Editorial – November 2024

‘The God of the armies of Israel’, 1 Sam. 17. 45

How do you look at situations? Do you assess things merely from a human perspective, or do you instinctively include God and His claims as part of the picture? Israel had opted for a king who stood head and shoulders above the rest, but now both Saul and his people are cowering at a Philistine champion who towers above them all.

In problem solving, breakthroughs often depend on recasting or reframing a problem - crucially, knowing which elements to include and which to exclude. Young David instinctively sees something, or rather, someone whom others have lost sight of - God’s honour is at stake, v. 36, as Goliath has defied the armies of the living God. But David went on to say, ‘I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied’, v. 45.

Like so many today, the ungodly Goliath had totally discounted the living God. But at the opposite pole, David the shepherd lad puts God centre-stage in his thinking and actions. Later, he would affirm, ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved’, Ps. 16. 8.

David was probably inspired by a fine sense of Israel’s history, especially God’s warrior exploits at the Red Sea. ‘Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace’, Exod. 14. 13, 14. Edith G. Cherry’s much-loved hymn We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender includes the line ‘Thine is the battle, thine shall be the praise’.

David sees that the defeat of the Philistine will reveal the power of Jehovah to the nations and to Israel, 1 Sam. 17. 47, so he goes against the Philistine, armed only with the equipment of a shepherd lad.

Surely this is a glorious pointer to ‘great David’s greater Son’. Despised and rejected by men; disbelieved even by His own brothers; going alone against the foe, trusting His Father for His ultimate vindication. Giving the glory to God alone. Hebrews 2 verses 14 and 15 get to the heart of the matter, ‘Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage’.

Israel had no part in the one-on-one fight, but they join in the victory and the enemy is put to flight. Thus, for Israel, terror gives way to triumph. David, the young warrior of Judah, saw that God’s honour was at stake, and, in faith, went against the foe in the name of the living God. How vital to learn to look at challenging situations from the divine perspective!

Once again, we acknowledge the faithfulness of God. We look to Him to graciously continue to bless the magazine, and our contributors and readers alike, in the year that lies ahead.

Ken Totton
Ministry Articles Editor