Too often we read the story of David & Goliath we think of ourselves as David; we want to be the hero; we act as if our freedom depends on our ability to fight our giants. But that’s not us in this story. We are more like the Israelites or Goliath. There’s something glorious taking place here. It’s not trite and self-centered like asking, “How can we courageously take the 5 stones of our lives and face our giants?”

No, this story is about seeing the Lord; it’s about being so passionate about God’s glory and being so confident in God’s promises you are willing to do whatever it takes to glorify God’s name so that all the world might know the greatness of your God.

But this story is not primarily about the fights that we need to struggle to win; it’s about the fight that Jesus single handedly already won. Yes, the story of this anointed shepherd king from Bethlehem prepares us for and points us to a greater King; it points us to Jesus. Jesus is the promised son of David. Where was he born? Bethlehem. What does he call himself? The Good Shepherd.

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, is God’s forever-anointed shepherd King from Bethlehem who stood in the gap for us when we were afraid and helpless to fight our enemy; he came to the battlefield of our lives and cut off the head of our enemy.

This story of David defeating Goliath in the valley points to the greater David, Jesus fighting a greater battle up on a hill. Just as Goliath fell and died, our sin, our rebellion, fell upon Christ; he died for our sin. Though unlike Goliath, Jesus rose again decisively defeating death for all who trust in him, that we too might run freely and joyfully back to our King, the Lord God himself.