DAVID AND GOLIATH: THE
SPIRIT OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF FEAR, CHAPTER 8
KING SAUL – HEAD OF
THE APOSTATE CHURCH
12-05-04
(Rev
13:18) Here is wisdom. Let him that
hath understanding count the number of the beast [a dangerous animal: (venomous, wild) beast]: for it is the
number of a man; and his number is Six
hundred threescore and six [666]. 1.
Goliath
is the 666 man greatly puffed up with
pride “whose height was six
cubits and a span,” and he had six
pieces of armor, “and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron:” (1 Sam 9:1,2) Now
there was a man of Benjamin [son
of the right hand], whose name was Kish
[a bow /// to bend; to set a trap: lay a snare], the son of Abiel,
the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. And he had a son, whose
name was Saul [asked], a choice young man, and a goodly [beautiful,
well favored]: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier
person than he: from his shoulders
and upward he was higher than any of the people. 1.
(1 Sam 15:10,11) Then came
the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up
Saul to be king: for he is turned
back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it
grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night. 2.
(1 Sam 15:22,23) And Samuel
said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying
the voice of the LORD? Behold, to
obey is better than sacrifice, and to
hearken [give heed, regard] than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness
is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected
the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected
thee from being king [“kings
and priests” Rev 1:6; 5:10]. 3.
Who did Saul and the Israelite army believe for the victory? the
invisible God, the “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), or the very visible
very loud and boisterous Goliath? God or this world personified and magnified in
Goliath? God (Jesus Christ) or the talking head of the antichrist body? 4.
(1 Ki 18:21) And Elijah came
unto all the people, and said, How long
halt ye [hesitate (dither); hop,
dance] between two opinions? if
the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the
people answered him not a word. 5.
(Rev 3:14-22) And unto the
angel of the church of the Laodiceans
write [a people of punishment, vengeance];
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the
creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm [tepid],
and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
[vomit] thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have
need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold
tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy
nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine
eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke
and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh [overcometh what?] will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as
I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 6.
Laodicea = Nelson Study Bible: It was a wealthy city with thriving banks,
a textile industry, and a medical school. The city was also known for its sparse
water supply. All of these characteristics are played upon in Christ’s message
to the church. 7.
Laodicea = Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible: The church in Laodicea portrays
the apostate church of the last days (A.D. 1900-present). ULTIMATELY,
WHOM YOU SERVE IS WHOM YOU WORSHIP
(1 Sam 17:8-11)
And he [Goliath] stood
[arose in defiance] and cried
unto the armies of Israel [he
will rule as God], and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your
battle in array [in battle formation]? am not I a Philistine [rolling,
i.e. migratory /// to roll (in dust): roll (wallow) self], and ye servants
['ebed; bondsmen]
to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be
able to fight with me, and to kill me [the
fight is to the death], then will we be your servants
['ebed]: but if I prevail against
him, and kill him, then shall ye be our
servants ['ebed], and
serve us ['abad; bondsmen,
worshipper]. And the Philistine said,
I defy the armies of Israel this
day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When
Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed,
and greatly afraid. 1.
defy = Heb: to pull off, (by impl.) to expose (as by stripping); (as if a
surrender); fig. to carp at, i.e. defame; to spend the winter:--betroth, blaspheme,
defy, rail, reproach, upbraid. 2.
dismayed = Dict: 1. to break down the courage of utterly, as by sudden
danger or trouble; dishearten utterly. 2. sudden or complete loss of
courage; utter disenheartenment. [the
spirit of fear] 3.
(2 Tim 1:7) For God hath not
given us the spirit of fear [timidity /// (dread); faithless: (cowardice)]; but of power [dunamis; force; spec. miraculous power], and of love [agape], and of a sound
mind [discipline, i.e.
self-control]. [which three altogether
describe the Spirit of faith]. 4.
(Rom 8:15) For ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to
fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption [sonship], whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 5.
(Mark 5:15,16) And they come
to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion,
sitting, and clothed, and in his right
mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befell to
him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 6.
(Luke 15:16-19) And he would
fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no
man gave unto him. And when he came to
himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough
and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and
will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired
servants. 7.
(Rom 6:16-18) Know ye not,
that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness? But
God be thanked, that ye were the
servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of
doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin [the
bondage of sin], ye became the
servants of righteousness. 8.
(Mat 4:8-10) Again, the devil taketh him [Jesus
Christ] up into an exceeding high mountain [symbol of pride], and showeth him [i.e. by sight] all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory [honor,
praise, worship] of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I
give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship
me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan [adversary]: for it
is written, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Amen |