The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 17:4-7,
"A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him."
This enemy of Israel is presented to us as someone impossible to defeat. He was about nine foot, nine inches tall. Equipped for battle, highly trained, highly experienced in combat and equipped for World War III.
David, whom the Lord would use to instruct, not just Israel, but all of us, in the nature of his power to do the impossible, was just a squirt of a young man, a boy. Although he had his experiences in fending off wild animals through the Lord's help as a shepherd, he was not trained in combat, not equipped properly for a fight, and was simply no legitimate match for Goliath. Yet, here David is, placing God's power to do what he promises in full view of all to see. David kills this monster of a man, to whom David says, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands." Verses 45-47.
This is how the Lord teaches us. He takes what might be considered "beyond the pale" to demonstrate for us his power, his ability in and through people.
I am reminded it is this very thing the Lord sets before us. Will we understand, embrace and place our trust and faith that the Lord can do what he promises? I am reminded of Romans 4:20-25, where Paul speaks of the faith of Abraham, our example of what God looks for in each one of us, "Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him."
This enemy of Israel is presented to us as someone impossible to defeat. He was about nine foot, nine inches tall. Equipped for battle, highly trained, highly experienced in combat and equipped for World War III.
David, whom the Lord would use to instruct, not just Israel, but all of us, in the nature of his power to do the impossible, was just a squirt of a young man, a boy. Although he had his experiences in fending off wild animals through the Lord's help as a shepherd, he was not trained in combat, not equipped properly for a fight, and was simply no legitimate match for Goliath. Yet, here David is, placing God's power to do what he promises in full view of all to see. David kills this monster of a man, to whom David says, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands." Verses 45-47.
This is how the Lord teaches us. He takes what might be considered "beyond the pale" to demonstrate for us his power, his ability in and through people.
I am reminded it is this very thing the Lord sets before us. Will we understand, embrace and place our trust and faith that the Lord can do what he promises? I am reminded of Romans 4:20-25, where Paul speaks of the faith of Abraham, our example of what God looks for in each one of us, "Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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