Teaching follows…first off, have faith my friends! Lift up the hands that are weary! Know this, that the thief who came to steal, kill, and destroy. Will be overtaken by the One who came to give us life and to give it to us MORE abundantly! That is, even more in this life than what we could’ve asked for. See, John 10:10.
Everyone who grew up in a Christian or Judaic home, has heard the story of “David versus Goliath.” It is a classic Bible story, which tells the power of a believing person. In this case, David. Who wouldn’t accept defeat as an option, when it comes to upholding his faith in the promises of God Almighty, Yahweh! Since, that time God has sent His Son to us in the flesh. Prophesied through the ages, and born of a virgin, the Christ.
The part of the story, I would like to focus on here, is the section in which David chooses his weapon and ammo. King Saul had loaded him up with battle armor and a sword. But David rejected it because he said, he had not proved it or fought with it previously.
As a result, David took what he knew. His staff (a rod) and his sling. He went down to the brook and gathered 5 smooth stones and put them in a pouch, inside of his shepherds bag. Then he went to face the giant, Goliath.
Most of the time, we rush right over, the the picking of the 5 smooth stones in this story. So, we can go on to the fight, which David obviously won. I would like to stop here for a moment and think or ponder about the significance of the number of the stones and what it meant.
In English we just count 1,2,3,4,5. We do this without really thinking about a significance of one number over another, (unless we have a favorite number in that group, which we would like to tell others about). 🙂
But in the Hebrew mind, numbers (especially back in the day) as well as now, have significance. The Hebrew number was really a letter, which corresponded to the alphabet. So the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Alef, stood for the number for 1.
But just as this letter pointed to or was used as a number. It also, had a meaning behind it. This meaning was assigned during the original thoughts and development of the spoken and written language.
So then, “Alef“, being the 1st letter, when used in counting or math stood for the number 1. It’s parallel picture and meaning assigned to it, was the picture of an ox head. The “Ox” represented strength, power, leadership, the head of a family, first or beginning, Adonai and/or Jehovah God.
“Bet/Beyt“, the 2nd letter, when used in counting or math stood for the number 2. It’s parallel picture and meaning assigned to it, was the picture of a tent or a floor plan. It represented a house, home, dwelling place, family, being inside, or within, as well as agreement.
“Gimel“, the 3rd letter, when used in counting or math stood for the number 3. It’s parallel picture and meaning assigned to it, was the picture of a foot or a camel. It represented gather, walk, carry, lift-up, rising up from the knees, divine purpose, pride, and divine completeness.
“Dalet“, the 4th letter, when used in counting or math stood for the number 4. It’s parallel picture and meaning assigned to it, was the picture of a door. It represented a door, a path, move, hang, enter, entrance, movement, creation, and a way of life.
“Hey“, the 5th letter, when used in counting or math stood for the number 5. It’s parallel picture and meaning assigned to it, was the picture of an open window or a person standing with their hands raised in utter wonderment, beholding God. Because God is everywhere and you cannot confine Him to one thing or one single place. This then is truly a unique letter! It really represents an action instead of a noun. All the other Hebrew letters have a noun ascribed to them. But this one is beholding something and that something is God and what He can do. It represents the Grace of God, the wonder of God, to behold, to show, to reveal, to look, and breath.
No doubt when David was picking up the 5 smooth stones and counting them, He did so in this fashion.
“Alef”, Yahweh, The Lord our God is one God and He with me.
“Beyt”, He is the God of Israel, as an Israelite. He, will protect me, just like He has protected me before.
“Gimel”, He will cover and carry me as I approach this Philistine. He will turn him over into my hands.
“Dalet”, Adonai, will give me an entrance, a pathway to destroy this Philistine. This day “ALL” the earth will know that there is a God in Israel.
“Hey”, I give this battle to You, Lord! It’s not really mine to fight, I am just your servant. I want to bring glory to You. In doing so, I know You will give this uncircumcised Philistine into our hands. We will be victorious!
My friends, this is exciting! I could almost hear him praying and saying this while he was picking up the stones.
**Now! Much to my amazement. As I was typing and praying about this subject at hand. As I am putting myself into the mindset of a young Hebrew lad, in this case, David. While I was recanting all the things the Lord had already done for him. In my minds eye, by the Holy Spirit, I came to the realization that he was probably without a doubt, thinking about the same things at the time. The Lord, then dropped this into my heart! “Go back and look at the story. You will find it written in that same manner and thought process. This made me really excited!” I was like, “Really, Lord!” Wow! I could hardly wait!**
So, take a look at the story with me, surrounding the kings armor; David; the 5 smooth stones; and the defeat of Goliath! When it gets to the places where David indeed said and thought these things above. I will insert the Hebrew letters for the numbers, so it will be easy to see. Here it is…
1Sa 17:38-51 (ISV, International Standard Version) Saul put his garments on David, set a bronze helmet on his head, and put armor on him.
1Sa 17:39 David strapped Saul’s sword over his garments and tried to walk, but he was not used to the armor. David told Saul, “I can’t walk in these because I’m not used to them,” and then took them off.
1Sa 17:40 He took his staff in his hand and chose (carefully picked up) for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the pouch in his shepherd’s bag. He approached the Philistine with his sling in his hand.
1Sa 17:41 With a man carrying his shield in front of him (Goliath’s shield-bearer), the Philistine kept coming closer to David.
1Sa 17:42  When the Philistine looked and saw David, he had contempt for him, because he was only a young man. David had a dark, healthy complexion and was handsome. (KJV, said it like this…ruddy, and of a fair countenance. It means the same, just a different era of languages. Most people today, understand it better from the description in the ISV. 🙂 )
1Sa 17:43 The Philistine asked David, “Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his own gods and
1Sa 17:44 told David, “Come to me! I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and to the beasts of the field.”
1Sa 17:45 Then David told the Philistine, “You come at me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but [Alef] I come to you in the name of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, [Beyt] the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied.
1Sa 17:46 [Gimel] This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, [Dalet] and I’ll strike you down and remove your head from you. And this very day I’ll give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and to the animals of the earth, so that all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel,
1Sa 17:47 [Hey] and this whole congregation will know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or spear. Indeed, the battle is the LORD’s and he will give you into our hands.” (Oh, hallelujah!)
1Sa 17:48 When the Philistine got up and came closer to meet David, David quickly ran to the battle line to meet the Philistine. (It’s almost like he had “Rock and roll” music being piped into his earbuds! If you know what I mean? Lol! He took off running towards this giant!)
1Sa 17:49 David reached his hand into the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
1Sa 17:50 David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone; he struck down the Philistine and killed him, and there was no sword in David’s hand.
1Sa 17:51 David ran and stood over the Philistine. He took the Philistine’s sword, pulled it from its sheath, killed him, and then he cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
My friends, in our life and times right now. I want to encourage you! What the devil has meant for harm; trying to keep us bound up; in fear. It will NOT succeed! The lies that are continuously spewed out of the mouth of his followers, who try to dash our hopes. Will be overturned! The Lord, God Almighty, Jesus Christ the Righteous Son of our Living God, has already prepared the way of escape. The way for us to overcome and live victoriously! Especially, in this moment and time!
Don’t walk in fear or dread! Put this scripture setting from the psalmist down deep in your heart.
Psalm 27:1-6 AMP
The LORD is my light and my salvation— Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the refuge and fortress of my life— Whom shall I dread? [2] When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh (trying to destroy me), My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell (they showed their hand). [3] Though an army encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, Even in this I am confident. [4] One thing I have asked of the LORD, and that I will seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD [in His presence] all the days of my life, To gaze upon the beauty [the delightful loveliness and majestic grandeur] of the LORD And to meditate in His temple. [5] For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. [6] And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, In His tent I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
We will surely put Psalm 27:1 in our memory banks. So, when we need it in the middle of a battle, it will be on the tip of our tongue, to confess. Oh, praise the Lord! #GoliathIsFalling
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