the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 2 of 5
1 Samuel 17:1-16
Here are the Philistines again coming together against Israel. And this time they play a masterly trump card: they have a champion quite out of the ordinary. He is just over 9 feet tall, clothed in armour weighing 165 lb [75Kg.]. He is such a formidable giant that the sight of him is enough to strike terror into the hearts of his enemies. This is Goliath! Bursting with pride, he advances between the lines giving a challenge to anyone who dares, to meet him in single combat. But not only does no one come forward, each time he does this the Israelites flee wildly; each time it gives the giant the chance to insult the LORD’s armies and as a consequence of this, the LORD Himself. Goliath reminds us of what is said about leviathan. "When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid; they are beside themselves with consternation (Job 41:25 – Darby’s translation). And especially he makes us think of "the strong man" of whom the Lord Jesus speaks in Mark 3:27 : Satan, himself, who by fear of death, exercises cruel dominion over men, seeking to make them his servants (v. 9).
During this time David comes and goes from his flock to the king’s court just as much at ease in either place, a beautiful picture of Jesus in His humility and unwearying self-sacrifice.
