A Bible Study on Faith in the God of Israel
1 Samuel 17:1–54

Paul J. Bucknell

Faith faces the challenge honestly without allowing intimidation, discouragement, or the size of the opponent to define what God can do.

Two steps are needed to face the world and its challenges:

(1) Not being caught off guard by the challenges that enter our lives and

(2) Develop the confidence needed to fight and win.

A. Challenges to Our Faith (1 Sam 17:1-25)

1 “Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath. 8 He stood and shouted at the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine and are you not 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 ranks 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. 12. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in age. 13. The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle … 14. David was the youngest. 15 … but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. 16. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening. 21. And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 22. And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. 23. As he talked with them, behold the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard them. 24. All the men of Israel when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25. And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.”

• Please describe the scene here. What part of the scene would you best be represented by?
• What challenges did Israel face?
• What personal challenges did David face?
• What are the purposes for the challenges that enter our lives? (This assumes God controls what we face each day.)
• Name one or more areas that you have improperly handled. Why did you mishandle it?
• What is your biggest challenge now? How are you handling it? With faith?

Summary

There was a personal struggle or battle David had to face even before he could go against Goliath. Discouragements, derailing comments, and doubts of all kinds bombard us to stop us from considering the fights ahead.