The Philistines had invaded the Land of Israel. Joshua’s triumphs over Canaan were incomplete when the small nation of the Philistines were allowed to continue to exist in the southwest corner by the Gaza Strip toward Egypt. This seemingly “small” disobedience was a continual “thorn in the side” of Israel. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer well said, “There is no little sin.” The Philistines should never have been on Israel’s ground.

The Philistines expanded their dominance in the time of Eli and Samuel and now invaded the Land, hoping to conquer and destroy Jerusalem. The opposing armies faced each other in battle array with the Valley of Elah between them.

“Goliath” means “champion.” The champion of battle and fighting among the Philistines was the giant Goliath. Each day for forty days, Goliath walked into the Valley of Elah and laid down the gauntlet of battle challenge for the champion of Israel to come into the Valley to fight him. In this battle of champions, the spoils would be a national victory to the conqueror and national servitude to the vanquished.

Goliath was “six cubits and a span” tall. Commentaries cite the height to be “nine feet nine inches” where a “cubit” is eighteen inches. Matthew Henry cites the studies of Bishop Cumberland that a “cubit” was twenty-one inches thus making Goliath to be eleven feet four inches. Goliath was a warrior of monstrous and prodigious size who had been a man of war from his youth. His armor and coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. The tip of his spear weighed fifteen pounds. He could wield a “wearers beam” like a large staff.

Goliath is a picture to us of Satan and the world. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against “principalities and powers.” The Devil walks about as a “roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” (Ephesians 6, I Peter 5) “Love not the world neither the things that are in the world.” “He that is a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4) The Devil tries to intimidate us, but we are told repeatedly in the Bible not to fear. (Isaiah 41:10, I John 4:18). The Devil is our perpetual, unrelenting foe. Matthew Henry so states that Goliath had “a heart of proud flesh.” The “goliath” Lucifer has been the rebel against God, His will, and Kingdom. Now Lucifer and his demons oppose the Church, the Gospel and are seeking to destroy the life and witness of individual Christians.

David the Bethlehemite is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Jesus faced Satan and defeated the original Goliath in battle at Calvary and the Empty Tomb, David stood bravely before the Philistine Goliath. Christ conquered the evil foe and “led captivity captive.” (Ephesians 4) His Spirit lives in us. “Greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world.” I John 5:4

David conquered through the anointing of the Holy Spirit (I Samuel 16:13) and faith in God. Rather than trusting in the armor of Saul (a picture of the flesh and trusting in man), David trusted the gifts God had given to him. David took his sling and “five smooth stones.” Goliath had four sons (II Samuel 21:22). One of those sons named Saph had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, and was later killed in battle by David’s nephew, Sibbechai. David had five smooth stones, one for each member of Goliath’s family!

“The battle is the Lord’s.” (I Samuel 17:47) God fought for David and David fought for God. The giant champion Goliath was defeated! Deuteronomy 32:30 says, “One shall chase a thousand and two shall chase ten thousand.” One “boy” (I Samuel 17:33 NIV) chased the thousands of Philistines. The giant was defeated. “Let God arise! Let His enemies be scattered. Let all them that hate Him flee from before Him.” (Numbers and Psalms)

So, too, you and I are called to conquer the giants in our life. We face Satan and the world as we stand in Christ, His finished work, and His victory. Before David defeated Goliath, he was faithful to God keeping his father’s sheep. He killed the lion and the bear. “Before honor is humility.” (Proverbs 15:33) We defeat the giants in our life by facing each day with faith, courage, joy, and triumph. Each day we walk with God, do our duty, stay in the Word and prayer. When a Goliath stands before you, you will not fear. It will be another day in which you walk by faith and not by sight.

“How firm a foundation

Ye saints of the Lord

Is laid for your faith

In His excellent Word.

What more can He say

Than to you He hath said

To you who for refuge

To Jesus hath fled?”