FREE ESSAY ON DAVID VS GOLIATH

DAVID VS GOLIATH

According to the story, David openly trusted in God when he went to fight against Goliath
the giant. But the question is, why did he pick up five stones, did he think he would
miss?
To understand why David fought against Goliath, we need to know what brought them on the
battlefield. At that time the Philistines were at war with the Israelites and Goliath
daily challenged the Israelite army to a winner-take-all dual. "Then champion came out
from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits
and a span." (1 Samuel 17:4) " And he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, and said
to them, " Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and
you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourself and let him come down to me." (1 Samuel
17:8) " Again the Philistines said, " I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man
that we may fight together." (1 Samuel 17:10) For some reasons, none of the Israelite
soldiers felt up to the challenge. " When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the
Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."(1 Samuel 17:11) David, the youngest
son of Jesse was visiting his brothers on the front line and heard the challenge. He went
to King Saul of the Israelite army and offered his services in the name of the Lord. The
king unwillingly accepted and David started to prepare. According to the story, David was
facing a challenge such as he would never faced before. The destiny of the army of
Israel, indeed, the whole of Israel, was at jeopardy and he was going to either be the
hero or the loser. Much hung in the balance of his actions. 
But David did not trust in his own talents and abilities, he placed his trust in God that
God would do what God could do in the given circumstances. On the other hand, it is clear
David did not just run out into the fight totally unprepared either. First he tried on
Saul's armor and hefted his sword, but they didn't fit. " Then Saul clothed David with
his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. And
David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So
David said to Saul, " I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took
them off."(1 Samuel 17.38-39) The next thing he does is removed the armor, take up the
tools he is most comfortable with, and then heads to the nearest stream to pick up five
smooth stones for battle. And he took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five
smooth stones from the brook, and put them in his shepherd's bag which he had, even in
his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine (1 Samuel
17:40).
Again, why five stones? Wouldn't absolute trust in God indicate that only one stone was
needed? In fact, in the story it only takes one to kill the giant. So why did he take up
five stones? Even though David trusted in God, David also knew that to take on any
challenge in life, even with God's help, he needed to be as well prepared as he could be.
Hence he did his homework. He studied Goliath and his ways. He learned what he could
about the Philistines and their methods. And he discovered something very important to
his decision to picking up five smooth stones, instead of only one. And what David found
out was that Goliath had four brothers. David knew there could be the possibility that
when he killed Goliath, his four brothers might try to revenge him. So David prepared
himself in advance. He picked up five stones, one for each of the Philistian brothers. 
According to the topic, David trusted in God what God could do. But he did not leave
everything to God. David did what he could do to insure his own capability in the face of
a challenge. David picked up five stones because he has done his homework and was well
organized and prepared. How can we do less when faced with our own challenges in life?