By Faith, David

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By Faith David Conquers Goliath (Heb 11:32; 1 Sam 17)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, November 15, 2026

I heard about a Methodist Church that closed. The church became a reception center, and someone said with disgust, “They have the bar right where the pulpit used to be.”

What is the big deal?

This is a big deal because the pulpit is usually seen as representing God’s Word being preached, and because the Word is preached there, the pulpit is considered “sacred,” “holy,” and “set apart.”

We used to think the same way about our Bible. I know of a missionary who was working in a country, and she had her Bible on the floor under a chair. As she sat, she casually let her foot rest on the Bible. The people in that country were offended. They were offended because Bibles were hard to get, so they were set apart as holy. 

The Bible is holy.

What is our view of God?

Do we view God as holy?

Do we view God as set apart?

Do we think we will someday stand before God and cower in His presence?

About twelve years ago, I had a dog that weighed about 15 pounds, and I saw him chase deer. At one point, I saw him chase a turkey. The dog didn’t realize what he was trifling with. I would say the same about us. We trifle with the Holiness of God, and it is a dangerous game. We chase sin; we condone it, even corporately, and we are messing with the Holiness of God. Sin always, always, breaks the Holiness of God. Technically, sin breaks our relationship with God. Yet we act like nothing is wrong. We don’t realize how awesome God is. 

Now, I want to look at David and Goliath, and I want to show you something about this passage.

As we look at the passage, I must address correct interpretation. Bible scholars will say it is improper to read this passage and conclude that God will take care of your giants as well. That is not the purpose of the account. David is fighting for God. In similar ways, it is improper to read the passage in which Jesus calms the storm (Matt. 8:24ff) and say, “Jesus will calm the storms in your life too.” That is not a correct interpretation. That is not the purpose of that account. 

It seems clear that David is fighting for God’s army. But I also believe that David is defending God’s honor. David is offended by what offends God, namely blasphemy. 

Goliath is an enemy of God’s people, and God uses David to take him down. Goliath has blasphemed God and is calling curses down on God’s people by his “pagan” gods. I believe this narrative is about the holiness of God.

In 1 Samuel 16, God wants to choose a king after His own heart, so David is anointed. In 1 Samuel 17, we see why. David could not sit by and watch this man curse God’s people and blaspheme God.

I heard a story about a man hiking in Alaska who got too close to some bear cubs. But momma bear was behind them. This man was mauled and barely survived.

Goliath is like a big man going against a little man, but he doesn’t realize the bigger Man behind the little man. That bigger Man is God.

God is behind David. Goliath thinks he is merely mocking the Israelite people, but he is mocking God.

God’s wrath is mentioned about 700 times in the Bible. Don’t trivialize this attribute of God.

The theme:

David trusts God as he defeats Goliath, who was blaspheming.

The application:

Simply: Don’t mess with the holiness of God, as that is what Goliath was doing.

1 Samuel 17:41–50 (ESV)

41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.

  1. I want to begin with an overview of the story.
    1. As we look at this, notice this is not simply against Israel but against God.
    2. In 1 Samuel 17:1-19, we see Goliath’s challenge.
    3. First, we have an introduction to Goliath. He would have been about 9 feet 9 inches tall. Another interpretation, dating back to Josephus, suggests he was 6 feet 9 inches tall. In that day, the average man was about 5 feet 5 inches tall. So, Goliath is still very tall. 
    4. In 1 Samuel 17:20-30, David accepts Goliath’s challenge.
    5. In 1 Samuel 17:20-23, we see a prelude. David sees the battle.
    6. In 1 Samuel 17:24-25, David hears the Israelites’ fear and the king’s reward for whoever kills Goliath.
    7. In 1 Samuel 17:26-28, David is shocked by how this man can taunt the Israelites.
    8. In 1 Samuel 17:31-58, David accepts the challenge and kills Goliath.
    9. In 1 Samuel 17:48-49, David kills Goliath.
    10. Who is the main character in this passage?
    11. Any guesses?
    12. We might think it is about David, but I am inclined to think this story is about how God won the battle.
    13. I do not think David won by his aim.
    14. They say a man could hurl a stone with a slingshot at 100 mph, and the stones would be the size of tennis balls, but I still believe God did this.
    15. God gave David confidence.
    16. God gave David the ability.
    17. God guided those stones.
    18. God allowed Saul to let David fight the battle.
    19. God made that stone knock out Goliath.
    20. God did it all.
  2. Blasphemy is the main issue
    1. As David came against Goliath, Goliath mocked him first. Then Goliath cursed David by his gods (verse 43). This means that, at this point, Goliath is invoking pagan gods to curse David. This is not an issue with David; it is an issue of proclaiming a god other than the true God. This is an issue of blasphemy.
    2. Look again at 1 Sam. 17:45:
    3. 1 Samuel 17:45 (ESV)
    4. 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
    5. David saw this as a battle against blasphemy.
    6. By cursing one of Abraham’s descendants, Goliath was bringing a curse on himself. Gen. 12:3: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
      and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
    7. Also: According to the Torah, any individual guilty of blasphemy—even a non-Israelite—must be stoned (Lev 24:16). Perhaps this was an underlying reason why David chose the weapon he did in confronting the Philistine;5[1]9 even before serving as Israel’s king, David would prove himself to be a diligent follower of the Torah and thus a man after the Lord’s heart. At the same time, of course, David’s use of the sling and stone also must have been motivated by the fact that he was skillful in their use and the weapon was especially suited for exploiting Goliath’s vulnerabilities.[2]
    8. Lev. 24:16:‘Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.[3]
    9. David was provoked. David was provoked because this giant mocked God and committed blasphemy.
    10. This was not only when David actually went against Goliath. We can go back further in the account. In 1 Sam. 17:8-11, he is shouting out against Israel: Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
    11. Then, in verse 23, the Bible says that Goliath was speaking the same words, and David was hearing them.
    12. In verses 26-27, David responds: 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?
    13. Notice how David says, “defy the armies of the ‘Living God’”?
    14. David is being used by God.
  3. Are we offended by what offends God?
    1. If this passage is about David fighting for God’s holiness, as I believe it is, are we bothered when God is mocked in our society?
    2. There is no big, giant out there mocking God for you to literally and physically take out. But God’s holiness is trifled with.
    3. We are NOT to do this as David did. It is a different world. Christians should NOT physically kill people who speak against God.
    4. Jeremiah 6:15 and 8:12 state that the people do not know how to blush.
    5. The people are so caught in sin, so desensitized to it, that it no longer makes them blush.
    6. Does sin bother us?
    7. Are we bothered when our children or grandchildren use God’s name in vain?
    8. Are we bothered when the television is on at home, and people watch something that would offend God? Are we watching it?
    9. What about pornography?
    10. What about shows that endorse sex outside of marriage?
    11. What about shows that endorse adultery, or endorse homosexual behavior?
    12. Does racism bother us?
    13. Are we stuck in sin and not getting help? When I am talking about sin that needs taking care of, I am not talking about sin that you or someone else is struggling with. No, I am talking about giving in to sin. I am talking about condoning sin.
    14. Do lustful thoughts bother us?
    15. What about thoughts of murder and hate?
    16. What about when God is mocked?
    17. What about denying God as the creator, all-powerful ruler?
    18. What about denying God as the Savior? Does this bother you?
    19. Pray and ask God to soften your heart to Him. Ask God to make it so that we are convicted.
    20. If I came to your house and made fun of your spouse or your children, would that bother you? Then why does it not bother you when your Savior is mocked?
    21. I must say that in the Old Testament, they were called to do drastic things, like stoning people to death for sin. We don’t need to even consider this. We must be full of grace and full of truth. They had to do that because they were establishing a Jewish nation-state. They had civil and religious laws in the Old Testament. 
    22. This also was showing the intense holiness of God.
    23. God is Holy.

The only way to resolve this is to repent and turn our lives over to Christ.

David had faith and he is commended for it:

Hebrews 11:32 (ESV)

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets…

David saw this giant attacking and blaspheming God, and David fought him off, but David did not fight alone.

When we fight against sin, if we know Christ, we are not alone.

Romans 8:31–39 (ESV)

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do you know Jesus?

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

  1. 59 Whether or not Goliath’s blasphemy was the primary reason for David’s use of the slingstone to kill Goliath, the writer of 1, 2 Samuel has certainly gone to considerable lengths elsewhere in the presentation of David’s life to demonstrate that this king was scrupulous in his observance of Torah regulations—with one tragic exception (2 Sam 11:3–4). ↑

  2. Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 195–196. ↑

  3. New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Le 24:16. ↑

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