>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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¤[Middle Eastern
instrumental music]¤
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Walk around
Jerusalem and you're walking
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in the footsteps of Jesus.
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When Jesus was alive, the
temple, which was destroyed
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in 70 AD, was right there
on top of the Temple Mount.
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It was built by Herod the Great.
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And although it likely wasn't
as magnificent as the temple
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built by Solomon, it
was still impressive.
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Archaeologists believe it
looked something like this.
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¤[Eerie music]¤
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So it was here
that Jesus turned over
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the money changers' tables.
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They left the temple,
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and the disciples showed
Him the temple buildings.
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And Jesus shocked
them by telling them,
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"Do you not see
all these things?
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Assuredly, I say to you,
not one stone shall be left here
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upon another, that
shall not be thrown down."
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That seemed like
an impossibility.
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The temple was the
symbol of Jewish greatness,
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of God's favor
towards His people.
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And here in Jerusalem,
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Jesus told His followers
that it would be destroyed.
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Today you can see some
of the stones of the temple
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that were cast down.
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The prophecy was fulfilled.
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And, of course, it isn't
only Jesus who came here.
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This was the city of David.
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And the location of David's
ancient city has been uncovered.
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It's hard to imagine how people
cannot have faith in the Bible,
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given all the
evidence in favor of the Bible
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provided by a place like this.
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¤[Soft music]¤
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At the location of
the ancient city of David,
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which is
essentially right behind me,
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archaeologists have
found many seal impressions.
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A seal is something
that in ancient times
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functioned much
like a signature.
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One of those seal impressions
bore the inscription,
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"King Hezekiah."
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Another said,
"Isaiah the prophet."
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These were real people,
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and archaeology has provided
evidence for the existence
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of these people hundreds
and hundreds of years laster.
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Now, surely, finding seal
impressions here in Jerusalem
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has to be even harder than
finding a needle in a haystack.
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It seems God directed
those archaeologists to make
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those discoveries to encourage
us to have faith in the Bible.
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¤[Soft music]¤
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Daniel lived here in Jerusalem,
along with his friends,
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Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
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Them and others were
taken from here down to Babylon.
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Nehemiah returned from
Babylon to here in Jerusalem,
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where he rebuilt the wall
and re-established society,
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and so on.
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Jeremiah, here in
Jerusalem. Ezekiel lived here.
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King Solomon reigned
from right here in Jerusalem.
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¤[Instrumental music]¤
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But when it comes to
the stories of the Bible,
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you know that there's a lot
more in Israel than Jerusalem.
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And today I want to
take you to the site
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of one of the most
remarkable stories in the Bible.
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The story of David and Goliath
took place not far from here
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in the Valley of Elah.
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It's about a 45-minute
drive from Jerusalem southwest,
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and there's no doubt
that it's the legitimate site
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of where David's encounter
with the giant took place.
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The background of
the story is this.
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King Saul had
been king of Israel.
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The Philistines, who
may originally have come
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from Europe--Crete,
some archaeologists say--
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had developed quite an advanced
and sophisticated society.
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For a while they were a constant
thorn in the side of Israel.
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And you read in 1 Samuel 13
that there was no blacksmith
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in Israel.
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The Philistines had prevented
them from making swords
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or spears, so if an Israelite
wanted something sharpened,
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he had to go to the Philistines
to get that job done.
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You can imagine how well
that worked out for them.
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In chapter 15,
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Samuel the prophet
instructs Saul, the king,
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that he should go to Amalek
and eradicate the Amalekites.
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But he didn't.
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Instead he saved the king
and much of the livestock.
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Samuel said to King Saul,
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"The Lord has torn the kingdom
of Israel from you today,
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and has given it to
a neighbor of yours,
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who is better than you."
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When we get to chapter
17, Saul is still the king,
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but he's a shell of a man.
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Verse 1 says,
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"Now the Philistines gathered
their armies together to battle,
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and were gathered at
Sochoh, which belongs to Judah;
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they encamped between Sochoh
and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim."
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Where I am right now is Azekah.
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It was here that Joshua defeated
the five kings of the Amorites,
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large hailstones falling
on the kings and their men
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right in this vicinity.
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There's some real history here.
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Verse 2:
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"And Saul and the men of
Israel were gathered together,
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and they encamped
in the Valley of Elah,
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and drew up in battle
array against the Philistines."
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I'd like to point out for
you some of the locations here.
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Now, Sochoh, or Sochoth, that's
over there in the distance.
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You'll see the
lighter green, uh,
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the plains, uh, the valley.
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Beyond that, the trees going
up on the hills the other side,
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that's Sochoth right there.
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Where I am now is Azekah,
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and in between, that's the
valley floor, Ephes Dammim.
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So it was right there
that all the action took place
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in the David and
Goliath story, right there.
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Verse 3 says,
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"The Philistines stood
on a mountain on one side,
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and Israel stood on a
mountain on the other side,
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with a valley between them."
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Verse 4 says,
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"And a champion went out from
the camp of the Philistines,
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named Goliath, from Gath,
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whose height was
six cubits and a span."
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Now, I'd like to
show you where Gath is.
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Remember, I'm on
Azekah, a hill, really.
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Interestingly, it's
now a national park.
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In Israel, a lot of
these significant old
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archaeological sites have
been turned into national parks.
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So I'm on Azekah,
over there Ephes Dammim,
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where the fighting took place,
where Goliath lost his life.
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But where was Goliath from?
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He was from Gath,
and Gath is out there.
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Now, if the weather
was cooperating with me
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a little bit better, I'd
be able to show you the hill
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that really marks
the location of Gath.
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But the weather isn't,
and so it's in that direction.
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Not very far, actually.
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So Goliath's home
town was over there,
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and he fought David over there.
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He was really pretty close
to his home town when he fought.
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Now, Goliath, according to the
Bible, six cubits and a span,
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he was more than nine feet tall.
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That's tall.
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Now, some people
have tried to explain
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why Goliath was that tall.
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They've said that he
suffered from something
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known as gigantism,
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and that that's the
reason that he was so tall.
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You know, I don't think
you need to believe that.
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The Bible simply says that
he was a giant, and so he was.
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And he certainly isn't the only
giant mentioned in the Bible.
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Now, I'm six feet one.
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Goliath was all of me
and then half of me again.
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That's a big guy.
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I'll be back
with more in a moment.
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¤[Music]¤
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>>Announcer: A sling, a stone,
00:07:53.13\00:07:54.87
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true story of David and Goliath.
00:07:58.24\00:08:01.18
Discover the
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00:08:01.21\00:08:03.68
the immovable
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>>John Bradshaw:
Thanks for joining me today
00:08:23.67\00:08:25.00
on It Is Written.
00:08:25.03\00:08:26.23
The story of David and Goliath
is one of the great stories
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in the Bible.
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Now, you could say it's
a story of the little guy
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beating the big guy.
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And sure, it is.
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But really, it's a
story of great faith,
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and it's a story
of a lack of faith.
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We're at the site of
where the conflict took place
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between David and Goliath,
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between Israel
and the Philistines,
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in the Valley of Elah in Israel.
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David and Goliath squared off
against each other right there,
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just right over there.
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Now, this Goliath was
an interesting character.
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Tall, more than
nine feet tall, in fact.
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He came from just over
there, a place called Gath,
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not very far away at all.
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Verse 5 of 1 Samuel 17 says,
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"He had a bronze
helmet on his head,
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and he was armed
with a coat of mail,
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and the weight of the coat
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was five thousand
shekels of bronze."
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The coat of mail
weighed 150 pounds.
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The Bible tells us,
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"He had bronze armor on his legs
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and a bronze javelin
between his shoulders.
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Now the staff of his
spear was like a weaver's beam,
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and his iron spearhead
weighed six hundred shekels;
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and a
shield-bearer went before him."
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Everything about
this man was big,
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especially his attitude.
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"Then he stood and cried
out to the armies of Israel,
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and said to them, 'Why have you
come out to line up for battle?
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Am I not a Philistine,
and you the servants of Saul?
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Choose a man for yourselves,
and let him come down to me.
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If he is able to
fight with me and kill me,
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then we will be your servants.
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But if I prevail
against him and kill him,
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then you shall be our
servants and serve us.'
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And the Philistine said, 'I defy
the armies of Israel this day;
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give me a man, that
we may fight together.'"
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So who should have fought?
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Well, Saul, of
course. He was the king.
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He stood a head taller
than anyone else in Israel,
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and as God's handpicked leader,
he should have gone forward,
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totally trusting
that God was with him.
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But no. Remember? He'd
been disobedient, significantly.
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He evidently hadn't repented,
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and God had told Saul that
He'd rejected Saul as king.
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Saul was dispirited.
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It's as if he
had no fight in him.
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And at the time when he
should have been courageous,
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there was no courage
to be found in him at all.
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Verse 11 says,
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"When Saul and all Israel heard
these words of the Philistine,
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they were dismayed
and greatly afraid."
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David is introduced
to the story in verse 12.
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We're told that he
was one of eight sons,
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and that his father was elderly.
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Three of his
brothers, the eldest three,
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were in Saul's army,
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squaring off against
Goliath and the Philistines:
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Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah.
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David was the
youngest son in the family.
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Jesse sent David from
their home in Bethlehem,
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which is about 16 miles
away, as the crow flies.
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But back then, there weren't
highways or well-paved roads.
00:11:34.82\00:11:38.79
David would have
walked over hills
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and some pretty rough terrain.
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In fact, his dad told him
to run to where the fighting
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was taking place.
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Jesse commissioned David
to take food to his brothers
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and to bring back a report
regarding how things were going.
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And when David arrived
right here in this place,
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at the scene of the battle,
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the two armies were set
in array against each other.
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When David met up
with his brothers,
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Goliath was coming out to
taunt the armies of Israel.
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The Bible says, "And
all the men of Israel,
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when they saw the man, fled from
him and were dreadfully afraid."
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He learns that Saul would give
the man who killed the giant
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great riches.
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His brothers
actually rebuke him.
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One of them says, "Why
did you come down here?
00:12:16.43\00:12:19.20
And with whom have
you left those few sheep
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in the wilderness?
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I know your pride and
the insolence of your heart,
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for you have come
down to see the battle."
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That wasn't very nice.
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David comes into the
presence of King Saul.
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Now, think about this.
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A young shepherd boy
standing before the mighty king.
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A shepherd.
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Not a warrior, not a
fighter, a humble shepherd.
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But as we're about to see,
your standing in this world
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doesn't need to be measured
by your age or your occupation.
00:12:46.03\00:12:49.70
Your usefulness for
God isn't measured by,
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you are not restrained
by your station in life
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or in this world.
00:12:55.14\00:12:56.67
What God was looking
for was a man of faith,
00:12:56.71\00:12:59.14
someone who would
rely on Him alone.
00:12:59.17\00:13:01.71
That man wasn't Saul; it
wasn't any of David's brothers,
00:13:01.74\00:13:04.91
or any of the
soldiers in Israel.
00:13:04.95\00:13:07.38
If no one would
stand up to this giant,
00:13:07.42\00:13:10.72
what would end up happening?
00:13:10.75\00:13:12.25
¤[Music]¤
00:13:12.29\00:13:15.19
You shouldn't make
the mistake of thinking
00:13:15.22\00:13:16.93
that you're not
well enough equipped
00:13:16.96\00:13:18.86
to do something great for God.
00:13:18.89\00:13:20.83
Now, when I say
"something great,"
00:13:20.86\00:13:22.63
really what I mean
is "something faithful."
00:13:22.66\00:13:25.80
There's a certain baptized
egotism that sees people wanting
00:13:25.83\00:13:29.50
to do something great for
God, but truly their motivation
00:13:29.54\00:13:32.24
is simply to do something
great for them, to be noticed.
00:13:32.27\00:13:35.24
And that's a trap, and
you want to avoid that.
00:13:35.28\00:13:37.55
But God is still looking for
men and women and boys and girls
00:13:37.58\00:13:41.52
everywhere to
allow Him to use them.
00:13:41.55\00:13:45.72
So here was David, a
boy, a shepherd, a teenager,
00:13:45.75\00:13:50.53
the last person
you would have thought
00:13:50.56\00:13:52.39
would take down a giant.
00:13:52.43\00:13:54.46
But when God called David,
00:13:54.46\00:13:56.56
David surrendered to God
and let God use him mightily.
00:13:56.60\00:14:01.80
"Then David said to Saul,
00:14:03.97\00:14:05.77
'Let no man's heart
fail because of him;
00:14:05.81\00:14:08.31
your servant will go and
fight with this Philistine.'"
00:14:08.34\00:14:11.65
And Saul pretty much stated the
obvious in his answer to David:
00:14:11.68\00:14:15.05
"You are not able to
go against this Philistine
00:14:15.08\00:14:17.55
to fight with him;
00:14:17.59\00:14:18.79
for you are a youth, and he
a man of war from his youth."
00:14:18.82\00:14:23.76
Now, David doesn't argue,
but he explains to the king
00:14:24.76\00:14:28.00
that when he was
keeping his father's sheep,
00:14:28.03\00:14:30.20
a lion and a bear attacked
the flock and took a lamb--
00:14:30.23\00:14:34.30
on different
occasions, no doubt.
00:14:34.34\00:14:36.20
He killed them both.
00:14:36.24\00:14:38.47
David was a
young man of courage,
00:14:38.51\00:14:40.31
and courage was in short supply
here in the Valley on Elah
00:14:40.34\00:14:43.55
that day.
00:14:43.58\00:14:44.81
And David said this:
"The Lord, who delivered me
00:14:44.85\00:14:47.58
from the paw of the lion
and from the paw of the bear,
00:14:47.62\00:14:50.29
He will deliver me from
the hand of this Philistine."
00:14:50.32\00:14:52.82
Now, notice what David's doing.
00:14:52.85\00:14:55.32
He pointed to a time when
God had done something great,
00:14:55.36\00:14:59.36
and based on that,
he believed the same God
00:14:59.39\00:15:02.46
was able to do
something great again.
00:15:02.50\00:15:05.33
Let me encourage you.
00:15:05.37\00:15:06.77
When God answers your prayer,
00:15:06.80\00:15:08.80
no matter what it's
about, remember that.
00:15:08.84\00:15:11.54
Don't forget it.
00:15:11.57\00:15:12.44
You might even
want to write it down.
00:15:12.47\00:15:14.44
And then you can
always say to God,
00:15:14.48\00:15:16.61
"Last time, you did this, so
therefore I'm believing in You
00:15:16.64\00:15:20.68
to do some great thing again."
00:15:20.72\00:15:22.78
Answered prayers aren't
powerful only in the moment;
00:15:22.82\00:15:25.79
they're evidence that the
God who was faithful before
00:15:25.82\00:15:28.59
will be faithful again.
00:15:28.62\00:15:30.66
"And Saul said to David,
'Go, and the Lord be with you!'"
00:15:30.69\00:15:34.10
Saul put his armor on David,
00:15:34.10\00:15:36.06
thinking it would be
a help to the young man.
00:15:36.10\00:15:38.30
Surely he wouldn't want to go up
against the giant with no armor.
00:15:38.33\00:15:42.27
But he did.
00:15:42.30\00:15:43.47
It seems to me that David wanted
the credit for his victory
00:15:43.51\00:15:45.81
to go only to God.
00:15:45.84\00:15:47.78
Wearing armor might have
led some to think that it was
00:15:47.81\00:15:50.21
the armor or, or his preparation
that secured his victory.
00:15:50.25\00:15:54.42
And what happened next?
00:15:54.45\00:15:55.68
Well, in a moment, we'll go to
the very creek, the very stream,
00:15:55.72\00:16:01.19
where David found
the stone he would use
00:16:01.22\00:16:03.22
to take down the giant.
00:16:03.26\00:16:04.83
I'll be right back.
00:16:04.86\00:16:06.19
¤[Music]¤
00:16:06.23\00:16:13.67
>>John: Thank
you for remembering
00:16:14.74\00:16:15.77
that It Is Written exists
00:16:15.80\00:16:17.41
because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:16:17.44\00:16:20.11
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:16:20.14\00:16:23.35
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:16:23.38\00:16:27.62
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:16:27.65\00:16:29.08
to the address on your screen,
00:16:29.12\00:16:30.55
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:16:30.59\00:16:34.39
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:16:34.42\00:16:37.23
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:16:37.26\00:16:41.23
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:16:41.26\00:16:44.60
>>John: December 21,
2012, was when the Maya calendar
00:16:45.77\00:16:49.80
was set to expire.
00:16:49.84\00:16:51.04
Many said with the
expiration of this calendar
00:16:51.07\00:16:53.74
would come the end of the world.
00:16:53.78\00:16:57.05
[Birds twittering]
00:16:57.68\00:16:58.65
The Maya were
remarkable builders,
00:16:58.68\00:17:00.65
but they did not
predict the end of the world.
00:17:00.68\00:17:03.22
So where can we find
predictions that we can trust?
00:17:03.25\00:17:06.65
Recent reports state that more
and more people are embracing
00:17:06.69\00:17:11.16
witchcraft, tarot card
reading, and astrology.
00:17:11.19\00:17:14.86
People are grabbing on to this,
00:17:14.93\00:17:16.73
even though there's absolutely
no evidence that it's valid,
00:17:16.77\00:17:20.67
and they're rejecting the Bible.
00:17:20.70\00:17:23.14
Now, the Bible isn't
simply a book of predictions.
00:17:23.17\00:17:26.21
It's the story of God's
love for the human family.
00:17:26.24\00:17:29.48
But it's true that the
Bible does contain predictions.
00:17:29.51\00:17:33.01
In fact, God stakes His
reputation on His ability
00:17:33.05\00:17:37.32
to forecast the future.
00:17:37.35\00:17:39.19
"Predictions You Can Trust."
00:17:39.22\00:17:41.12
Watch now on It Is Written TV.
00:17:41.16\00:17:44.43
>>John Bradshaw: This
is the Valley of Elah,
00:17:46.03\00:17:47.56
about a 45-minute drive
from Jerusalem in Israel.
00:17:47.60\00:17:51.20
It was here that the children
of Israel camped on the hills
00:17:51.23\00:17:54.04
on one side of the valley,
and the Philistines camped
00:17:54.07\00:17:57.14
on the hills on the
other side of the valley,
00:17:57.17\00:17:59.84
when Goliath taunted Israel.
00:17:59.87\00:18:02.98
It was here that David traveled
from his home in Bethlehem.
00:18:03.01\00:18:06.65
And even though he was
only there to bring food
00:18:06.68\00:18:08.85
for his brothers and to take
back a report to his father,
00:18:08.88\00:18:12.42
David soon found that he was
in much deeper than he expected
00:18:12.45\00:18:16.09
when he left home.
00:18:16.12\00:18:18.13
David went down to a brook.
00:18:19.56\00:18:20.80
In fact, it was
this very stream.
00:18:20.83\00:18:23.23
[Sounds of traffic]
Busy road nearby right now.
00:18:23.26\00:18:26.03
Assuming, of course, that the
stream hasn't changed its course
00:18:26.07\00:18:28.80
over the years,
and maybe it has.
00:18:28.84\00:18:31.27
But there was a
stream here in David's day
00:18:31.31\00:18:32.94
about 1000 years BC.
00:18:32.97\00:18:34.98
And this is the
stream that survives today.
00:18:35.01\00:18:37.78
And as you look around,
00:18:37.81\00:18:39.51
you see there are many...
00:18:39.55\00:18:42.68
rocks that would
have been suitable,
00:18:42.72\00:18:45.99
enabling David to do the
job that he needed to do.
00:18:46.02\00:18:49.59
And so he went armed
with a staff--that's a stick--
00:18:49.62\00:18:53.09
and a sling--that was all.
00:18:53.13\00:18:55.43
Of course, with five of these.
00:18:55.46\00:18:57.53
Goliath was covered up in
armor and had an armor-bearer
00:18:57.57\00:19:00.34
that went before him.
00:19:00.37\00:19:01.90
David went with
virtually nothing,
00:19:01.94\00:19:04.57
except he had
what mattered most.
00:19:04.61\00:19:06.94
He had God on his
side, and he knew it.
00:19:06.98\00:19:09.91
When Goliath saw that Israel had
sent a youth out to fight him,
00:19:09.94\00:19:14.02
he was disgusted.
00:19:14.05\00:19:15.65
He said to David,
00:19:15.68\00:19:16.79
"'Am I a dog, that you
come to me with sticks?'
00:19:16.82\00:19:19.95
And the Philistine
cursed David by his gods.
00:19:19.99\00:19:23.02
And the
Philistine said to David,
00:19:23.06\00:19:25.19
'Come to me, and I will
give your flesh to the birds
00:19:25.23\00:19:28.26
of the air and the
beasts of the field!'"
00:19:28.30\00:19:31.70
Now, notice what
David said in verse 45:
00:19:31.73\00:19:35.17
"You come to me with
a sword, with a spear,
00:19:35.20\00:19:37.61
and with a javelin.
00:19:37.64\00:19:39.27
But I come to you in the
name of the Lord of hosts,
00:19:39.31\00:19:42.11
the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied."
00:19:42.14\00:19:45.71
Verse 47: "Then all
this assembly shall know
00:19:45.75\00:19:48.98
that the Lord does not
save with sword and spear;
00:19:49.02\00:19:53.19
for the battle is the Lord's,
00:19:53.22\00:19:55.16
and He will give
you into our hands."
00:19:55.19\00:19:59.63
The Bible tells us that when
Goliath came out to meet David,
00:19:59.66\00:20:03.00
David ran towards Goliath.
00:20:03.03\00:20:05.40
Then, without a sword,
using only a sling and stones,
00:20:05.43\00:20:10.41
David ended the life of
the Philistines' champion.
00:20:10.44\00:20:14.58
A stick, a bag, a
sling, and five stones.
00:20:14.61\00:20:18.75
Now, why five stones?
00:20:18.78\00:20:20.22
Certainly not because
he thought he would miss,
00:20:20.25\00:20:21.75
although maybe he was intending
not to appear presumptuous.
00:20:21.78\00:20:25.25
It would take a
lot of confidence
00:20:25.29\00:20:27.36
to go out there
with just one rock.
00:20:27.39\00:20:30.39
Now, what about the idea
that Goliath had four brothers?
00:20:30.43\00:20:33.13
Well, the passage itself
doesn't say anything about that.
00:20:33.16\00:20:36.00
Now, there is a
story in 2 Samuel 21
00:20:36.03\00:20:37.97
that speaks about four
other Philistine giants.
00:20:38.00\00:20:41.10
Does this mean they
were Goliath's brothers,
00:20:41.14\00:20:42.84
and they were there that day?
00:20:42.87\00:20:44.34
No, not necessarily.
00:20:44.37\00:20:45.61
Seems to me
that's just speculation.
00:20:45.64\00:20:47.84
Could be right, I guess.
00:20:47.88\00:20:49.48
But really,
probably a bit of a stretch.
00:20:49.51\00:20:52.18
The Philistines, of course,
did not keep their promise
00:20:52.21\00:20:54.95
that they would serve Israel,
but instead turned and fled,
00:20:54.98\00:20:59.22
pursued by the army of Israel,
00:20:59.25\00:21:01.36
which was now
feeling pretty confident.
00:21:01.39\00:21:03.59
It's interesting the
effect that one person of faith
00:21:03.63\00:21:05.93
can have on a group of
people whose faith is flagging.
00:21:05.96\00:21:08.63
[Birds twittering]
00:21:08.66\00:21:10.47
¤[Soft mysterious
Middle Eastern music]¤
00:21:10.50\00:21:12.47
The wounded fell
along the road to Shaaraim,
00:21:12.50\00:21:15.34
which means "two gates."
00:21:15.37\00:21:17.61
It's believed
that that is the city,
00:21:17.64\00:21:19.17
the old city of Khirbet Qeiyafa,
00:21:19.21\00:21:21.21
which is right
where I'm standing now.
00:21:21.24\00:21:24.85
And also they fell
along the road to Gath,
00:21:24.88\00:21:27.45
where Goliath
is from, and Ekron.
00:21:27.48\00:21:30.12
In the most
unlikely of circumstances,
00:21:30.15\00:21:32.35
God's people were victorious.
00:21:32.39\00:21:34.29
And why was that?
00:21:34.32\00:21:35.99
Because a young
man, well, a boy, really,
00:21:36.02\00:21:39.06
believed God was with Him.
00:21:39.09\00:21:41.00
He was jealous
for the honor of God,
00:21:41.03\00:21:43.00
not for his own honor.
00:21:43.03\00:21:44.93
David was motivated by causing
people to see that Israel's God
00:21:44.97\00:21:48.64
was the true God, and
that was clearly seen that day.
00:21:48.67\00:21:52.31
I'll tell you this;
00:21:52.34\00:21:53.44
if we are more
concerned with the honor of God
00:21:53.48\00:21:55.41
and less concerned
with the honor of ourselves,
00:21:55.44\00:21:58.51
both the world and the
church would be a better place.
00:21:58.55\00:22:01.75
David wanted to see God honored.
00:22:01.78\00:22:04.12
The pagans at the time,
the Philistines and others,
00:22:04.15\00:22:06.99
believed that a military victory
demonstrated that their god
00:22:07.02\00:22:10.16
was the true god,
the most powerful god.
00:22:10.19\00:22:13.53
David couldn't stand the
thought of the God of heaven
00:22:13.56\00:22:16.03
coming off looking second-best.
00:22:16.06\00:22:18.50
Sometimes it's
right to take risks,
00:22:19.17\00:22:21.40
but when God is with you, it's
not a risk; it's a sure thing.
00:22:21.44\00:22:25.24
Now, let's switch this up just
a little bit because all of us
00:22:25.27\00:22:28.04
are in the midst of our
own David-and-Goliath battle,
00:22:28.08\00:22:30.75
every person alive.
00:22:30.78\00:22:33.28
Goliath would be an adequate
representation of the devil
00:22:33.31\00:22:36.28
coming against God's
people, taunting, threatening.
00:22:36.32\00:22:40.66
So what do you do
when the devil comes by?
00:22:40.69\00:22:43.29
What do you when, when
temptation gets after you?
00:22:43.32\00:22:46.73
And let's remember temptation
is stronger than we are.
00:22:46.76\00:22:50.80
"All have
sinned," the Bible says.
00:22:50.83\00:22:53.23
Jeremiah in
Jeremiah 17:9 wrote that,
00:22:53.27\00:22:56.20
"The heart is
deceitful above all things,
00:22:56.24\00:22:58.51
and desperately
wicked; who can know it?"
00:22:58.54\00:23:01.81
He wrote a similar thought
in Jeremiah 13:23 when he said,
00:23:01.84\00:23:04.71
"Can the Ethiopian change his
skin or the leopard its spots?
00:23:04.75\00:23:09.15
Then may you also do good
who are accustomed to do evil."
00:23:09.18\00:23:13.32
In other words, we
have this problem heart,
00:23:13.36\00:23:16.59
this broken character
that wants to do wrong
00:23:16.62\00:23:19.53
and doesn't want to do right.
00:23:19.56\00:23:21.60
And that causes
dissonance between us and God.
00:23:21.63\00:23:24.23
We're easy
pickings for the devil.
00:23:24.27\00:23:26.80
We're like the little
guy against the big guy.
00:23:26.84\00:23:29.40
So what do we do?
00:23:29.44\00:23:31.04
You know what it's like
to fail and to fail again.
00:23:31.07\00:23:33.54
You know what it's like
00:23:33.58\00:23:34.44
when temptation
gets the better of you.
00:23:34.48\00:23:36.78
It doesn't feel good.
00:23:36.81\00:23:38.98
Now, what weapons did David have
in his fight against the giant
00:23:41.32\00:23:45.12
right there in
the Valley of Elah?
00:23:45.15\00:23:47.62
Well, he had a sling and stones.
00:23:47.66\00:23:51.59
A sling and stones.
00:23:51.63\00:23:53.23
You wouldn't think that
would guarantee him success.
00:23:53.26\00:23:56.70
Now, what weapons do we
have in our fight against sin
00:23:56.73\00:23:59.90
and temptation?
00:23:59.93\00:24:01.37
Well, Paul wrote about this
in 2 Corinthians chapter 10,
00:24:01.40\00:24:04.34
when he said,
00:24:04.37\00:24:05.74
"For though we
walk in the flesh,
00:24:05.77\00:24:07.61
we do not war after the flesh:
00:24:07.64\00:24:10.18
for the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal,
00:24:10.21\00:24:13.48
but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strong holds."
00:24:13.52\00:24:17.72
So, what are the weapons that we
wield in our battle against sin
00:24:17.75\00:24:21.29
and temptation?
00:24:21.32\00:24:22.52
Faith, the Word of
God, the promises of God,
00:24:22.56\00:24:26.70
the presence of the Holy Spirit.
00:24:26.73\00:24:29.06
Live close to God.
Invite God into your life.
00:24:29.10\00:24:31.73
He will live in you,
bring His power into your life.
00:24:31.77\00:24:35.50
Read the Bible.
00:24:35.54\00:24:36.71
Do what Jesus did when He
was confronted by temptation,
00:24:36.74\00:24:39.67
and quote Scripture.
00:24:39.71\00:24:42.08
You can let the Word
of God be your defense.
00:24:42.11\00:24:45.18
¤[Soft music]¤
00:24:45.21\00:24:50.49
Now, here's how this works.
00:24:50.52\00:24:52.12
You have a need in your life,
00:24:52.15\00:24:54.09
and you claim the
promise made by God to you
00:24:54.12\00:24:57.13
that you find in
Philippians 4 and verse 19:
00:24:57.16\00:25:00.26
"My God shall supply all your
need according to His riches
00:25:00.30\00:25:03.63
in glory by Christ Jesus."
00:25:03.67\00:25:05.47
You lack wisdom about a
certain situation in your life,
00:25:05.50\00:25:08.84
and you remember that
God made a promise to you
00:25:08.87\00:25:10.51
that you find in
James 1 and verse 5:
00:25:10.54\00:25:12.77
"If any [man] lack
wisdom, let him ask of God,
00:25:12.81\00:25:16.08
[who gives] to
all men liberally,
00:25:16.11\00:25:17.38
and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him."
00:25:17.41\00:25:20.72
These are promises.
00:25:20.75\00:25:22.62
God made them to you.
00:25:22.65\00:25:24.89
And when you
claim those promises,
00:25:24.92\00:25:27.26
you're simply
taking God at His word.
00:25:27.29\00:25:29.06
God has said, "I will do this."
00:25:29.09\00:25:31.19
You are saying, "Okay,
I'm calling You on that.
00:25:31.23\00:25:34.00
I'm believing You on that.
I'm expecting You on that."
00:25:34.00\00:25:36.80
In other words, "I'm
having faith in You on that.
00:25:36.83\00:25:40.70
And I'm
anticipating, I'm believing
00:25:40.74\00:25:43.24
that You are going to
do what Your Word says."
00:25:43.27\00:25:46.14
And in your battle
against sin and temptation,
00:25:46.17\00:25:48.24
that is powerful.
00:25:48.28\00:25:51.15
David defeated the giant right
here in the Valley of Elah.
00:25:51.18\00:25:57.12
Satan, the
"giant," will be defeated
00:25:57.15\00:26:00.89
right here in your
heart, right where you are,
00:26:00.92\00:26:05.53
when you call on God and expect
God to do great things for you.
00:26:05.56\00:26:11.37
>>Announcer: A sling, a stone,
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and one of the greatest
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Explore the incredible
true story of David and Goliath.
00:26:18.44\00:26:21.34
Discover the
motivation, the courage,
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the immovable
faith that shaped a hero.
00:26:23.88\00:26:27.02
Receive today's free
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00:26:27.05\00:26:29.95
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00:26:39.86\00:26:42.83
>>John Bradshaw: Let's pray
together in this historic place.
00:26:43.90\00:26:46.63
Our Father in heaven, we're
thankful that we've been able
00:26:46.67\00:26:48.94
to come here to the very site
where a great victory of faith
00:26:48.97\00:26:53.44
was won, an unlikely victory.
00:26:53.48\00:26:56.61
We thank You for inspiring us
to know that victory is certain
00:26:56.64\00:27:00.15
when our lives
are in Your hands,
00:27:00.18\00:27:02.28
when we're following Your will.
00:27:02.32\00:27:04.39
We thank You that
You are with us today
00:27:04.42\00:27:05.89
as You were with David then.
00:27:05.92\00:27:08.36
Lord, be close
to us in our battle.
00:27:08.39\00:27:11.16
Be close to us as
evil threatens us.
00:27:11.19\00:27:13.46
Be our defense and our shield.
00:27:13.50\00:27:16.46
We thank You for
blessing us and keeping us.
00:27:16.50\00:27:18.93
Friend, have you opened
your heart to God and asked God
00:27:18.97\00:27:23.27
to be your God,
your guide, your defense?
00:27:23.30\00:27:26.01
Why don't you do it now?
00:27:26.04\00:27:28.08
Father, would You take
that heart and make it Yours?
00:27:28.11\00:27:32.28
And give that person assurance
now that as her life or his life
00:27:32.31\00:27:36.35
is in Your hands, the gift
of eternal life is certain.
00:27:36.38\00:27:41.92
And we thank You
in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:27:41.96\00:27:45.73
Thanks so much for joining me.
00:27:45.76\00:27:47.13
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:47.13\00:27:49.46
Until then, remember:
00:27:49.50\00:27:51.47
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:51.50\00:27:55.04
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:55.07\00:27:59.61
¤[Theme music]¤
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¤[Theme music]¤
00:28:09.75\00:28:16.73