1 Samuel 17:8-11
Verse 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
Now that we know the size of the one they were going up against, we will look at his battle cry and what it said about the Israelites and how they were seen by their enemies.
It is probably safe to say that we would all shrink back if someone came after us that towered over us but there is something in the giant’s taunt that reveals the real reason the Israelites hadn’t accepted the challenge. Goliath said, “Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul?” He identified them as the servants of Saul. While this was true in the sense that they were soldiers of the king, it was that thinking which caused them to be in their current position.
We can’t really blame any of these men for not wanting to go one on one with this man that was 3-4 feet taller than them. Remember his armor bearer was carrying his shield that was about the size of an interior door. The armor bearer himself may have been intimidating in size, who in their right mind would willingly step forward to take them on?
We have to give them a smidgen of credit as they did line up to the battle line. They could have fled, deserting the king and shaming their families, but they stayed and stood the line, not willing to go up against this giant. Goliath thought there was nothing to fear from these people because they were not likely to have someone stand up to him. He was intimidating and he knew it. He was a champion so this wasn’t his first battle. This intimidation tactic worked, he had used it before and it had always served him well. Goliath’s little speech did serve its purpose, the Israelites were dismayed because they couldn’t figure out how they could take this man down and terrified of what would happen to them when the giant won.
We all have things in life that seem too big to handle. They terrify us as we see the various things that could go wrong. We always picture the worst case scenario and replay the options over and over in our heads. The thing is that we are looking at the size of the threat. When we focus on the problem, we forget who our King is.
Making It Personal
What problem in your life threatens you to the point of being scared? Do you give it to God and ask for wisdom on how to deal with it? How are you going to address this “giant” in your life today?
Making It Personal Kids
What are some things that scare you in life? What does Jesus want you to do about those things? Do you trust Jesus to help you?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for always being there for us when the trials of life come up. Help us remember to turn to You for guidance and wisdom to deal with them. In Jesus’ name, amen.