Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.

1 Samuel 17:38

Dressed in the Wrong Armor

1 Samuel 17:38 

New International Version (NIV)

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.

For Meditation

I find it comical. 

King Saul has an armor he trusts in. He has won many victories in it; even against the Philistines. But not this time. They are not going to go down in defeat again to the Israelites. So, they bring up their trusted champion against Israel at Sokoh in Judah (1 Sam. 17:1-54).

Goliath is over nine feet tall! His armor is almost impregnable – a bronze helmet, a bronze coat of mail weighing one hundred and twenty-five pounds, a bronze leg armor, a bronze javelin, and a spear shaft like a weaver’s rod, “tipped with an iron spearhead that weigh[s] fifteen pounds” (4-7). Now, that’s beyond impressive!

It is enough to terrify King Saul, who is a giant of his own among his people (1 Sam. 9:2). The Philistine giant challenges the Israelites to a one-on-one contest every day, but his words terrify and freeze everyone, including Saul.

This shepherd boy comes on the scene with provision for his brothers. He hears the taunts of the giant and is incensed. “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David says.

He is taken to King Saul. “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him” (32). Saul looks him over and laughs. “Boy, you don’t know what you are talking about.”

David smiles, and rolls out his resume. With victory over a bear and a lion in open country under his belt, David knows the mighty hand of Israel’s God against such bullies. So, Goliath doesn’t frighten him.

Saul says to David: “Go, and the Lord be with you.” But wait a minute! This is where the comic heightens. Saul dresses David in his tunic, a coat of armor, and a bronze helmet (37-38).

The comic is this. If Saul’s armor is good enough to protect anyone against Goliath, why isn’t he dressed in it and fighting against the Philistine giant himself? Why is he shaken and hiding? What a joke! But that’s how many people are. They recommend and put people into situations they themselves have no confidence in. But, thank God David knew his God! (Cf. Dan. 11:32). By the way, did Saul really believe in the blessings of God’s presence when he pronounced it on David?

David knew that his protection was not in Saul’s armor. His protection was in the God of the armies of Israel (1 Sam. 17:32). How could Saul know this when he had allowed himself to be reduced to fleshly considerations against the giant’s challenge? On the contrary, David moved in the Spirit of God and saw a midget in Goliath, instead of a giant. He told Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (45). That’s the attitude that overcomes the giants in our lives!

Jesus is the armor of every believer (Eph. 6:10-18). In Him, we have absolute protection against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world, and all the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (12). David triumphed over Goliath with a small pebble from a ‘stream’. Think about it. The pebble was powered and directed by the Holy Spirit to the right position and slayed the giant.

May you not let anyone dress you in the armor they can’t trust in against adversity, like money, position, culture, traditions, family name, and fame. Be confident in who you are in Christ Jesus. He is the only perfect protection anyone can trust in when the storms arise. So, dress yourself in Him, the armor of God, and slay the giants in your life.        

Shalom