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1 Samuel 17:24–28
Episode Handout
24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”
28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”
Stand up for the right thing
Too many people think that they are David and their negative circumstances are Goliath. But, that’s not what the story is about. We spend too much time looking for the way to be heroic. But David was not looking to be the hero of the story. He as not even seeking to justify the Israelites. The shepherd boy was standing up for the name and reputation of the Lord.
Just as they are today, battles in the ancient world were about power. In this particular one, the power of the Hebrews’ deity was called into question. You and I might be tempted to use David’s courage as a template to stand up for self, personal achievement, or some other self-serving goal. But that was not David’s reasoning for walking on to the battlefield to confront Goliath.
Goliath and the Philistines besmirched the Lord’s reputation. David stood up against the worldly insults levied against his God. This is the battle into which we should be most concerned. Doubtlessly, the world will belittle, bully, and try to rebuff you. Does it hurt? Of course. Is our ultimate priority to defend our own reputation? As tough as it is, no. Our chief concern is the same as David’s. We should stand up for the good name of our God.