Five Smooth Stones
by
Josprel
Part Two
Jesse sent his youngest son, David, to the battlefront with food for his three soldier sons.
“Take this half-bushel of roasted corn and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers in the camp. And take these ten cheeses to the commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are getting along and bring back something to show that you saw then and that they are well. King Saul, your brothers, and all the other Israelites are in Elah Valley fighting the Philistines.”
When David arrived at the battlefront, he deposited the food with the commissary officer. Then ran to his brothers at the battle line and inquired how they were getting along. As they talked, Goliath came forward, challenging Saul’s warriors as he previously had done, and they ran in terror.
“Look at him; listen to him. King Saul has promised a big reward to the man who kills him.”
“What will the man get who kills this Philistine and frees Israel from this disgrace? After all, who is this Philistine to defy the army of the living God?”
The others told David of the reward the one who killed Goliath would receive. But his brothers overheard him taking to the men and became angry with him.
“You little smart aleck, you!” said his oldest brother, Eliab, what are you doing here; who’s taking care of your sheep? You just came to watch the fighting!”
“Now what have I done?” David asked, “Can’t I even ask questions?” He turned to another, asking the same question; each time he asked, he received the same answer: “The man who kills Goliath will receive a big reward. He also will be given the king’s daughter in marriage, and his father’s family will not be required to pay any more taxes.”
Some of the men who heard David, reported it to the king. Saul sent for the shepherd.
“No one should be afraid of this Philistine, your Majesty! I’ll go and fight him,” David told Saul.
“No; how can you fight him?” the king asked, “You’re just a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life.”
“Your Majesty, I take care of my father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear steals a lamb, I go after it and attack it, and rescue the lamb. I grab it by the throat and beat it to death. I’ve killed lions and bears, and I’ll do the same to this heathen Philistine. The Lord has saved me from lions and bears, and he will save me form this Philistine.”
“All right,” Saul answered, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
The king gave David his own armor to wear. “ I can’t fight with this,” David said, “I’m not used to it.”
He removed it and took his shepherd’s stick. Then he picked five smooth stones from a stream and put them in his bag. With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath, who started walking toward David with his shield bearer walking in from of him. Goliath kept approaching closer, but when he got a good look at David, he was filled with disdain because his enemy was just a handsome boy.”
“What is that stick for; do you think I’m a dog?” he asked, calling down curses from his god on David, “Come ahead. I’ll give your body to the birds and animals to eat!”
“You’re coming against me with your sword, spear, and javelin, but I’m coming against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied. This very day, the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God, and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power.”
Goliath started walking toward David again, and David ran quickly toward the Philistine battle line to fight him. He reached into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath. It hit him on the forehead and broke his skull, and Goliath fell face downward on the ground.
And so, without a sword, David killed Goliath with a sling and stone! He ran to him, stood over him, took Goliath’s sword from its sheath, and cut off his head and killed him.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran away. As the Israelites shouted and pursued them, the Philistines fell wounded all along the road leading to Shaaraim.
When the Israelites returned, they looted the Philistine camp. David got Goliath’s head and took it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath’s weapons.
What a tremendous lesson for all of us! God frequently uses little things to demonstrate His power. He often uses things that appear insignificant to defeat obstacles that the world considers insurmountable.
Gathering the smooth stones of confidence in God from His stream of faith, each believer ought to step forward into the Lord's will, in the knowledge that He ever is with us.
As an anonymous hymnist of yesteryear wrote:
"I've seen the lightning flashing,
And heard the thunder roll;
I've felt sin's breakers dashing,
Trying to conquer my soul;
I've heard the voice of my Savior,
Telling me still to fight on;
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone."
Chorus:
"No, never alone!
No, never alone!
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone!
No, never alone!
No, never alone!
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone."
(Hymn, "Never Alone"; Composer anonymous).
-30-
© Josprel
josprel@verizon.net
Author