painting of epic battle between david and goliath david on right swings a sling with stone goliath with spear and shield and war cry

David & Goliath

David, the shepherd king, an annointed king in waiting, a king who goes to war for his people. This is how David the Bethlehemite is introduced to us in 1 Samuel 16 & 17. In chapter 16, David is found and annointed as king over Israel according to God's Word to Samuel but it will be a long time before David sits on a throne. Does this sound familiar?

There is another Shepherd King, an annointed King, in waiting, a King who went to war for his people. His name is Jesus, born from Bethlehem. Jesus was welcomed by the people in Jerusalem, crowned as King with thorns and defeated our enemy at the cross, without sword in hand. He died, and rose again, defeating sin, death and the devil.

Scripture

1 Samuel 17:48-51 (the full story is found in the full chapter of 1 Samuel 17)

When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 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.

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. 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. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

Isaiah 11:1

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Type and shadow

Here is an type and shadow overview with a picture. Note: You are not David!

annotated painting of epic battle between david and goliath david on right swings a sling with stone goliath with spear and shield and war cry

1 Samuel 17:55-58

As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.” And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

Revelation 5:5

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Study of connections

Romans 15:12

And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”

Luke 3:23-38 - The Genealogy of Jesus Christ through Joseph (as was supposed)

...the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, ...

1 Samuel 17:46-47

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, 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.”

Our Lord certainly did save us, without sword and spear.

Psalm 44:6-7

For not in my bow do I trust,
    nor can my sword save me.
But you have saved us from our foes
    and have put to shame those who hate us.

John 10:14-18

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Sources

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.