David versus Goliath is a Messianic Type

 

Establish the need: We already saw the last two weeks that the beginning and end of 1-2 Samuel has Messianic prophecies stated in poetic forms; but in between the bookends does any of the narrative stories gives us any types pointing towards the Messiah?

Purpose: We will explore how this story is a type pointing to Jesus with two points so that we would be at awe with God and Christ and the Bible as our act of worship.

• We expect a Messianic typology in 1-2 Samuel because of the parallels between Abraham and David
• The parallel with David and Jesus

 

We expect a Messianic typology in 1-2 Samuel because of the parallels between Abraham and David

Both Genesis and 1-2 Samuel has bookends with Messianic prophecies

1. For Genesis we covered earlier how Genesis 3:15 and Genesis 49 are Messianic prophecies.
2. For 1-2 Samuel we covered earlier how Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 and David’s last words in 2 Samuel 23:1-7 are Messianic prophecies.

God made a Covenant with both Abraham and David:

1. God’s Covenant with Abraham can be seen in Genesis 15 and Genesis 17.
2. God’s Covenant with David can be seen in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17.[1]

Both the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenant has three key Promises from God

1. Abrahamic Covenant’s Three promises[2]
   1. A Promise concerning people: Descendants: “And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” (Genesis 15:5)
   2. A Promise with political implications: Land: “And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” (Genesis 15:7)=
   3. A Promise beyond Abraham: Blessing to Nations: “And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”” (Genesis 12:3)
2. Davidic Covenant’s Three promises[3]
   1. A Promise concerning people: A Dynasty: “When your days are finished and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you,” (2 Samuel 7:12a)
   2. A Promise with political implications: A throne: “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:13)
   3. A Promise beyond David: Kingdom forever: “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16)

Both Abraham and David face tests to be a leader used by God

1. One of the greatest trial for Abraham was from God for Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice in Genesis 22.
2. To be King David would have to show he’s able to lead in war and win against the enemies of Israel. It seems David’s greatest trial was in 1 Samuel 17 since there are four conflicts within this story.[4]
   1. Israel vs. Philistines (1-11)[5]
   2. David vs. Goliath (12-27)[6]
   3. David vs. brothers(28-30)[7]
   4. David vs. Saul (31-39)[8]
3. Abraham’s most intense test in Genesis 22 has Messianic Typology; should we expect Messianic Typology pointing towards Christ with David’s most intense test?

 

The parallel with David and Jesus

A Man from Bethlehem[9]

1. David is from Bethlehem; see 1 Samuel 17:12, 15, 58.
2. Jesus is from Bethlehem; see Matthew 2:1, 5, 6, 8.

Both were not seen as likely Savior

1. When Samuel was anointed as the future king of Israel in 1 Samuel 16 (the chapter before David vs. Goliath) God had to tell the prophet Samuel not to look at appearances in 1 Samuel 16:7 and even David’s own father Jesse didn’t even think his youngest son would be a candidate for king, see 1 Samuel 16:11.
2. Concerning Jesus, Isaiah 53:2b predicted “He has no stately form or majesty That we would look at Him, Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him.”

Both were despised by their brothers

1. David’s brothers clashed with David in 1 Samuel 17:28-30.
2. Concerning Jesus, Isaiah 53:2b predicted “He has no stately form or majesty That we would look at Him, Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him.”
3. John 7:5 states “For not even His brothers believed in Him” and they even went said this about Jesus in Mark 3:21: “And when His own people heard about this, they came out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.””

Both were sent to death by a rejected ruler of Israel[10]

1. In 1 Samuel 16:23 (the chapter before David fought Goliath) it record Saul already attempting to kill David: “So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would feel relieved and become well, and the evil spirit would leave him.” So when David was sent by Saul to fight king David in 2 Samuel 17:37 practically speaking David was sent to be killed by Goliath given the odds.
2. Jesus too was sent by Herod and the religious leaders to His death.
3. In both instances the leaders who sent the heroes to life risking situations were already rejected by God (Herod/religious leaders/Saul).

Both were Heroes who rescued the people from slavery and death[11]

1. Remember 1 Samuel 17:9 Goliath said “If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” Yet David delivered God’s people from being killed by Goliath and enslaved!
2. Likewise free sinners from the Second Death and slavery from Sin!

Both were Heroes concerned about God’s glory:

1. David care about God’s glory: “Then David said to the men who were standing by him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and rids Israel of the disgrace? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he has dared to defy the armies of the living God?”” (1 Samuel 17:26)
2. Jesus also is concern about God’s glory: “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24)

Both were Heroes who battle a Serpent-like enemy

1. Goliath wore a lot of bronze: “And he had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze saber slung between his shoulders” (1 Samuel 17:5-6). Interestingly the word for bronze in Hebrew is Nekhoshet is the same root letters as the word for serpent![12]
2. Goliath also wore chain-mailed armor described as scale-armor” (1 Samuel 17:5) which is the Hebrew word qasqeset and this makes us think of a serpent too.[13]
3. David slayed Goliath with a stone to Goliath’s head that makes one think of Genesis 3:15 of the Messiah bruising the Serpent’s head.
4. Of course Christ would one day crush Satan as recorded in the book of Revelation!

 

[1] Walter Kaiser, “2 Samuel 7: The Davidic Covenant” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 386.

[2] Walter Kaiser, “2 Samuel 7: The Davidic Covenant” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 385.

[3] Walter Kaiser, “2 Samuel 7: The Davidic Covenant” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 385.

[4] James E. Allman, “1 Samuel 17: A Messianic Prototype” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 381.

[5] James E. Allman, “1 Samuel 17: A Messianic Prototype” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 378-79.

[6] James E. Allman, “1 Samuel 17: A Messianic Prototype” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 379.

[7] James E. Allman, “1 Samuel 17: A Messianic Prototype” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 379-80.

[8] James E. Allman, “1 Samuel 17: A Messianic Prototype” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 378.

[9] James E. Allman, “1 Samuel 17: A Messianic Prototype” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 382.

[10] James E. Allman, “1 Samuel 17: A Messianic Prototype” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 381.

[11] James E. Allman, “1 Samuel 17: A Messianic Prototype” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 382.

[12] L. Michael Morales, Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2020), Hoopla Location 266-267 of 966.

[13] L. Michael Morales, Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2020), Hoopla Location 267 of 966.

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