Gospel Reflections #934: Seeing the enemy of God

1 Samuel 17:4 "Then a champion came out from the Philistine camp. His name was Goliath of Gath, and he was six cubits and a span tall."

This is the historic scene of confrontation where Goliath, the Philistine champion, appeared before the Israelite army.

Goliath hailed from Gath, one of the five principal Philistine cities. 

Gath was said to harbour descendants of the Anakim, giants who had once inhabited the land of Canaan, suggesting the background to Goliath's extraordinary stature.

By the standards of the time, he was undoubtedly a "giant" sufficient to strike terror into the hearts of the Israelite soldiers. 

This description serves to heighten the contrast with the young David who later appears.

The Israelite army (and King Saul) were greatly afraid when they saw Goliath's height and heavy armour.

David perceived this colossal foe as an 'uncircumcised Philistine' who blasphemed God, and confronted him not by physical superiority but by invoking 'the name of the Lord of hosts'. 

We too may find that impressions formed by what we see and hear breed anxiety or fear; at such times, the place God occupies in our hearts has grown small.

We often cling to the anxieties of reality rather than God's promises, yet it is our God who makes us aware of our situation in such moments, who moves us to cry out to Him even in helpless circumstances.

Today, let us cry out to God and experience His greatness.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.