1 Samuel 17:9, commentary and pictures

Israel and the Philistines were drawn up in array army against army when Goliath the Philistine champion came forth with insulting language defying Israel and challenging them to provide a man from their ranks to meet him in single combat. The terms laid down a decisive wager to settle the conflict by single combat: if the Israelite champion was able to fight Goliath and kill him the Philistines would be servants of Israel, but if Goliath prevailed and killed him Israel would be servants of the Philistines and serve them. The defeated side would thus become servants of the victors, and the outcome of the fight between him and an Israelite champion would determine which people became the servants of the other.

Goliath repeated his challenge day after day without arousing a champion to silence the boaster, and all Israel were filled with fear and depressed in courage and terrified. Saul could offer a reward but would not face the champion himself, and he and the army dared not accept the challenge because they lacked trust in God. David heard the challenge while visiting the camp to carry a message and gift to his brothers and learn if they were in safety and health, having been directed by an angel to save his people, and his spirit was stirred within him and fired with zeal to preserve the honor of the living God and the credit of his people. The challenge belongs to the account of David's defeat of Goliath, the Philistine champion whose sword David later took as a relic and carried when fleeing Saul.

The challenge is proud, boastful defiance, boasting of what he would do if he defeated Israel's champion, carried forward with ridicule, loud assertions, falsehood and misrepresentation while keeping the appearance of godliness and drawing a noisy rabble. Its defiant boast challenges not only Israel's army but God and His people. The surrounding account warns against provoking a contest and then relying on one's own strength; Israel's fear showed lack of trust in God, while David instead trusted in God.

The defiant, boastful spirit shown is an example of the spirit that should come from opponents of truth, not from those who proclaim it. Such boasting against God pictures an intellectually proud, trained opponent on the Sabbath question who boasts that he will wipe out Seventh-day Adventists and who states falsehood as though it were truth with misrepresenting assertions. That same Goliath stand is now filled by opponents of the truth, with Dr. Porter representing Goliath of old and Picton sharing the same boastful, defiant spirit, and Goliath's challenge is a fitting comparison to Porter's insults and ridicule of Brother Hare, since both are proud boasts aimed at intimidating God's people.

God is dishonored if that defiance is left unanswered, so the terms of debate must be agreed upon and met. The small pebbles David used picture the simple truth that defeats such defiance and makes its weakness apparent. Victory comes not by sharp and severe dealing but by carrying the controversy through under the Holy Spirit's guidance without losing temper, meeting the opponent night after night with dignity while the Lord stands by His servant, with brethren standing by and special prayer every night for God to give victory to the truth, leaving an impression on the people that causes many to favor the truth.