Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-04-23

For forty days ". 49, Goliath defied
SauIs army. encamped near Bethie-
hem. Three of the sons of Jesse were
in Saul's army and to them David is
sent with food (vv. 10, IS, l9). These
brothers scornfully reproached David
when he expressed a willingness to
fight Goliath, accusing him of pride and
reminding him that he was out a shep-
herd wv. 26-29). David's words are
carried to Saul and he is introduced to
the king.
|. Boastfui Pride, w. 1914. Fear
and dismay were aroused at the very
sight of this proud Philistine wv. II,
"a. 32), yet such fear was foreign to
David, for his eyes were not upon man
but upon God ". 30. He related to
Saul his exploits not as boasting but
as giving him assurance that God was
able to deliver him out of the hand of
this Philistine. Saul, who had once
beeI q man ef like simple faith, is now
as much in fear as any of his army.
David was perhaps about twenty years
of age and verse Sc calls him a strip
ling" hence it was that Sauls armor
would not fit him (cf. 1929. Human
ly speaking. it was an impossible thing
David offered to accomplish single
handed. Even Saul (v. 32) sought to
dissuade David, but David was not
trusting in man nor depending upon
the rmo of the king ". 80; Ps. 27:1-
8: lisa. 1872: Rom. 8:31). David took
his familiar staff and sling (see 1
Thess. 5:21) and sailed forth, STRONG
in the Lord, not in himself; armed not
with steel but with faith" Crossing
"the valley" ". 40 marg.) he prepared
his sling, with which every Israelite
was skilled (see 1 Sam. ~13:19-23). On
came the giant, a man about nine feet
tall ". A., "a stalking mountain, over
laid with brass and iron," preceded by
his protector ". Al. Why such a SOL
der after his period of triumph should
desire this added safety is not quite
clear. 1t suggests, however. the sim
ner's timidity which reveals his essen
tial weakness in that he trusts him
self, takes nc chances, and is wen sus-
picious of his W supporters. What
a, contrast! This armored giant and
this ruddy-faced, unarmed youth, car
rying only the staff, wherewith he was
wont to fight wild beasts, and his
slingi When God calls a man he uses
that weapon with which the man is
most familiar, and when the church or
the Christian soldier seeks to fight in
the armor of another, or by using the
weapons of the world, it is foredoomed
to failure eek. Az; Judges 3:31). AS
though this youthful shepherd were
seeking some beast of the hills, Goliath
exclaims, Am I a dog?" ". 43), and
offers to make carrion of David ". AZ
Such derision and boasting is the usual
attitude of the enemies of God. 1t was
designed to strike fear into David's
heart on n hand, and to bolster the
courage of the Philistine on the other
II. conquering Humility, Wv. 1851
David acknowledged Goliath's su
perior armament, yet armed with the
name of the God of the army of Israe
which Goliath had insulted, his conf
dence overtops that of the Philistine
and he hurls back his broud boast
Furthermore, the victory was to be al
Immediate one, this day" Czech. As;
James 40. With calm assurance b,
informs Goliath of the outcome o
their conflict, but takes no credit t
himself. David had naught but naket
faith and the sense of a just cause t,
strengthen his arm. He would do t.
Goliath and the Philistines the thing
that Golist tn had boosted he would d,
to David wv. "A and 46) that all tn
earth may know that there is a Go,
in Israeli" see also v. Al. David
seemingly insufficient preparation /
o revealed to be abundant, for h
had four stones more than he needle
". 400. It is thus that God choose
the weak things to confound the might
q Cor. 1:27). Goliath's one unpre
tected spot was his sufficient veal
ness. In warfare it would be protect
/ ed by his shield, but his pride an
boastfulness exposed him to David
unerring shot. There is always a
4 open, vulnerable place in the infidel'
4 armor, and the man who trusts Go
4 will surely be guided to make accurat
aim and to deliver a mortal blow a
q that point. The enemies we most fea
fall the easiest and the hardes
Judges 20:16). Verse SO is parer
thetical, but from 81 it would seer
that Goliath may have been onl
9 stunned and that David, to make con
plete his victory, cut off Goliath's hea
with his own sword. Israel received
It great lesson that day and the Phil
S tines, a type of the world, received on
also ". Al R. W. God will give tn
fruits of victory into the hands {
those who trust and obey him.
III. Summary. We have before I
"a three lessons. First the lesson of ind
vidual responsibility. A sinful king ha
h p~aralyzed the effectiveness of tn
!, army of Israel. David, "a man aftt
Gods own heart" refused Saul's a
NOR, crying out 81 cannot go in these
Saul, bound by tradition, must us
10 conventional weapons. Every gre;
advance in the history of the churc
&c has been led by some mar who struc
out boldly, insensible alike to the co,
~ventionalism of his friends and I'll
gibes of the enemy. God would hay
= every man work according to himsel
Is not copying, not initiating, but with b
le own equipment. Second, all the gian'
s. of sin have not yet been overthrow
le We still have the giants of Intempe
le ance, Unchastity, Graft, Selfishnes
Ambition and the Inequalities of OF
is civic and social life. These can on
be overcome in the strength of OF
God.
Bunyan mentions three giant
ut Pride, Gfim and Pagan; to these '
may add, Anger, Untruthfulness, Sc
: ishness and Sullenness.
Third, Our Helper. See Goldt
Text. Of all the graces David pc
sessed, faith was the root of each OF
VI faith in a living God.
His active faith caused him wi
le nimble feet to attack this blasphemo