Is it me, or is something else going on with David and Goliath?

1 Samuel 17
(The number of victory!)

I'm studying David today, since he was "a man after God's own heart."
It struck me as odd that David had a conversation with Saul prior to slaying Goliath, and was even given Saul's own armor to wear into battle. How is it, then, that Saul didn't recognize the same young man (who had played the lyre to soothe him and to whom he had given his own armor) after Goliath had been slain? Every eye would have been on that battle.

I read some apologetics commentaries who offer weak explanations that the verses are simply not in chronological order. That seems like an earthly explanation. I think this is the actual connection:

David was accused of evil by his own brother, when he arrives at the battlefield, like Jesus was accused of evil by the Pharisees when he arrived. After that, David asks what he's done wrong. He says, "was it not but a word? And he turned away from him his brother toward another, and spoke in the same way;..." Jesus did the same.

David appeared on the battlefield only dressed as a Shepherd, because though he had the glorious armor of the king in his possession, he removed it prior to achieving his first victory over the enemy of Israel. In his address to that enemy he said, "and that all in this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hand."

He only had a sling and a staff, the tools a Shepherd would use, plus five smooth stones from the brook. If you were planning on slaying a giant with a rock, would you select a smooth one? I wouldn't. I'd have chosen the most jagged and nasty rock I could find.

Don't forget that at the Jordan crossing, Joshua placed 12 stones of his own choice at the feet of the Levite priests holding back the Jordan's water with the Ark. The stones remained in the river Jordan for a long time, gradually getting more and more smooth in the water.

I suspect the five smooth stones chosen by David represent the four books of the gospel (Matthew, Mark, Like, and John) plus the book of Acts, but that's just my guess.

So why, in scripture, does Saul not recognize David? I think it was because Saul, representing Israel, was looking for a warrior to save Israel just as Jerusalem was looking for a warrior to end the oppression of the Roman rule. After all, Saul is the one who put the armor on David, just before the fight. He was trying to make the potential savior of Israel into his image of a savior.

But David, like Jesus, won his first victory as a lowly shepherd who drove away evil spirits from a man in Israel. He didn't fit the appearance that was expected (desired) by Israel. He removed the armor, because that's not what the situation warranted.

Take note...when David took the armor off he didn't give it back. He kept it in his tent, saving it for later.

After defeating Goliath, he also received a sword, armor, and princely mantle, from Jonathan, Saul's son. Jonathan loved David as his own soul, and made a covenant with him. And when David returned to battle, he used that armor.

Jesus will return to do battle, soon. You can bet he'll be dressed for battle and will be wearing a princely mantle.

I kept reading, and another odd phrase in scripture jumped out at me. After a little more study, I have one more lovely parallel between David and Jesus.

On two occasions did Saul try to pin David to the wall with his spear, but he escaped. After the second time, he went into hiding at Naioth in Ramah, a place at Mount Ephraim. He stayed there with Samuel and his students.

On two occasions did the Pharisees pick up stones to kill Jesus, but he escaped. After the second time, he didn't go out openly among the Jews, but went to a town called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

Amazing, right?

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