David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. - 1 Samuel 17:45

Perhaps more than any other story in the Bible, David’s triumph over Goliath is known by people both inside and outside the church. It’s the perfect underdog story with a hero vs. Villain, where a plucky lad with a few smooth stones defeats a giant, armored warrior decked out with heavy weapons. It’s a story filled with contrasts and ironies: tall versus short, arrogance versus humility, strength versus weakness, and glorious victory versus humiliating defeat.

But as much as people like to make it out, this story isn’t mainly about David. Or Goliath. The core conflict is between the false gods of the Philistines and the God of Israel, Yahweh Sabaoth, which means, “the LORD of Hosts” or “the LORD Almighty.”

This name for God is one of the most widely used names in the Old Testament. It occurs nearly 300 times, and comes from the Hebrew word for “that which goes forth” and for “armies” or “hosts.” It is a name that declares God’s reign over heaven and earth, as well as every earthly and spiritual army.

The reason that David had confidence is because he understood that the real conflict belonged to the Lord. He reminded everyone that “The battle is the LORD’s,” and through him, “the LORD of Hosts,” would defeat the mighty Philistine and his gods.

In a hymn that we sometimes sing, we say, “Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same. And he must win the battle.” May our confidence come from God because He goes before us as the God of angel armies!

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Aaron