Sermon Tone Analysis

The Story

Last time we saw how David was anointed king because Saul had been rejected by God.

Samuel and Saul are not talking to each other and now in the Philistine nation rising up against Israel.

These Philistines have been a constant thorn in the side of Israel since Israel set foot in the promised land and now all the Israelites lined up on one mountain and all the Philistines lined up on the other mountain with a valley in between.

Then, out of the army of the Philistines, comes one who sticks out like a sore thumb.

He is a 9’6” behemoth of a man who is loaded down with over 200 lb of armor and weaponry.

He is covered with coat of mail which is woven iron, bronze armor on his legs, and a bronze helmet on his head.

This guy looks like an impenetrable fortress on two feet.

On his back is a javelin of bronze and he has a huge sword that would later be described as something unlike anything the Israelites have ever seen.

He comes down to the valley and yells to all of the Israelites saying, “I defy the armies of Israel this day!

Send someone to fight me and if I win you will all be our servants and if you win we will be yours.”

Saul and all Israel are struck with terror.

No one wants to go out there to fight with this guy so he returns to his camp after waiting for a competitor.

A few hours later he comes back out and the scene replays itself with this guy taunting Israel day after day.

Meanwhile, the young boy David continued to shepherd his father’s sheep.

His three oldest brothers are at the battle line, but it seems that he is too young for battle.

His father sends him to take food for his brothers and to check on them to see how they are doing.

As David drops off the food it just so happens that Goliath has come out for his daily ritual.

There is a great commotion as Israel shouts a war cry like they are about to battle.

I picture this boy running to get a look across the valley at the enemy.

What a sight this would be for a young shepherd boy! Can you imagine seeing this yourself in person?

Imagine wedging your way through to get a peak at what’s going on and there you see this giant Philistine stand up to defy Israel’s ranks again saying, “I defy the armies of Israel this day!”

David hears all of this and looks around.

These guys in Israel’s army who are bigger than David are cowering.

I imagine the look on David’s face is one of horror and disgust.

Those feelings are not about Goliath but about Israel’s army.

Have you ever seen someone you look up to failing miserably?

He can’t believe it.

They respond to him by saying, “Have you seen this guy?

He is HUGE!

Whoever kills him will get riches, no taxes, and they get to marry the king’s daughter.”

The first recorded words of David are interesting.

“What’s going to be given to the man who kills Goliath?”

But that’s not all he says.

He calls Goliath’s taunt what it really is: defiance against the armies of the “living GOD.”

We can’t let this uncircumcised Philistine do that can we?

Somebody has got to step up and take this guy out!

It was about that time that his brother Eliab shows up.

You would think that Eliab, who is comparable to Saul, would want to prove that he is a worthy contender for the kingship.

Instead he questions David’s motives and accuses him of being evil for even showing up saying, “Where are your sheep David?

Don’t you need to get back to those sheep?

Leave the big boy stuff to us.”

To this David simply responds, “What have I done that is wrong?

I’m just speaking the truth.”

Apparently, the truth of David’s words were piercing to the men of the army because they somehow reach the ears of king Saul whose reward hasn’t fetched many volunteers over the last 40 days.

That’s right, this has been going on for 40 days and no one has stepped up! Picture him pacing back and forth in his tent trying to find a way out of this.

If no one else will go, he will have to go.

But suddenly, news comes in of someone asking about the reward and saying that Goliath has to be defeated.

Can you imagine the disappointment when Saul sees this boy set foot in the room?

When David comes in he says, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him.

Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

“Huh?” Saul is in disbelief, saying, “This guy has been fighting battles from his youth and you are still just a youth.”

David defends himself by saying all that God has done through his hands as he has rescued his sheep from lions and bears and even killed the lions and bears to save his sheep.

He knows that God can make this Philistine like the lions and bears.

To this Saul, surprisingly, agrees to let David go into the fight and says, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

Before he walks out of the room Saul has his armor put on David.

You would think that this is the best armor that Israel has if it is supposed to protect the king.

But how ridiculous would it look for this boy to be trying on the king's armor!

So David says, “I haven’t tested them,” meaning that he hasn’t practiced fighting in these yet.

They will hinder him so he goes out to battle unprotected.

Who does that?

Now, Israel may have been laughing at David as he went into the tent.

Can you imagine the thoughts going through everyone’s mind as he leaves the tent and begins to walk toward the path down the mountain?

There is a lot riding on this battle.

If the man sent down there is not able to win the fight, Israel will be servants of the Philistines again.

They see their only hope being this boy who begins to walk down the mountain.

What were they thinking?

Maybe, “He’s going to get himself killed!”, or “He’s crazy!” Do you think they were ashamed?

Maybe they thought Saul would fight this battle and be able to pull it off so no one else volunteered.

Here goes a little shepherd to meet a giant.

He goes to meet the enemy without a sword, shield, or armor.

All he has is a stick and a sling.

But wouldn’t you know it, there is a pile of smooth stones there waiting for him along the way.

He grabs 5 of the smooth stones for his sling and steps foot on the battlefield with Goliath.

Goliath is offended and he curses David by his gods.

The thought is that my gods are going to fight this battle for me and you are going to be eaten by the birds and beasts by the end of today!

To this David responds, “You are fighting with weapons of men instead of the true God on your side.

I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel who you have defied.

The Lord will deliver you into my hands and I will cut your head off then all of the Philistines will make a feast for the birds and the beasts by the end of today.”

At this I imagine everyone would gasp.

All of Israel’s face would flush red.

Who would dare to speak that way to someone so big in that way?

We don’t want him angry!

Goliath began to walk toward David and David showed no hesitation.

He starts running full speed towards Goliath with the stone swinging in his sling.

This stone is probably somewhere around the size of a baseball and when it leaves that sling it would be going over 100 mph.

The trick is to hit the target.

He winds it up and every Israelite is staring with bulging eyes as David and Goliath get closer… and closer… and then David releases the stone.

Then… WHACK!

The stone struck Goliath square in the forehead and knocked him flat on his face.

David comes over on top of the giant and grabbed Goliath’s sword and cut off his head.

I imagine he lifted the sword high in the air for all to see.

After that all Israel was shouting and they start running right at the Philistines.

The Philistines have to pick up their jaw from the ground and start running with their tail tucked between their legs, trying not to get clobbered all the way back to their city.

Synopsis and Point for Israel

People still refer to having the odds stacked against them as being like David and Goliath.

Many movies have followed this theme with the underdog rising up to defeat their Goliath.

But what is this story here for?

What was the intention of God for the original audience and for us today?

For the original audience who is reading this book of Samuel they would be drawn to compare Saul’s failure in leadership with David’s rise in leadership.