Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 can be described in three ways. First, he seemed INSURMOUNTABLE (see my January 7th posting). Standing somewhere around 10 feet tall, Goliath was huge and he was strong - seemingly invincible. Second, he was INSISTENT (see my January 10th posting) meaning that he never went away - he was always there. Now we see the third characteristic - Goliath the giant created INSECURITY.
1 Samuel 17 describes Israel's response to this giant as being "dismayed and greatly afraid." Verse 23 makes an interesting description. It says that on what appeared to be day 41 of the stand-off, Goliath was "coming up" from the Philistines. Now go back and reread my January 5th posting. Remember, the Philistines were on one slope and Israel on another slope, with the Valley of Elah in between them. If Goliath was walking from the Philistine camp into the valley, wouldn't it say that he was "coming down" from the Philistines as opposed to "coming up?"
I believe that "coming up" means that Goliath walked all the way down the slope from the Philistine camp; walked all the way across the mile or so wide valley; and then actually began to walk up the slope toward the Israel camp as he shouted his taunting challenge. And what was the result on the soldiers of Israel? Verse 24 says that when they saw Goliath they "fled from him and were greatly afraid." You see, that's exactly what giants do. They take more and more ground in your life by producing more and more fear in your heart.
So, are you facing a giant in your life or in your ministry? Is there a person or a problem that seems insurmountable and that has become the first thing you think about every morning and the last thing you think about when you crawl into bed at night? Are you facing a giant that keeps taking more and more ground in your life by causing you more and more fear in your heart? Then be sure to follow this series of posts as we next look at 5 steps to taken when facing a giant!
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