Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-05-01

Sauls army, encamped near Bethle-
hem. Three of the sons of Jesse were
in Saul's army and to them David is
sent with food wv. IS, IS, 49, These
brothers scornfully reproached David
when be expressed a willingness to
fight Goliath, accusing him of pride and
reminding him that he was but a shep-
herd (vv. 1920 David's words are
carried to Saul and he is introduced to
the king.
!. BoastfuI Pride, wv. 1914. Fear
and dismay were aroused at the very
sight of this proud Philistine wv. IL,
"a, 32), yet such fear was foreign to |
David, for his eyes were not upon man |
but upon God ". 80. 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 |
been man of 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 strip
ling" hence it was that Saul's armor
would not fit him (cf. 1929. Human
ly speaking, it was an impossible thing
David offered to accomplish single
handed. Even Saul ". 32) sought to
dissuade David, but David was not
trusting in man nor depending upon
the armor of the king ". 80; Ps- 27:1-
3; lisa. 1872; Rom. S:3D. David took
his familiar staff and sling (see 1
Thess. 5:2D 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, man about nine feet
tall ". A., "a stalking mountain, over,
laid with brass and iron," preceded by
his protector ". AID. Why such 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 no chances, and is even sus-
picious of his own supporters. What
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
sling! When God calls 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 VI lie II Is lOT0QOOm0Q
to failure eek Az; Judges 3:31).
II. Conquering Humility, w. 45-51.
| David acknowledged Goliath's su-
| perior armament, yet armed with the
name of the God of the army of Israel
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 an
| immediate one, this day" Czech. 4:6;
| James AID. With calm assurance he
| informs Goliath of the outcome of
| their conflict, but takes no credit to
| himself. David had naught but naked
| faith and the sense of a just cause to
| strengthen his arm He would do to
Goliath and the Philistines the things
| that Goliath had boosted he would 90
to David wv. A and 46) that all the
earth may know that there is a God
in Israeli" see also v. At. David's
seemingly insufficient preparation is
| now revealed to be abundant, for he
| had four stones more than he needed
| ". 400. 1t is thus that God chooses
the weak things to confound the mighty
| q Cor. 1:2O.
| III. Summary. We have before US
| three lessons. First the lesson of indi-
vidual responsibility. A sinful king had
| paralyZed the effectiveness of the
army of Israel. David, "a man after
| Gods own heart refused Sau1s ar
| NOR, crying out Il cannot go in these
Saul, bound by tradition, must use
| conventional weapons. Every great
advance in the history of the church
has been led by some man who struck
out boldly, insensible alike to the con-
ventionalism of his friends and the
| gibes of the enemy. God would have
every man work according to himself,
not copying, not initiating, but with his
| own equipment Second, all the giants
of sin have not yet been overthrow.
We still have the giants of Intemper-
ance, Unchastity, Graft, Selfishness,
| Ambition and the Inequalities of our
| civic and social life. These can only
be overcome in the strength of God.
Bunyan mentions three giants,
| Pride. Grim and Pagan; to these we
| may add, Anger, Untruthfulness, Self
4 ishness and Sullenness-
Third, Our Helper. See Golden
Text OF all the graces David pos
| sessed, faith was the root of each one
faith in a living God
His active faith caused him with
nimble feet 20 attack this blasphemous
| enemy w. 49,.
His faith in God characterizes his
| entire life, resounds in his songs and