This was war between the worst of enemies…but the valley was silent. Only this green stretch of land separated the two armies, as they glared at each other. Out of the enemy’s tent comes one warrior looming above the battle line. He shouts, “Give me a man that we might fight together!” Taunting and deriding his enemies, he mocks them day and night. 40 days go by, both armies contribute to the harsh words echoing across the valley, but no fighting occurs. One day, a young man leaves his protected spot in the camp. He will fight on the behalf of his army. There is no trace of fear in his demeanor as he goes to meet his single opponent. The giant is equipped with full bronze armor and a sword while the young man takes only a few stones and his slingshot. However, there is a quiet confidence about him as he approaches his enemy. Both armies wait in anxious silence as they wonder what the outcome of this mismatched dual will be. Once within range, the young man takes one swing and the stone glides through the air. All his practice while watching his father’s sheep has paid off, it hits his target exactly where he was aiming. The stone sinks into the giant’s forehead. He crashes to the ground, the thud ringing throughout the valley. He is dead. The young man has won.
The theme of this field trip through the Shephelah seemed to be tels. A tel is ancient city built upon ancient city, creating layers like a cake. They look like average hills in the landscape, yet they contain a vast treasure beneath the layers of earth. Traveling along the Diagonal route, we visited the tels of Beth-Shemesh, Lachish and Maresha. But the tel that caught my attention was Azeka. This tel is in the center of the country, in the Elah Valley. The valley was a dazzling green, contrasted with dark green hills covered in trees, creating the S-shape or lightening shape of the valley. On the west side of the tel was Gath, the hometown of Goliath, on the east side was the battlefront of David and Goliath, the Israelites and the Philistines.
David and Goliath was one of my favorite childhood stories as a kid. I always saw it as a grand victory between a giant and a little boy who had a great faith in God. Always cheering for the underdog, amazed at how he could win such a difficult battle. Upon visiting the site of this battle, my view of the story changed dramatically. Reading the miraculous story of David and Goliath in a children’s bible with cartoon pictures, doesn’t do justice to sitting on a tel, overlooking the land where the real story took place. I often take for granted my childhood Bible stories, claiming I know them inside and out and not digging deeper into their true facts. Word studies and even asking questions like “what does it mean he grabbed 5 smooth stones” or “why didn’t Saul fight” are crucial to obtain the proper understanding of a passage instead of relying on previous teaching and knowledge.
As we sat under a tree on Azeka, we read the entire account of David and Goliath, while pausing periodically to point out towns and routes. The armies would have lined up just beyond the green hill in the center of the valley (in the picture below). The Philistine army would have filled this valley, journeying from Gath just behind us. The hill in the middle is also, tentatively, called Ephes-Dammim or the place of zero blood, which is featured in the 1 Samuel 17 account. I loved seeing the very location of the battle, but I loved more the details that Professor Nate corrected from my skewed childlike memory.
First of all, David was not a little boy. He would have been just barely too young to be in the service of the king for this battle, but he was by no means a small child. He would have been a young man and strong. In 1 Samuel 17:34-35 it says
“Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck and killed him.”
He was a mighty young man and because of his confidence in God, God would choose to use him. In picking the underdog, so to speak, God was able to put His power on display before the camps of Israel that were lacking in faith.
Secondly, the sling stones that David pulled out of the brook were no small pebbles. It says that David took 5 smooth stones from the brook. Archeology shows us that these stones were fist-sized and could weigh around 18oz. The size of the stone combined with the force of the throw would most certainly kill a man when impacted in the head. The stone itself would have taken up most of Goliath’s forehead and caused instant death upon impact. A sling and stone were truly weapons of war, not for child’s play.
The most impressive part of this story is David’s faith. After he declared what he had killed when tending the sheep, he says,
“Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God. And David said, The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
(1 Samuel 17:36-37).
How could David be so confident? He had seen God work before in the defeat of the lion and the bear, and he trusted that God would work again, especially with this Philistine. David’s conscience is sharp, he knew that God was not going to be patient with those who defy Him. He trusted God would obtain justice for Himself and for His people Israel. The faith of David can be contrasted with the actions and faith of Samson and even Saul. They both sook revenge for themselves, without consulting the Lord first. And when this is the case, they will surely be defeated. God gives the gifts to His children, we are to use them for His glory, not for our own selfish revenge. And David is the perfect model of that. He did not have all the strength or the title, and he exacted revenge on the Philistines, not for Himself, but that God’s name would be glorified.
This was not only true of certain individuals, but of the whole nation as well. Time and time again, visiting each tel resulted in a story of Israel’s unfaithfulness. One moment they would be trusting the Lord completely to be their strength and victory in battle. But then they would fall back into pride, trusting in themselves to be strong enough to defeat their enemies, but the result is destruction.
David is the perfect example to Israel and to us as to what genuine faith and full confidence and reliance on God looks like. He was just a young man, but he trusted Yahweh. He went to battle Goliath, not for his own recognition and glory, but for the glory of Yahweh. David knew it was all because of God would their enemies be defeated, to bring glory, honor, respect and reverence to His name.
The sovereignty of God is displayed in this land. The fact that the land still exists, and the Jews are still a people is the sovereignty of God. He is protecting them and sustaining them because of His promise to Abraham. They are still blinded to the truth, but in time He will draw His people to Himself in true saving faith. Through the faithful examples of their forefathers.
