大衛對戰歌利亞
撒母耳記上十七章1至11節
1非利士人招聚他們的軍旅，要來爭戰，聚集在屬猶大的梭哥，安營在梭哥和亞西加中間的以弗大憫。
2掃羅和以色列人也聚集，在以拉谷安營，擺列隊伍要與非利士人打仗。
3非利士人站在這邊山上，以色列人站在那邊山上，當中有谷。
4從非利士營中出來一個討戰的人，名叫歌利亞，是迦特人，身高六肘零一虎口；
5頭戴銅盔，身穿鎧甲，甲重五千舍客勒；
6腿上有銅護膝，兩肩之中背負銅戟；
7槍桿粗如織布的機軸，鐵槍頭重六百舍客勒。有一個拿盾牌的人在他前面走。
8歌利亞對著以色列的軍隊站立，呼叫說：“你們出來擺列隊伍做甚麼呢？我不是非利士人嗎？你們不是掃羅的僕人嗎？可以從你們中間揀選一人，使他下到我這裡來。
9他若能與我戰鬥，將我殺死，我們就作你們的僕人；我若勝了他，將他殺死，你們就作我們的僕人，服事我們。”
10那非利士人又說：“我今日向以色列人的軍隊罵陣。你們叫一個人出來，與我戰鬥。”
11掃羅和以色列眾人聽見非利士人的這些話，就驚惶，極其害怕。
信息分享
這個故事的每一部分都可以應用於今天。例如，我們今天的世界仍然可見到兩大陣營：神的百姓和神的敵人。第3節指出他們壁壘分明，中間有谷分隔，沒有人可以作騎牆派。
這兩個陣營的人要彼此爭戰──至今仍是一樣。一直以來，非利士人都是以色列的死敵，兩者勢不兩立。今天的世界未必會明目張膽地攻擊教會，但兩者卻絕不能為友。
兩邊陣營都有一位「勇士」。歌利亞是一個目中無人的巨人（4節），他似乎戰無不勝，且連續六個星期向以色列罵陣，極盡污衊、挑釁之能事。他是世界之王撒但的寫照。撒但的能力似乎非常強大，他的試探也似乎常常令人難以抗拒。
然而，另一邊陣營也有一個勇士。這個人理應就是掃羅，因為他不僅是王，他更是以色列人中長得最高大的。可是，掃羅因為不聽從神（十六章1和4節）而失去了屬靈的能力。他如果靠自己的力量去迎戰歌利亞，就一定被擊敗。倘若歌利亞得勝，所有以色列人便要做非利士人的奴隸了（9節）。
神卻另有計劃。祂已經預備了祂的勇士。大衛沒有從軍，留在家裡牧羊。神預備他去承擔將來的工作。大衛已作好準備，可以隨時回應神的召命，為神和祂的子民爭勝。
經文反思：
「使我們勝過世界的，就是我們的信心。」（約壹五4）
DAVID MEETS GOLIATH
1 Samuel 17:1-11
1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines.
3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.
4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.
6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.
7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him.
8 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.
9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.”
10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.”
11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Message
Every part of the story can have an up-to-date application. For example, here are the same two companies of people, whom we find in the world today - the people of God and the enemies of God. Verse 3 says there was a valley between them, a clear division. There was no middle ground.
There was a war between the two companies. There still is. The Philistines seemed to have been the most consistent and bitterest enemies the Israelites had. Today there may not always be bitter opposition by the world against the church, but there cannot be fellowship between them.
On both sides there was a “champion”. Goliath was certainly a giant (v.4) and full of defiance. He seemed almost unbeatable. For six long weeks he defied the Israelites. He is a picture of Satan, the prince of the world. Satan seems so strong and his temptations seem so often irresistible.
But there is a champion on the other side too. No doubt it should have been Saul, who was not only the king, but also the tallest man in Israel. But Saul had lost his spiritual power through his disobedience (1 Samuel 16:1, 4). Had he fought Goliath in his own strength, he might have been sadly defeated. If Goliath had won the contest, all Israel would have been slaves to the Philistines (v.9).
God had other plans, however. He had his “champion” ready. David was not part of the Israelite army. He was at home minding sheep. God was preparing him for the future. David was ready to step out with God and claim the victory for God and His people.
A VERSE FOR TODAY: “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4)