David and Goliath

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This is Day 21 of my 40 day Lenten Blog.

The people of Israel had demanded a king and God finally relented. Samuel anointed Saul as the king because Saul was big and strong and a great warrior. But at times he also refused to obey God's direct commands. So God had Samuel anoint another king, a man after His own heart.

At the Lord's command Samuel went to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse. You will recall that Jesse was the grandson of Ruth and Boaz. The Lord told Samuel that he would anoint one of Jesse's sons. When Samuel saw Jesse's sons he was impressed, especially by the oldest, a large, strong man and Samuel thought the Lord would choose him to be the king. But God told Samuel that He does not see things as the world sees them.

Samuel was told that none of the boys at Jesse's house were to be anointed. So Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons. Jesse told him, just the smallest, David who was tending sheep. Samuel told Jesse to send for David and when the boy arrived God told Samuel to anoint him. And when he did the Holy Spirit went into David and it left Saul.

An evil spirit went into Saul and he was tormented by it. So the king's advisors suggested he find someone to play the lyre for him as the music soothed him. David was sent for as he played the lyre beautifully. So he would play whenever the evil spirit tormented Saul and the evil spirit left him.

Meanwhile, Israel was still at war with the Philistines. The Philistines' strongest warrior was a giant named Goliath who stood around ten feet tall. And Goliath challenged the Israelites to send out their mightiest warrior to face him. But everyone was afraid of him. Everyone but the boy David who scolded the soldiers for fearing the Philistine. After all, the Lord fought for Israel. So David, trusting in the Lord, agreed to fight Goliath.

Saul offered David his armor to wear into battle, but it was too heavy so David refused. Instead, David took his sling with which he often chased off lions and bears when protecting his father's sheep. When he went out on the battlefield to face Goliath, the giant laughed at him mockingly. "What, am I a dog that you send this boy to face me?!?"

But David was not afraid because he knew God was with him, and if God is for you, no one can stand against you. So David told Goliath that he would strike the giant down, chop off his head and give his body to the birds. Angry, Goliath charged at David, but David took a rock and his sling and slung it, striking the giant in the forehead, knocking him down. Then David took the giant's sword and cut his head off with it, killing him.

When the Philistines saw Goliath fall they ran away and the Israelites were victorious, thanks to David whose reputation as a great warrior began that day, but would not end there.

Next: David Anointed King.

R.C. VanLandingham is a Catholic homeschool dad just trying to make it through this life and into the next! He has written a Christian children's fantasy series about a boy named Peter Puckett!