Walk Through Scripture | 1 Samuel 17

We’re now in the second half of 1 Samuel. We’ve read the stories of rise of Samuel and Saul. You watched the mistakes of Saul. In just the last chapter, we were introduced to the great Israeli king, David. He’s not king yet, but it’s this story that EVERYONE knows about David – his encounter with the giant, Goliath.

Start by reading 1 Samuel 17 for yourself, take notes, and compare what you hear from God with what I see and hear. The Bible is alive and active. You and I may not see the same things. And if you’ve missed any of the past posts of earlier chapters, you can find them all HERE.

Now let’s get ready to dive in.

Lesson within a Lesson

In the familiar Sunday School story of David and Goliath, the intersection of David and Saul truly begins (though we see Saul and David were around each other in chapter 16). It also creates a comparison of leadership between the two.

David arrives to the camp of Israel with his head full of stars, and when he sees Goliath, the Philistine giant, he is even more excited. Meanwhile, Saul is nowhere to be found, and if you read between the lines, Saul seems to confront an old enemy – fear. He appears to be hiding at the back of the battle lines. He definitely is not in front confronting the giant.

When comparing Saul and David, remember this, the Spirit of God filled David and left Saul. David was full of God’s power and authority, and Saul was filled with fear and depression. The combination leads to a scary decision. While David’s passion is inspiring, Saul literally puts the fate of the nation into the hands of a teenager.

Do you see the problem?

We rightly celebrate this story, but it is a lesson in anti-leadership as well. It’s amazing there was an Israelite army still in formation around Saul when David arrives. But God…

God intervened in the chaos of war. Even greater, God began the process of installing his man (a man after God’s own heart) by winning the hearts of the people.

All of this leads to questions about ourselves. Here are just a few:

• Is your story one of leadership or anti-leadership?
• Where does God need to intervene in your story?
• Where does he need to calm the chaos? 

In what was the beginning of the story of the nation-state of Israel, God created a new storyline. He intervened amidst the chaos. God replaced anti-leadership with a true leader. Are you ready for God to write a new story where your old one is dying?