stones

God Provides the Stones

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Sometimes the most important details are missed, and that holds true in the story of David and Goliath.  After David got the go-ahead to fight against Goliath, he had to find five smooth stones.  David didn’t show up to the military standoff with stones already in his pouch, as if he somehow knew he would be engaged in a battle, but he had to take a quick moment down at the brook to gather the stones.

SCRIPTURES

“Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.“ I Samuel 17:40

As soon as David received authorization to take on Goliath, he immediately took his staff and sling and went down to the brook to find the perfect stones.  David would not leave this important detail of gathering stones into anyone else’s hands, but “he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook.”  The critically relevant detail for us to understand is where David got the stones.  The stones were already on the battlefield at the brook.  We can even consider this thought, how long had those stones been there at the brook?  God in heaven already knew an epic battle would take place between the Philistines and Israel and that David would come looking for stones to attack Goliath with.   Let this speak to you today, that whatever you need for your battle is already in place.

God already knows the battlefields you will step into throughout your life and has already strategically placed all you need to get your victory.

David gathered up the stones and took them with him.  He gathered more than he needed and was well equipped to take down the giant.  You may be on a battlefield of some kind right at this moment.  If that’s you, take a moment and ask God to show you what you need to gather.  David was “more than a conqueror” and so are you!

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Five Smooth Stones

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Who would have thought that you can take down a giant with a stone?  Yet a sling and stones were David’s choice of weapons as he went out to fight Goliath, the Philistine giant.  The other solders in Israel’s army and the Philistine’s army were equipped with swords and shields, but not David.  David’s weapons were different in this epic battle and still highly effective.

SCRIPTURES

“Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.“ I Samuel 17:40

David’s choice of weapons showed that he was trusting in God for the victory.  It gives us some great insight for the battles in our own lives.  We use weapons today, but ours should be different, just as the apostle Paul advised.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds”  2 Corinthians 10:3-4

Let me suggest to you some possibilities as to why David chose five smooth stones.  This is God’s way of speaking to us today using an Old Testament story about weapons available to us.  We have mighty spiritual weapons in God.  We have the weapons of prayer and praise and the weapons of truth and God’s Word to get our victories!  The scriptures don’t come right out and tell us why David chose five smooth stones, but here are some possibilities to consider.

IT’S POSSIBLE…

1.  David gathered five smooth stones because he always carried five smooth stones in his pouch.  What appears to be strange to us, was normal for him.

2.  David gathered five smooth stones because he was practical.  He gathered what he thought he might need.  Gathering five stones was not a lack of faith on David’s part, but it showed the practical side of his faith.  Our faith today has a practical aspect to us, it’s not all left to what we can’t see.  Yes we “walk by faith and not by sight,” but we do walk, and we do ask, seek, and knock.

3.  David gathered five smooth stones because he had heard of Goliath’s brothers.  But there’s not a word in this story to suggest this, and if Goliath had four brothers, they didn’t appear to be at the battle.  And David even asked, “Who is this uncircumcized Philistine?”  It doesn’t appear that David knew who Goliath was.  

3.  David gathered five smooth stones for five opportunities.  When I worked for the sheriff’s department, I carried a 9 mm Ruger that held 15 rounds.  I also had two clips on my belt that held 15 rounds each.  That’s 45 rounds total.  I always had this thought that if I can’t do the job with 45 rounds, I just need to run!  David may have gathered five stones to give himself with distance five opportunities to take Goliath down. 

4.  David gathered five smooth stones because from a child that’s what he had been taught.

5.  David gathered five smooth stones because God told him to gather five smooth stones.

There is a reason David gathered five stones, and it should speak to us about how with only one stone, he had more than what he needed.  As a child of God, you have more than what you need to take down the giants that try to stop you in life.  Be encouraged today, don’t try to fight your battles with conventional weapons of your flesh, but use the mighty weapons in God to take down every giant.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”  —2 Corinthians 9:8

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