A True King

"He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, 'Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.' Again the Philistine said, 'I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.' When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid... David said to Saul, 'Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.'" -1 Samuel 17.8-11, 32

Israel is at war, once again, with the Philistines. The two camps are set up on opposite hill tops with a valley between them. Before an all out war unfolds, a single Philistine warrior, a champion named Goliath, steps forward with a challenge. The giant seeks to end the conflict with single combat, himself against Israel's best warrior, in a winner take all death match. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of lives will be saved from battle. Yet no one responds to his challenge for forty days, seeing it as a suicide mission.

Saul, the king, should have been the one to fight him. He was one of two Israelites with a sword, he stood head and shoulders above the rest, and he is the king. It was his job to make the people he lead safe by fighting the enemies of Israel. And yet Saul refuses to act like a king. He sits in camp, allowing this giant to insult Israel and God.

Enter David, the newly appointed king. his three oldest brothers have gone to fight with Saul's army, and their father has sent food with David who is to leave it and return with news. When he arrives and finds his brothers, Goliath comes forward with his challenge, and then does what a true king should do. His people are being humiliated and shamed. His God is being insulted and defied. A true king will not sit by and allow this to happen, he will fight this arrogant enemy.

Men, do you stand your ground? Do you allow the things that you care about to be insulted and verbally, or physically, abused as you do nothing? These are the actions of a coward, not a king. A true king will risk his life to defend those he leads, and to protect the honor of God.

Saul refused to act, but David, the newly anointed king, refused to sit by and allow this disgrace to continue. He steps up and does what a king must do.

Let us be men who act like kings. Let us stand up and defend our people. Let us stand up for God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor