1st Samuel 16:1–17:58
God chose a young shepherd boy to defeat a great Philistine enemy and become one of the most beloved rulers in Israel’s history.
David also served as a precursor to a greater Ruler who would come from Bethlehem and fulfill God’s purposes for Israel and the world.
God used David because God’s glory was more important to him than his own.
We have a choice to either act like the universe hinges on us or seek to be a reflection of God’s purposes in the world.
Rather than placing their trust in God, the people of Israel pleaded for a king. Saul, who was Israel’s first king—and looked the part—later rebelled against God.
Though David didn’t look obviously king-like, God chose him to take the throne after Saul’s death.
David would go on to consolidate Israel’s power; form the foundation of a stable, unified nation; and lead the people in worship of the one true God.
There are two biblical allusions that connect David to the Messiah.
“The unspoken subtexts are 1 Samuel 16:7 … and Isaiah 11:3. … Interestingly, the first of these passages is taken from the account of Samuel’s anointing of David to be Israel’s king, and the second describes the hoped-for future Davidic king who will rule righteously over Israel.
The focus is not on David but on God. Even though Goliath seemed dominant and intimidatingly powerful, God is all-knowing and saw his weakness.
God is all-powerful and can use anyone to bring about His will.
In the end, David wasn’t victorious over Goliath because he was a scrappy underdog.
He was victorious because in the battle his focus was God’s glory, not his own.