The devil is destroyed, so we are free from from his power over us. While we can still be tempted, sin's reign and rule has been broken at the cross.
Jesus delivered us from fear of death and set us free from slavery.
At the cross, and through His resurrection, Jesus set captives free. You no longer should fear death, for Jesus died your death, thereby releasing you from needing to pay for your sin. This is how Jesus set you free from slavery to fear.
And what is amazing about all this is that Jesus used Satan’s own weapon—death—to defeat Satan. Through His death, Jesus put death to death and delivered all God’s people from bondage.
As with all wonderful New Testament truths, the Old Testament has a corresponding illustration; let’s look.
1 Samuel introduces us to Goliath from Gath. Goliath was an impressive and mighty champion. He was a giant of a man who struck terror into the hearts of his enemies.
Goliath proposed a battle between the Philistines and the Israelites. Notice what would happen if Goliath won the battle he was proposing:
1 Samuel 17:8b-9 NIV Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “...Choose a man and have him come down to me. (9) If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.”
Yes, this was the purpose of the contest, to enslave God’s people; to make them subjects and servants of the Philistines. His mission was to dominate and enslave. Isn’t this Satan’s purpose against you and I today?
Notice how Goliath terrorized the Israelites:
1 Samuel 17:10-11 NIV Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” (11) On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
So Goliath was very frightening. He was a giant bully to all of God’s people. He taunted them, and he terrified them. “Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear” (1 Samuel 17:24). Goliath wanted to captivate them and enslave them.
Isn’t this much like how the devil is to us? He tempts us, and he taunts us. His purpose is to enslave us through guilt over our sin and the fear of death. We are unquestionably no match for him as his power and his experience go far beyond ours. When we see what he is capable of, we cannot help but be “dismayed and terrified.”
Martin Luther wrote about Satan in his hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”:
“For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe.
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.”
You and I are no match for the devil. But there is One Who is greater than he.
1 Samuel 17:12, 15 NIV Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem...David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
Question 4. David was from Bethlehem. What was David’s occupation at the time of this battle?