David

I love putting modern-day faces to biblical characters [for example: the Gotti boys likened to the Sons of Thunder]. It makes the characters more believable... less mythic. Think of the biblical character David ~ ruddy, good-looking, athletic, artistic, got any girl he wanted. Remind you of any other Davids you might know? Too bad there weren't corporate sponsorships in that battle against Goliath.

I've been studying the life of David for the past several months, and here are some of the highlights:

• All that time spent in an isolated sheep pasture wasn't just David's background... it was his training for greatness [Psalm 78:70-72].
• David didn't bring five smooth stones to the battle with Goliath because he was a lousy shot... he saw four other giants on the hillside [2 Sam 22:19-22].
• When Goliath first challenged Israel, he was "coming down" his side of the mountain. By the time David arrived 40 days later, Goliath was "coming up" the Israelites' side of the mountain [1 Sam 17:8,25]. Our "giants" will become more and more threatening until we destroy them.
• David really wanted to build God's temple but had the wisdom to understand that vision is only what God reveals to us... not everything we can dream up.
• David came to realize that some people's criticism came directly from the Lord and wasn't to be defended against [2 Sam 16:10].
• David spent 13 years living in a cave after he was anointed king. David's was a descent into greatness.
• In the cave, David was surrounded by 400 distressed, indebted, and discontented people. He took what God gave him and turned them into "David's might men" -- an unstoppable, integritous, righteous band of brothers [1 Sam 22:1-2].

Comments

[Nick]

Can you check the reference on 2 Sam 22:19-22?

[ben]

oops thanks nick. Make that chapter 21. These giants were from Gath - Goliath's hometown, the Philistine capital.