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Today we hear one of the best known stories in all of Scripture, but hopefully through different lenses, as we see Israel’s Hero show up in power.

To obey is better than sacrifice. God desires that our INTENTIONS fuel our ACTIONS. God sees rebellion being like the sin of divination - seeking supernatural means of telling the future (horoscopes, astrological tables, using cards, dice, or crystals). It can also involve examining entrails or tea leaves or trying to contact the dead or some other spirit-being.

In a parallel way defiance (another term for rebellion) is like wickedness and idolatry. 

• Many who claim to be Christians would never seek some spirit-being or stars to tell us the future. Neither would we bow dow to another god - and act of idolatry. BUT…we have all had moments where we chose rebellion & defiance toward God. We KNOW what God says, but refuse to DO what God says.
• What if instead of justifying our selfish desires - what if we saw our disobedience as seeking help from spiritual beings other than god, what if we considered our defiance to be like bowing down to a false god? This would likely cause us pause, and turn TO God instead of away from Him.

This horn would hold the oil that Samuel would anoint the future king whom Yahweh had selected. Samuel would find this new king in Bethlehem, a place meaning “house of bread”. 

God sees deep down inside of you and me. God knows who we ARE. Remember that when Saul was selected as king, he stood much taller than other men (1 Sam 9:2; 10:23), a man whose appearance was strong & attractive. The next king would not be chosen for the strength of his body, but the DEPTH of his soul.

Today we explore one of the most famous stories in Scripture, but through a fresh lens—not as David the hero, but Yahweh the true Hero. Come discover how God points us from a shepherd boy in Bethlehem to the ultimate Shepherd and King, Jesus, who still fights our battles today.

The Spirit of Yahweh had left Saul. Saul used to be the anointed, and now no longer is. Now David is the anointed and the Spirit of Yahweh is on him.

• This is the chapter in the center of this writing, and it is the turning point from King Saul to the future king of Israel - David.
• Years later, when David sins greatly against Yahweh that David prays, “Do not banish me from Your Presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” (Ps 51:11)

While Yahweh takes the anointing of the Holy Spirit from Saul, Saul receives an evil spirit sent from Yahweh. The Hebrew word translated as “evil” has a wide range of meanings from “misery” to “moral perverseness.” It could refer to a fallen angel OR it could mean an angel of judgment sent to punish fallen Saul. 

• Robert Bergen: “Saul’s tortured state was not an accident of nature, nor was it essentially a medical condition. It was a supernatural assault by a being sent at the Lord’s command, and it was brought on by Saul’s disobedience.”

Saul’s consistent disobedience, honoring of himself rather than Yahweh, and unwillingness to genuinely repent, have resulted in torment from Yahweh. This is not 24/7 condition, but this evil spirit shows up from time to time.

The Hebrew term kinnor, translated into the English lyre, is a triangular musical instrument consisting of a sounding box with three to twelve strings. It was one of the most significant musical instruments of the ancient Jews, mentioned 42 times in the Old Testament. Considered a noble instrument, it was used in both sacred and secular music, played during family celebrations, in mourning, & religious praise. The sound of the lyre was gentle & expressive, with a calming tone.

This last trait, “Yahweh is with him” - puts David in the company of Isaac, Joseph, Joshua, Judah & Samuel (cf. Gen 26:28; 39:2–3, 21, 23; Josh 6:27; Judg 1:19, 1 Sam 3:19).

God had now worked it out that His Spirit’s anointing was still in the palace, just not in Saul. David had become an important source of relief from the spirit tormenting Saul as well as a trusted bodyguard to Saul as his armor-bearer.

There is a tension here, however: How can David already be known as “a warrior” before the Goliath event, his first recorded battle? And why does Saul seem not to know him in chapter 17 if he had already loved him & employed him in chapter 16? If we get caught up in the author’s chronological precision, we might miss the author’s POINT - building a BRIDGE - showing that while Yahweh’s Spirit has left Saul, Yahweh’s Spirit is WITH David. 

1 SAMUEL 17:1-3

The Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah; then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines. The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them.

This height is based on the oldest Hebrew texts we had BEFORE the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, which say Goliath was

“six cubits and a span” (roughly 9ft 9inches - cubit is about the length of a forearm to hand). This comes from a complete copy of Samuel that dates to AD 1008 (Leningrad Codex). 

• The Hebrew text from the copies of Samuel found among the Dead Sea Scrolls predate this by 1,200 years.
• So does the Greek translation of the Old Testament - the Septuagint (LXX).
• And those texts have a different height, not “six cubits and a span”, but “four cubits and a span” - about 6’9”.

Why mention this? KNOW that the further we have come from the story, the more reliable the manuscripts God has allowed us to find! At either height - 9’9” or 6’9”, this champion stands at least a foot taller than other men, who - through skeletal remains - are found to be an average of 5’4”. This man would have stood a foot and a half taller than them. Further, this massive man was STRONG. 

This massive man wasn’t only intimidating with his size, but also with his armor & weapons. While most Israelite soldiers wore only basic clothing in battle, this GIANT was sheathed in metal. This is the longest description of military dress in the Old Testament, spotlighting the obvious concern that this massive man looked invincible!

As we’ve as we have previously read - the OUTWARD APPEARANCE was not what impressed Yahweh.

Who - based on his size - should be most capable of combatting this massive man? How about King Saul, who stood “a head taller than anyone else” (1 Sam 9:2, 10:23)? Instead, Saul was shaking in his sandals too.

Young David is appalled that this pagan man is defying the Living God. Since Hebrew people would face severe punishment for speaking against God, this is likely the VERY FIRST TIME David has ever heard someone speak arrogantly and wickedly against Yahweh. David’s righteous anger is only going to grow from this point on.

1 SAMUEL 17:28-30

David’s oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and he became angry with him. “Why did you come down here?” he asked. “Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart—you came down to see the battle!” “What have I done now?” protested David. “It was just a question.” Then he turned from those beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people gave him the same answer as before. 

David is evidently under the age of 20, since this is the age allowing a man to serve in the military (Num 1:3; 26:2). This could have been the end of the meeting, but David pressed on.

The animals David most likely fought were the Asian lion, a powerful but slightly smaller cousin of the African lion, and Syrian Brown Bear - animals that could have weighed in over 300 lbs. BUT, David was not pointing to his own skill nor courage as a hunter. Instead, he says…

Notice whom David credits with protecting him and helping him fight these battles - YAHWEH!

• God has been faithful in the past, and He will be faithful in the future.
• God had also prepared David in private before He used David in public. Be faithful to do what God has enabled you to do, when NO ONE is looking (but God), and when EVERYONE is looking (as you live for an audience of ONE).

Israel’s Hero is not a King nor a Shepherd, but the Living God - YAHWEH.

That’s how he’s going to battle this massive mountain of a man? If we didn’t know the rest of the story, and if we didn’t figure the God of the Universe into this, NO ONE would have bet on David - NO ONE.

Jerusalem wasn’t under Hebrew control until David conquers it much later (2 Sam 5:6-10), so this is likely referring to David later bringing Goliath’s head to Jerusalem as a trophy of the great victory that day.

As we’ve already noted, the HERO of this story is certainly NOT Saul, but neither is it David. 

Israel’s Hero is Yahweh, the One who anointed David by His servant, Samuel. Yahweh then empowered David by His Spirit, set up the circumstances for David to get involved in this fight, and guided 1 small stone from David’s sling, to demonstrate that if Yahweh is OUR Hero, then we can Depend on Yahweh & Do Our Best! We will trust God to empower His servants by the power of His Spirit.

• Remember that Yahweh put on skin - came to earth as the GOOD SHEPHERD, the ultimate KING of ISRAEL, born in the lineage of David, born in the same town where David once shepherded his sheep. This One was faithful to obey the will of the Father - doing what was right when everybody was looking & when no one but the Father was looking. And Jesus conquered much more than human enemies - Jesus the greatest enemy - DEATH. Jesus brings more than just moments of peace by playing a musical instrument. Jesus brings peace that fills our souls.

 These discussion points are designed to help you LIVE what you LEARN with your Family, Friends, or Small Group.

New Testament Applications: Jesus, Our True Shepherd & King

1. Jesus Is the Spirit-Anointed King

• David: Anointed by Samuel, the Spirit of Yahweh comes on him (1 Sam 16:13)
• Jesus: At His baptism, the Spirit descends like a dove and rests on Him (Matt 3:16–17)
• Application: Where Saul failed and David pointed forward, Jesus is the true King who perfectly rules by the Spirit. Our confidence is not in flawed leaders but in Christ, who reigns in righteousness.

2. Jesus Is the Good Shepherd Who Lays Down His Life

• David: A shepherd who fought off lions and bears to save the sheep (1 Sam 17:34–36).
• Jesus: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
• Application: David risked his life; Jesus gave His life. In Him, we are fully safe, secure, and loved—even from our greatest enemies of sin, Satan, and death.

3. Jesus Conquers Our Ultimate Goliath—Sin and Death

• David: Faced Goliath when no one else would, declaring “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam 17:47).
• Jesus: Faced the cross, bore our sins, and triumphed over death (1 Cor 15:55–57; Col 2:15).
• Application: We don’t overcome our giants by our strength but by trusting in Christ’s finished work. The cross and resurrection prove the victory is the Lord’s.

4. Jesus Is the Greater Son of David

• David: A surprising, humble choice for king, overlooked by men but chosen by God (1 Sam 16:7).
• Jesus: Born in David’s line, humble and despised, yet declared God’s chosen King (Luke 1:32–33; Acts 2:29–36).
• Application: God delights to use what the world considers weak to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27). Our King is not who the world expects, but He is exactly who we need.

5. Jesus’ Presence Brings Peace

• David: His music drove away Saul’s tormenting spirit (1 Sam 16:23).
• Jesus: Speaks peace to the storm, casts out demons, and promises rest for weary souls (Matt 11:28–29; Mark 4:39).
• Application: The presence of Christ by His Spirit brings lasting peace—not temporary relief, but eternal rest for our troubled hearts.