An Old Story; A New Day

Time: The Reign of Saul, First King of Israel
Place: The Valley of Elah

The battle lines are drawn: the Philistines on one hill, the Israelites on the other, the valley lies between them.

A 9 foot tall, heavily armored champion named Goliath of Gath issues a challenge. "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."

Saul and the armies of Israel are dismayed and terrified.

"For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand."

But, on the fortieth day, there is a boy delivering supplies to his brothers who hears the challenge. He asks why no one has responded to the giant from Gath.

"Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him."

"You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth."

"Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

The boy kindly refuses the armor offered him by the king and takes up the weapons that he is most comfortable using.

He marches toward the valley to meet the giant.

The giant laughs and ridicules.

The boy responds, "You come at me with sword and spear and javelin but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty...whom you have defied...All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's,"

The boy reaches into the bag and draws out one of five smooth stones he has gathered from the creek.

The stone finds its mark, the champion from Gath is defeated.

The enemy army flees in fear. The Israelites, renewed in courage, pursue and defeat them.

What enemy are you facing today?
Does 'he' seem nine feet tall and fully armed?
I have a feeling the Lord has some victory in store for us soon!

From I Samuel 17