April 28, 2025 • 20 mins
In this Bible Story, David promises to take down the Philistine giant. David triumphs over Goliath and the Israelites race into battle behind David, and defeat the Philistines. This story is inspired by 1 Samuel 17. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.
Today's Bible verse is 1 Samuel 17:45 from the King James Version.
Episode 85: Israel and the Philistines were hard at war, camped with just a valley between them. When out of the camp of the Philistines, a champion arose, Goliath. He came with an offer; if any man was willing to fight him in one-on-one combat and win, the entire nation would bow down to them. He was a giant and nobody in the camp of Israel wanted to defy him. Then one day, while David was in the camp on an errand for his father Jesse, he heard what the Philistine champion was saying and grew indignant at the way this heathen was talking about his God. So he decided to take him up on his offer and challenge him to one-on-one combat in the valley. In this Valley, Goliath would learn that the God of Israel, our God, is stronger than any army.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. Then, David said to the Philistine, thou
comest to me with a sword, and with a spear,
and with a shield. But I come to thee in
the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of
the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defiled first Samuel
seventeen forty five. Dear Lord, when the problems and challenges
(00:26):
in my life seem as big as Goliath, I will
mimic the thoughts and actions of David. I will declare,
what is this problem in front of me that thinks
it's bigger than the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Who are these individuals that think they can stop the
plans of God for my life? No, I will not
(00:47):
back down. Lord, I thank you, Like David and his sling,
you two have given me my unique and special gifting
to overcome any challenges I face. I will not force
myself to put on strategies and beliefs that have not
been tested in my faith walk. When the problem approaches me,
(01:09):
like Eliath in the field of battle, I will work
with what I know has been proven time and time again,
my faith and trust in You God, with my feet
planted and my eyes fixed on my target, I will
give it all I have and let my faith and
works fly. As they collide with the enemy in front
(01:33):
of me, I will let out a hallelujah because it
has no choice but to fall. I decree that all
giants must fall at the feet of my heavenly Father.
This is my truth. This is my declaration in Jesus name. Amen.
(01:57):
Thank you for making prayer a priority in your day.
To learn more about the Bible, stay tuned for to
day's story, brought to you by Bible in a year
dot Com.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
David and Goliath. In our last story, we learned about
God's plan to choose a new king, a king with
a pure heart that seeks after him. David, a young
shepherd boy no older than seventeen, was anointed king over
Israel by Samuel. David did not know that he was
anointed king, for only Samuel and God knew. However, from
(02:41):
that day forward, everything else would change. Now we will
learn about the giant Goliath posing a challenge to the
people of Israel. No one would step up to his challenge,
nobody except David. Inspired by the book a First Samuel.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham, with today's episode of the
Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous episode, we
heard how Samuel went to the home of Jesse, and
after passing every one of Jesse's older, stronger sons, God
told Samuel that David was the young shepherd boy who
would be the king. Samuel anointed David in God's spirit
(03:21):
filled this young man. Soon, David ended up in the
king's palace, King Saul's palace, and he was called upon
to play the heart for Saul, to soothe the king,
to calm his soul that was tormented by the departure
of God's presence in his life. Today, we'll see how
David steps up to boldly face and defeat a Philistine giant.
(03:41):
David's confidence isn't in his own strength, but in God's
victory and in the promise that the battle is the Lord's. Now,
let's listen to today's reading.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
The Israelites and the Philistines stood poised for battle on
two hills, facing each other, with a valley and between them,
the dark clouds hid the sun and hovered closely over
the battlefield. Below. Israel stood ready for battle, with the
city of Judah behind them. The Philistines had camped close,
and this was Israel's last stand to ward off the
(04:16):
Philistines before they invaded Israel. Neither army desired to continue fighting.
Too many men had been lost on both sides, yet
peace was not an option. The Philistines desired to enslave
the Israelite people. Saul stood with his men behind him.
He was weary from battle and the disturbing images of
(04:37):
his nightmares. Saul peered at the army on the other side.
The Philistine men began to part to make room for
a figure making its way to the front. The earth
began to shake slightly, and Saul could hear gasps from
his men. As the figure made its way into view.
The soldier from the Philistine army emerged. He loomed over
(04:59):
the other Philistines. His legs were planted firmly into the
ground like tree trunks, covered with bronze armor. He had
a coat of bronze mail draped over his chiseled and
monstrous chest. His arms were like beams of stone holding
up his spear and shield. He stood as six feet
and nine inches of raw power. His name was Goliath,
(05:23):
and he was the Philistines champion His smile could be
seen through his helmet, and he raised his voice to
the Israelites. He spoke with the bellowings of a god.
His voice seemed as though it could crack the earth.
Why have you come up to battle? Do I not
represent all Philistines? Choose for yourself a champion to fight me.
(05:47):
If he slays me, the Philistines shall be your servants.
But if I crush him in every bone in his body,
the Israelites shall bow at our feet. The men behind
Saul trembled in fear behind him, and he could hear
the rattling of shaking armor. Saul stood there, silent and
(06:07):
unable to answer. Goliath smiled at their fear, and the
Philistine army laughed. As Saul stood there, paralyzed and speechless.
Goliath raised his spear into the air and pointed it
towards Saul and his army. I defy you and your armies,
he said, as he spat on the ground towards them.
(06:30):
Give me a man to fight, he shouted. Saul could
see the blood lust in Goliath's eyes. He was truly
a monster designed for destruction. The Philistines chanted behind Goliath
and banged on their shields. All of Israel was dismayed,
and beads of sweat fell from Saul's forehead. For forty days,
(06:53):
Goliath stood at the edge of the canyon and challenged
the Israelites. Morning and night, Goliath's allans would echo through
the Israelite camp. His bloodthirsty voice hovered over the bed
of Saul like a demon. Every soldier was paralyzed with fear.
A few weeks had passed and David was preparing food
(07:14):
to bring back to his brothers who served under Saul.
David would go to and from Israel's camp. Often he
would tend to his father's sheep and then travel to
camp to play music for Saul. Upon his father's request,
he packed grains and cheeses for his brothers and their commander.
Early in the morning, David loaded up his donkey and
(07:35):
ventured back to Israel's camp. As David approached the camp,
he could hear battle cries coming from the edge of
the canyon. He ran towards the sound and made his
way up a rock to observe the battle. The two
armies were poised as they were before, yelling at one
another and goating each other into battle. However, Israel's army
grew silent when Goliath emerged again. David looked at Goliath, closely,
(08:00):
studying his movement and mannerisms. He listened as Goliath defied
the armies of Israel, God, and their entire nation. He
watched as the men of Israel, his brothers included, cowered
in fear at the sight of Goliath. David climbed down
and walked among the men at camp. Have you seen
that philistine giant? A man said to him, The king
(08:22):
has promised riches and his daughter to whoever kills him
in battle. David clenched his jaw. The words of the
giant resonated in his brain. The spirit of God inside
him was stirring. Who is this philistine that he should
defy the armies of Israel and the living God, David said.
David crossed his arms and thought deeply. His brother Eliab
(08:45):
saw him from the other side of camp. He stormed
towards David and turned him around. What are you doing here?
Elob shouted, who have you left the sheep with this time?
I know why you are here, David. You just want
to look at the battle. David paid no attention to
his brother. He had just seen him run away from
Goliath in fear. Instead, David turned and walked towards Saul's
(09:08):
tent without permission to enter. David burst through the tent
and knelt at the foot of Saul. David, looking down
at the floor, said, do not let any one's heart
fail because of the giant. I will go up against him.
Saul and the others in his tent held in chuckles.
Saul helped David up on his feet and said, you
(09:29):
are not able to go up against him. You are
a boy, and he has been killing since he was
a boy. David gave a slight grin. His eyes were
gleaming with intensity and hope. David looked up and said,
as you know, I keep the sheep for my father.
Any time there was a lion or bear that stole
away a lamb from the flock, I would go after
(09:50):
it and strike it down. I have delivered sheep from
the jaws of lions. I have struck them down. This
philistine shall be like one of them, for he has
threatened the sheep of God. Saul and the others gritted
their teeth and looked at one another with concerned faces.
David continued, saying, the Lord has delivered me from the
(10:11):
paw of the lion and the claw of the bear.
He will deliver me from the hand of this giant.
Saul looked down at David. He stroked his beard and
let out a sigh. He was old and unable to
fight Goliath, but perhaps this boy had the anointing of God.
David held his breath, waiting for Saul's answer. He looked
(10:32):
again at David and said, go, May the Lord be
with you. Then Saul immediately went to the chest laying
at the foot of his throne. You will need these,
Saul said, as he took out his armor and began
to dress David in it. He put a helmet of
bronze on his head and draped a coat of mail
over his body. He strapped his sword over his shoulder
(10:54):
and tightened his belt to keep the armor together. David
waddled in place, almost unable to move under the sheer
weight of Saul's armor. David gave Saul a concerned look
and said, my King, I cannot go out in battle
with these, So David took off the armor. David nodded
to Saul, picked up his shepherd's staff and walked out
(11:15):
of the tent. David passed by a creek bed to
choose five smooth stones. He put them in his shepherd's
pouch as he prayed to God for strength. Without armor,
having only his staff and sling, David ran towards the battlefield.
David came into the middle of the valley. The mumbles
of Israelite soldiers could be heard from above. They watched
(11:37):
David as he approached Goliath. The two stood about fifty
yards away from one another. The giant looked down and
saw David. Goliath laughed and spat towards him, saying, am
I a dog that you come to me with a stick.
He pounded his spear against his shield and cursed David
by his gods. Goliath's smile turned into a scowl. He
(12:00):
spoke only to David.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Now.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
He did not yell or raise his voice for others
to hear. He simply looked at David intensely and said,
come to me, boy, I will give your flesh for
the birds and beasts to feast on. David met Goliath's
hateful gaze and said, you come to me with sword,
spear and javelin but I come to you in the
(12:22):
name of the Lord of Heaven and Earth. It is
he you have defied. David pointed his staff to Goliath
and raised his voice for all to hear, saying, to
day the Lord will deliver you into my hand. I
will strike you down, and your head will roll off
your body. The birds and beasts will feast on your corpse,
(12:43):
and all the world shall know that there is a
God in Israel who fights for us. At that moment,
Goliath ran towards David in a fury. The giant shook
the earth below him as he mounted an attack. David
planted his feet firmly into the ground. He drew a
stone from his bag and placed it in the leather
cradle of his sling. All was silent, and David could
(13:06):
only hear the sound of his breathing. David had one
chance to hit the giant. If he missed, there would
be no second shot. David wore no helmet. It would
only cast a shadow on his vision, and his aim
must be precise. David wore no breastplate. It was heavy
on his chest, and his breathing must be unhindered. His
(13:27):
slings swung in place behind him. As Goliath narrowed the
gap between them. The Giant's legs burst with power, ready
to launch towards him. David swung his hips and released
the stone into the air. It released with precision, whistling
through the air towards Goliath a direct hidden. The stone
sank into his forehead and cracked his skull. The giant's
(13:50):
leap was interrupted as he fell to the floor. The
earth quaked as his massive body hit the dirt. The
Giant lay there motionless. David wasted no time. He ran
toward the Philistine, took his sword from his hand and
drove it straight through his neck. David held the head
of Goliath in his hand for all the Philistines to see.
(14:12):
David could hear a roar of men storming behind him.
As the armies of Israel crossed the valley towards the Philistines,
They passed David and ran towards the enemy. The Philistines
ran as the children of Israel stormed their camp. David
pursued the Philistines alongside them and began to fight alongside
his brothers. As the battle raged on, Saul saw David
(14:35):
from a distance, fighting with fury tact and skilled. Who
is that warrior, Saul asked his commander, that is David.
The commander replied, so all of Israel was liberated at
the hands of David. David brought back the armor of Goliath,
and the entire nation shouted in victory and praise over him.
(14:56):
David's heart of courage spoke of a greater story happening
in Israel, a story of a shepherd who would lay
down his life to save his sheep, A shepherd who
would fight lions, giants, and armies to restore his sheep
to green pastures and still waters. David's bravery mirrored the
shepherding heart of God over Israel. God would use David
(15:18):
in us to come to shepherd and guide his sheep
into prosperity, safety, and refreshment. One day, God would send
another shepherd that would rise from Bethlehem, a shepherd that
would slay the biggest giant of all, seem in death.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Today's story begins with two enemies poised ready for battle.
The Philistines and Israelites, each camped on hills facing each other.
For now, there is only the threat of imminent war,
but the Philistines have a secret weapon, a ferocious, terrifying
giant by the name of Goliath, a man more powerful
than anyone on either side of the fight. This giant
(16:04):
struck fear in the hearts of his own people, let
alone the Israelites who watched him from a distance. Goliath
was not only a giant, powerful and strong, he was
also brash and confident, unafraid of any man who would
come against him. So Goliath shouted his challenge to Saul's army.
Rather than send armies against each other, they would settle
(16:25):
this one on one. Goliath would stand for the Philistines,
and Israel would send out their best hope, their best fighter.
Should the Israelite challenger win, the Philistines would serve them.
Otherwise Israel would be slaves to the Philistines. Saul and
his men were unwilling to take this challenge. They were
(16:47):
all terrorized by this giant. No one stepped forward, but
Goliath kept issuing the challenge for forty days. He taunted
and terrified Saul's army, showing nothing but tempt and anger.
He ridiculed not just them, but their god as well,
blaspheming the God of Heaven. Goliath respected no man or
(17:10):
God when David went to the battlefield to take food
to his brothers. He heard Golias threats and insults. The
giant was disrespecting Almighty God, and David was full of
faith and zealous and mighty in the power of God.
So he told Saul that he would face the terrible giant.
This seemed like a ridiculous proposition. Of course, Saul told
(17:32):
David as much and said that he couldn't send him
into a fight destined for death. But David told Saul
of the beast that he had faced, and as a shepherd,
how he had defeated lions and bears. Then in First
Samuel seventeen, verse thirty seven, David says this, the Lord
who delivered me from the paw of the lion and
(17:53):
from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from
the hand of this felictine. David understood that all he
needed was the power and the promise of God. The
size of the enemy is unimportant when the Lord is
on your side, and yes, the battle is the Lord's.
So David faced off against the giant. He refused to
(18:14):
wear the king's armor, which was heavy and weighing him down,
and he faced him like a shepherd with a sling
and some stones and the power of God. Goliath mocked
David and blasphemed God. But David told Goliath that it
was not him that he was facing, but the Lord
of Heaven and Earth, and God would deliver Goliath into
(18:35):
his hands. David hurled his stone that sunk deep into
Goliath's forehead, and the fearsome warrior fell. David ran to
him and removed his head, holding it high for the
terrified for listenings to see their champion now dead on
the battlefield. This story is certainly about bravery, David's courage
(18:55):
and bravery to face the enemy, but it is also
most importantly about God's power to defeat every enemy that
opposes him. God will not be mopped, and he mightily
use David to show just how powerful he is to
accomplish his purposes, and it points to the ultimate good shepherd,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who would one day slay the
(19:18):
greatest giant of all, the giant of sin and death.
David was now, of course, a hero to the people,
and his legend would only grow. We'll hear more of
this journey. It's highs and lows in tomorrow's episodes. God
help us always to remember that the battle is your battle,
(19:38):
that we fight from a position of strength and power
when we trust in You. Thank You for the victory
that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. May we also,
like David, have a heart for you and to be
full of faith to defeat every enemy in Jesus's name. Amen.
Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
(20:00):
I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com
app and make prayer and Bible study a priority in
your life. If you enjoy this podcast, share it with
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we can get the word of God to the world.
And if you want more resources on how to tap
into God's power for Christian living, be sure to visit
(20:22):
Jack Graham dot org. God bless you.
Let us pray. Then, David said to the Philistine, thou
comest to me with a sword, and with a spear,
and with a shield. But I come to thee in
the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of
the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defiled first Samuel
seventeen forty five. Dear Lord, when the problems and challenges
(00:26):
in my life seem as big as Goliath, I will
mimic the thoughts and actions of David. I will declare,
what is this problem in front of me that thinks
it's bigger than the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Who are these individuals that think they can stop the
plans of God for my life? No, I will not
(00:47):
back down. Lord, I thank you, Like David and his sling,
you two have given me my unique and special gifting
to overcome any challenges I face. I will not force
myself to put on strategies and beliefs that have not
been tested in my faith walk. When the problem approaches me,
(01:09):
like Eliath in the field of battle, I will work
with what I know has been proven time and time again,
my faith and trust in You God, with my feet
planted and my eyes fixed on my target, I will
give it all I have and let my faith and
works fly. As they collide with the enemy in front
(01:33):
of me, I will let out a hallelujah because it
has no choice but to fall. I decree that all
giants must fall at the feet of my heavenly Father.
This is my truth. This is my declaration in Jesus name. Amen.
(01:57):
Thank you for making prayer a priority in your day.
To learn more about the Bible, stay tuned for to
day's story, brought to you by Bible in a year
dot Com.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
David and Goliath. In our last story, we learned about
God's plan to choose a new king, a king with
a pure heart that seeks after him. David, a young
shepherd boy no older than seventeen, was anointed king over
Israel by Samuel. David did not know that he was
anointed king, for only Samuel and God knew. However, from
(02:41):
that day forward, everything else would change. Now we will
learn about the giant Goliath posing a challenge to the
people of Israel. No one would step up to his challenge,
nobody except David. Inspired by the book a First Samuel.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham, with today's episode of the
Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous episode, we
heard how Samuel went to the home of Jesse, and
after passing every one of Jesse's older, stronger sons, God
told Samuel that David was the young shepherd boy who
would be the king. Samuel anointed David in God's spirit
(03:21):
filled this young man. Soon, David ended up in the
king's palace, King Saul's palace, and he was called upon
to play the heart for Saul, to soothe the king,
to calm his soul that was tormented by the departure
of God's presence in his life. Today, we'll see how
David steps up to boldly face and defeat a Philistine giant.
(03:41):
David's confidence isn't in his own strength, but in God's
victory and in the promise that the battle is the Lord's. Now,
let's listen to today's reading.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
The Israelites and the Philistines stood poised for battle on
two hills, facing each other, with a valley and between them,
the dark clouds hid the sun and hovered closely over
the battlefield. Below. Israel stood ready for battle, with the
city of Judah behind them. The Philistines had camped close,
and this was Israel's last stand to ward off the
(04:16):
Philistines before they invaded Israel. Neither army desired to continue fighting.
Too many men had been lost on both sides, yet
peace was not an option. The Philistines desired to enslave
the Israelite people. Saul stood with his men behind him.
He was weary from battle and the disturbing images of
(04:37):
his nightmares. Saul peered at the army on the other side.
The Philistine men began to part to make room for
a figure making its way to the front. The earth
began to shake slightly, and Saul could hear gasps from
his men. As the figure made its way into view.
The soldier from the Philistine army emerged. He loomed over
(04:59):
the other Philistines. His legs were planted firmly into the
ground like tree trunks, covered with bronze armor. He had
a coat of bronze mail draped over his chiseled and
monstrous chest. His arms were like beams of stone holding
up his spear and shield. He stood as six feet
and nine inches of raw power. His name was Goliath,
(05:23):
and he was the Philistines champion His smile could be
seen through his helmet, and he raised his voice to
the Israelites. He spoke with the bellowings of a god.
His voice seemed as though it could crack the earth.
Why have you come up to battle? Do I not
represent all Philistines? Choose for yourself a champion to fight me.
(05:47):
If he slays me, the Philistines shall be your servants.
But if I crush him in every bone in his body,
the Israelites shall bow at our feet. The men behind
Saul trembled in fear behind him, and he could hear
the rattling of shaking armor. Saul stood there, silent and
(06:07):
unable to answer. Goliath smiled at their fear, and the
Philistine army laughed. As Saul stood there, paralyzed and speechless.
Goliath raised his spear into the air and pointed it
towards Saul and his army. I defy you and your armies,
he said, as he spat on the ground towards them.
(06:30):
Give me a man to fight, he shouted. Saul could
see the blood lust in Goliath's eyes. He was truly
a monster designed for destruction. The Philistines chanted behind Goliath
and banged on their shields. All of Israel was dismayed,
and beads of sweat fell from Saul's forehead. For forty days,
(06:53):
Goliath stood at the edge of the canyon and challenged
the Israelites. Morning and night, Goliath's allans would echo through
the Israelite camp. His bloodthirsty voice hovered over the bed
of Saul like a demon. Every soldier was paralyzed with fear.
A few weeks had passed and David was preparing food
(07:14):
to bring back to his brothers who served under Saul.
David would go to and from Israel's camp. Often he
would tend to his father's sheep and then travel to
camp to play music for Saul. Upon his father's request,
he packed grains and cheeses for his brothers and their commander.
Early in the morning, David loaded up his donkey and
(07:35):
ventured back to Israel's camp. As David approached the camp,
he could hear battle cries coming from the edge of
the canyon. He ran towards the sound and made his
way up a rock to observe the battle. The two
armies were poised as they were before, yelling at one
another and goating each other into battle. However, Israel's army
grew silent when Goliath emerged again. David looked at Goliath, closely,
(08:00):
studying his movement and mannerisms. He listened as Goliath defied
the armies of Israel, God, and their entire nation. He
watched as the men of Israel, his brothers included, cowered
in fear at the sight of Goliath. David climbed down
and walked among the men at camp. Have you seen
that philistine giant? A man said to him, The king
(08:22):
has promised riches and his daughter to whoever kills him
in battle. David clenched his jaw. The words of the
giant resonated in his brain. The spirit of God inside
him was stirring. Who is this philistine that he should
defy the armies of Israel and the living God, David said.
David crossed his arms and thought deeply. His brother Eliab
(08:45):
saw him from the other side of camp. He stormed
towards David and turned him around. What are you doing here?
Elob shouted, who have you left the sheep with this time?
I know why you are here, David. You just want
to look at the battle. David paid no attention to
his brother. He had just seen him run away from
Goliath in fear. Instead, David turned and walked towards Saul's
(09:08):
tent without permission to enter. David burst through the tent
and knelt at the foot of Saul. David, looking down
at the floor, said, do not let any one's heart
fail because of the giant. I will go up against him.
Saul and the others in his tent held in chuckles.
Saul helped David up on his feet and said, you
(09:29):
are not able to go up against him. You are
a boy, and he has been killing since he was
a boy. David gave a slight grin. His eyes were
gleaming with intensity and hope. David looked up and said,
as you know, I keep the sheep for my father.
Any time there was a lion or bear that stole
away a lamb from the flock, I would go after
(09:50):
it and strike it down. I have delivered sheep from
the jaws of lions. I have struck them down. This
philistine shall be like one of them, for he has
threatened the sheep of God. Saul and the others gritted
their teeth and looked at one another with concerned faces.
David continued, saying, the Lord has delivered me from the
(10:11):
paw of the lion and the claw of the bear.
He will deliver me from the hand of this giant.
Saul looked down at David. He stroked his beard and
let out a sigh. He was old and unable to
fight Goliath, but perhaps this boy had the anointing of God.
David held his breath, waiting for Saul's answer. He looked
(10:32):
again at David and said, go, May the Lord be
with you. Then Saul immediately went to the chest laying
at the foot of his throne. You will need these,
Saul said, as he took out his armor and began
to dress David in it. He put a helmet of
bronze on his head and draped a coat of mail
over his body. He strapped his sword over his shoulder
(10:54):
and tightened his belt to keep the armor together. David
waddled in place, almost unable to move under the sheer
weight of Saul's armor. David gave Saul a concerned look
and said, my King, I cannot go out in battle
with these, So David took off the armor. David nodded
to Saul, picked up his shepherd's staff and walked out
(11:15):
of the tent. David passed by a creek bed to
choose five smooth stones. He put them in his shepherd's
pouch as he prayed to God for strength. Without armor,
having only his staff and sling, David ran towards the battlefield.
David came into the middle of the valley. The mumbles
of Israelite soldiers could be heard from above. They watched
(11:37):
David as he approached Goliath. The two stood about fifty
yards away from one another. The giant looked down and
saw David. Goliath laughed and spat towards him, saying, am
I a dog that you come to me with a stick.
He pounded his spear against his shield and cursed David
by his gods. Goliath's smile turned into a scowl. He
(12:00):
spoke only to David.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Now.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
He did not yell or raise his voice for others
to hear. He simply looked at David intensely and said,
come to me, boy, I will give your flesh for
the birds and beasts to feast on. David met Goliath's
hateful gaze and said, you come to me with sword,
spear and javelin but I come to you in the
(12:22):
name of the Lord of Heaven and Earth. It is
he you have defied. David pointed his staff to Goliath
and raised his voice for all to hear, saying, to
day the Lord will deliver you into my hand. I
will strike you down, and your head will roll off
your body. The birds and beasts will feast on your corpse,
(12:43):
and all the world shall know that there is a
God in Israel who fights for us. At that moment,
Goliath ran towards David in a fury. The giant shook
the earth below him as he mounted an attack. David
planted his feet firmly into the ground. He drew a
stone from his bag and placed it in the leather
cradle of his sling. All was silent, and David could
(13:06):
only hear the sound of his breathing. David had one
chance to hit the giant. If he missed, there would
be no second shot. David wore no helmet. It would
only cast a shadow on his vision, and his aim
must be precise. David wore no breastplate. It was heavy
on his chest, and his breathing must be unhindered. His
(13:27):
slings swung in place behind him. As Goliath narrowed the
gap between them. The Giant's legs burst with power, ready
to launch towards him. David swung his hips and released
the stone into the air. It released with precision, whistling
through the air towards Goliath a direct hidden. The stone
sank into his forehead and cracked his skull. The giant's
(13:50):
leap was interrupted as he fell to the floor. The
earth quaked as his massive body hit the dirt. The
Giant lay there motionless. David wasted no time. He ran
toward the Philistine, took his sword from his hand and
drove it straight through his neck. David held the head
of Goliath in his hand for all the Philistines to see.
(14:12):
David could hear a roar of men storming behind him.
As the armies of Israel crossed the valley towards the Philistines,
They passed David and ran towards the enemy. The Philistines
ran as the children of Israel stormed their camp. David
pursued the Philistines alongside them and began to fight alongside
his brothers. As the battle raged on, Saul saw David
(14:35):
from a distance, fighting with fury tact and skilled. Who
is that warrior, Saul asked his commander, that is David.
The commander replied, so all of Israel was liberated at
the hands of David. David brought back the armor of Goliath,
and the entire nation shouted in victory and praise over him.
(14:56):
David's heart of courage spoke of a greater story happening
in Israel, a story of a shepherd who would lay
down his life to save his sheep, A shepherd who
would fight lions, giants, and armies to restore his sheep
to green pastures and still waters. David's bravery mirrored the
shepherding heart of God over Israel. God would use David
(15:18):
in us to come to shepherd and guide his sheep
into prosperity, safety, and refreshment. One day, God would send
another shepherd that would rise from Bethlehem, a shepherd that
would slay the biggest giant of all, seem in death.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Today's story begins with two enemies poised ready for battle.
The Philistines and Israelites, each camped on hills facing each other.
For now, there is only the threat of imminent war,
but the Philistines have a secret weapon, a ferocious, terrifying
giant by the name of Goliath, a man more powerful
than anyone on either side of the fight. This giant
(16:04):
struck fear in the hearts of his own people, let
alone the Israelites who watched him from a distance. Goliath
was not only a giant, powerful and strong, he was
also brash and confident, unafraid of any man who would
come against him. So Goliath shouted his challenge to Saul's army.
Rather than send armies against each other, they would settle
(16:25):
this one on one. Goliath would stand for the Philistines,
and Israel would send out their best hope, their best fighter.
Should the Israelite challenger win, the Philistines would serve them.
Otherwise Israel would be slaves to the Philistines. Saul and
his men were unwilling to take this challenge. They were
(16:47):
all terrorized by this giant. No one stepped forward, but
Goliath kept issuing the challenge for forty days. He taunted
and terrified Saul's army, showing nothing but tempt and anger.
He ridiculed not just them, but their god as well,
blaspheming the God of Heaven. Goliath respected no man or
(17:10):
God when David went to the battlefield to take food
to his brothers. He heard Golias threats and insults. The
giant was disrespecting Almighty God, and David was full of
faith and zealous and mighty in the power of God.
So he told Saul that he would face the terrible giant.
This seemed like a ridiculous proposition. Of course, Saul told
(17:32):
David as much and said that he couldn't send him
into a fight destined for death. But David told Saul
of the beast that he had faced, and as a shepherd,
how he had defeated lions and bears. Then in First
Samuel seventeen, verse thirty seven, David says this, the Lord
who delivered me from the paw of the lion and
(17:53):
from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from
the hand of this felictine. David understood that all he
needed was the power and the promise of God. The
size of the enemy is unimportant when the Lord is
on your side, and yes, the battle is the Lord's.
So David faced off against the giant. He refused to
(18:14):
wear the king's armor, which was heavy and weighing him down,
and he faced him like a shepherd with a sling
and some stones and the power of God. Goliath mocked
David and blasphemed God. But David told Goliath that it
was not him that he was facing, but the Lord
of Heaven and Earth, and God would deliver Goliath into
(18:35):
his hands. David hurled his stone that sunk deep into
Goliath's forehead, and the fearsome warrior fell. David ran to
him and removed his head, holding it high for the
terrified for listenings to see their champion now dead on
the battlefield. This story is certainly about bravery, David's courage
(18:55):
and bravery to face the enemy, but it is also
most importantly about God's power to defeat every enemy that
opposes him. God will not be mopped, and he mightily
use David to show just how powerful he is to
accomplish his purposes, and it points to the ultimate good shepherd,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who would one day slay the
(19:18):
greatest giant of all, the giant of sin and death.
David was now, of course, a hero to the people,
and his legend would only grow. We'll hear more of
this journey. It's highs and lows in tomorrow's episodes. God
help us always to remember that the battle is your battle,
(19:38):
that we fight from a position of strength and power
when we trust in You. Thank You for the victory
that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. May we also,
like David, have a heart for you and to be
full of faith to defeat every enemy in Jesus's name. Amen.
Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
(20:00):
I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com
app and make prayer and Bible study a priority in
your life. If you enjoy this podcast, share it with
someone you love or know. And by sharing this podcast,
we can get the word of God to the world.
And if you want more resources on how to tap
into God's power for Christian living, be sure to visit
(20:22):
Jack Graham dot org. God bless you.
Host
Jack Graham
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