1 Samuel 17:48-54 – With God, there is no impossibility

The preliminary was much longer than the time it took for David to take down Goliath. For as soon as they both drew closer to meet each other, David reached for a stone in his pouch and slung it. There was a possibility that the small stone David used could miss Goliath. Besides, he was covered from head to toe with heavy protective armor, plus a shield bore by a bearer to shelter him. The chances of David hitting the target was slim. That was a natural perspective. But David had another perspective. To him, the size of the stone was inconsequential, but the size of his God was. He saw Goliath as a target so big that it was impossible for him to miss. For us facing a difficult problem now, the question to ask should not be the size of our problem but the size of our God. There is no problem too big that God cannot help us to solve. Our victory in life has nothing to do with the size of the problem but everything to do with the size of our God. Remember with God nothing is impossible.  

So with such an attitude, David confronted Goliath. And his aim was so perfect that the first stone he swung with his sling struck Goliath exactly on the forehead. With just one attempt, David brought him crashing to the ground. Remember David had refused to take any of Saul’s weapons with him because they were too cumbersome for him to lug around. To complete his task, he borrowed Goliath's own sword. Verse 51 said, “Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.” He used Goliath's own weapon to destroy him. So his victory was no ordinary achievement. His victory was God’s victory, for he went in the name of the Lord.

The consequence was obvious. As soon as their champion had fallen, the Philistines fled. Don’t count on them to keep their words. Didn’t they say in 1 Samuel 17:9 that they would be Israel’s slaves if any one of them could defeat Goliath? Now that their champion had fallen, they all reneged on their words. This is the integrity of the world.  Look at the renewed vitality of the Israelites. They were no longer cowering and trembling in fear. But they rose up. Verses 52-53 describe their response this way. “The men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the slain Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron. The sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps.” All that was needed was a true leader. And God found one in David.

Interestingly, verse 54 tells us that David put the weapons that belonged to Goliath in his tent, but he took his head to Jerusalem. This is a summary statement because it would still be a while before David went to Jerusalem. The reason the author put this in was to show the beginning of David’s journey to the throne. David putting Goliath’s weapon in his tent was an indication that this victory was his and not Saul’s. Remember, just as God’s plan for David will never fail, God’s plan for us will definitely come to pass. Be sure to stay through with Him!