Is There Not A Cause?

Introduction

Before his untimely death in 1955 at the age of 24, the American actor James Dean starred in his second film "Rebel Without A Cause," in which he played the moody, troubled son of a middle-class family. In more recent years Franklin Graham, the son of internationally known evangelist Billy Graham, penned an account of his testimony and, apparently playing on the title of that film, entitled his autobiography, "Rebel With A Cause." But long before Franklin Graham had a cause and James Dean didn't, a young Israelite who had never known what it was to be a rebel, stood on a Judean hillside with boldness and faith working in his heart, and asked this question: "Is there not a cause?" (1 Samuel 17:29).

This boy from Bethlehem named David had heard about the defiant giant named Goliath. He heard about the rewards the king would bestow upon the man who defeated this Philistine, and he was very interested in accepting this challenge. However, Eliab, David's oldest brother, became angry and questioned David's presence and motive by saying, "Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?" (1 Samuel 17:28). David's response to Eliab's reprimand has been interpreted in a number of different ways, but essentially it seems that David had found in the king's challenge a great sense of purpose, and he would not be deterred by Eliab's criticism. Did not the crisis outweigh the criticism? Was there not a cause? David believed there was.

Like so many who achieve greatness, David's life, up to this point, had been a mix of barriers and blessings. He certainly encountered barriers as a shepherd. His patriarchal predecessor Jacob once described the hardships of his own shepherding by saying, "In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes" (Genesis 31:40). David's difficulties involved not only the heat of long days and the cold of sleepless nights, but by the ripe old age of sixteen or seventeen he had killed "both the lion and the bear" that "took a lamb out of the flock" (1 Samuel 17:34-36). David also encountered barriers as a son. Fathers and sons typically come across relational bumps in the road, but perhaps even more so with David since he came from a large family of eight boys and two girls, and he was the youngest of the eight sons.

1 I'm sure it was easy for David to get overlooked and lost in the crowd, and this was very apparent  on the momentous day that Samuel came to the home of Jesse to choose a future replacement for king Saul. As the stately prophet "sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice" (1 Samuel 16:5,11), the family gave no thought to David as he was out keeping the sheep. The connection between David and his dad could have been further restrained by the fact that Jesse was by now "old and well advanced in years" (1 Samuel 17:12 NIV). To top it all off, the Bible says that David was "ruddy" (1 Samuel 16:12), which means he was redheaded. He must have felt like the proverbial "redheaded step child."

He had indeed encountered barriers, but he had also experienced blessings. Perhaps David  thought that he was out of sight and out of mind, but someone was thinking of David. In fact, eight years before David was born, Samuel spoke prophetically of David and said to king Saul, "The LORD hath sought Him a man after His own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14, cf. Acts 13:22). God obviously had a higher purpose for David than tending sheep; and as God's great purpose began to unfold, David experienced the blessing of being summoned by the religious leader. On the day of the prophet's visit to Bethlehem, "Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth    yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither" (1 Samuel 16:11). This is an amazing scene as the entire family waited for the youngest son; and then Samuel, having divine confirmation that David would be the next king, "anointed him in the midst of his brethren" (1 Samuel 16:13). David later experienced the blessing of being summoned by the royal leader. I'm convinced that this too was a part of God's great unfolding purpose for David's life. King Saul desired music to calm his nerves, and one of his servants said, "I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing" (1 Samuel 16:18), and so it was that David was called in to play the harp for king Saul thus allowing him a first hand view of what it meant to be a king. Have you ever sensed that certain aspects of your life have been in accordance with a divine plan? We cannot deny that the hand of God was at work in David's life. These problematical barriers and providential arrangements were preparing David to face the challenge and follow the cause he would embrace in the valley of Elah.

I. David Found His Cause In The Opportunity

The beginning verses of 1 Samuel 17 describe a conflict at Elah between the Philistine army and the men of Israel. According to C. F. Keil, this "war between the Philistines and the Israelites furnished David with the opportunity of displaying before Saul and all Israel... that heroic power which was  firmly based upon his bold and pious trust in ...God."2 David had not created an agenda just to generate excitement, nor was this a scenario fabricated by David for the purpose of self-exaltation.

David was not an opportunist, but he was presented with some great opportunities. In his poem entitled "Opportunity," John James Ingalls personified opportunity which said, "It is the hour of fate, and they who follow me reach every state mortals desire, and conquer every foe."3 Let's consider David's course in this fateful hour.

A. An Opportunity To Serve

David was presented with an opportunity to serve. When this conflict began, the Bible says, "the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle... But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem" (1 Samuel 17:13-15). They must have believed that it was pointless to take David. Saul definitely doubted David as he later said, "Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth"(1 Samuel 17:33). He had been omitted from the battle, but Jesse believed that he could aid his brothers in other ways so he sent David on a mission of mercy. David traveled approximately fifteen miles from Bethlehem to the valley of Elah to minister to his brethren "that went to the battle" (1 Samuel 17:13). In verse 17, Jesse instructed David to take provision for their hunger. He also told David, "look how thy brethren fare,  and take their pledge" (1 Samuel 17:18). He was to receive a pledge regarding their health; Dad said to make sure they were alive and well. David's errand evidenced his simple obedience to his father, but it also showed a lot of character on David's part. Even though his brothers had perhaps overlooked David, he loved them enough to go and minister to their needs. All too often, those who travel a noble course are distracted by personality conflicts and petty concerns; but David was steadfast in his service.

B. An Opportunity To Stand

David was presented with an opportunity to stand. The Philistine army and their champion, the giant of Gath, represented a very real threat; but while everyone else saw this monstrous challenger as too big to kill, David saw him as too big to miss. David's interest was initially ignited by the possibility of obtaining the prize of victory and the reward for standing against Goliath. How wonderful it would be to go back home with more than just an empty carriage. The prospect of procuring "great riches," the king's daughter as a wife, and tax-free status in Israel appealed to David (1 Samuel 17:25). As intriguing as these incentives may have been, the real motivation behind David's cause and the reason for standing against Goliath, according to verse 26, seems to have been the removal of Israel's reproach. Because Goliath had disgraced and "defied the armies of the living God" (1  Samuel 17:36), David reasoned that someone should speak up and stand up for this cause. This was truly a weighty matter, for the welfare of the entire kingdom depended upon the determination in this conflict. One of the things that makes David's story so powerful is that his victory would bring more than self-exaltation. It would restore a sense of stability and worth to the whole nation of Israel. Like David, we have the opportunity of taking a stand for God and righteousness, of standing for a cause that brings hope to countless lives. Truly this is a cause worth pursuing!

II. David Faced His Cause In The Opposition

The Australian born preacher and author J. Sidlow Baxter said, "There is no opportunity without opposition."4 Every time God's people try to do something good and decent, inevitably they face obstacles. Paul confirmed the reality of such opposition to Timothy when he said, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). We learn in our spiritual sojourn that the path that leads to growth and maturity is not always the path of least resistance.

David soon discovered that, in pursuing a cause and taking a stand, he would be no stranger to strife.

A. Colossal Opposition

David would face colossal opposition. The scriptures paint an intriguing picture of Goliath, the champion of Gath. In verses 5 through 7 of 1 Samuel 17, we learn about his ample armor and  arsenal of weaponry, but in verse 4 we discover the immense size of the giant. It is difficult to ascertain the exact height, or perhaps we should say altitude, of Goliath because of uncertainty regarding  the modern equivalents of the ancient cubit and span. F. B. Meyer stated that Goliath was  "nine feet six inches in height."5 Using the computation of a Bishop Cumberland, the notable commentator Matthew Henry figured Goliath to be "eleven feet and four inches."6 David must have looked like a child standing across from an NBA basketball center. When we read this account, we're able to determine the intimidating strategy of this giant. The Bible says, "the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them" (1 Samuel 17:3). And Goliath "drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days" (1 Samuel 17:16), forty days of intimidation, forty days of threats. Here is this massive mountain of flesh wearing two hundred pounds of armor, carrying a spear with a 25 pound iron tip on it, and he kept saying, "Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me" (1 Samuel 17:8). It's no surprise that no one was volunteering for the job, and apparently Goliath got tired of waiting. In verse 25 the men said, "Have ye seen this man that is come up?" "That's right," says Chuck Swindoll. "Goliath has now crossed the ravine at the base of the valley and is coming up Israel's side."7 But who would be foolish enough to face this colossal contender? As we shall soon see, it didn't require foolishness as much as it required faith in Someone bigger than Goliath, and no one had more faith that day than David.

B. Close Opposition

David would face close opposition. We come to expect resistance from the opposite side of the valley, but David also encountered hostility from, what was doubtless, an unanticipated source. His own oldest brother, Eliab, "heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David" (1 Samuel 17:28). Presumably, the passion that was provoked in the heart of Eliab was an envious anger. Had Samuel not "looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him" (1 Samuel 16:6)? But then, did not Samuel take the horn of oil, and anoint David "in the midst of his brethren" (1 Samuel 16:13)? Eliab must have been very jealous as he bombarded David with those explosive accusations. However, as William Taylor remarked, "David did not allow himself to be provoked; he ruled his spirit for the time - a harder task and a yet nobler achievement even than the conquest of the giant."8 There is within every living thing the instinctual reaction to either fight or flee in response to conflict or danger. On that pivotal day in David's life, he would fight in the conflict with Goliath, but in a sense, he would flee from the criticism of his brother as he simply "turned from him toward another" (1 Samuel 17:30). However, David was successful in both situations. I wonder what Eliab thought after his little brother's victory. We don't know because Eliab is never mentioned again in the scriptures beyond brief revelations concerning his children. David's victory would silence his critics.

III. David Fulfilled His Cause In The Outcome

Because of our thorough and lifelong familiarity with this story, we are prone to minimize the tension and trepidation that must have descended upon the camp of Israel as a young, shepherd boy went out against an enormous enemy. The king, the army, David's brothers, all must have watched and waited anxiously as the fate of lives and nations hung in the balance; but David was so confident about going into this fight. It's really rather amusing to see this teenage boy assuring the king and his seasoned soldiers, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:32). "Don't worry about it king; I'll take care of it for you." David marched down the hill to face this brutish behemoth, and the odds were against David. But he wasn't trusting in the odds.

A. An Expected Outcome In This Conflict

There was an expected outcome in this conflict. David anticipated a particular result in this battle; he expected to win. But the basis of his expectation was not found in his ability alone, for he said to king Saul, "The Lord ... will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:37). He had tried Saul's armor but it cultivated no courage in his heart. It proved to be more burden than benefit. David believed he would be victorious in this confrontation because he was trusting in the strength of the Lord. The source of his strength and confidence is revealed in his brave exclamation to Goliath: "This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand ... that all the earth may know that there is a God in  Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands" (1 Samuel 17:46-47). He was trusting in the salvation of the Lord. In the 2003 film "Big Fish," the main character Edward Bloom was able to be heroic in some frightening situations because in his youth he had seen how he was going to die. In one scene, he bravely faced a giant knowing that he would not die by the giant's hand.9 Similarly, David could stand toe to toe with his giant because he knew that his life was in the Lord's hand. In achieving one's purpose and pursuing one's cause, there's something to be said for faith; and Sidlow Baxter said it best: "Doubt sees the obstacles; Faith sees the way. Doubt sees the darksome night; Faith sees the day. Doubt dreads to take the step; Faith soars on high. Doubt whispers, 'Who believes?' Faith answers - 'I.'"10

B. An Exciting Outcome In This Conflict

There was an exciting outcome in this conflict. I don't know about you, but I would have stood breathless as the small shepherd crossed the ravine and picked up stones from the brook; carrying not sword nor spear nor shield, but a shepherd's staff, a scrip or shepherd's bag, and a leather  sling, "and he drew near to the Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:40). My stomach would have knotted up as David bravely said, "This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee" (1 Samuel 17:46). I would have broken out into a cold sweat as that malevolent monstrosity "the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David" (vs. 48). Most people would run from a charging elephant, but not David! No, "David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine" (vs. 48 italics mine). The element of fear makes this an electrifying situation. We know that "he disdained" David (vs. 42), but Goliath also probably laughed a little at this small opponent. But about the time the stone was launched from the sling like a (divinely) guided missile and hit him in the head, he knew that there was indeed a God in Israel. As Max Lucado expressed, "God made His point. Anyone who underestimates what God can do with the ordinary has rocks in his head." 11 What an exhilarating triumph as the Philistines fled and the Israelites pursued! And David's story didn't end here. There is a future element in David's dramatic story. Call it fate. Call it destiny. Call it what you will; this was the fullness of time for David. This was his bridge from obscurity to greatness, and there would be an eventual throne in David's experience. Within fifteen years, he would become the king of Israel. David was simply standing up for right, but in doing so he won the hearts of his countrymen so that when Saul died they rallied behind David as king. As David stepped through this door of opportunity with Goliath, God opened further doors of greater opportunity for the shepherd who would be king.

David's cause had reached its climactic conclusion in victory. He achieved his purpose in a single decisive moment, but it was made possible by a lifetime of preparation. Experience had taught David to move beyond the obstacles, to ignore malicious criticism, to overcome enormous intimidation, to believe in himself when others didn't, but more than that - to believe in God. If you have faith in something and Someone bigger than yourself, then like David you can experience victory and know the power of purpose, the power to make a difference.

Can we still defeat our giants and make a difference in today's world? Pat Tillman thought so. In 2002 Tillman left a lucrative career with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals to join the U.S. Army Rangers, and on April 22, 2004 the 27 year old was killed in a firefight with anti-coalition militia forces in Afghanistan. Dave McGinnis, Tillman's former coach with the Cardinals said, "Pat knew his purpose in life. He proudly walked away from a career in football to a greater calling."12 Have you found a greater calling? Do you have an unfulfilled dream, an unreached goal, or an unharnessed ambition? In your life, is there not some worthy purpose to pursue? "Is there not a cause?" Embrace it!

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1 1 Samuel 17:12; 1 Samuel 16:11; 1 Chronicles 2:16

2 C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary On The Old Testament, Vol. 2 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2001) 480.

3 John James Ingalls, "Opportunity," One Hundred And One Famous Poems, ed. Roy J. Cook (Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc., 1958) 75.

4 J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore The Book, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1960) 230.

5 F. B. Meyer, David: Shepherd, Psalmist, King (London: Marshall, Morgan And Scott, Ltd., 1933) 35.

6 Matthew (HenryMatthewCommentary On The Whole Bible1991)Henry, Commentary On The Whole Bible, Electronic Database (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991).

7 Chuck Swindoll, David: A Man Of Passion & Destiny (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1997) 42.

8 William M. Taylor, David: King Of Israel (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1961) 47.

9 Big Fish, dir. Tim Burton, perf. Ewan McGregor, Billy Crudup, Albert Finney, and Jessica Lange, Sony Pictures, 2003.

10 J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore The Book, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1960) 23.

11 Max Lucado, The Applause Of Heaven (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1996) 66.

12 John J. Lumpkin, "Former NFL Player Killed in Afghanistan," AP News 23 April 2004