1 Samuel 17:12-30
On the front porch of his little country store in
Illinois, Abraham Lincoln and Berry, his partner,
stood. Business was all gone, and Berry asked,
“How much longer can we keep this going?”
Lincoln answered, “It looks as if our business has
just about winked out.” Then he continued,
“You know, I wouldn’t mind so much if I could just do
what I want to do. I want to study law. I wouldn’t
mind so much if we could sell everything we’ve got
and pay all our bills and have just enough left over
to buy one book–Blackstone’s Commentary on
English Law, but I guess I can’t.” A strange-looking
wagon was coming up the road. The driver angled
it up close to the store porch, then looked at
Lincoln and said, “I’m trying to move my family out
west, and I’m out of money. I’ve got a good barrel
here that I could sell for fifty cents.” Abraham
Lincoln’s eyes went along the wagon and came to
the wife looking at him pleadingly, face thin and
emaciated. Lincoln ran his hand into his pocket and
took out, according to him, “the last fifty cents I
had” and said, “I reckon I could use a good barrel.”
All day long the barrel sat on the porch of that
store. Berry kept chiding Lincoln about it.
Late in the evening Lincoln walked out and looked
down into the barrel. He saw something in the
bottom of it, papers that he hadn’t noticed before.
His long arms went down into the barrel and, as he
fumbled around, he hit something solid. He pulled
out a book and stood petrified: it was Blackstone’s
Commentary on English Law. Lincoln later wrote,
“I stood there holding the book and looking up
toward the heavens. There came a deep impression
on me that God had something for me to do and He
was showing me now that I had to get ready for it.
Why this miracle otherwise?”
Last week we talked about Philistines and their champion
Goliath. We discussed his armor and the way he verbally
assaulted Israel. We learned that we need to face our
fears and remember that God is bigger than any giants
we may face.
Today we are going to see God’s providence in getting
David ready to fight this battle against the seemingly
insurmountable giant.
I Samuel 17:12-16
David’s Family
Back in chapter 16 we met David’s family. We found out
that his dad was Jesse from Bethlehem, the same town
where Jesus would be born.
We also know from other places in Scripture that Jesus
will come from David’s line.
We know that David was the youngest of 8 sons.
The Bible tells us that Jesse was too old to fight in the
war, so he sent his three oldest sons to fulfill their civic
duty.
The remaining brothers must have been too young to
fight.
Our text only lists the names of the three oldest brothers
and David.
Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah were the sons of Jesse
that went to battle with king Saul.
If you remember from chapter 16, Eliab was the oldest
and he was very handsome and tall. But, he was not the
one that God chose to be Israel’s next king.
David’s job was still to tend to his father’s sheep, but now
Jesse has tasked David with going between the sheep
and Saul.
All the while, the Philistine was continuing to take his
stand against Israel every morning and every evening.
For 40 days Goliath came out and shouted against the
Israelites, looking for a fight, defying Israel to send a
soldier.
We can see the Providence of God at work: even
though Jesse didn’t send David to fight the battle,
David is going to get there at the exact right
moment. God chooses who He wants to accomplish
His plan.
I Samuel 17:17-20
David’s Trivial Task
Jesse sends David with supplies for the soldiers.
He gives him 10 loaves of bread for his brothers and 10
cheeses to take to the commander of the 1000’s.
Jesse also asked David to bring back some token of
assurance from his brothers to ensure their safety.
Verse 19 says that the brothers and Saul and the other
soldiers were in the valley of Elah fighting against the
Philistines.
But we know that both sides were lined up on either side
of the valley.
The only fighting that was going on was Goliath coming
out every morning and evening to throw down the
gauntlet asking for Israel to send them a man to fight
against him rather than both armies getting into a battle.
David obeys his dad. He got up early, found a keeper for
the sheep and got the provisions and left for the battle
ground.
When he arrived at the camp, he saw the soldiers
heading out to their battle line. He heard them shouting
their battle cry.
Again we see God’s Providence in the seemingly
meaningless task. God uses circumstances to
accomplish His plan.
God wanted David to defeat Goliath, and He knew
David would obey his father Jesse. What may seem
trivial to us is important to God.
I Samuel 17:21-23
David Hears a Terrible Threat
When David heard the battle cry, he was intrigued, so he
again did the responsible thing and asked the baggage
keeper to hold his things while he followed the army to
the battle line.
He found his brothers and went to talk to them.
While they were talking he “just happened” to hear
Goliath shouting for an opponent from the Israelites.
We know that there is no such thing as just happened in
the Bible. God is always at work. He wanted David to
hear Goliath, because he knew how he would respond.
David didn’t want anyone talking badly about God.
Here we see the Providence of God at work
allowing David to hear the terrible threat and the
mockery he was making of the Israeli army. He
knew exactly how David would respond.
It’s interesting that Goliath had been saying the same
thing twice a day for 40 days, but when David heard it
things changed.
I Samuel 17:24-27
Israel’s Fear vs. David’s Response
I find it a tad funny that the Israelite army fled from him
every time they saw him. I know he is over 9 feet tall
and has armor and weapons, but man… they sure are
letting their fear get the best of them.
The problem here is that they aren’t seeing their
problems through God’s eyes.
They see an insurmountable problem.
They should be seeing an almighty, all-powerful God.
They asked David if he had seen the giant yet.
They tell him of the bounty that king Saul has offered to
anyone who would defeat Goliath.
Riches, a wife, and freedom.
David asks what the prize was for the person who killed
the Philistine and for taking away the reproach from
Israel.
He couldn’t believe this uncircumcised Philistine was
defying the armies of the living God.
We see the Providence of God here because God
helped David see Goliath as a servant of a dead
god. He was no threat to the one true living God.
He isn’t overcome with fear, he is overcome with anger
against the one who is making light of God.
I Samuel 17:28-30
Eliab’s Anger
The Bible tells us that Eliab’s anger was kindled against
David for speaking up.
Eliab thought David was insignificant because he was the
youngest, and a shepherd. Eliab had every right to be
there, he thought. He was the oldest. He was tall and
strong. He was full of pride. That is not what God wanted.
Eliab thought David’s motivation was wrong. He thought
he was just coming to see a battle. Eliab didn’t know
David’s heart. That is why God didn’t select Eliab to be
Israel’s next king. He knew David’s heart. He knew David
cared about God and his country.
We can see God’s Providence here in God choosing
David. God didn’t choose Eliab to conquer the giant
or to be the next king. That was David’s job.
God’s heart knew David’s heart and He knew David’s
anger was righteous indignation, as opposed to Eliab’s
misplaced anger against his younger brother.
APPLICATION
This story should help us take a look at our own lives and
see where God is working. We know that He is always at
work.
Recognize God’s Providence in Our Lives
What is God doing in your life to draw you closer to Him?
Is there an area of your life that you are holding back
from God?
Has God changed circumstances in your life to help you
see Him more clearly?
Is there a giant that you are facing right now?
Are you hiding in fear or are you facing it head on with
God’s guidance?
Is there something trivial that God is asking you to do?
How will you respond to God? What if that trivial task
ends up getting you right where God wants you?