Leslie M. John
”Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”. (Ephesians 6:11)
In the battle that was to take place between the army of Philistines and the army of children of Israel both were advantageously posted, yet neither went forward to fight against each other. Philistine hero Goliath was waiting for an equivalent opponent. Saul thought there was none on his side to fight against this mighty proud warrior. David the youngest son of Jesse, looking after his father's sheep, went to watch as to what was happening in the battlefield. To his surprise, he found that none from the Israelites' camp went forward to fight against Goliath. Deeply distressed over the attitude of his brothers and also that of others in the camp, he agreed to fight with Goliath. He retorted saying, ”Who is this uncircumcised fellow to mock at God's children?” David took the challenge and went forward to face Goliath.
Seeing the shepherd boy the giant Goliath insulted him. David was a shepherd boy, short in stature and did not attire himself in good dress. Saul was worried about the intervention of this shepherd boy, David. ”And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth”. (1 Samuel 17:33) What a discouragement David had to face from Saul!
Yet after hearing David’s courageous acts Saul conceded to David to fight against the Philistine but asked David to wear ”his armour, and he put on helmet of brass upon his head and also armed him with a coat of mail”. (1 Samuel 17:38).
Saul thought armor, helmet of brass and coat are required to meet challenge of enemy. He insisted upon David to wear armor of his choice to face Goliath. Saul himself did not have courage to face Goliath but he thought David needed his choice armor to face the enemy. David girded his sword upon his armour and found uncomfortable. He removed it saying that he can not go with the armour that Saul has provided him. (1 Samuel 17:39)
David took his staff and chose five smooth stones out of the brook and he slang a stone from his sling. The stone sunk into Goliath’s forehead and he fell upon his face to the earth. (1 Samuel 17:40 and 49)
David ran and stood upon Philistine and took his sword and killed him and the philistines fled from the battlefield (1 Samuel 17:50-51)
David used Goliath's own weapon to kill him. God was with David. Goliath's strength and power were of no avail before God's.
The same God, the living Lord, who has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world for the remission of your sins and mine, calls us to depend on Him because He is our savior. He wants to be our rock of refuge and bless us. He wants us to put on the armour that he gave us instead of putting on the armour that the world gives us. Let not the strong man glory in his strength.