It Became a victory for Israel (1 Samuel 17:51b-54)

6/12/2010 7:28:10 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  It became Israel’s victory

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                Reference:  1Samuel 17:51b-54

            Message of the verses:  “When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52  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. 53  The sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps. 54  Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.”

            There are a few things that I have learned from this section of Scripture through the teaching of Warren Wiersbe.  The first is fairly oblivious and that is the Philistines did not keep their part of the bargain and submit to Israel, but ran off in fear.  They had promised to do this in verse nine.

            In verse fifty-two the writer separates the armies of Judah and Israel, so from this one can deduct that Saul was not a king over the entire nation of Israel, for later on David would be king over Judah, but not Israel until sometime later.

            David would take the sword of Goliath and also his armor and put it into his tent, but the sword would end up with the priests at Nob later on and so it may have been that David had dedicated it to the Lord. 

            As far as the head of Goliath the writer says that he took it to Jerusalem, but at the time this all happened the city was called Jebus for the Jebusites live their until David defeated them later on when he was king over all of Israel and made it the capital and where he would live.  Dr. Wiersbe writes:  “The head of Goliath, as grisly as it was, would remind David that the Lord could be trusted to give the victory if we seek only to glorify Him.” 

            The last thing that I learned from this section was that David, as young as he was when this happened, demonstrated that he was a good leader for he took the risk but then allowed all the men to take part in the victory. 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:   I am so impressed with how David trusted the Lord for the victory.  As I go through the Psalms, the ones that David wrote, I can see the trust that he has in the Lord even when he was going through some deep troubles he continued to put his trust in the Lord.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.     I think that Proverbs 3:5-6 fit into this lesson for me as my step of faith for today:  “5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

6/12/2010 7:57:17 AM