“The armies of Israel were depressed. Their courage failed. They said one to another, ‘Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up.’ In shame and indignation, David exclaimed, ‘Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?’ (1 Samuel 17:25, 26).“1

Hadn’t they seen this giant before? Of course they had:

“The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days” (verse 16, emphasis added). The army had seen him eighty times already. For forty days and forty nights, it seemed that all they had thought about was the giant - specifically his size.

How big was he?

“For forty days the host of Israel had trembled before the haughty challenge of the Philistine giant. Their hearts failed within them as they looked upon his massive form, in height measuring six cubits and a span.”2 Why were they so scared?

“For forty days this [Philistine] proud boaster filled Israel with terror and made Saul greatly afraid; for no one dared to combat with the mighty giant. Israel, on account of their transgressions, had not that sacred trust in God which would lead them to battle in His name.”3

This giant was allowed to bother them because of their transgressions. No wonder then that they were having GIANT problems! Such bothersome can even prevent us from having morning and evening worship as we should. But wait, we still have not really figured out how big he was.

“The Philistines propose their own manner of warfare in selecting a man of great size and strength, whose height is about twelve feet; and they send this champion forth to provoke a combat with Israel, requesting them to send out a man to fight with him. He was terrible in appearance and spoke proudly and defied the armies of Israel and their God.”4

Let’s think this through. Today, a professional football player or all-star heavyweight wrestler would be about 6 feet tall and weight 250-300 pounds, more or less. Compared to a 300-pound specimen, Goliath at 12 feet would be twice as tall, twice as wide, and twice as deep. So this giant is as tall as 2 men and as wide as 2 men, making the equivalent of 4 men. Then if he is 2-men deep, front to back, that adds up to being as big as 8 men. So this giant will be 300 pounds times 8, which makes 2,400 pounds.

Remember also that this is not your ordinary soldier. He has been trained for years to do one thing well: Hurt, Kill, Destroy!

If God is not on your side because of your sins, do you want to fight this man?

Beginning at 1 Samuel 17:3 we learn that the Philistines were camped out on a mountain. Israel was also camped out on a mountain with a valley between. Nobody wanted to go down into the valley first. Why not? Higher ground is vantage ground, especially in hand-to-hand combat. Notice, however, that in verse 40, David stops at the brook and picks up five smooth stones. Incredible! Where is the brook? In the bottom of the valley, of course!

It is written that the only thing you can take to heaven is your character. What is character?

“If the thoughts are wrong the feelings will be wrong, and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.”5

What do you suppose David was thinking and feeling when he saw and heard this giant defy the army of the living God?

“When David saw that all Israel were filled with fear, and learned that the Philistine’s defiance was hurled at them day after day, without arousing a champion to silence the boaster, his spirit was stirred within him. He was fired with zeal to preserve the honor of the living God and the credit of His people. . . .

“In shame and indignation, David exclaimed, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?’ ”6

Notice: The whole camp was talking about THE GIANT. But what was David talking about?

“For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? . . . And [David] turned from [Eliab] toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner” (verses 26, 30).

David now understands the problem and seeks out a solution.

“And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth” (verses 32, 33). King Saul tells the shepherd boy that he can’t win the fight.

“And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee” (verses 34-37). David tells Saul that the Lord will win the fight!

“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands” (verses 45-47). David tells Goliath that he will take off his head and defeat the whole Philistine army - and he gives all the glory to the Lord.”

Notice that the whole army is talking about the giant in their life - his size, his strength, his ability, his skill, his expertise, and so forth. But what is David talking about? The Lord, the Lord, the Lord! Five separate times. David, the shepherd boy, can speak of nothing else!

David speaks of deliverance in the past, in the present, and in the future for the sheep of the Lord’s pasture. No wonder he is not afraid! David knows what the Lord will do. He knew that the battle was not his, but the Lord’s.

Let us each ask ourselves the question: Do I have any giants in my life? The “giant” might be appetite, irreverence, money problems, or perhaps a love for display. Maybe it is covetousness or selfishness. It could even be a misunderstood relationship to the subject of righteousness by faith. Could I have let even that become a giant in my life? At a camp meeting in Rome, New York, Ellen G. White made this comment:

“On Sunday morning there was decided evidence that the Spirit of God was working great changes in the moral and spiritual condition of those assembled. There was a surrendering of the mind and heart to God, and precious testimonies were borne by those who had long been in darkness. One brother spoke of the struggle that he had experienced before he could receive the good news that Christ is our righteousness. The conflict was severe, but the Lord was at work with him, and his mind was changed, and his strength renewed. The Lord presented the truth before him in clear lines, revealing the fact that Christ alone is the source of all hope and salvation.”7

Why was this brother’s conflict so severe? Why is this conflict so severe in my heart? Could it be pride? Could it be self-dependence? Could it be that we are too proud to admit that we can’t do anything to save ourselves from ruin? Could it be that this ugly giant of pride comes to defy a person every morning and evening at worship time - and remain unchallenged right in the face of God’s army, His church? Think about it. Is that possible? Could this history be repeated in my life or yours?

What can we do? What did David do? What did he talk about? Remember!

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23, 24).

Why would David pray like that? Because he knew something that Jeremiah also did:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:9, 10).

David knew that his heart was deceitful, so he wanted God to search it. David’s prayer was, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:7, 10).

David knew that he was not able to stand up to the giant with sin in his heart - and neither can we!

Could a misunderstanding of the message “Christ our righteousness” become a menacing giant? If it does, if it can, what can we do about it? Talk about how big the giant is, or - like David - talk about the Lord and how great He is and of His deliverances in the past, present, and future?

“Goliath trusted in his armor. He terrified the armies of Israel by his defiant, savage boastings, while he made a most imposing display of his armor, which was his strength. David, in his humility and zeal for God and his people, proposed to meet this boaster. Saul consented and had his own kingly armor placed upon David. But he would not consent to wear it. He laid off the king’s armor, for he had not proved it. He had proved God and, in trusting in Him, had gained special victories. To put on Saul’s armor would give the impression that he was a warrior, when he was only little David who tended the sheep. He did not mean that any credit be given to the armor of Saul, for his trust was in the Lord God of Israel. He selected a few pebbles from the brook, and with his sling and staff, his only weapons, he went forth in the name of the God of Israel to meet the armed warrior.”8

What can we do? What must we do? Let us never forget how David overcame his giant!

“And this is the confidence that we have in [the Son of God], that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:14, 15).

“It is sad that every soul is not praying for the vital breath of the Spirit, for we are ready to die if it breathe not on us.

“We are to pray for the impartation of the Spirit as the remedy for sin-sick souls. The church needs to be converted, and why should we not prostrate ourselves at the throne of grace, as representatives of the church, and from a broken heart and contrite spirit make earnest supplication that the Holy Spirit shall be poured out upon us from on high? Let us pray that when it shall be graciously bestowed our cold hearts may be revived, and we may have discernment to understand that it is from God, and receive it with joy. Some have treated the Spirit as an unwelcome guest, refusing to receive the rich gift, refusing to acknowledge it, turning from it, and condemning it as fanaticism.

“When the Holy Spirit works the human agent, it does not ask us in what way it shall operate. Often it moves in unexpected ways. Christ did not come as the Jews expected. He did not come in a manner to glorify them as a nation. His forerunner came to prepare the way for Him by calling upon the people to repent of their sins, and be converted, and be baptized. Christ’s message was, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.’ The Jews refused to receive Christ, because He did not come in accordance with their expectations. The ideas of finite men were held as infallible, because hoary with age.

“This is the danger to which the church is now exposed - that the inventions of finite men shall mark out the precise way for the Holy Spirit to come. Though they would not care to acknowledge it, some have already done this. And because the Spirit is to come, not to praise men or to build up their erroneous theories, but to reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, many turn away from it. They are not willing to be deprived of the garments of their own self-righteousness. They are not willing to exchange their own righteousness, which is unrighteousness, for the righteousness of Christ, which is pure, unadulterated truth. The Holy Spirit flatters no man.”9

“The rainbow round about the throne is an assurance that God is true, that in Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. We have sinned against Him, and are undeserving of His favor; yet He Himself has put into our lips that most wonderful of pleas, ‘Do not abhor us, for Thy name’s sake; do not disgrace the throne of Thy glory; remember, break not Thy covenant with us’ (Jeremiah 14:21). When we come to Him confessing our unworthiness and sin, He has pledged Himself to give heed to our cry. The honor of His throne is staked for the fulfillment of His word unto us. . . .

“All who seek of Him shall find. All who knock will have the door opened to them. The excuse will not be made, Trouble Me not; the door is closed; I do not wish to open it. Never will one be told, I cannot help you. . . .

“Let your heart break for the longing it has for God, for the living God. The life of Christ has shown what humanity can do by being partaker of the divine nature. All that Christ received from God we too may have. Then ask and receive. With the persevering faith of Jacob, with the unyielding persistence of Elijah, claim for yourself all that God has promised. . . .

“He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness is willing to shine in your heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will take the things of God and show them unto you, conveying them as a living power into the obedient heart.”10

Goliath trusted in his own armor. David trusted in the Lord’s armor - the armor of God described in Ephesians 6:11-18. Let’s ask ourselves: Where do I put my trust? Will I appear before God in my own righteousness, which is filthy rags - or would I rather appear before Him in the spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness?