Year 1, Day 303: 1 Samuel 17

Two Human Beings

Today we get to see a great contrast between Saul and David.  But before we go there, let’s not forget their similarities.  If we do forget how David and Saul were similar, we will end up worshipping David – a thing we must not do.  So we begin with what Saul and David have in common: They were both human beings.  While this may seem obvious, there is a point I am making here.  Both David and Saul were sinners.  Both were guilty of sin and uncleanliness.  We don’t have this point in this passage per se, but we know it to be true.  Neither was righteous on his own merit.

Differences

Now that we have firmly understood their nature of sin and depravity, let’s talk about the differences that we see here in this chapter.  First of all, there is a reminder of the physical difference.  Remember that Saul was praised for being the biggest of the big Hebrew people.  He was a large man.  We know that David wasn’t of any particular great stature and we have proof of this when David puts on Saul’s armor.  David can hardly move around!  This is significant because Goliath was a man of great stature.  It would have made sense for Saul to fight Goliath as that would match the two biggest specimens.  But where is Saul?  Saul is cowering in his tent waiting for someone else to go out and die at the hands of the Philistine.  David – a poor physical choice against Goliath, but a great spiritual choice! – is the one who goes.

What do we learn from this point?  Size (physical characteristics) is irrelevant when it comes to doing God’s will.

Since I’ve already spoken of the armor of Saul, let’s lift up this difference as well.  Saul has armor, a fighting sword, a shield-bearer, and plenty of other means for fighting.  David has a sling, a staff, and five little stones.  Saul had all the protection he could afford, David had all the protection he needed.

What do we learn from this point?  Our protection does not come from this world but from knowing we walk in the will of God.

Speaking along the lines of military terms, notice that David says that he is not trained in the implements of war.  David knows the staff and the sling.  It is Saul who knows the ways to battle.  Saul knows how to use the shield, the sword, and the armor.  Saul knows how to stand so that the armor protects him best.  Saul knows how to attack so that he doesn’t open up any weaknesses within the armor.  David knows … well, David knows how to put a smooth stone into a sling and let go.

What do we learn from this point?  If we view being prepared in worldly terms we will never feel as though we are ready.  When we view being prepared from spiritual terms we can always feel as though God will get us through so long as we follow His will.

Foreshadowing

As long as I’m drawing comparisons, let’s shift gears here for a moment and now begin to see how God uses David to foreshadow Jesus Christ.  Of course, we have the often commented fact that David and Jesus were both born in Bethlehem.  That’s a fact worth noting, but not of great spiritual significance.

However, we can see here in this story that David was sent to the battlefield by his father.  In fact, David was sent to the battlefield by his father to bring relief to those fighting (specifically David’s brothers and their leaders).  Is not the same true about Jesus Christ?  Did not Jesus come to earth at the will of His Father?  Did not Jesus come to earth to bring relief to His spiritual brothers and their leaders?

Furthermore, remember that David has already been anointed as a king, but now is not his time to reign.  It is David’s time to serve; his time to reign will come.  So it is with Jesus.  Jesus is the Messiah – the anointed one.  But He came to serve first; His time to reign comes.

David looks like the weak player, but in an act of selfless sacrifice David shows that he is actually the victor over Goliath.  In the same light, Jesus seemed weak to those around Him who did not truly know what the Father was doing through Him.  But Jesus demonstrates through an act of selfless sacrifice that He is the victor over the “strong man.”

Finally, after the victory, notice that the troops rally behind David and fight the Philistines.  The victory is already won before the army of the Hebrew people truly take the field!  So it is with Jesus.  The victory was decided on the cross.  He has already won.  We do not fight for victory; as it is commonly said we actually fight from/out of victory. 

Okay, one last point.  Saul doesn’t recognize David.  David was one of many servants of the king and as a musician wouldn’t have a need to be too close to the king anyway, so this statement doesn’t imply a contradiction. Neither was Jesus recognized by the Jewish leaders when He came to this world.  Jesus came and did His work not for the recognition but because the work of the Lord needed to be done. 

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