FIVE SMOOTH STONES

1 Samuel 17:39-42

"39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance."

This week we are continuing our series titled Children of the Heavenly Father. We are studying King David in his youth. Specifically when he faced the GIANT GOLIATH!! One of the most famous events recorded in the Holy Bible!

NO ONE in Israel dared take on GOLIATH. They were all very AFRAID. David arrives to remind everyone about the power of God! David was NOT afraid, he said "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." David's life as a shepherd was a solitary life. Wandering with the herd. If protection was needed David had to do it. There was no champion to come and defeat the lions and bears. All the times David was protecting his flock from lions and bears was training for this very moment! 

While David's courage is outstanding, it is more amazing that King Saul is agreeable to sending this young man to his certain death! We want to trust that Saul is inspired by the Holy Ghost but then he insisted that David protect himself with the armor of men, not the armor of GOD. Today's verses, David tried on the armor; "And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put THEM OFF him." This armor and sword DID NOT FIT him and would not work.

Instead David takes what he knows and trusts; "And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him FIVE SMOOTH STONES out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine." In Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers we read a fascinating excerpt from St. Augustine, Sermon 32 that highlights the deep symbolism “So our Divine David, the Good Shepherd of Bethlehem, when He went forth at the temptation to meet Satan—our ghostly Goliath—chose five stones out of the brook. He took the five books of Moses out of the flowing stream of Judaism. He took what was solid out of what was fluid. He took what was permanent out of what was transitory. He took what was moral and perpetual out of what was ceremonial and temporary. He took stones out of a brook, and with one of these He overthrew Satan. All Christ’s answers to the tempter are moral precepts, taken from one Book of the Law (Deuteronomy), and He prefaced His replies with the same words, ‘It is written;’ and with this sling and stone of Scripture He laid our Goliath low, and He has taught us by His example how we may also vanquish the tempter.” Amen!

The time is coming; "And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he DISDAINED him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance." GOLIATH has no respect for Israel and now seeing their CHAMPION set out to face him is nothing more than a little boy. GOLIATH has to be confused, insulted, amused and ANGRY...