Jesus in 1 Samuel: Giants Promote Us Not Defeat Us
You're created in the image of the unconquerable King!! God's purposes for your life are much greater than problems you're facing right now! 1 Samuel is a great expression of the prevailing purposes of God!
Samuel, Saul and David are the central people to 1 and 2 Samuel. Jesus is revealed in Samuel as he awakens God’s potential in those who submit to him. Jesus is revealed in David as a king with a heart for the people finally emerges. Through all of the generations of anguish with the Israelites they longed for the day when the Messiah would come and be their King without flawed motives. Jesus would come through David and David expressed this life-giving leadership in many ways.
In this book we see the Israelites moving from the turmoil of life under the judges to a hope for stability under a king. They are on a desperate search for true leadership that provides life and hope for a better future. Ultimately God would provide David as a King for Israel that would be after God’s own heart.
David’s arrival to the throne would be a painfully elaborate process of preparation. God not only prepares the promise for us but he prepares us for the promise.
1 Samuel follows David’s life as a young musician, shepherd, and warrior. His underdog victory over Goliath is an expression of God’s ability within our availability.
On the day of the battle with Goliath it’s interesting that David never even talked about the giant. He called him an uncircumcised Philistine but He never called him a giant or anything other than a mere adversary of God and one who was on the wrong side of the covenant! The more we talk about and validate our problems the more power we give them in our lives.
Goliath was actually part of God’s plan to get David to the throne. Your giant wasn’t meant to defeat you. It was meant to promote you.
Just because you don’t see a way doesn’t mean God doesn’t have a way.
In most instances we face giants before we succeed. Don’t let your giants talk you out of God’s plans!
Lucille Ball was dismissed from drama school with a note that read, “Wasting her time. She’s too shy to put her best foot forward!”
The Beatles were turned down from the Decca recording company who said, “We don’t like their sound and guitar music is on the way out”
Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he lacked imagination and had no original ideas.
Dr. Suess was rejected 27 times with responses such as this, “This is too different from other juveniles on the market to warrant its selling.”
Margaret Mitchell’s novel was rejected by 38 publishers before she finally got her “yes” and published Gone With The Wind.
God’s promises are greater than any problems you may be facing right now. Don’t give up! Don’t give in! Work every day to possess the right perspective!
That giant isn’t too big to kill. He’s too big to miss! CHARGE!!!
Going deeper into 1 Samuel
Samuel, Kings & Chronicles: In this period of time God’s people are transformed from a loosely affiliated group of tribes into a unified nation under the leadership of a king.
Samuel is the central figure of 1 Sam. Everything we know about his birth, life, ministry, and death is found in this first division of Samuel.
Samuel anointed Saul and David, and the books of Samuel are all about these two men.
1 Samuel focuses on the establishment of the monarchy. The people demanded a king, similar to the kings of the surrounding nations (1 Samuel 8:5). Saul, the first king, though “head and shoulders above the rest” did not have a righteous heart, and his line was destined never to inherit he crown (9:1–15:35). God instructed Samuel to anoint David, the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem, as the next king (16:1–13).
The events that happen in 1 Samuel took place over a period of about 110 years, stretching from the closing days of the judges, when Samuel was born (ca. 1120 BC) through the death of Saul (1011 BC). We see the birth of Samuel, his call from God and subsequent prophetic ministry, the rise and fall of King Saul, and the anointing and maturity of young David.
God repeatedly made everyday events work for His purposes. He used Hannah’s contentious relationship with Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:1–28), led Saul to Samuel during Saul’s search for lost donkeys (9:1–27), and caused David to learn of Goliath while taking food to his brothers (17:1–58). These are just a few examples.
In the books of Samuel we see how God reaches into our struggles to bring strength. He reaches into our pain to produce purpose showing his sovereignty over all.
Hannah’s barrenness gave way to children (1 Samuel 1:1–28; 2:21); Samuel became prophet instead of Eli’s sons (2:12; 3:13); Saul rose to prominence though he was from a lowly tribe; and David was anointed king though he was the youngest son (16:1–13).
The story of David and Goliath has an interesting framework. Notice all the verses of Scripture that speak of the “battle.”
1 Sam 17:1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. (NAS)
1 Sam 17:2-3 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and camped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array to encounter the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them. (NAS)
1 Sam 17:16 And the Philistine came forward morning and evening for forty days, and took his stand. (NAS)
1 Sam 17:18-19 "Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of {their} thousand, and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back news of them. For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines." (NAS)
1 Sam 17:20 So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took {the supplies} and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry. (NAS)
1 Sam 17:28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle." (NAS)
Everybody’s talking about the battle but nobody’s fighting. They’re all dressing up for the battle. They’re all showing up together. They’re all shouting a war cry together. But nobody’s fighting. In many ways this speaks of the church today.
In the 3rd century the church began establishing it’s presence in cities all over the world in an amazing way. Huge cathedrals were being built and in any major city in England and in Europe. Massive structures were built to communicate the presence of the church in every major city. This was an incredible misappropriation of truth because the presence of buildings will never change a society. The presence of the church, God’s people, is what will change and shape cultures! We must not merely talk about the fight but we must be engaged in the fight by loving and caring for people every single day!
David fought like a warrior because David thought like a warrior. You don’t know what battles you’re about to face. Don’t sell yourself short. Strengthen your faith every day by praying and reading the Word!
GP4RL: Take Someone With You this week in your devotions by asking somebody here at Destiny how they’re doing with the Turn The Page Challenge.