David And Goliath

I Sam. 16-17         Review Activities for this Lesson

God lost no time in anointing someone to take Saul’s place as king. He told Samuel to fill his horn and go to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem. He had chosen one Jesse’s sons to be the new king. When Samuel saw the oldest boy Eliab he thought he would surely be God’s choice. But God told Samuel not to judge a man by the way he looked and passed over Eliab. After God had passed over six more of Jesse’s sons, the youngest boy David was brought in from the fields where he kept the sheep. “Arise, anoint him, for this the one!” the Lord told Samuel. Taking the horn of oil, he anointed David and that very day the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Now David was to be the king, but he went back to his father’s sheep until God was ready to carry out his plan.

Saul did not realize a new king had been anointed. He was till the ruler over Israel but he was a sad and broken man. Because of his sin the Spirit of the Lord had left him and he was often plagued by an evil spirit. He missed Samuel, too, the old prophet would not visit him anymore after he disobeyed God.

Thinking music might cheer up their master, Saul’s servants persuaded him to send for the shepherd boy David to play the harp. David’s music did help; the king began sending for David every time the evil spirit came on him. Not only was David a good harp player, he was so fine in other ways that Saul asked Jesse to let him stay with the king’s company. How strange it all was! Although Saul did not know it then, his new young friend was the one anointed to take his place.

Soon the Philistines came up to fight Israel again, this time led by a giant of a man from Gath called Goliath. Almost ten feet tall, Goliath was covered with heavy metal armor from his helmet to the greaves on his legs. He carried a great spear in his hand and a man went before him with a huge shield.

The very sight of Goliath struck fear in the hearts of Israel’s soldiers. Every morning and every evening for forty days, he roared across the valley, “Why have you not come out to line up for battle?” Choose a man for yourselves...if he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I kill him, then you shall be our servants.”

David came to camp to visit his brothers and was horrified to see Israel flee each day in terror. What had the Lord’s people to fear from a heathen soldier? “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” he wanted to know.

David told Saul he would take on the giant himself, he was not afraid! Saul refused, however. Goliath was too big and strong a man for a boy like David. But David kept urging with the king, telling him how he had killed both lion and bear when he kept the sheep. “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, he will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine,” David declared.

Finally Saul agreed to let David fight Goliath and put his own helmet and armor on the boy. But Saul’s armor was so heavy David couldn’t walk. So he took his staff and sling instead, stooping by a brook to put five smooth stones in his bag.

When Goliath saw David coming, he cursed him and vowed to feed him to the birds and wild animals. “Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?” he yelled. David shouted back, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel! This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand...that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel!”

Running to meet the giant, David took a stone from his bag and slung it with deadly aim. To the crowd’s great surprise, the stone caught Goliath on the forehead and fell on his face to the earth!

So with just one stone David killed the mighty Goliath of Gath. Taking the giant’s own sword, he cut off his head for all to see. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they all began to run for their lives.