Grandson Ryker enjoying the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country, Cordillera Ranch, Boerne, TX.

I Samuel 17, Part 2

Have you ever considered the correlation between this story of David and Goliath and the story of Jesus being tempted by Satan in the wilderness recorded in Matthew 4:1-11? I’m not sure it’s the main point of the passage but it is interesting. Both Jesus and David were born in Bethlehem. Jesus preceded His confrontation with Satan by fasting 40 days. I Sam 17:16, “the Philistine (Goliath) came forward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand,” and taunted Israel. Both events immediately proceeded public ministry. For Jesus, immediately after His triumph over Satan it says, “from that time Jesus began to preach and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, Mt 4:17. Immediately after David’s triumph, it says “So David went out wherever Saul sent him and prospered. Saul sent him over the men of war,” 15:5.  Both inherited a bride. Saul promised his daughter as a bride to the man who killed Goliath. Jesus inherited the bride, the church. The following is the most interesting to me. “He (David) took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had…and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine,” v40. He chose FIVE smooth stones and used just ONE with skilled precision and accuracy. (History of this era teaches us that after much practice, men became extremely skilled in accuracy with a stone and sling). Jesus approached Satan picking up the five books of the law (the Pentateuch or the five Books of Moses are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). Jesus was tempted three times but He only used one (Deuteronomy) of the five books with great precision and accuracy. Each temptation was responded with “it is written”, a passage from Deuteronomy that specifically countered the temptation given by Satan.

Be prepared

Thus, a key lesson in our battle against Satan; Satan lies and tempts but we counter these specific temptations with precise Bible passages that address the temptation. At first reading it seems that David was just lucky. He was certainly in the hands of God and blessed with a great victory. But it wasn’t just blind luck. Most likely, David was highly skilled with his sling. Jesus also was well prepared for the temptations by Satan, ready to wield the power of God’s word. Lord, we are going to face the challenges of life and the temptations of Satan. Let us be prepared. Let’s be prayerful, diligent and filled with Your Word. Amen.