1 Samuel 17:46
This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
David spoke these words on his mission to save Israel when the proud, boastful giant Goliath defied and ridiculed God's armies, answering out of zeal to preserve the honor of the living God and the credit of His people. A young, humble, seemingly insignificant man, he faced an arrogant and powerful opponent whose contempt was the hardest insult to bear, yet he went forward in God's name with steady faith instead of Saul's armor, taking only his familiar sling and stone. He made no boast in his own strength, skill, weapons, or human preparation, but declared that the Lord Himself would deliver Goliath into his hand and give Israel the victory despite the army's fear. His stated purpose was that Israel and all the earth, even those who doubted, would know that there is a God in Israel who is present and powerful, stands above the human contest, and saves His people so that truth triumphs. That same confidence teaches that God will display His power on behalf of His church as the supreme object of His regard, standing above all darkness to care for His people and make a refuge for them wherever they are, so they may stand where He can reveal His glory through them and willingly believe His Word.
David Confronts Goliath
This declaration belongs to David's mission to save Israel from the Philistines, when he answered Goliath's defiance out of zeal to preserve the honor of the living God and the credit of God's people. Goliath was a proud, boastful giant who defied the armies of Israel with contempt and ridicule, while David who faced him was a young, humble, seemingly insignificant man confronting an arrogant, powerful opponent. Contempt and ridicule is the worst kind of insult and the most difficult to endure patiently.
David could not wear Saul's armor, so he dropped it and took the familiar sling and stone and slew the Philistine who defied Israel. In that great emergency he looked to God with steady faith and went in God's name. His victory over Goliath cost the Philistines their champion and turned the battle against them.
Trust That Reveals God
David trusted that the Lord, not his own skill or weapons, would give him victory over Goliath. His boast was in the Lord, making God his strength rather than armor or human preparation, with confidence that the battle belongs to God. He answered Goliath's challenge without railing or boasting in his own strength, declaring that God would deliver Goliath into his hand.
God delivered Israel through David despite the army's fear and lack of trust. The seemingly insignificant young man was thus able to overcome an arrogant, powerful opponent, because God stands above the human contest. The victory would show that God saves and that truth triumphs.
The declared purpose of the defeat was that Israel and people throughout the earth would know that there is a God in Israel. That knowledge was that God is present and powerful in Israel. It extended even to those who doubted, that they would know God hears his children's prayers and has power to save.
God will display His power on behalf of His people so all may know that Israel has a God. His church is the supreme object of His regard in this world, and He wants His people to stand where He can reveal His glory through them. He is above all the powers of darkness that assail His people, and He can take care of them and make a refuge for them wherever they are. Knowing what God can and will do should make His people willing to believe His Word.
Following David's Example
Like David's small pebbles, truth itself overcomes falsehood, boasting, and misrepresentation and makes the opponent's weakness apparent. Victory comes not by sharp and severe dealing but when God's servant meets defiance with dignity and self-control without losing temper. This is done under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and with prayer, while the Lord stands by His servant to give victory to the truth. When men repeat Goliath's defiance by trampling the Lord God of Israel underfoot, abusing His law as the transcript of His character, and heaping personal abuse and ridicule upon His servants, God's workers must meet that defiant boasting by moving forward by faith. They must continue the work without letting up.
Ministers must not take Goliath's part by defying and provoking discussion and then going forth confident and boastful. They must not magnify themselves instead of hiding behind Jesus, nor trust in prepared arguments like Saul's armor. They must humble their hearts and in faith trust God to give the truth the victory. Becoming elated and losing balance makes discussions unsuccessful and injures their own souls and the souls of others. Dropping another man's armor means each person is to work with his own God-given ability in the armor God has provided for him. A life consecrated to God keeps its own consecrated individuality and does not sink itself in another's, lean upon man, pattern after any man's character, or consent to wear another man's armor.
No one is to demerit and belittle God's workmanship in fellow workers because it does not bear his own likeness. Fellow workers are to be allowed to grow up in their own individual religious experience and act the part God assigns them. Every character is to be fashioned not after man's pattern but after the Lord's ideal under the molding of the Holy Spirit. All are grafted into one parent stock in unity in diversity for consecrated service to God.
The confidence that God would act so that people who doubted would know there is a God in Israel applies to trusting God to heal a desperately ill child, showing that God hears His children's prayers and has power to save and heal. God can be trusted alone, without medicine, even when a child is dying and unbelieving neighbors expect death. Belief ventures life upon the promises of God, and answered prayer proves to unbelievers that God hears and heals. Israel's God becomes known by His saving power revealed in health and healing. Letting reason guide the manner of living, placing oneself in right relation to God, and staying constantly connected with Him as the great Physician causes the being to respond to His instruction. This reveals His salvation and gives experiential knowledge that He is real and active among His people.