David and Goliath: Rated R, for reading.

1Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath is easily preached upon in a somewhat sappy manner to demonstrate that God can help us defeat the big problems in our life even though we seem to be small. Though the word of God is still preached when this is done, I am going to go ahead and say that narratively this text is probably doing something else and propositionally a much different message is present.

Here is what I find narratively: Israel wanted a king. God said, "I'll give you one but he'll suck." But in keeping with his prior promises he is still raising up a king who will have the ethos of the law at heart. So then, in the midst of tyranny, God is raising up David. So despite all appearances to the contrary God is always working in these narratives to fulfill his promises, even in the apparant scandal of sending a boy to do a man's job. But David had more martial prowess than most, many people don't know how to even use a sword or throw a rock with accuracy, David did both. So then, in keeping with his promises God chose and continues to choose means that we wouldn't choose. So God chose David for a seemingly impossible task. Turns out he was right, David's apparent lack of skill matched the need.



Here's a nice proposition to take from the text: God hates idolatry. In the text somebody sets themselves against God to the point of opposing his armies. God's people are afraid to the point of conceding that this person may indeed be more powerful than they. David knows that Yahweh hates idolatry. So he risks it all to say so. His skills could have failed him, but David was still correct. So how does this apply for us, Christologically? God still hates idolatry. Idolatry destroys people and is an affront to God's glory. Will we confront it in our own lives? In our towns? In our churches? What is the Goliath in our own lives, the thing we concede to because of its power that ought to die so that people can worship God, specifically the God who was in Christ on the cross and who raised that same Jesus from the dead?

The means are different of course, we don't kill people, but are we willing to lose things if it means that God be worshiped? David was.

Why people should listen to mewithoutYou

They have songs like this:



David
the angel of death came to david's room
the angel of death came to david's room
the angel of death came to david's room
he said, "friend, it's time to go"

sammy, no, i think you've come too soon
samuel, no, i think you've come too soon
samuel, don't you think you've come too soon?
it's not my time to go

sorry friend, now put your hand in mine
sorry friend, now put your hand in mine
but sammy, don't i get some kind of warning sign
before it's my time to go?

come now david, where's your grandma gone?
come now david, where's your grandpa gone?
come now david, where's your grandma gone?
their time came to go

but i slew goliath with a sling and stone
i slew goliath with a sling and stone
i slew goliath with a sling and stone
it's not my time to go

he'll be waiting for you when we get back home
oh, he'll be waiting for you when we get back home
he'll be waiting for you when we get back home
it's time, it's time to go

come now david, where's your momma gone?
come now david, where've your uncles gone?
come now david, where've your aunts all gone?
well, their time came to go

can i tell solomon the things i've learned?
can i tell solomon the things i've learned?
i'm sorry, friend it's none of my concern
it's time, it's time to go

come now david where's uriah gone?
stranded on the battlefield, the troops withdrawn
come now david, where's uriah gone?
his time came to go
come now david, where's bathsheba gone?
where've your binoculars and rooftops gone?
the unexpected baby from the bad night gone?
their time came to go

come now david, where's everybody goin'?

Halden made this post about the two main narratives by which Christians understand their role in civilization.

One of these narratives is the one in which the gospel not only operates within and influences culture, but essentially exists to finally become the culture of the world. This is the reformed view.

The other view is more anabaptist in nature. The gospel exists in and influences culture, but it supposed to stand starkly apart from it as something other. It creates another culture within the church that is radically different than the culture.

I struggle between these two views often. Kuyper is so convincing to me. Then again Hubmaier and Yoder seem even more convincing. I could cop out and go with a Lutheran two-kingdoms view. But anyhow, I think I'll stick with the eschatological priority of the church from the anabaptists. Then I'll read my reformed people for advice on engaging the culture and the people who make it up with the gospel.