliab in your life. Expect somebody to look at you with contempt and maybe even hatred. And to view you and to maybe vocalize openly their criticism of what you’re engaged in. Unfortunately, Eliabs are all around us. Critics.

One is I want to speak to those of us who are recipients of criticism, but first I want to talk to the critics in the audience. And yes, at times I can put myself in that category.

Now there are there times when criticism is called for? Absolutely. But do you realize that the Bible, hold your finger here in 1 Samuel 17 and go to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12? Do you realize that the scriptures warn us against being a critic? That criticism can open the door to spiritual demise. Because many times, Hebrews chapter 12, we’re going to look at verses 14 and 15. Many times what we are doing in our criticism may be unknowingly and even unwittingly, but what we’re doing many times in our criticism is we’re setting up a justification for evil behavior. Hebrews chapter 12, look at verse 14. He says, Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Look carefully, lest anyone should fall short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.

Did you notice the many of the warnings in the book of Hebrews, among the many warnings against falling away, that this warning has at its root bitterness. I want to use two illustrations to where criticism and the propensity to criticism can actually be setting up a rationalization and an attempt at justification for sinful behavior. Almost every unfaithful spouse seeks to justify their infidelity by emphasizing and maybe even wildly overemphasizing the faults of their spouse. He or she doesn’t love me like they ought to. They’re not as supportive, they’re not this, they’re not that. And what we may even unwittingly be doing is setting up a justification for our own immediate or future sinful behavior. That root of bitterness is springing up within us. And it’ll defile us, the Hebrew writer said.

The other illustration where we often see this played out is among a local church member. We often can only see this in hindsight. But so many times the pattern has been repeated that someone begins to become critical. Critical of the preaching, critical of the song leading, critical of the eldership, critical of everything that’s going on. And what they may be wittingly or unwittingly doing is seeking a justification for their exit. Not just from that local church, but from the Lord.

Be careful in your criticism that it’s not a root of bitterness that’s springing up within you by which you’ll be defiled. But then what to the Davids of this world, those who receive that criticism. So everybody’s looking down and saying, to the Marys, who remember Mary who anointed the feet of Jesus and was met only with criticism. By the extravagant youth, there’s always going to be somebody. No matter how just and righteous your actions, there’s sadly always going to be somebody. And don’t be surprised by it. Don’t be alarmed by it, and please don’t let it cause you to quit doing what you need to do. Remember the words of Jesus.

2. King Saul’s View: You Can’t Do It

But all things are possible with God. The critic Eliav needed to hear that statement. David believed that statement before it was ever spoken by our Lord. With God all things are possible. The second view that we see is that of King Saul himself. Are you back in 1 Samuel chapter 17? Much like Eliab, the oldest brother of David, who viewed David with criticism, Saul’s view of David was, you can’t do it. In 1 Samuel chapter 17, look at two verses, verses 32 and 33. David is brought to King Saul, and David said to Saul, 1 Samuel 17, verse 32, let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth.

There’s a new, or at least it’s new to me, teaching about the story of David and Goliath that says that actually David had the advantage. That Goliath was so big and slow and lumbering and uncoordinated. No comments, Greg. And David was so young and agile and so gifted as a shepherd with that sling that it was inevitable that a quick young man with a sling was going to beat this slow, lumbering giant. I don’t buy that. Saul and the whole army of Israel, as well as the army of the Philistines, who were far more well versed in ancient battle than you and I, all believed otherwise. Goliath wasn’t the only one who said, You can’t beat me. The entire army of the Philistines had put their stock in him.

Saul, who had already killed his thousands, the people would say, said, You can’t do it. Not just Eliah, but every other soldier of Israel believed that it couldn’t be done. And Saul voiced that to David. You can’t do it. Again, in your pursuits, in your earthly pursuits, but more importantly, in your spiritual pursuits, you’re always going to have a King Saul standing on the sideline saying, You can’t do it.

Whether it comes to evangelism, whether it comes to growing the church and edifying one another and becoming more zealous and strong, you’re always going to have another critic standing by and saying, It can’t be done. You remember another Old Testament story that illustrates this the story of the spies sent into the land of Canaan, and ten of them coming back and giving a mixed report saying, yes, it’s just what God through Moses had said. It is a wonderful land that flows with milk and honey, but we can’t do it.

So many times spiritually we have that grasshopper complex, don’t we? That we just can’t do it. Look with me in the book of Romans, chapter 8.

The story of David and Goliath is not a story of a battle, really. It’s not the story of Goliath’s dominance over David. And again, I don’t believe it’s the story of skilled rock slingers versus a slow lumbering giant. It’s a story of God being with his people. And what can be done when God is with his people. In Romans chapter 8, he begins in verse 1 and lists spiritual advantage after spiritual advantage that is on the side of the child belonging to God. And after listing those many spiritual advantages, he concludes in verse 31 of Romans chapter 8, very famously concludes this way. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

But he’s saying if God is on our side, it doesn’t matter who is taunting you on that opposing mountain. That’s the lesson of David and Goliath. Sometimes, particular it most of the time during the basketball tournament that’ll be coming up, March Madness, that a small basketball team will surprisingly beat a powerhouse basketball team. And they’ll call it the story of David and Goliath.

3. Goliath’s View: A View of Disdain

Meaning that sometimes, sometimes if the stars align and everything works out right, and the ball bounces the right way, sorry for the pun, that the little guy can beat the big guy. The David and Goliath story. But I want you to remember that’s not the message of David and Goliath. That sometimes the little guy can beat the big guy. That’s not the message. The message of David and Goliath is that any guy or gal, whether big or small, with God on their side, can defeat a giant. If God be for us, who can be against us? There’s the view of Goliath. Now we know his view. Remember in 1 Samuel chapter 17 what Goliath said about this young man. He didn’t say, oh no, he’s quicker and more agile than me, and uh-oh, he has a sling and five stones.

I’ll never be able to stand against him. What does he say? 1 Samuel chapter 17, verse 40, he took his staff in his hand, speaking of David, and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and he put them in the shepherd’s bag in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. So the Philistine came, began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him. For he was but a youth, ruddy and good looking. So the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come out against me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

And the Philistine said to David, come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beast of the field. This view of David, the view of Goliath, was a view of disdain. How dare you? Who are you to come against me? As a Christian.

You’re going to be viewed this way. You’re going to be viewed this way by Satan himself. I want to make you aware this morning of something you already know. They’re giants all around us. Satan himself.

So powerful that they stagger the mind will array themselves against you. And they’ll look at you and me, and even the collective of us as puny little unarmed shepherd boy. One last time, hold your finger in 1 Samuel 17 and go with me to the New Testament to the book of Ephesians, chapter 6. In the midst of encouraging you to engage the enemy on the battlefield, I do want to make you aware of the enemy that you’re fighting. Ephesians chapter 6, look with me in verse 12. After telling us to put on the heart, or getting ready to tell us to put on the whole armor of God, he says, here’s why you need the armor of God.

Against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places. Two things I know about that verse. Number one is, I’m not sure I know what all that’s talking about. Principalities and powers and rulers of darkness.

4. The Only View That Mattered: God’s View

I cannot win against that army of giants. But I remind myself that I don’t think David could either. Recognize the giants that we face. And let them instill within you a healthy measure of respect for the battle that we’re engaged in. Of being realistic about the foe and the foes that we face. But don’t forget the only view of David that mattered on that day. Is the only thing that matters in your life. And that was God’s view. Verses 45 through 47 of 1 Samuel 17. 1 Samuel 17, verse 45 says, Then David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword and a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defiled.

This day, the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beast of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all the assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword or spear, for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands. The only one that really mattered that day. And the only view or opinion of David that mattered that day was not the criticism of his oldest brother. It was not the negative attitude of King Saul. And it wasn’t even the hatred and the disdain of the giant that he faced.

Conclusion

All that mattered is that the Lord was with him and would give him the victory against his giant. When you read that statement of faith from David, I think you have to conclude with me. He was the giant on that battlefield. We fight against principalities, against powers that boggle our mind. But if we have that assurance and that faith that God is on our side, we can be the giant. Will you pray to that God with me? Dear God and Father in heaven, we’re so thankful that you were with your servant David that day. That as he faced that giant upon that battlefield, despite the criticism and the negativity that surrounded him, that he went out that day not alone. We’re so thankful for the lesson of faith that that can give us.

That when we fight the struggles of this life, the giants, the seemingly insurmountable odds that are stacked against us, that we too can have the assurance that we are not alone. And all that matters is that you are with us, and you assure us through our faithfulness, you assure us the victory. Thank you for making us giants, for giving us the opportunity to have faith in you. A faith that can move mountains and slay giants. Continue to be with us with the battles that we face. Give us the assurance of faith and the hope of victory.

Amen.