Last time, we saw how the people’s choice for a human king (Saul), turned out badly – exactly as God predicted. (See The First Time Was Not the Charm – Just as God said.).
The anointing:
The prophet Samuel was still moping about the loss of God’s favor over Saul, even though it was completely justified. Jehovah tells him to move on:
Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.” 1 Sm. 16:1 NLT
Samuel gathers the elders of Bethlehem for a meeting with Jesse and his sons to anoint a king for Israel. Jesse brings each of seven sons, all handsome and well built, like Saul; but God doesn’t choose any of them. In fact, He tells Samuel what to look for:
“Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Sm. 16:7 NLT
Perplexed, Samuel asks Jesse if he has presented all his sons. Jesse replies that there still is the youngest son, who taking care of his sheep and goats. Samuel sends for him.
When he, David, arrives, God chooses him as king of Israel and Samuel anoints David’s head with oil.
(Mind you, David is king in God’s eyes, but he will not reign officially until years later.)
A brief and loving companionship:
Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear. 1 Sm. 16:14 NLT
Saul is facing his judgment for his repeated disobedience.
Saul’s servants take note of this and tell him to find a harpist whose music would turn the spirit away when the musician played.
One of the servants just happened to remember that David fit that bill. Coincidence? Not! God is beginning to shape David for his reign. In fact, not only did David’s music soothe Saul, but he also came to love David and promoted him to be his armor bearer.
An unpredictable victory:
The Philistines lined up on one side of a valley to do battle with Israel, and Saul’s army lined up on the other.
The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them. Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches tall and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed one hundred twenty-five pounds. There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze javelin was slung between his shoulders. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed fifteen pounds. In addition, a shield-bearer was walking in front of him. 1 Sm. 17:3 – 7. CSB
Goliath taunts Saul and his army, daring them to send their champion to do battle with him. They were paralyzed with fear and dread. This went on for forty days!
Included in Saul’s army were three of David’s brothers. Jesse decided to have David bring food to them and report back to him of their status. When he got to the two armies facing one another, he heard Goliath’s challenges and the cowardly response of the Israelites.
David spoke to men standing next to him:
“What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes the disgrace [of his taunting] from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he has taunted and defied the armies of the living God?” 1 Sm. 17:26, 27. AMP
David’s words were reported to Saul, who had David brought to him. David offers to fight Goliath, but Saul tries to dissuade him, saying that Goliath was a professional warrior and that he wouldn’t stand a chance.
David retorts that he has killed both a lion and a bear, and then speaks out of faith:
“…this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” 1 Sm. 17:36, 37. CSB
Saul relents and tries to give David his armor, but it was too bulky and awkward, so he takes it off and approaches Goliath armed only with a staff and a sling with five stones he found in a stream bed.
When Goliath sets his eyes on David, he blurts out:
“Am I a dog, that you come to me with [shepherd’s] staffs?” 1 Sm. 17:43 AMP
“Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. 1 Sm.17:44. NLT
David responds:
David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 1 Sm. 17:45 – 47. NLT
David runs full bore at Goliath, immediately slinging a stone into his head, causing him to fall on his face. Grabbing Goliath’s sword, David beheads the giant. Seeing this, the Philistines flee, and Israel chased them and plundered their campsite.
Saul now kept David full-time. He made him commander of his army. Saul’s son Jonathan also greatly admired David and they made a covenant to be life-long friends.
So much for the bromance:
As they were coming [home], when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, [songs of] joy, and musical instruments. The women sang as they played and danced, saying, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 1 Sm. 18:6 & 7. AMP
(Of course, no one slew thousands or tens of thousands. It was only whimsical license.)
Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed [only] thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” Saul looked at David with suspicion [and jealously] from that day forward. 1 Sm. 18:8, 9. AMP
The division begins. Stay tuned…
Goodnight and God bless.