Cornerstone Baptist Church – Sunday AM, April 17, 2011
1 Samuel 17:38-40 “Saul armed David with his armour,…39…And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these;…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.” (Turn to 2 Sam 21:15-22)
Celebrated men of the Bible:
- Caleb the Mountain Mover – Faith Claiming.
- Daniel the Lion Tamer – Faith Trusting.
- David the Giant slayer – Faith Fighting.
If you chose to follow Christ, there will be a time in your life when it will be necessary for you to be one of these.
Verse 40 stirred my curiosity. Why does the Bible say David “chose five smooth stones?”
Why? 2 Sam 21:15-22 reveals Goliath had four brothers:
- Ishbi-benob (v16)
- Saph (v18)
- Lahmi (v19) Actually named in 1 Chronicles 20:5
- The Six-fingered Giant (v 20-21).
David was prepared to contend with many giants in his life; I believe the Lord would have us to do the same. By examining 1 Sam 17 and 2 Sam 21 we will find some significant insight into the giants we may face in this life.
1. THE GIANT OF GOSSIP (1 Samuel 17:4):
GOLIATH = “blasphemer; communicator of evil.”
· The tongue is a powerful tool for good or evil. James 3:8-10 “The tongue…is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God …and therewith curse we men...10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.”
· Evil communication will damage your – testimony, marriage, work, church. Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
· Goliath was defeated by David whose name means “beloved.” How do you defeat, in the spiritual realm, the giant of gossip? With Love!
2. THE GIANT OF PRIDE (2 Sam 21:15-17): “The Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. 16 And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant,…thought to have slain David. 17 But Abishai…smote the Philistine, and killed him.”
ISBI-BENOB = “My dwelling is in the heights.” He represents pride.
· Pride will rob you of right relationships!
Proverbs 16:18-19 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
· This giant was defeated by Abishai = “My father is a gift.” It’s not about me; it’s about my father. Abishai represents humility.
1 Peter 5:5-6 “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”
3. THE GIANT OF HYPOCRISY (2 Sam 21:18): “And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob [a pit]: then Sibbechai the Husha-thite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.”
SAPH = “to compare.” In 1 Chron 20:4 he is called Sippai = “to view in a mirror.” He represents hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy: Pretending to be what you are not.
· This giant was defeated by Sibbechai = “Like a corpse.” He represents death to self. This giant is defeated when we learn to die to self.
Romans 6:8 “If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:.. yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
4. THE GIANT OF LUST (2 Sam 21:19): “And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim [Jair], a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.” 1 Chron 20:5 “Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath...”
LAHMI = “sensual, full of lust.” Lust is a compulsive desire for immorality (1Chronicles 20:5).
· We battle with sinful enticements everyday.
James 1:14-15 “Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
· This giant was defeated by Elhanan = “God is gracious.” Elhanan’s father was Jair = “wood.” This giant is defeated when we put our self on the Cross.
Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. [6:14] “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
5. THE GIANT OF GREED (2 Sam 21:20-21): “There was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.”
THE SIX-FINGERED GIANT = a powerful grasp. He represents greed.
· Covetousness is expecting from things what only God can give (Peace, Joy, Love) and is equated with Idolatry. Colossians 3:5 “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
· This giant was defeated by Jonathan = “Jehovah gives.” Our God stands ready to supply our every need.
Psalm 84:11 “The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
Psalm 34:10 “They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.”
Philippians 4:19 “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
CONCLUSION: Proverbs 3:5-7 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”
1. Gossip is defeated with Love
2. Pride is defeated by Humility
3. Hypocrisy is defeated with Death to self
4. Lust is defeated by Identifying with the Cross
5. Greed is defeated by Dependence upon God
Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, wrote…
“All of God's giants have been weak men, who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them.”
David understood what this meant, for he was but a teenager when he faced his first giant; yet he knew that the Lord would be with him.
