Many people are familiar with the story of David vs. Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, we see a young man—more like a young teenager—named David take on a hulking giant in a champions battle. David ends up defeating Goliath, giving the country of Israel a military victory. This story is regularly referred to during cultural events where an underdog outperforms expectations to achieve their destiny. It is an encouraging account that provokes us to pursue our dreams, face our fears, and believe in ourselves.

However, that’s not what the story is about at all.

We culturally get this story wrong in our assignment of David’s responsibility for the victory. As we provision his victory for our challenges, we assume that David had something to do with the outcome. But David never prepared for this fight beforehand.

To be sure, David had experience confronting ferocious animals while protecting his family’s flock of sheep. Warding off bears or lions is undoubtedly intimidating, but it was never done with preparation for a wartime role in mind.

Diving into the text, David only quotes his experience as a shepherd when convincing King Saul to let him go as Israel’s champion before Goliath. David is not relying on his experience in preparation for this battle. Instead, David depends on the God of the armies of Israel (v. 45) to grant his victory. This story is not about the secular achievement of your dreams through hard work—it is instead about glorifying God’s ability to overcome any worldly obstacle for His glory. David is merely the vessel—not the subject.

This may feel semantic, but let’s go one step deeper. We have many historical records of champions dueling to settle larger military affairs. Egyptians, Greeks, Assyrians, and (here) the Philistines and Israelites let chosen champions decide the outcome of the confrontation. One army’s best warrior was elected to confront the other army’s best. Whether one-on-one or in smaller groups, these champions represented each army’s god(s), believed to be fighting and determining the battle supernaturally. The human outcome was merely an earthly extension of the heavenly conflict.

What’s striking here is that Israel’s “best” representation was represented as the “ruddy” youngest son from a family in Bethlehem. Though handsome, he was not impressive. Though skilled, he was not honored—even his own father barely recognized his importance, while his older brothers condemned him for showing up to the battle in the first place.

This story isn’t about believing in yourself—it’s about believing in God.

In verse 43, Goliath—representing his gods—curses David by them, who responds by declaring victory in the name of the Lord Almighty.  Like Elijah upon Mt. Carmel before, this is a confrontation between the fake and the real. It is also poignant that these champions are facing off in the Valley of Elah, which spans East and West between Gath—where Goliath is from—and Bethlehem—David’s hometown. This arena is squarely between the stronghold of the enemy and the barely known city destined to be the birthplace of the everlasting King.

David is the diminutive, unassuming forerunner to a later king; a king from Bethlehem who also conquers a dastardly enemy with too much bravado. Both kings faced certain death while exulting God the Father. The success of both kings saved their people from enslavement. Israeli leaders doubted both of these coming kings. Both kings were condemned by their brothers at points in their journeys. Both of these kings were considered the least within their ranks.

These kings are not set apart by good fortune, nor is it hard work and determination. Only their faithful belief and trust in God allowed David to defeat Goliath and Jesus to defeat Satan.

Similar to David, Jesus arrived in the gulf of mankind’s separation from God—a valley between secular death and the unrecognizable kingdom of God. Jesus unassumingly stood in the gap and took on a champion we could never defeat on our own. Jesus faced an enemy with a track record of victory while enduring the jeers, doubts, and taunts of his own side. His coming made no earthly sense, and yet it was our only hope. Despite His dread of the cross, he overcame death by His reverence for the God of the armies of Israel.

David does not represent us facing our fears. David represents what Jesus will do several hundred years later. We are merely the onlookers—the soldiers watching what is to become of our fate. We cannot influence the battle. We cannot win the war. We can merely pick a side and hope our side wins.

Fortunately for us, we know who wins—the King from Bethlehem.

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