the three great missions of David number one slaying the lion and Bear before David was King he was already carrying out essential missions that would define his kingship first Samuel chapter 17 verses 34 through 37. but David said to Saul your servant was tending his father's sheep would a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock I went out after it and attacked it and rescued a lamb from its mouth and when it rolls up against me I seized it by its whiskers and struck and killed it your servant has killed both The Lion and the Bear and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them since he is taunted and defined the armies of the Living God David had lived with God throughout many solitary days he had kept his father's flock among the lone Hills of Judah and had worshiped the Unseen but ever-present lore as a young lad of 15 to 17 years while talking to the king of Israel he claims to have already killed such ferocious creatures this showed his profound responsibility and bravery mountain lions are elusive creatures they are seldom seen usually when there's a story about an encounter a human sees one and gets away because they followed their instincts or they raised into their hands above their head and made loud noises to convince the lion to go bother somebody else number two killing Goliath the most notable battle portrayed in the Old Testament was not fought between two infantries but between two people it was the battle in the valley of elah between David and Goliath the Philistines or the Israelites foes and they were gathered for war at this time it was not long ago that the Philistines were thoroughly beaten but here we have them making head again they descended upon the land of the Israelites and it appears they took possession of parts of it for they camped in a judah-controlled area the valley of ela was more like a large Canyon than a Tani Valley the ancient site was probably a mile abroad a champion named Goliath who was from gath came out of the Philistine cap tied with six cubits and a span first Samuel chapter 17 verse 4. we need to understand precisely what that information means at face value because we don't measure things by Cubit or span we count them by feet and inches to make it easier to comprehend let's simplify it Goliath was an enormous man approximately 9 feet and nine inches tall his size became even more intimidating when he raised his arms above his head however it was not just his height that made him imposing he was clothed in what we would call a mail code the Philistines prepared for combat by wearing a sizable canvas-like undergarment with overlapping bronze ringlets this coat of mail covered and protected the wear from the enemy's weapons from shoulder to knee the body armor of this type and size weighed 5 000 shekels of bronze or between 175 and 200 pounds in modern Sanders only the court of mail was included in the armor Goliath on the other hand was equipped with a bronze helmet bronze leggings Greaves to protect The Shins and a bronze Javelin or spear slung between his shoulders his Spears head alone weighed 600 shekels of iron or roughly 20 to 25 pounds according to the written account he had a shield carrier who marched ahead of him the Hebrew word employed here refers to the largest battle Shield which is the size of a full-grown man it was unmistakably designed to Shield his body from opposing arrows so in addition to his body armor Goliath had this guy racing in front of him wielding a man-sized shield for further defense pause for a moment and allow your mind to picture such an imposing sight imagine how frightening it would be to take on a giant of this size protected by this amount of armor the odds are stacked against anyone foolish enough to face him in battle notice what this Giant Warrior did Goliath suggested a strategy popular in the Eastern civilization namely representative combat or a one-on-one conflict he'd be the Philistine Army's representative while Israel's choice would be the Israelite Army's representative the Winner's Army was Victorious while the loser's Army was defeated there's no reason for your entire Army to be involved in this just send a fighter and I'll take them on I am the champion I am the greatest Goliath didn't issue this challenge one time and then leave no his challenge went on for 40 days for 40 days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand first Samuel chapter 17 verse 16.
for well over a month he marched out there every morning and evening flaunting his size and his strength daring someone to challenge him David was not planning on fighting his father had sent him to bring his brother some refreshments and express his concern the sun rose like any other morning for David and Goliath that day there was no prior notice but the truth is that the 41st morning of Goliath's challenge would be his last and David's heroic life would begin it was not announced Goliath today you are history or David this is your day by an angel from heaven David got up early the next morning and did precisely what his father had advised him to do he'd left his flock of sheep with another Shepherd then as he approaches the Israelite Camp's outskirts he notices the troops preparing for battle and here's the war cry he just wants to watch and see what happens David quickly made his way to the Battlefront to Greed his siblings while entrusting his belongings to the baggage attended consider the situation when David is standing there conversing with his three brothers he hears a loud cry from across the valley and suddenly everyone in his immediate vicinity is racing to the back and crawling inside their tents please keep in mind the David is not aware of the gath Giants challenge all he sees is a heavily armored man who appears to be very large shouting threats and insults while looking across the battlefield and cursing the god of Israel and this infuriated David remember now this is the 41st day of the Israelites of encountered Goliath but this is the first time it's happened to David then David spoke to the men who were standing by him saying what will be done for the man who kills this philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel for who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should taunt the armies of the Living God and the people answered him in accord with this word saying thus it will be done for the man who kills him first Samuel chapter 17 verses 26 through 27. a bride vast wealth and a tax-free life don't seem so horrible do they even yet it wasn't enough to elicit a volunteer the people in David's immediate vicinity informed him about the incentive strategy which included a variety of external motivations David then meets with King Saul then Saul clothed David with his military attire a butter bronze helmet on his head and outfitted him with armor and David strapped on his sword over his military attire and struggled in walking for he had not trained with the armor so David said to Saul I cannot go with these because I have not trained with him and David took them off then he took his staff in his head and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had that is in his Shepherd's pouch and his sling was in his hand and he approached a Philistine so here's David dressed in his most basic Shepherd guard armed with his most basic Shepard weapons his sling and staff ready the fight then there's the Turning Pole meanwhile the Philistine with his shield Bearer in front of him kept coming closer to David he looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy glowing with health and handsome and he despised him he said to David am I a dog that you come at me with sticks and the Philistine cursed David by his gods come here he said and I'll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals David said to the philistine you'll come against me with sword and Spear and Javelin but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty the god of the armies of Israel whom you have defied this day the Lord will deliver you into my hands and I'll strike you down and cut off your head this very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine Army to the birds and the wild animals and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel first Samuel chapter 17 verses 41-46 imagine the possibilities David stood unfazed in the face of this enormous creature all David had was a sling and a stone against a giant wearing 200 pounds of armor there was a whoosh whoosh whoosh one stone shot through the air with a whoosh whoosh whoosh and that was the end of it Goliath was crushed like a bag of rocks after that the Philistines didn't hang around they split the scene when they realized that their Champion was dead then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of gath and to the gates of Akron their dead were Steward along the shayarayam road degath and ekron when the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines they plundered their cap first Samuel chapter 17 verses 52-53 then David brought the head of the Philistine to Jerusalem when it came to Goliath's Weaponry David had to use Goliath's sword to slay him he put his weapons in his tent he hid his weapons in his tent says the narrator they stood there silently as trophies facing Giants is an intimidating experience with perfect perspective and a safe distance of two thousand years we can look back on David's daring and Victory but even with the eyes of Faith consider what it must have been like to face intimidating presence of that brood yet David said my God is greater than he trusting God provides a sense of security David brought down Goliath with the first stone his aim was accurate and he did not miss the target his faith in God kept him grounded you will be unable to defeat the giant if you attempt to do so in person when you have spent sufficient time on your knees it's remarkable how stable you can be number three bringing back the Ark of Covenant David in the Ark of the Covenant the scene is set in Jerusalem and David as you may know is the reigning King he is in fact a new king his predecessor Saul is no longer alive but the consequences of Saul's actions continue to reverberate throughout the kingdom [Music] the ark understand that the Tabernacle not the believer was the focal point of worship in David's time the emphasis on the Tabernacle waned throughout Saul's weak and careless rain during this time a piece of holy Furniture had gotten separated from the Tabernacle if you can believe it the enemy had carted off the Ark of the Covenant to today's Gentiles that doesn't signify much but in those days the ark's loss meant that God's presence had departed because the Lord dwelt in his glory upon the Ark of the Covenant the ark was so precious to the Lord that he instructed Moses to build it and make it portable so that the Israelites might carry through the Wilderness and into Canaan as the principal place of worship since it represented The Presence of Jehovah it was the holiest place on Earth now when David took over the throne he realized that there was no Ark of the Covenant no central place of worship as a result the people of Israel's spiritual journey had become mediocre their heart was anything but hot after God David as their leader understood he had returned that treasured piece of furniture to its proper position set everything up the way God intended even to the point of locating a small piece of furniture and placing it in a specific location his heart was set on God when it came to God David believed that no detail was unimportant second Samuel chapter 6 tells how we got the Ark of the Covenant back in Jerusalem second Samuel chapter 6 verses one through five now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel thirty thousand and David departed from Bailey Judah with all the people who were with him to bring up from there the Ark of God which is called by the name the very name of the Lord of armies who was enthroned above the cherubim they had mounted the Ark of God on a new cart and moved it from the house of abinada which was on the hill andaza and Ohio the sons of abinada were leading the new card so they brought in with the Ark of God from the house of abinada which was on the hill and Ohio was walking ahead of the Ark meanwhile David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of instruments made of juniper wood and we're Liars Harps tambourines castanets and symbols so here's David rejoicing and celebrating and having the greatest delightful time knowing that the Ark of the Covenant was coming back home where it belonged in Zion there was The Sound of Music and there was the Delight of obedience beating in the heart of David the ark is coming back hip hip hooray or conceivably shalom shalom shalom to be sure this piece of furniture was holy it was set apart to God Soul careful was God with his instructions about it that he even told him how it was to be carried the gold ring was attached to the base of each of the four corners and gold-plated poles were threaded through these rings to carry the entire chest ensuring the no human head ever touched the ark itself God further commanded that only Levites were to handle the Tabernacle furniture and that the poles would be carried on their shoulders God cared about every detail of their worship including how the ark was moved from one location to another and it is there the David got himself into trouble you see David was a practical kind of man he was a practical person David was the king and the one who made the decisions he understood that the people require the Ark of the Covenant to worship the quickest and most efficient way to transport the Ark of the Covenant down the hill from abinadab's house was via carte so David ordered them to get a new car place it underneath the chest and tell a few men to haul it down to Jerusalem so they're bringing it down this way with azza and a Heil two of abinadam sons guiding the car when something terrible happens second Samuel chapter 6 verses 6 through 7. but when they came to the threshing floor of Nikon Aza reached out toward the Ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen nearly overturned it and the anger of the Lord burned against Aza and God struck him down there for his reverence and he died there by the Ark of God Aza stretched out to save the ark from tipping over he didn't do anything else wasn't that after all the reasonable thing to do you have to grab it rather than letting it slide off the car to perhaps shatter or bend it right well what's right let me tell you what's right it would not have been in Jeopardy if they had carried it exactly as God had instructed remember how the Levites carried the Ark by sliding the poles through the tiny ringlets at the bottom of the chest the Bars were to be placed on the shoulders of these specially selected men the balance of the Holy chest as it was moved from one location to another David on the other hand did not do so he picked the convenient path and altered the details to suit the hour's needs never do something that isn't right only do something once everything is in order then go for it with everything you've got that is Sound Advice but David said we need to get it down here who cares how we do it so long as we get it here God did and to prove it he took us as life now here is David standing alongside a corpse and he gets mad second Samuel chapter 6 verse 8.
then David became angry because of the Lord's Outburst against azza and that place has been called Pires Aza to this day having a heart for God doesn't mean you're perfect it means you're sensitive it means every detail is important and when you realize you're incorrect you own up to it you own up you come to terms with it verse 9 says so David was afraid of the Lord that day and he said how can the Ark of the Lord come to me the issue was that David had failed to complete his homework we frequently get into problems when we don't do our homework when we believe we can see very clearly what the Lord's plan is so we rush off to do it our way out of expediency or convenience typically in a hurry second Samuel chapter 6 verse 10. and David was unwilling to move the Ark of the Lord into the city of David with him but David took it aside to the house of omed Edom the gide three months have gone by there is no Ark in Jerusalem and David's stomach is churning as he wonders what is going on second Samuel chapter 6 verse 12. now King David was told the Lord has blessed the household of Obed Edom and everything he has because of the Ark of God so David went to bring up the Ark of God from the house of Obed Edom to the city of David with rejoicing now hold on a second he didn't touch it however it is said here that he brought it up why wouldn't he touch anything a few verses ago but a few verses later he will what went wrong well one of David's counselors know a doubt or the Lord himself spoke to David and said you know the law specifically States before the ark or any furniture can be moved it has to be moved a certain way by a certain group of people and David who's hot after God reacted all they had to do was put the poles upon the shoulders and you have to let the Levites carry this thing and then you could move the precious Ark of God and being a man after God's Own Heart David gets it he had previously just read out there to finish the job and he had been burned what is the main point of the poles and ringlets and undoubtedly the Lord isn't interested with such intricacies wrong if God cared enough to write it and preserve it he cares enough about the specifics to have you and me carry it out exactly as he intended that's exactly what David did in the end David was indeed remarkable second Samuel chapter 6 verse 13.
and so it was that when Noah's carrying the Ark of the Lord marched six Paces he sacrificed an ox and a fattened steer he's a man after God's heart he is concerned with what God is concerned about and when he heard the truth he desired to follow God's instructions six Paces fatally six Paces fouling finally they get the ark into Jerusalem and look at what David is doing second Samuel chapter 6 verses 14 through 15. and David was dancing before the Lord with all his strength and David was wearing a linen ephod so David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the Ark of the Lord with joyful shouting and the sound of the trumpet When you mention David most people will immediately make the connection oh yes David and Goliath alternatively people will see David as the man who committed adultery with Bathsheba when some people hear the name David they recall Samuel anointing him as King when he was still a youngster some people envisioned David as a warrior or consider the story of David and Saul or consider David's deep and enduring friendship with Jonathan none of those traits however are what God remembers about his faithful King his man his choice if you want to see what God remembers about David you'll have to turn to the New Testament the book of Acts Chapter 13 Verse 22.
