Goliath had been taunting Israel, looking for a fight. The Philistines were an enemy of God’s people and Goliath, a 9 ft, giant of a man was one of their champions. His task was to send a message to Israel through his fighting superiority. Scripture goes into great detail about Goliath’s armor. Reading from 1 Samuel 17: 5

He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale-armor (overlapping metal plates) which weighed 5,000 shekels of bronze. 6He had bronze shin protectors on his legs and a bronze javelin hung between his shoulders. 7 The [wooden] shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; the blade-head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And a shield-bearer walked in front of him. Shouting insults and taunts at the army of Israel, he was successful in keeping men of God confused and intimidated. They were paralyzed as they searched desperately for strategy. 8Goliath stood and shouted to the battle lines of Israel, saying to them, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not the Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” 10 Again the Philistine said, “I defy the battle lines of Israel this day; give me a man so that we may fight together.”

One of the first things I see in this section is that the Army of Israel is described, not as “God’s People,” but rather “servants of Saul.” I think this is significant. In 1 Samuel 8: 11-19, Samuel warns the people about choosing a man as a king rather than having the LORD as King. The admonishment and warning of Samuel is clear and being played out. Israel chose to identify with a natural King rather than God and as a result their identity and covenantal promises were compromised:

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

The second thing I see is that the enemy intentionally violated the boundaries. Evil is no respecter of boundaries that are put in place by people who do not belong to God. It doesn’t mean that the enemy succeeds in the attack, but the boundaries are tested to see what compromise will allow. Goliath was doing this as well and the compromise of previous generations had robbed the people of God of identity in Him and the knowledge of His protection. I do not believe that God turned a deaf ear to them, necessarily, rather I think that the people had become dull of hearing God, unlike David who was a “man after God’s own heart.” (Acts 13:22)

Verse 11 of 1 Samuel says the men of Israel were “dismayed and greatly afraid.” I think anyone could relate when facing a giant, it is quite natural to be dismayed at the natural and historical shortcomings we know of and be greatly afraid of what the enemy could do to us. I think the same perspective came over the army of Israel as they faced the giant Goliath.

For a while, it was difficult for Israel to look past the taunts and the armor evil displayed by the enemy. He was gigantic, formidable, and impossible to defeat. However, David’s identity was not as a servant of Saul, but rather as one chosen by God to be king. David’s identity was in what God said of him, NOT what Goliath was saying about him. Goliath was not in covenant with God and therefore unable to access the covenantal promises of God. Goliath did not regard the God of Israel to have any standing or power with which to defeat the Philistines. And yet David, after rejecting the armor/protection that Saul offered (who was also out of covenant with God), took on the identity God gave to him and the past victories he had won because of this identity.

See Verse 36 “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.”

What we don’t expect is attack from within our own ranks-the one standing beside us. So focused on the evil without, we are not often prepared for the issues of other believers that leave an opening in the shield of protection that we are supposed to maintain within the covenanted community of Christ. The ones that are supposed to be watching our back are, like us, distracted with personal concerns, insecurities, and identity issues. And unfortunately, these distractions can stir the elements of a mistaken identity the soul creates and as a result, it leaves an opening for an enemy (like Goliath) to step across the line of protection to challenge with the temptation to compromise, stir insecurity, and reinforce pride.

This happened to David who had been sent by his father to bring food to his older brothers (he was the youngest). He had already been anointed by Samuel to be the next King—right in front of his older brothers who had all been passed over for the honor. Needless to say, there was probably a root of bitterness starting to grow in one or two. Remember Joshua and his coat of many colors? His dreams and the betrayal of his brothers? This is not a new strategy of the enemy. We need to be aware of it and not let it divide and conquer by stirring mistaken identity issues.

So, David brings the food and upon arrival, the story says that he questioned the situation regarding Goliath and the fear of Israel in the face of the giant. The event contradicted what he knew of God and the covenantal promises given to the people of Israel. Consider the following conversation:

Verse 26-31 “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?” They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him (David) speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?”

He (David) then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.

We know the rest of the story, how David killed Goliath with nothing but a sling and some stones. What I have been keying in on lately, however, is Eliab. It is my interpretation of the events that among other challenges, Eliab had a problem. He and his brothers had been passed up by Samuel as the next King of Israel. They had many reasons why they should have been chosen and yet it was David, the youngest, who got the honor and a root of bitterness was planted, or nurtured if planted long before, who knows? Sibling rivalry is not a new thing.

Eliab measured what David said and did according to his own perceptions and feelings. Look again at how David responds to Eliab in Vs 29: 29-30  

David heard Eliab but did not let Eliab deter him from his goal. He’d obviously dealt with his older brother in the past. He turned away and refused to absorb Eliab’s comment regarding his own intent or the motive if his heart, even though someone close to him, who knew him well (maybe), was assigning the intent to him by his own presumption and speculation. I also found David’s response interesting and somewhat instructional for when someone imposes upon me false intents or motivations. While David did confront Eliab’s accusation (corrected it), he didn’t waste his time trying to change Eliab’s mind. He just “turned away to someone else.”

In the New Testament, Jesus talks of “shaking the dust” off our feet (Matt 10:14) and also not to “cast pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6).” These are instructions for response regarding sharing the Gospel with unbelievers who do not want to receive the message of Christ and His Kingdom. Another scripture says a “prophet is not received in his own home” and as a result he was not able to do any miracles in that town (Matthew 13:56-58). Jesus also taught his disciples to work out the issues, if possible. If the issue cannot be resolved, then I believe it would be the case to turn away as David did, and don’t waste time with words. Let the believer’s testimony be evident in how they live.

One or maybe two years ago, a picture of “turning away” (disengaging) appeared very clearly in my mind. It was like when you realize you’ve taken the wrong direction on a walk, maybe, and simply turn around or take a left or right to get back on track to where you needed to go. No condemnation, no accusation, no blaming, or anger or hurt; just a simple turn/course correction. It pops up now and again when I realize I’m not being heard (in the least) or when, like Eliab, someone is assigning wrong motives and intent to what I am saying or doing. If it can be clarified, I do, but in some cases, nothing can be done. While I do not totally “burn the bridge” in the relationship, I do step back and find that “turning away” to be the best course of action.

Colossians 3:12-17 says: So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

So today, let us embrace the identity and character of Christ in our dealings with others including those within the community of faith. Let us hold our shield of protection steady for which we are responsible. Let us exhibit the mind of Christ in our thoughts, word and deeds leaving no opening for the enemy of faith to move in and manipulate the truth.

Blessings,

Anne