1 Samuel 17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him… All young people like to hear and read stories about giants. I suppose there is hardly a person in this country who knows how go read, but who has read the famous history of Jack the Giant Killer. I remember, when a very little boy, reading it, and thinking what a wonderful history it was. Some people pretend to think that it was hardly possible for David to throw a stone with sufficient force to sink into the giant's head. One of this class, a foolish young man, who pretended not to believe the Bible, was once riding in a stagecoach, which was full of passengers. He was trying to ridicule some of the Bible stories. Among others, he spoke of this one about David and the giant. He said he thought the giant's head must have been too hard for a boy like David to send a stone into it; and, turning to an old Quaker gentleman, who sat in the corner of the coach, he asked, "What do you think about it, sir?" "Friend," said the old gentleman, in a dry, quiet way, "I'll tell thee what I think: if the giant's head was as soft as thine it must have been very easy for the stone to get in." I want now to speak about five giants that we should all unite in trying to fight against. I. The first giant I am to speak of is the GIANT HEATHENISM. This giant doesn't live here. He is found in countries where the Gospel is not known. His castles may be seen in Africa, and in India, in China, and in the islands of the sea. He is a huge giant. This giant is very strong, and very cruel. Well, what are we to do to this giant? Why, we must fight him, as David did Goliath. The Bible is the brook to which we must go. The truths which it contains are the stones that we must use. II. The second giant I would speak of is the GIANT SELFISHNESS. The giant selfishness never sees, or hears, or does anything for anyone but himself if you find that you are getting to think more of yourself than of others, then be sure the giant is after you. We must fight this giant by self-denial. III. The third giant I want to speak about is the GIANT COVETOUSNESS. This giant is very large in size, and very strong in limb; but he has the tiniest tittle bit of a heart you ever saw, might put it in a nutshell. The only wonder is how so huge a frame can be supported by so little a heart. But this is not all, for little as his heart is, it is hard as stone. He is ashamed of his name, and won't answer to it. He pretends that his right name is — frugality. But this is a great story. Frugality is a very different person. He is a good, true, honest fellow If you ask, How are you to fight him? I answer, by learning to give. IV. The fourth giant of which I will speak is the GIANT ILL-TEMPER. But how are we to fight against, this giant? I answer, By trying to be like Jesus. We always think of Him as — the "gentle Jesus, meek and mild." Do you suppose that this giant ever got a single link of his chain on Jesus? No. V. The last giant I wish to speak about is the GIANT INTEMPERANCE. He is a very ugly-looking fellow When he is in a good humour, and feels jolly, he puts on a silly face, and looks very foolish. But when he gets in a passion he is awful looking, and it makes one shudder to see him. (R. Newton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. |
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