IMTS Global

MEMORIAL - On a Personal Note: The Stick, the Stones and the Sling

1 Sam 17:38-40
38	Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor.
39	And David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off.
40	And he 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, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine. (NAS)

What a tremendous scene, one for the ages. What drama, what intrigue, what excitement. Oh, I'm sorry, I've jumped ahead of myself. I'm referring, of course, to the scene which unfolds before us in I Samuel 17. You may well remember the entire story of David and Goliath. Let me briefly refresh your memory and set the scene.

The Philistines and the Israelites had encamped on mountains separated by a valley and were engaged in verbal warfare. Well, at least the Philistines were firing relentless verbal attacks. Their champion, literally meaning "the man between two" was Goliath. A behemoth of a man, and seemingly invincible, Goliath stood over 9 feet 9 inches tall and possessed a physical prowess that would make any man shake to the core. But it was his tongue that hurled insult after insult.

1 Sam 17:8-10
8	And he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, and said to them, "Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let 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 ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together."

Saul's response, as expected, was one of abject fear, and discouragement.

1 Sam 17:11
11	When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

Young David appeared on the scene as directed by his father to check on his brothers and to bring some meager supplies. Instead, within a brief moment David was personally moved to "take up the challenge" and go to meet this mocker of the Most High. Coming before Saul, David finds himself defending his Spirit-led desire to meet his foe. We enter this scene as Saul attempts to encumber David with his own personal armor.

Only moments from the battle that should have taken this young shepherds life, David was being outfitted with untested armor, weapons that were not his own. David responded, "...'I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.' And David took them off." Instead he chose the weapons of a shepherd, those that were familiar to him, those that the Holy One had provided for him since his youth- the stick (staff), the stones and a sling.

Well, you know the rest of the story. Indulge yourself and read through the entire chapter of I Samuel 17. David boldly proclaimed his faith in his Master and the victory was his:

1 Sam 17:45, 47
45	Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted...
47	...and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands." (NAS)

David had learned from his youth to trust in His God, to not lean on his own understanding (Prov 3:5). He had also learned an invaluable lesson regarding the weapons we are equipped with to use in our battles. He had learned the very truth that Paul would so eloquently write about to the church at Corinth when he penned these words:

2 Cor 10:3-4
3	For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
4	for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. (NAS)

What a lesson, what a truth. In David's case, a stick, stones and a sling, how simple, how profound. He was to face his enemy in the simplicity of what God had provided for him over the years as a simple shepherd. But they were his gifts, his treasures, his weapons and nothing else would do.

We also face our own personal "Goliaths" daily. Bellowing, bemoaning and beckoning us to cave in, to give up, to embrace a spirit of fear and failure, these attacks sometimes appear relentless. Ever been there? Perhaps you're struggling right now with a 9 foot, 9 inch problem. Oftentimes, our temptation is to look with the eyes of our flesh, and like Saul, fall prey to attempting to don "someone else's armor". A sword and spear appear so much more formidable, but are they ours? The simplicity of the stick, the stones and the sling, and a Spirit-led young man should remind us daily that He will provide for our needs. So come on, join me, take off that silly armor, it doesn't fit you anyway.

1 Sam 17:47
47	and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands." (NAS)

Coram Deo,

Jeff Ellis
Elder of Administration and Education