Sorry, you must have Windows Media Player 9 or higher. Scroll down, or click here for diagram I KNOW THY PRIDE (1 Sam 17:24-31) And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man [Goliath], fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach [disgrace: rebuke, shame] from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy [blaspheme] the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. And Eliab his eldest brother [a position of great authority over David] heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David [why?], and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness [badness, wickedness] of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle [for he was obviously too young and small to fight]. 1. Commentary: Types and shadows; food for thought. Eliab’s position of great authority over David is a parallel story (a microcosm), to the story of Saul’s position of great authority over the Israelites (a macrocosm). We may therefore apply certain information and conclusions about microcosmic Eliab directly to macrocosmic Saul. This application becomes increasingly significant, and illuminating, during Saul’s following years when his relationship with David progressively deteriorates from love, through love-hate, to hate (1 Sam 18-31). 2. pride = Dict: high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc. 3. Opposites: David (loving) was faithful (other focused - HUMBLE) and therefore prideless. Eliab was prideful (self focused) and therefore faithless. Remember Lucifer-Satan’s five prideful declarations of “I will” concluding with “I will be like the most High.” (Isa 14:11-14). 4. projection = in psychoanalysis, the unconscious mechanism where one’s own faults are seen in other persons rather than in one’s own personality. 5. (Mat 12:34 b) …for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. ALL OUR BATTLES LARGE AND SMALL, ARE ABOUT PRIDE (1 Pet 5:5,6) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble [abase, bring low (submit-surrender)] yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1. humility = Heb: 5012; humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty: humbleness of mind, humility (of mind), lowliness (of mind) /// 5011; depressed, i.e. (fig.) humiliated (in circumstances or disposition):--base, cast down, humble, of low degree (estate), lowly. 2. (Mat 11:28-30) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden [overburdened], and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek [gentle] and lowly [humble] in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy [good, gracious, kind], and my burden [task or service] is light. 3. yoke = Gk: (to join espec. by a "yoke"); a coupling, i.e. (fig.) servitude a law or obligation); also (lit.) the beam of the balance (as connecting the scales): pair of balances, yoke. 4. (Rom 12:3) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly [be vain or arrogant] than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith [limited portion (degree)]. 5. (1 Cor 8:1) Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up [to inflate, make proud (haughty)], but charity [love] edifieth [to be a house-builder, i.e. construct or build up]. 6. (Prov 16:18) Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty [prideful] spirit before a fall. 7. (Prov 18:12) Before destruction the heart of man is haughty [prideful], and before honour is humility. 8. (Prov 22:4) By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. THREE PUFFED UP MEN: ELIAB AND SAUL AND GOLIATH (1 Sam 16:6,7) And it came to pass, when they were come, that he [Samuel] looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1. height = Heb: 1364. gaboahh, gaw-bo'-ah; from H1361; elevated (or elated), powerful, arrogant:--haughty, height, high (-er), lofty, proud, X exceeding proudly. (1 Sam 10:23,24) And they ran and fetched him [Saul] thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king. 1. higher = Heb: 1361. gabahh, gaw-bah'; to soar, i.e. be lofty; fig. to be haughty:--exalt, be haughty, be (make) high (-er), lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up great height, upward. (1 Sam 17:4) And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span [over 12 feet tall, using 24” to the cubit]. 1. height = Heb: 1363. gobahh, go'-bah; from H1361; elation, grandeur, arrogance:--excellency, haughty, height, high, loftiness, pride. HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE (John 3:30) (1 Ki 19:11,12) And he said [to Elijah], Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still [quiet: calm] small voice. 1. small = Heb: crushed, (by impl.) small or thin: very little thing /// to crush or crumble: beat in pieces (small), bruise, make dust, X powder, (be, very) small, stamp (small). 2. (Exo 16:14,15) And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna [man, mawn; a whatness]: for they wist not [understood not] what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. THE PRIDE-HUMILITY SCALE Commentary: Pride and humility are opposite poles of thought. Pride is a pattern of thought, and humility is a pattern of thought. In the Bible, Jesus Christ is the perfect personification of humility, and Goliath is the perfect personification of pride; both are man plus spirit. Jesus Christ is a man plus the heritage of the “good” Holy Spirit (Mat 1:20) – a giant within; Goliath is a man plus the heritage of the “evil” fallen spirits (Gen 6:4) – a giant without. Jesus Christ and Goliath are positioned on opposite ends of the scale of “Pride-Humility,” i.e. perfect pride and perfect humility with all humanity in-between. Satan is not depicted on this human scale because he is not a man, but he is a spirit only. For our edification, God has drawn us an Old Testament word picture of this scale of human thought which ranges from pride to humility. Please imagine in your mind a mental picture of the three prideful men mentioned in 1 Sam 17 in descending order of the physical height (stature) (symbolic of pride) which is biblically ascribed to each man (coincidence?). The men in order are Goliath (1 Sam 17:4), and Saul (1 Sam 10:23.24), and Eliab (1 Sam 16:6,7). Place each man as a point of reference on the Pride-Humility Scale. Now place David on the scale in his proper position, according to his inferred height (stature), and you have a completed Old Testament picture with measurable increments of the human scale of “Pride-Humility” ranging from the epitome or archetype of pride in Goliath to the epitome or archetype of humility in David – altogether drawn by the Hand of God. “Stature” (1 Sam 16:7) is inclusive of height, but connotative of so much more than height. When we look at the individual “stature” of David and of Eliab and of Saul and of Goliath, we perceive that “stature” is the broad brush which brings fullness to this picture. Let us further refine the Pride-Humility Scale by the application of The Sower Soweth The Word parable to Goliath, Saul, Eliab, and David. Whom do you most resemble? What is your position on this scale? Amen Last Chapter Table Of Contents Next Chapter
(1 Sam 17:24-31) And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man [Goliath], fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach [disgrace: rebuke, shame] from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy [blaspheme] the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. And Eliab his eldest brother [a position of great authority over David] heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David [why?], and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness [badness, wickedness] of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle [for he was obviously too young and small to fight].
1. Commentary: Types and shadows; food for thought. Eliab’s position of great authority over David is a parallel story (a microcosm), to the story of Saul’s position of great authority over the Israelites (a macrocosm). We may therefore apply certain information and conclusions about microcosmic Eliab directly to macrocosmic Saul. This application becomes increasingly significant, and illuminating, during Saul’s following years when his relationship with David progressively deteriorates from love, through love-hate, to hate (1 Sam 18-31).
2. pride = Dict: high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.
3. Opposites: David (loving) was faithful (other focused - HUMBLE) and therefore prideless. Eliab was prideful (self focused) and therefore faithless. Remember Lucifer-Satan’s five prideful declarations of “I will” concluding with “I will be like the most High.” (Isa 14:11-14).
4. projection = in psychoanalysis, the unconscious mechanism where one’s own faults are seen in other persons rather than in one’s own personality.
5. (Mat 12:34 b) …for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
(1 Pet 5:5,6) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble [abase, bring low (submit-surrender)] yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1. humility = Heb: 5012; humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty: humbleness of mind, humility (of mind), lowliness (of mind) /// 5011; depressed, i.e. (fig.) humiliated (in circumstances or disposition):--base, cast down, humble, of low degree (estate), lowly.
2. (Mat 11:28-30) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden [overburdened], and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek [gentle] and lowly [humble] in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy [good, gracious, kind], and my burden [task or service] is light.
3. yoke = Gk: (to join espec. by a "yoke"); a coupling, i.e. (fig.) servitude a law or obligation); also (lit.) the beam of the balance (as connecting the scales): pair of balances, yoke.
4. (Rom 12:3) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly [be vain or arrogant] than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith [limited portion (degree)].
5. (1 Cor 8:1) Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up [to inflate, make proud (haughty)], but charity [love] edifieth [to be a house-builder, i.e. construct or build up].
6. (Prov 16:18) Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty [prideful] spirit before a fall.
7. (Prov 18:12) Before destruction the heart of man is haughty [prideful], and before honour is humility.
8. (Prov 22:4) By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
(1 Sam 16:6,7) And it came to pass, when they were come, that he [Samuel] looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
1. height = Heb: 1364. gaboahh, gaw-bo'-ah; from H1361; elevated (or elated), powerful, arrogant:--haughty, height, high (-er), lofty, proud, X exceeding proudly.
(1 Sam 10:23,24) And they ran and fetched him [Saul] thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
1. higher = Heb: 1361. gabahh, gaw-bah'; to soar, i.e. be lofty; fig. to be haughty:--exalt, be haughty, be (make) high (-er), lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up great height, upward.
(1 Sam 17:4) And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span [over 12 feet tall, using 24” to the cubit].
1. height = Heb: 1363. gobahh, go'-bah; from H1361; elation, grandeur, arrogance:--excellency, haughty, height, high, loftiness, pride.
(1 Ki 19:11,12) And he said [to Elijah], Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still [quiet: calm] small voice.
1. small = Heb: crushed, (by impl.) small or thin: very little thing /// to crush or crumble: beat in pieces (small), bruise, make dust, X powder, (be, very) small, stamp (small).
2. (Exo 16:14,15) And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna [man, mawn; a whatness]: for they wist not [understood not] what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
Commentary: Pride and humility are opposite poles of thought. Pride is a pattern of thought, and humility is a pattern of thought. In the Bible, Jesus Christ is the perfect personification of humility, and Goliath is the perfect personification of pride; both are man plus spirit. Jesus Christ is a man plus the heritage of the “good” Holy Spirit (Mat 1:20) – a giant within; Goliath is a man plus the heritage of the “evil” fallen spirits (Gen 6:4) – a giant without. Jesus Christ and Goliath are positioned on opposite ends of the scale of “Pride-Humility,” i.e. perfect pride and perfect humility with all humanity in-between. Satan is not depicted on this human scale because he is not a man, but he is a spirit only.
For our edification, God has drawn us an Old Testament word picture of this scale of human thought which ranges from pride to humility. Please imagine in your mind a mental picture of the three prideful men mentioned in 1 Sam 17 in descending order of the physical height (stature) (symbolic of pride) which is biblically ascribed to each man (coincidence?). The men in order are Goliath (1 Sam 17:4), and Saul (1 Sam 10:23.24), and Eliab (1 Sam 16:6,7). Place each man as a point of reference on the Pride-Humility Scale. Now place David on the scale in his proper position, according to his inferred height (stature), and you have a completed Old Testament picture with measurable increments of the human scale of “Pride-Humility” ranging from the epitome or archetype of pride in Goliath to the epitome or archetype of humility in David – altogether drawn by the Hand of God.
“Stature” (1 Sam 16:7) is inclusive of height, but connotative of so much more than height. When we look at the individual “stature” of David and of Eliab and of Saul and of Goliath, we perceive that “stature” is the broad brush which brings fullness to this picture.
Let us further refine the Pride-Humility Scale by the application of The Sower Soweth The Word parable to Goliath, Saul, Eliab, and David. Whom do you most resemble? What is your position on this scale?
Amen
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