Who is this Uncircumsised Philistine?

7. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

I know the world is probably watching their computers at work or TV’s viewing the memorial tribute to Michael Jackson today.  As with so many millions of others, my prayers are with the Jackson family for their loss.   We pray for the welfare of his children and that God would heal the mourning hearts as only God can.

On last week, we started with the story of Goliath.   Goliath was a Philistine that stood nine feet tall and was intimidating daily the children of Israel challenging them to a fight and whoever won would be enslave the losers.    Jesse, the father of David send David to take his brothers some food and this is where our story picks up.   Below is our text:

I Samuel 17:20 Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. 25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father’s family from taxes in Israel.” 26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 29 ”Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.

As you can see in our text, when David arrived on the scene, Goliath came out with his daily intimidation putting fear in the hearts of Israel.  When David heard it, he immediately said “who is this uncircumcised Philistine that that should defy the armies of God.   By calling Goliath uncircumcised, he was speaking to the fact that he was not in covenant with God.    David was essentially saying how can someone who has no covenant with God torment the people who are in relationship with God? 

But in actuality, we see it happening everyday.   We are so afraid of circumstances and situations that have nothing to do with God but we allow them to immobilize us or depress us.    We can do all things through God which strengthens us.   We do not have to be afraid of “intimidators.”   God is in control.

David asked the men what will the king give to the person that kills Goliath and the men answer David.  The brothers overheard David conversing with the men in the army and they questioned David as to his motives thinking that his heart was evil.   It is clear hear of the brother’s perception of David.  God had just told Samuel that David’s heart is what won him over and why he chose him as the next king and his brothers consider his heart to be evil.

WOW!!!!!!!!  I am so glad that God is the judge.   God is in charge.

Tomorrow, we will continue our story and see what David does with this Goliath situation. 

Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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