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David and Goliath: an end-time view
As the return of Jesus Christ draws ever-nearer so will the powers of darkness muster all that they can muster to defeat the purpose of God. The Bible tells us that these attempts will fail, but the conflict will be immense.
extracts by Hadyn Olsen
 Recently, after reading the account of this historic meeting between David and Goliath, I was struck by the significance of it's message concerning the end time period that we are entering into.
Far more than a children's story, this account speaks of the collision of two kingdoms. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.
There are a number of times in the Scriptures that we witness such a dramatic encounter between these two kingdoms. We may think of the time of Moses and the exodus from Egypt, the plagues and the Red Sea. We may think of Joshua and Jericho - or Elijah on Mt. Carmel. Then of course there is the Lord Jesus Himself and the many occasions of His demonstrating the kingdom.
We are coming to a time when we shall witness another great collison between God's kingdom and Satan's. No doubt it shall be as great, if not greater than all the others that have preceded it. And it shall be a time when once again, God displays His all-surpassing greatness and dominion over Satan.
To this end our spirit's cry, 'Come Lord Jesus'.
As we read in 1 Sam. 17 of the battle between David and Goliath we can first of all see that there are three principal characters which may represent three different peoples.
Firstly there is Goliath and the Philistines. They represent the world, or more specifically unredeemed, rebellious man. There is something about them which may be encompassed by the term, 'The spirit of this age'.
There they stand, full of defiance and mockery. Wilfully and arrogantly railing accusations upon God and His people. They represent man, in the fullness of self power and self glory.
We may notice in the description of Goliath that there is reference to the number six. The number of man. He was six cubits in height, he had six pieces of armour, and his spearhead weighed six hundred shekels.
We could say that he represents everything that the term 'anti-christ' may speak of, as he stands there mocking all that is of God and calling God's people into battle.
As we look out out upon the world today we can see Goliath readying himself again. We can hear the challenges ringing out saying, 'Where is your God' and the accusations pouring forth to belittle the church and call her to war. This has always been the very essence of that antichrist spirit.
The second character in this story is King Saul and his army. This group represent the people of God, but they are the people of God under the dominion of the flesh.
They are a defeated company. They stand there facing Goliath, fearful, intimidated and without anointing or strength from God. We may ask, 'Why is this?.. How can it be?'
How can the people of God find themselves in this kind of a situation and such a condition? The answer is, that although they are the people of God they are still ruled and controlled by the spirit of this world. They are under the dominion of King Saul - the flesh.
Let us take a look at them.
They stand there in all their wordly armour. They are fitted out with everything that the world counts for something. They have their horses and chariots and weapons of flesh - and of course they have their king who stands so tall above the rest. They look just like all the other nations in so many ways.
I cannot help wondering how many of our denominations and church organisations are just like the armies of Saul. They are full of the ways of the world and their strength comes from money, organisation, and the power of the flesh. We see in them the same spirit of this world that promotes itself with gimmicks, sales techniques and all manner of human ability.
There is also another characteristic that is common to the Saul church. That is, disobedience to the word of the Lord.
King Saul cared more for the outward appearances of success and power than for obedience to God's word. He would obey God as long as it suited him and as long as it didn't threaten his own ambitions and desires to be successful in the eyes of the people.
It is the same today in the denominations. Success power and outward appearances are the most important considerations. God's will and His purposes are often compromised for the sake of human interest and human traditions.
For that reason they will stand alone on that day that Goliath confronts them. They will discover that Goliath is far stronger in terms of this world than they are themselves, and they will realise that they are no match for him.
How frightening it will be on that day... although today they are so full of their own strength and hypnotised by their own praises and positive confessions.
Thank God there is a third group in this story. It is the group that is characterised by David.
Yes, David was one of the people of God. But he wasn't a part of Saul's army. In the same way today there is a third group. Tbey are scattered around. They have no special organisation or place to call their own. Yet they have two distinguishing characteristics that set them apart; They have a heart after God and... they are not of King Saul.
This David company, like David of old, is small, insignificant, unimpressive and unimportant. Yet God's hand is upon them.
David was out in the wilderness tending his sheep when the call came to enter into the battle lines. He was doing that which God has placed in his care - even though it was insignificant and outwardly of little importance.
David knew nothing of Saul's ways. He hadn't been in any of Saul's training schools. He didn't know how to even polish his armour let alone wear it into battle...
But this is God's way. He always takes the lowly things, the foolish things, and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.
Likewise God is preparing a people today. They are nothing now. Some have left denominations, some are still amongst them wondering why it is that they no longer feel a part of it all any more. They can no longer get excited by the latest seminar or out-reach. Instead they sigh and groan at the lack of God's presence in the church, and they are grieved by the way human power has filled the gap.
When David arrived on the scene, he had no organisation backing him. There were no credentials or any such thing. There was only the anointing. God knew where He wanted David to be. God brought things together as He always does.... in the fullness of time.
David could stand before Goliath because God was with him. Nothing more and nothing less. His spirit was stirred against this monster. David was not afraid. He knew that there was one far greater who was standing with him.
When David spoke to Goliath to challenge him, it was not so much David speaking as God Himself speaking. When David took the stone and placed it in his sling, again it was God choosing and preparing.
When David sent his stone flying toward it's mark.. it was God guiding it to just the right place. Such is the way with all true ministry. It is God in man doing the work and bringing forth the fruit.
God desires a people who are dead to man's ways... He is preparing a people who will wait for Him, and move as He moves them, and who will work according to His power that works in them mightily.
It may take Him a long time to get a man or woman to that place... yet God has time.
That day is coming when that great conflict will arrive. Which company will we be a part of? Will it be Goliath's? or King Saul's?... or will it be David's? It may be hard to say right now, but the day will declare it. Nothing is surer... That day will declare it... For then we shall find ourselves in the place that our hearts have chosen.
Let us call upon the Lord today, while it is still today... asking Him to change our hearts and take us into that David company. May we seek to learn to walk with God and be faithful unto all that He may call us to do. May we learn the ways of humility and be satisfied with simply living before Him each day. May we also be careful to remain free from the ways of King Saul.
Praise God for His all-surpassing greatness and glory.
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Hadyn Olsen, 26/10/2010
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Martin Lisemore |
11/11/2010 14:26 |
Roland, I go back to a point I made two or three weeks ago, something which I have witnessed too many times.
At the end of life, when intellectual arguments are gone, life is all but spent, you're alone, moments away from departing this world, you will have extremely intense fear, or a certainty of what faces you.
Too many times I've heard the indescribable cries given with a last breath, and the struggles, and also seen others depart this life with a lovely warm smile on their faces - assured.
During life, there's a moment to make a choice. But, you will choose on a day, at a point in that day, whom you will serve in this life and beyond. Choosing Jesus of Nazareth is a conscious choice - all else leads to that terrible cry of the last breath.
However intellectual and high minded about Jesus we may like to be now, I can tell you, at the end, it's Jesus Christ ... or satan.
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Peter Carr |
11/11/2010 16:30 |
RF said, "...may I remind you that significant numbers of the educated classes in the developed world have rejected the notion, however comforting, of a caring supernatural being."
Again quoting the word of the Eternal God, the only word that will stand the test of time;
1 Corinthians 1:18-20 (New International Version)
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
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RF (Guest) |
11/11/2010 16:59 |
Professor A C Grayling for one.....
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Peter Carr |
11/11/2010 17:51 |
The point being RF, that God is wiser than human beings. When people die their wisdom along with their intelligence dies with them. Sure, they leave a legacy behind them, but our time and influence on this planet is limited. God, on the other hand is eternal, and those who trust Him in this life through His revealed wisdom in Jesus will enjoy eternal life and live with God their Creator forever.
Isa 40: 6 - 9 "“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
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Martin Lisemore |
11/11/2010 18:11 |
Roland, so what about the last moments of life?
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Andrea Mac |
11/11/2010 19:22 |
My Mum was a nurse and I remember her telling us many years ago of an incident when she had to sit by the bedside of a very ill woman who had been deeply unconscious for some time. Suddenly, the woman lifted her hands slightly and whispered "I'm coming, Lord" and died at that moment.
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Martin Lisemore |
12/11/2010 00:11 |
Andrea, yes, a dear elderly couple I knew a long time ago. The wife, who had heart trouble, sat down in the evening, her husband in the next chair, suddenly breathed deeply and said, 'It's the Lord,' and died so peacefully.
John Wesley, I believe, would have called this making a good death.
It's my point exactly.
I too have sat with very elderly people, dying people, and witnessed very similar things. I've also witnessed the other side of things, and as said, witnessed souls being claimed by satan.
However wise, rich or worldly we are during life, at that moment, the last moment of life, if he hasn't done it before, The Lord makes our wisdom and riches of no account. Only He is of account.
Come on Roland, what about the last moments of life? What about one's eternal destiny? What have you witnessed?
Tell us your studied side of this, and I'll come back with more I've witnessed, first hand!
Once again, I'm waiting.
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RF (Guest) |
12/11/2010 14:01 |
ML - no doubt you have witnessed human behaviour at the point of death [not too much I hope] and drawn conclusions about it.
The important thing is not to have too many regrets about the way one has lived one's life. We are destined to be fallen leaves. I only arrived in the 20th century so I missed a lot and no doubt will miss a lot; but what will I miss? That is where we differ in expectations; I believe a WB posting some months ago got it right: for some the thrill of mortality but for others either the fear of being a fallen leaf and part of nature's cycle or the joy of being saved for billions of years and more. Much more.Yawn for some and joy for others.
No:in my view it is what you do during the thrill of mortality rather than dwelling on considerations of the so called Rapture and all that other stuff that counts.
I could be wrong but I feel as certain about the true position regarding eternal life as you probably do and we both seem to be settled and happy. So there we are.
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Martin Lisemore |
12/11/2010 15:08 |
Roland, I've witnessed more deaths than I care to think about now, beginning with my grand mother when I was twelve. I don't deal in death, it's not my business; but I have been a carer to old people, and younger ones, who are dying. I've handled the bodies, before and after death. I've been the last person dying men and women saw, heard their last words; words of utter truth; too often words of shame. Words of confession, a soul clearing itself before the Judgement. Often it ends with, if only ...
Macabre, yes. Necessary, yes.
I've faced death three times myself, the last time in recent months.
Whilst none of this makes me an authority, it does give me a voice.
Human behaviour in the moments before departing this life is quite different. It's entirely rational, 'in the moment,' focused, perhaps the most intense concentration that person has endured in this life ... how else can I put it?
It's then I saw the summation of the person, the totality of that person, and that life.
To speak of leaves falling, is tying yourself to this world, is just wanting to be fertiliser in someone's garden plot.
You see, in just reading this you are put on note - you cannot ever say, I didn't know. Know what? Know that Jesus of Nazareth, Son of the Living God, offers so much more than just being a leaf which falls and withers.
Peter has been good to you, as has Andrea. They've laid before you Life Eternal. Roland, just take it now; give Jesus an opportunity to make such a man of you as you would not now recognise. Let Him be your guarantee of Eternal Life.
The alternative is eternal death.
And I can't help noticing, my posts on Saturday night, offering to talk with you on the telephone brought no response.
Frightened you might be wrong?
The offer is still open. Take it up this weekend; your credibility on this forum might be at stake.
Martin
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Andrea Mac |
12/11/2010 16:32 |
Roland,
Go to the following link and read what this man had to say about not believing in God until he was passing out of this life. It should be enough to make even the most hardened atheist think again:
http://aglimpseofeternity.org/content.php?folder_id=1
Scroll down to near the foot of the page where you can read a shortened version, which begins with the title "Ambulance".
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