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 the armor he trusts. He has won many victories in it; even against the Philistines. But not this time. They will not go down in defeat again to the Israelites. So, they bring up their trusted champion against Israel at Sockoh 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 with a heavy weaver’s beam, “tipped with an iron spearhead that weighs fifteen pounds” (4-7). Now, that’s beyond impressive!

Here we have King Saul, a giant among his people (1 Sam. 9:2), yet he is terrified by the Philistine giant’s challenge. His fear is palpable, freezing everyone in its grip. Goliath challenges the Israelites to a one-on-one contest every day, and receives no response. But then, a shepherd boy steps onto the scene, unafraid and full of faith. He hears the giant’s taunts and becomes irritated.

“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam 17:26).

They take David 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 (34-37a). With a bear and a lion under his belt in the open country, 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 point marks the comic’s peak. Saul dresses David in his tunic, a coat of armor, and a bronze helmet (37b-38).

If Saul’s armor is good enough for him, why isn’t he dressed in it and fighting against the giant of the Philistines, but shaken and hiding? What a joke! But that’s the world for you. They will recommend solutions they have no confidence in. But thank God, David knew his God! (Cf. Dan. 11:32). 

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). He moved in the Spirit of God and saw Goliath as an ordinary man, not a giant. Caleb and Joshua also viewed the Canaanites in the same way, while the other ten spies regarded them as giants (Num. 13:26-30). The truth is, how you view your enemy determines the outcome of your battle against them.

“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).

Powerful confession, and that’s the attitude that overcomes the giants in our lives!

Jesus is God’s armor for every believer (Eph. 6:10-18). In Him, we have absolute protection against the giants of this world (12). David triumphed over Goliath with a small pebble from a ‘stream’. Reflect on it, and you will see the ministry and power of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s warfare.

May you not let anyone dress you in the world’s armor they can’t trust when sickness and other giants of life assail them. Money, position, and fame cannot be your armor either. Jesus, who alone is the truth, our righteousness, peace, object of our faith, our salvation, and trusted word, is the only perfect protection through the storms of life. Dress in Him, the armor of God, and slay the giants in your life.       

Pray with Me

How can we fail to thank you, Father, for the protection we have in your armor against the giants of this world and all the satanic forces that contend against us? Remind us constantly of the security we are in you, Christ Jesus, and the boldness your Spirit gives us to confront and prevail over every life challenge. In Christ Jesus, amen!