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| Comfort & Counsel |
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| The Great Bible Story #57 |
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Now the Philistines gathered together on one mountain and the Israelites were on another mountain with a valley between them. The Philistines sent out a champion into the valley and said that if Israel could defeat this man they could have the victory. But this man, Goliath, was a giant more than nine feet tall, with a huge armour, shield, javelin and sword. None of the people of Israel was willing to fight against this man. At this time David's father Jesse sent him to take some food for his brothers who were in the army. When he went there he heard this daily challenge from Goliath. He was also told that Saul had made an offer that any man from Israel who could defeat Goliath would be given his daughter in marriage. David was infuriated with this foreigner Goliath who dared to stand against the living God. When people heard David talking like this, they took him to King Saul.
David offered to the king that he would go against Goliath and kill him. Saul could not believe David could do this because he looked so young and inexperienced in battle. Then David recounted to Saul how once when he was taking care of the sheep a lion came to attack the sheep and another time a bear came he had fought against the lion and the bear, killed them and saved the sheep. He was sure that God would give this Goliath into his hands in the same way. King Saul agreed to try him. Saul gave David his armour and sword to fight with, but when David tried them he felt so awkward he took them off. He wanted to use a sling he was familiar with, and gathered five smooth stones from a nearby brook and put them in his bag. When Goliath saw David walking towards him with only a sling and a stick in his hand, he mocked him loudly saying, "Do you think I am a dog that you come to me with a stick?" But David's reply was, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord God of Israel, whom you have taunted. Today everyone will come to know that God is Lord." Then he took a stone from his bag, put it in the sling, swung it around and sent the stone hurtling towards Goliath. God directed that stone right to Goliath's forehead, and he fell down dead. David went, took Goliath's sword and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead they ran away, and Israel pursued them till they were far out of their land. This was how God gave Israel a great victory that day. |
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