1 Samuel 17:47, commentary and pictures

Deliverance does not depend on human weapons, armor, or strength, for the conflict belongs to the Lord and He Himself places the enemy in His people's hands. The overthrow of Goliath was to make the whole assembly know that the Lord saves, revealing to Israel and to the wider world that God was present with His people and that there is a God in Israel. David's confidence rested in God's power rather than in superior skill, weapons, or armor, shown when he laid aside Saul's armor and went forth in the Lord's name as a young and apparently insignificant man against a boastful foe. Like David, those called to meet defiance of God's cause are to rely wholly on God rather than on their own strength, arguments, or sharp severity, since trusting in prepared arguments is putting on Saul's armor and merely knowing strong truth without a humbled heart leads to imbalance, failure, and injury to souls. Victory comes not by taking another person's armor, character, or methods, but by each working with his own God-given ability in the armor God has provided, and this gives courage to persevere in spiritual struggle as a co-worker with God confident that He will bring the triumph.

David and Goliath Setting

The declaration belongs to David's encounter with Goliath at a time when Israel was in peril and David had been directed to save his people, his zeal stirred by the defiance offered to the living God and by concern for the honor of God and of Israel. Israel's own transgressions had weakened its trust in God, yet the Lord would not permit an idolatrous nation to defy Him proudly. He worked deliverance through David rather than through Saul, so that the victory would make His power and presence known. David proved unable to move in Saul's armor, so he laid it aside and with the familiar sling and stone slew the Philistine who defied Israel. The Philistines afterward remembered David for this victory, because his valor had cost them their champion and turned the battle against them.

The Lord Saves

Israel's deliverance did not depend on sword and spear, weapons, armor, or human strength, for the battle belongs to the Lord and He gives the enemy into His people's hands. Victory over Goliath came from Him, not from human weapons, as He gave the Philistine and Goliath into David's hands. God used David rather than Saul to save Israel, so that the victory would make His power and presence known. Though Israel's transgressions had weakened its trust in God, the Lord would not let an idolatrous nation proudly defy Him.

The defeat of Goliath would make the whole assembly know that the Lord saves without relying on weapons such as sword and spear. It would show Israel and the wider world that God was present with His people. It would demonstrate to the assembled people that the battle belonged to the Lord, who would give victory, and that there is a God in Israel.

David's confidence rested in God's power, not in superior skill, weapons, or armor. His refusal to wear Saul's armor showed that confidence, and he went out in the Lord's name and defeated the giant by going in God's name. A young, apparently insignificant man could thus stand against a boastful opponent because God was above them and the truth prevailed, displaying faith in God and showing that courage and deliverance come through dependence on God, not merely human strength.

Applying the Victory

The verse gives courage to persevere in spiritual struggle as a co-worker with God, trusting that the battle belongs to the Lord and that victory comes from Him and not from human weapons. It expresses confidence that when the Lord is at work with His servant He will bring the victory. Remembering that victory, in which the Lord fought for Israel and gave the enemy into their hands through trust in God rather than reliance on weapons, could have strengthened faith when later facing danger.

Like David, those called to confront a defier of God's cause should rely wholly on God, for the battle belongs to Him and He gives victory into His people's hands and can bring His truth to triumph. God's servants are to rely on Him rather than on their own strength or arguments, following David's humble course of trusting in the God of Israel and making Him their strength. They must not take Goliath's part by defying and provoking discussion, then going forth confident and boastful and magnifying self instead of hiding behind Jesus. Trusting in prepared arguments is putting on Saul's armor, for David's refusal to wear Saul's armor showed that his confidence rested in God and his encounter was to demonstrate to the assembled people that deliverance comes from the Lord. Merely knowing that the truth is strong, without humbled heart and faith and trust, leads to elation and loss of balance, unsuccessful discussions, and injury to one's own soul and to the souls of others.

The battle is the Lord's and He gives victory to the truth over proud and boastful opposition. Goliath pictures an opponent of Sabbath truth who defies God's people with falsehood and misrepresentation, and David's small pebbles picture plain truth that exposes his weakness and brings his defeat. Victory comes not by sharpness and severity toward an opponent but when God's servant stays calm and dignified without losing temper, works under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is upheld by special prayer, and the Lord stands by him to give victory to the truth and leave a right impression that causes many to favor the truth. Opposers who trample the law of God and heap personal abuse, contempt and ridicule upon His workers are like Goliath defying Israel when proud boasters defy, and like Goliath they will be disappointed. God's people endure that insult patiently without retaliation and move forward by faith, trusting the Lord to give the victory into their hands.

Victory comes not by taking another man's armor, character, or methods, but by each person working with his own God-given ability in the armor God has provided for him, as David laid aside Saul's armor and slew the Philistine who defied Israel with the familiar sling and stone. A life consecrated to God is developed and beautified in its own individuality, keeping its God-designed individuality while consecrated to God's service, with no person sinking his individuality in that of another. All are grafted as individuals into one parent stock in unity in diversity, for God gives no two minds the same likeness just as He makes no two leaves of the same tree precisely alike. There is abundant room for all in harmonious diversity to act the part assigned them, striving for the fragrance of Christ's character as God designs, with character fashioned after the Lord's ideal and not after man's pattern under the molding and fashioning of the Holy Spirit, so fellow workers are to be allowed to grow up in religious experience and none is at liberty to demerit and belittle God's workmanship because they do not bear his likeness.