I delivered this talk at a Bible College chapel service in 2025.
Good morning one and all. Thank you for the privilege to address you. I leave tomorrow, and I’m so grateful for the kindness, love, and honor you showed me this past week. May the LORD bless you and keep you.
Last night, you celebrated your college’s starting, particularly thanking the LORD for his incredible provision and guidance over the past 38 years. You also shared your plans to start a Child Development program. I wanted a text this morning that celebrates a victory. I thought of chapters I’ve memorized that do just that, and I settled on 1 Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath, because it both celebrates victory and is a favorite of children.
I taught children’s Sunday School for 12 years. I also taught all three of my boys a 4-year daily Bible curriculum I developed, which I later published as a book, entitled “Through the Bible with My Child.” During those years, I developed a teaching technique that mixes Bible reading with storytelling to quickly cover large narrative sections. The older the children, the more I leave to reading and the less I leave to storytelling. Friday night, one of your professor’s 6-year-old daughter was kind enough to listen to me story-tell 2 Chronicles 34, the story of Josiah. And, this morning, before I get to the deeper points, I will share this technique with you, by telling the story of David and Goliath. The children normally read, while I story-tell. This morning, I’ll do both. You may feel this is beneath you, but hang on. There’s more to come. And, who, whether young or old, can resist a good story?
In the days of King Saul, the Philistines, a people that lived along the coast, gathered their forces for war and assembled on a hill in Israel. King Saul, and his army of Israelites, assembled on another hill nearby with the valley of Elah between them.
“A champion, named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span [3 meters] tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels [57kg]; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels [7 kg].” (1 Samuel 17:4-7)
Now listen carefully to what Goliath said.
“Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.’ Then the Philistine said, ‘This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.’ On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” (1 Samuel 17:8-11)
Can you imagine the challenge — this huge, strong, mighty, man defying your country and your God? You’re torn; your heart wants to accept the challenge, but your mind tells you it is certain death.
At that time, there was a boy named David, son of Jesse, from Bethlehem, a city in Israel. He cared for his father’s sheep in near desert-like land. One day, Jesse sent David to his brothers in the Israelite army with a care-package of bread and cheese. When David arrived, he found his brothers, and while he spoke with them, Goliath stepped out from his camp, shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.
Instead of running in fear, as other Israelites did,
“David asked the men standing near him, ‘What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’” (1 Samuel 17:26)
King Saul heard about David’s questions and sent for him. When David met King Saul, he offered to fight Goliath. Saul initially refused, because David was only a boy, and Goliath was a veteran fighter. But David told Saul about a time when he rescued a sheep from a lion and killed the lion when it turned on him. The same thing happened with a bear. David said,
“‘Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.’” (1 Samuel 17:36)
When Saul heard David’s story, he said, “Go, and the LORD be with you.” Then he gave David armor and a helmet. David tried them but refused; he wasn’t used to them. Instead, he chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in a bag and went to fight Goliath.
When Goliath saw him, a ruddy, handsome boy, he despised him and cursed him. But
“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.’” (1 Samuel 17:45-46)
Do you hear David’s confidence in the LORD? He knows him well. And with these words, the battle began.
“As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.” (1 Samuel 17:48-50)
When the Philistines saw their hero was dead, they turned and ran, and Israel pursued them and achieved a great victory.
This morning, I want to focus on the incredible preparation David possessed before this battle implied by the text. By observation, we know he had fighting experience with a lion and a bear. By interpretation, to kill a lion or a bear with a strike, he must have been incredibly strong. In those desert years, he must have spent countless days exercising and honing his muscles. By observation, we know David could sling a stone at a distant and moving object with considerable accuracy. By interpretation, he must have practiced many hours slinging stones, for a sling is not the most accurate weapon. By observation, we know David knew the LORD’s relationship with Israel — that Israel was God’s army and thus deserved respect. By interpretation, David must have studied or heard the stories of God’s word, where Israel was set aside as a kingdom of priests. By observation, David knew the LORD delivers on his promises. By interpretation, in those desert years, he grew deep and close to the LORD, so much so, that he knew the LORD’s heart and knew he could fully trust in him. And if you doubt these interpretations, look at the previous chapter, where one of Saul’s servants describes David as a brave man and a warrior, and the LORD is with him. In short, David prepared long and hard in the desert before he ever represented the LORD publicly.
You students in this college are right now in David’s desert years. You have time to prepare — to study deeply and intensely that you may know the LORD as well as David did: to know his immeasurable power, his love for those who fear him, his desire for the lost, his response to trouble. And not only do you have the time to gain knowledge, you have the time to practice. Like David, hone your spiritual muscles for the tasks ahead. Practice leading worship; practice teaching the Word; practice learning languages; and above all, practice holiness. Make the most of these few years. Later, you will represent the LORD publicly. During that time, mostly you will encounter regular ministry challenges — how to deftly teach children, how to lead worship excellently, how to care for the needy and lonely in your congregation, how to deliver the gospel to someone cross-culturally. However, sometimes you will meet your Goliaths. Perhaps some of you will encounter church problems that require deep knowledge of the LORD, depth of character, and practice in ministry. Perhaps some of you will encounter opposition from outside the church that requires a gracious and skillful tongue, knowledge of your land’s law, and intuition. Perhaps some of you will be persecuted and you need David’s calmness and trust in the LORD to persevere. Whatever it will be, work diligently in these desert years, strive for your growth, so you are prepared for Goliath when you depart.