Giants or GOD?

 Another O.T. favorite name of God of mine is Jehovah Sabaoth, LORD of Hosts or LORD of armies. Several times, I have mentioned the Scriptural fact that we are soldiers called to stand fast against spiritual hosts of enemies and wickedness. Ephesians 6 is clear that the rulers of darkness have their hosts, their armies on an all-out assault against God and everything that is good. Now, that sounds like bad news and would make us quake if we also didn't know that we serve Jehovah Sabaoth, the LORD of armies Who fights and actually, already has achieved our victory. We, alone, are no match for satan and his assaults but shout Hallelujah... go ahead, I am waiting.......     that he is no match for Jehovah Sabaoth!

We find the name all through the O.T., once when a barren, suffering woman named Hannah wept bitterly because she wanted a son so badly. She made a vow to Jehovah Sabaoth that she would return him to Him and shortly afterward, little Samuel was born.  The name is used much by the O.T. prophets, almost 80 times by the weeping Prophet Jeremiah, 14 times in Haggai, 50 in Zechariah, and 25 in the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi. A writer from the past, Andrew Jukes noted this: "When Israel has failed in the Promised Land, the hosts of Israel are divided and no longer a help to each other for they are bitterly divided and destroying each other: BUT though Israel fails, GOD ever remains and as the LORD of Hosts, there is help in Him, very especially when His elect have no other helper." Read Ps. 46 to go along with that thought and note especially the last 2 verses:" Be still, and know that I am GOD. I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of Hosts is with us; the GOD of Jacob is our refuge. Selah"

I want to focus on this particular name today in one of the most familiar stories in the Word of God. Probably, any child who has been to Sunday School for just a few times, can tell you the story from 1 Samuel 17. But, please, adults, don't outgrow this story because it is not a "story" in the sense that it never happened. No, it is the truth from God's Word and as we read it today, let's put ourselves there in the Valley of Elah where Israel is battling the enemy camp, the Philistines. There are more lessons in this one chapter than I can enumerate today but I feel God wants me to try to convey a timely message to you and to myself.

Firstly, note that there is a loud-mouthed giant. Picture Goliath, a champion, he is called, never defeated up to now and surely he looks intimidating, all 9 feet and 9 inches of him along with his close to 150 pounds of armor to cover that massive frame. What are we focusing on today that seems just that fearsome? Israel tended to focus on externals, even choosing Saul who stood head and shoulders taller than anyone else as their king when GOD had told them they didn't need a king. Remember what God told Samuel ? "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." I mean, I don't want to jump ahead here but the cliche is "the bigger they are, the harder they fall". And the sound must have reverberated thunderously or earth-quakish (Junie B Jones word, huh, Alicia?) when the loud mouthed giant fell. Now, lest you think that I don't realize some things in our lives seem overwhelmingly impossible, let me assure you that I do. I am glad that David didn't deliver the food, back out of the camp with closed eyes and report to Jesse that he saw no giant and all was well. We do that in our churches, don't we? " Oh, praise GOD, things couldn't be better" when the pain in peoples' hearts exist every Sunday but we dare not let anyone know it. No, he saw the giant just as we cannot ignore the huge hurdles but our focus is not to be there but on GOD!

Not only do we see a loud-mouth giant (a gigantic problem that shouts at us every day) who taunts Israel for 40 mornings and evenings with his threats but in this Biblical account, we note secondly an obedient servant. David, who has already been anointed as King Saul's successor in chap. 16, is going about his humble work serving Saul with his skilled musical ability, feeding his father's sheep, and now obeying him as he commissions him to go take his three oldest brothers, who are at the battle site, some food. I see a lesson here to simply stay busy at the task. There is music to play, a song only you can sing; there are sheep to be fed and watered; there are brothers , yes, even jealous and unappreciative brothers to be served. Stay at it- GOD is up to something! In His time, He will move you where He is placing the desire in you. I remember once, knowing that GOD had led me to a place and had an assignment and was asked once at a gathering if I would make the cornbread for the next meeting. I said "yes" but my heart hurt for a few minutes because I knew I was there for something other than kitchen duty and eventually, after waiting my turn, GOD let me do it!

Thirdly, from an obedient servant boy, we see David as a faith-filled warrior. When he arrives at the site of the battle and hears the belching braggart,he is incensed at and cannot believe that no one is stepping up to the challenge. No, they are dismayed, greatly afraid, and fleeing and I am sure, as they run, Goliath roars with laughter.  Note that under this point that the faith-filled warrior, just a youth is persecuted. His oldest brother, Eliab, is probably still smarting over the fact that he was overlooked by Samuel (rather by GOD) to be king. And to his brother he says these words intended to sting and to wound: "Why are you here and who is watching those" few" sheep you are in charge of? I know your pride, David."  Now, what I would have wanted to say to Eliab is " Well, Big Brother, why are you not taking offense at this giant's railings? And no, Eliab, I think the pride is in your heart and it is always easier to point it out in someone else."   But I love David's response better when he simply says "What have I done? Is there not a cause?"  David refused to be distracted by arguing with his brother and he stayed focused on the cause which was and is "There is an enemy to be fought and why are we wasting our time fighting with each other?"

You see, David was persecuted but David was purposed when he said "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the LIVING GOD?"  Church of the LIVING GOD, let us also remember what the enemy is trying to do in these last days- divide and conquer, discourage, frighten, and paralyze us with fear and also let us remember what we are here for and that is to serve and bring glory to GOD! Let's don't let the nay-sayers distract us from our purpose. I love it that David didn't let Eliab's criticism deter him from the issue at hand and that being "there's a giant to be taken care of out there so that all the earth will know that there is a GOD in Israel."  Note, quickly, his protection. The giant thinks it must be a joke- he, in his armor and picture with me, little David who has refused Saul's armor ( be who GOD called you to be) comes with his slingshot and five stones BUT he comes "in the Name of the LORD of Hosts."  Jehovah Sabaoth!! Makes all the difference in the world, doesn't it? "The battle is the LORD's", David says. He has already rehearsed the past battles God has won on his behalf. That's a good place to return, weary pilgrim. I was just listening to a favorite song of mine called Great Is Thy Faithfulness!

We are invincible, saints of GOD! He has His hand of protection on us and in the end of this narrative of 1 Sam. 17, we see a victorious LORD. He cannot be defeated and because we are on His side, neither can we. I love to imagine the picture of the first stone David chose as being divinely guided by Jehovah Sabaoth, the LORD of armies, to the only unarmored part of that menacing figure, BULLS EYE - right between the eyes on his forehead and the giant or the "dwarf", as Charles Swindoll calls him compared to Jehovah Sabaoth, falls face down.  And the Philistines fled because their "champion" was dead.  Is that good or what?

Let me leave you with a verse from a song we sing at church written in the 1500's by Martin Luther based on Psalm 46 and I love the second verse: " Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God's own choosing; Dost ask Who that may be?Christ Jesus, it is He- LORD SABAOTH His Name, From age to age the same, And He must win the battle."  Yes, HE has!!  "But thanks be to GOD, Who giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS CHRIST!!"

Looking up, Deborah