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If you would turn with me, please, in your Bibles to the Old Testament portion of Scripture, 1 Samuel chapter 17. 1 Samuel chapter 17, reading from verse 1. A very familiar story, once we get into it, but the Lord has given me a particular message with regards to this text this morning. 1 Samuel, chapter 17. Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shuccah, which belonged to Judah, and pitched between Shuccah and Azekah in Ephesus' damning. And Saul, Saul was the king of Israel, and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and there was a valley between them. And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. Now we're going to jump to verse 8, and we'll be doing that through this chapter, verse 8. Still talking here of Goliath, and he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine? And ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me and to kill me, then will we be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall ye be our servants and serve us." And the Philistines said, I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight together.' And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid." Now, going on to verse 22. In the meantime, The battle is set, but the Israelites have no champion to come forward, and David, the shepherd boy, arrives in the camp to visit his brethren who were in Saul's army. Verse 22 says, "'And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage and ran into the army and came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words, and David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? Surely to defy Israel is he come up. And it shall be that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. Now going on to verse 32. David had heard the challenge, And David was up for the challenge. And he had went and presented himself before King Saul. Verse 32. And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for thou art but a youth. and he a man of war from his youth. David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he rose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servants slew both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said, moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. We conclude our reading there at verse 37, but we will be making reference to other verses in this chapter by and by. This is the third in the series that I'm doing, Lessons from the Valleys. The first we visited, the Valley of Rephidim, Exodus 17. That was the Valley of Bottle. We remember there, that as Joshua bottled in the valley, there were Moses aided by Aaron and her, crying for him. And you're not alone in your bottle. Then there was the Valley of Baca, the Valley of Tears, Psalm 84, verse 6. And that reminded me not so much of the battle, but of brokenness. We remember there how he was passing through that valley. He wasn't there to stay. And there he made it a well. And high in the midst of that valley of trouble and trial, he found that there was a source. That sustained him. Today, we visit, as we read in verse 2, and then in verse 19, it's mentioned again, the valley of Elah. And friends, this isn't so much to do with battle, although there was a battle that took place there. Not so much to do with brokenness, although we'll see aspects of that as well. But friends, this is to do with belief. This is the valley of belief. As we join this story, in the first verses, I find Israel and their bondage. An amazing thing to say about the nation of Israel, because God had indeed anointed Saul to be their king. They were a nation like none other, They believed in the one true living God creator. All other nations around worshipped pagan gods, such as the Philistines. God had brought freedom and liberty to the nation of Israel, having delivered them out of the bondage of Pharaoh in Egypt. Yet I tell you, whilst they were not physically in the land of Egypt, they still were in bondage. In this chapter, we read that Saul, that man that was chosen of the Lord, meant to be that great king, that great warrior, we read of him and his army. Verse 11, that whenever that giant of a man named Goliath roared out his threats, in verse 11 we read this, when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistines, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Friends, Such was the fear, such was the dismay, that Saul even sought to entice his own soldiers by offering them great riches unrivaled, and even the hand of his own daughter in marriage, and freedom for that family in Israel which give them rights to everything. Yet with such enticements, and David heard about this in verse 25 when he arrived there at the valley of Elah of that scene of war, that not one, not one man was prepared to take up the challenge. Not one man was prepared to step out by faith and confront that giant. Rather, We read in verse 24, and all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid. Friends, the bondage in which Israel found herself was by the fact, and this verse tells us, when they saw the man. Their focus was upon his stature, upon his shield, that you can read off in some of those earlier verses, his sword, and indeed his swearing. He made no bones about it, The giant was defying not only the armies of Israel, not only the king of Israel, but the very God of Israel. And they were in a bondage of fear, of failure, of faithfulness, and fruitlessness. Friends, we could say that they were paralyzed by this bondage. Paralyzed at not one, dared make a move against that giant. I remember a story from Brazil involved an American colleague of ours, nothing to do with the Acre Gospel Mission, but a fellow worker in that field called Pastor Bill Brandon. And Bill had served the Lord in Brazil, in the northeast of Brazil, for many, many years. When he began, He had suffered much persecution. In the region where he started off, there was a Jesuit influence, and the population there, in general, had disdain for the evangelical church, whatever form it took. And often, in those meetings there, they were stoned, and he faced great difficulty, even threats to his own person. Yet, with a passion for souls, Bill labored on, preached on, and the Lord added to the work and to the blessing. Many souls were saved, and many church fellowships and assemblies founded, and each one bore a strong witness in the communities and towns where he had worked. Not only had he known persecution, but had a passion for Christ and persevered. He had also known times of poverty, This is going back some 20, 30 years, when it was a struggle, we would say, in our terminology, to make ends meet. Things were difficult. And when he prayed unto the Lord, give us this day our daily bread, he literally was praying for daily bread on those occasions. Yet, God had proven himself faithful, and Bill had seen God miraculously answer the physical as well as the spiritual needs of himself, his wife, and family in the ministry. However, having gone through these experiences, having been known as one of the best gospel preachers in that region there in Heogrande and Orchie, Bill was thrown into total dismay. As maybe some here have been. As maybe one day I will be because the Lord knows the future and I just trust in him and look to him. But he was thrown into dismay when he was diagnosed with cancer. And it was a rather aggressive form of cancer. His passion for souls diminished. He lost his focus in what God had called him to do. His prayers seemed to dry up. It seemed that they just bounced off the ceiling and come back. And he got to that point where he was perplexed and didn't want to talk to anyone, didn't want to share with anyone, and just cocooned himself in his own wee world. He was struggling. He was in bondage. his thoughts, because eventually when he come out of that, he said to me, my thoughts were, Billy, how can I cope emotionally, spiritually, financially? How will my wife and family cope and react? Those who are closest to me? And how will I react in their presence? What would the church do without him? because it meant a time of treatment, a time where he would have to step away from the ministry. But also, how would he cope without the church? All of these things come in upon him, and the fears arose. Frenzy lost his focus. His giant was that of cancer. Friends, it seemed for a time that it would overwhelm him, to the point where he would be finished before he would ever die. But you know, God humbles us at times and uses the most innocent of servants to do so. One brother who was aware that Bill wasn't too well, but didn't know the ins and outs of the situation, was led to go and visit his home. Bill didn't even know the man. And when he come there, and in Brazil you clap outside the door, and the person inside comes out and attends to you. And he presented himself and he says, you're Pastor Bill Brandon, yes? Well, I'm Brother Such-and-Such. Bill looked at him and, you know how you are, you really don't know the person, but you want to be kind, et cetera, and okay, that's fine. You must remember me, you done a mission in such-and-such a location about three or four years ago. And he could remember, yes, doing the mission, but he couldn't really place the man. He said on the last night, he says, you'll not know this, you were preaching from John chapter 14. And as you preached, you talked about your father's house, that mansion in heaven. And God greatly convicted me of my sin, that if something were to happen to me, well, I would never be going to that mansion in glory. And unbeknown to you, later on that night I returned home and I got saved. I just want to thank you for your ministry. I just want to thank you for what you preached on that night. It was what I needed. You know, the Lord used that humble servant to convict Bill. Because he says, Billy, I thought to myself, how often have I not preached about the place of heaven? How often have I not preached about the peace that there's in heaven? How often have I not preached about the promises pertaining to heaven? And there I was, maybe one step closer to heaven through my illness, of not wanting to go. And the Lord chastised him, and he stopped looking at that giant at that moment which seemed unbearable for him, and he turned completely to the Lord. He turned to God and found that God had a purpose even in that illness. You know, that saint of God who I knew as Pastor Bill, he lost a finger once, and I always remember him by that. You know, he overcome that illness. He come through that sickness and used that as a great testimony to others, going through times of trial and tribulations. Friends, Israel had their focus on the man. They had lost their focus on God. And friends, Paul writing to the believers there in Colossians 3 and verse 2, tells us, set your affections on things above. He's saying, get your focus on God, on heavenly things, and not on things on earth. Because when we get our focus on things down here, they invariably deceive us, disappoint us. And friends on occasions such as Israel here, they can indeed bring us into bondage. Israel, her king, her army, were afraid of one man, because they looked at the man, they listened to his words, and they lost their focus upon God and his word. So firstly, Israel and her bondage. I pray that if there's anyone in bondage like that, Oh, friends today, cast your eyes. Look upon the Lord, and he can deliver you from it. But then, friends, there was David and his belief. When you go back over some of the verses that I didn't read this morning, verse 4 speaks about the giant's size. And this is Israel looking, this is Saul looking at Goliath. Verses 5 and 6 tells us of his strengths. Verses 7 of his spear and his shield. Verses 8 to 10 of his slanderings. I defy in verse 10 the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight together. God providentially sends David into the valley of Elah, into the midst of the war zone. But I want you to notice, he was in the same place confronting the same man, the same giant. But what did he say? What did he say? Verse 26, if you want to turn to it. As David was confronted by Goliath and his growlings, and David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine? He didn't talk anything about a giant. And taketh away the reproach from Israel. Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies? of the living God. You see, they had forgotten who they were, that the bottle always belonged to the Lord, that God was on their side in this war against the pagan Philistines. And friends, immediately David focuses upon his faith in the living God. Such was the situation the Israelites, that his brother, in verse 28, Eliab the eldest—remember the one who Samuel had come to anoint and seen his height and seen what a great man he seemed to be—'Certainly, Lord, surely this is the man that you want to be the future king of Israel.' God said, No, pass him by. We see there that indeed we look on the outside, but God looks in the heart. Because at this point, Eliab, he was amongst the many who were afraid, who were despondent, who wouldn't lift a finger to go out and face Goliath. And he even used the occasion against David to talk about his naughtiness, to say that David had come as a foolish boy down here to get involved in something that he knew nothing about. but it was God had raised up a man. Goliath was looking for a man, you know. Sent me a man, choose a man. God sent him. God chose him. And friends, we see here that right from the outset that David's focus was upon God. I want to look at two things briefly. David and his empowerment. Well, as a youth, you remember that story there from 1 Samuel 16, verses 6 to 13? He had been out tenting his father's flock, and God had already said to Samuel the prophet that he was raising up a new king in Israel, and he wanted him to go to the sons of Jesse, and there he would find that new anointed king. Saul, who had been that choice, who had been that man, had disobeyed the Lord. His trust, his confidence was no more in God. And we see during this encounter with Goliath that Saul really has no focus, has no belief, has no trust anymore in God. We know that he was even deterred to the witch of Endor, seeking counsel, seeking comfort. Such was his backslidden state. Friends, whenever Samuel come to that family situation in Bethlehem, one after one, he went through Jesse's sons, and none was found that he should anoint. They ask, is there yet one? Yes, there is, sir. But he's only but a youth, a slip of a lad. He's out in the field tending the flocks. Bring him. And it was revealed immediately unto Samuel, this is the man. Anoint him. Friends, God anointed and appointed David. And from that moment, we find that there was victory in his life. He cites in verses 34 to verse 36, before the king, those incidents whenever the lion and the bear came, and there they took one of those lambs, You think he only had half a dozen? Oh, friends, there could have been hundreds, but they were under the shepherd's care. No wonder he could write Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He knew what it was to shepherd the flock. He knew what it was to give his life, if it were necessary, for the sheep. how he went and he rescued from the mouth of the lion, from the paw of the bear, and how he slew them. And friends, it's interesting what he says in verse 37. David said, moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine. You know what this signifies? David wasn't trying to convince Saul, I'm brave and I'm courageous. He wasn't trying to convince Saul that he was an experienced man of war because he had killed a lion and a bear. what he was saying was, My trust is in the Lord, and if God can do that for me in the midst with a lion and a bear, he can certainly do it before this giant of a man called Goliath. Again, David's focus was upon the Lord. not in his own strength, not in his own cunning, not through his armor. Saul tried to put it on him. It was too heavy. It wouldn't fit. It was cumbersome, and he took every bit of it off. But he was going out in the strength and the might of the Lord, anointed and appointed by God. Can I say this this morning? that each one here who takes upon themselves the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, brother and sister, you are indwelt by the Spirit of God. Yes, you are. And in that sense, you are God's chosen, and for a purpose. When David was out in those fields, God, as it were, was preparing him for this very moment. Maybe God's preparing someone here this morning for something greater that lies ahead. But friends, what we can say is these things in his past did not happen by accident. God had a plan and a purpose in them, and he used that experience at that very moment then that David would know when he would go out to face that giant that he was not alone. that he could overcome them in God's strength, in God's power. David's empowerment, but also David's engagement, because David went out—and friends, we didn't read that much about it, and it's not my central message this morning—but he went out to face the giant Goliath. Verse 42, "'And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his God.'" Friends, this is the first tactic off the enemy. to try to discourage us. He disdained David, making David try to feel that he was too inexperienced. He was too young, that he was ill-equipped, because we read that he had went out in verse 45 just with his staff and his sling and got the five smooth stones, that he was inadequate for what lay ahead. And sometimes the enemy puts that very thought into your head and mine. It may come, but friends, don't let it reach your heart. Because how did David answer him? Then David said to the Philistine, thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defiled. This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee and take thine head from thee. David said, you're coming with your shield, your sword, your stature, all those things that made the army of Israel in Kedon Saul terrified. But I'm coming to you in the name of the Lord on the victor's side. And with the Lord's strength, the Lord's help, I will overcome you. I will slay you. Friends, sometimes our faith is under attack, and it can come from diverse sources. During the Milk Cup, I was at a certain game, the football competition, and a Brazilian who really had no faith at all said to me, Billy, do you really believe in God? What does God mean to you? And you see, David was being called to account here for his belief, and that's what I have entitled this, The Valley of Belief. Throughout, David believed that God had a purpose, God had a plan. And I was able to speak to that individual and said, look, do you ever at night, when the sky is clear, Just stand and observe the solar system, the galaxy, the cosmos, the planets. Do you ever think, how did this come into being? Surely it is beyond human logic that it was a big bang. and all conveniently fell into place and one doesn't go about banging into another. No, human logic even would tell us, more importantly the word of God would tell us, that there's a creator, a designer if you want to use that secular term, behind all of our solar system. That creator is God. Then his son, the Lord Jesus, I said, look at the character of Jesus. Much has been written by him. I don't believe in Jesus, he said. Well, I do, I replied. Look at his character, how men tried to find fault, how men tried to find the slightest bit of evidence against him. And even the one who sentenced him to death, having judged him, said, I find no fault in him. His very wife come and give him a letter of recommendation for the Lord, saying, have nothing to do with this just man. Never mind his character. What about his cures? How the Lord was able to come and touch and transform lives like none other. What about how he controlled the nature, even out in the boat when the storm arose? Peace be still were his words, and the storm passed. What about his crucifixion and resurrection? Oh, you know they had him killed, my friend. Many thought that was the end. The Jewish hierarchy hoped that was the end. But on the third day, as Jesus had said and stated time after time, he rose again from the dead, appeared unto various people before he ascended unto glory. Then I said, you know, Jesus isn't finished yet. I believe one day he will return for his church. friend, if you're not ready, then will come the judgment. What was it that Peter said whenever Jesus asked his disciples, But whom say ye that I am? Thou art the Christ. the Son of the Living God. Oh, brother and sister, it's important that you believe. And I know you'll say, well, I do believe, Pastor, I'm saved. But do you believe in the person of God in the Trinity? You know, the Bible tells us that it is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit by sinning, by disobeying the Word of God and God's will in your life. Do you believe not only in the person of God, the person of the Trinity? Do you believe in the power of God, just as David said that he's able to deliver me? No matter what that giant is that lies ahead, God is able. With God, you're on the victor's side this morning. Oh, friends, do you believe in those promises of God as contained in his word? That's why time after time, not only me, Pastor Kennedy, all who handle the word, encourage you, read the word, study the word, go deep in the word, because that word, friends, not only points us in the direction of salvation, but friends as well, it comforts, encourages, and empowers us each and every day. David went out. the giant stood before him. He didn't need the five stones. Believing that God would deliver him. He only needed the one. Wasn't a lack of faith he had the other four. Goliath were told in the scriptures had four brethren and they might be reserved for them. But he only needed the one and that giant come tumbling down. So will the as David did, and God will deliver you.
Elah - The Valley of Belief
系列 Lessons from the Valleys
讲道编号 | 1020141981210 |
期间 | 36:11 |
日期 | |
类别 | 周日 - 上午 |
圣经文本 | 撒母以勒之第一書 17:1-4; 撒母以勒之第一書 17:8-11; 撒母以勒之第一書 17:22-29; 撒母以勒之第一書 17:32-37 |
语言 | 英语 |