‘Go’ said King Saul. ‘And the Lord be with you.’
Then the King picked up his armour, and said ‘Try these on.’
David had never seen such armour before, and he looked at it, and touched it, and turned it round to catch the sunlight streaming through the tent door. It flashed and shone.
‘It’s as good as Goliath’s’ whispered Rhoda.
‘Better!’ said Rupert loyally.
‘It’s far too big’ giggled Rachel.
‘He will never to able to walk in that’ sighed Daddy knowingly.
And he was right.
When David put on the coat of armour and fastened the heavy sword over the tunic he almost fell over. It was all too heavy.
‘I can’t wear these’ he told the King. ‘I can’t even walk in them!’ So he took them off again.
King Saul was worried. ‘Then what will you wear? You can’t fight Goliath unprotected.’
‘The Lord will be my protection’ was David’s answer,and he walked confidently out of the tent, putting all his trust in God.
The four Rabbits ran out after him, startling the King as they passed him in the tent doorway.
‘Wherever did they come from?’ the King asked his servant, but the servant had no idea!
The children thought that was a great joke, and burst out laughing as they caught up with David.
‘We will come with you’ said Rupert, but Daddy said ‘No, we can’t go all the way. We can watch from the edge of the Camp.’
The giant roared again, and Rhoda shivered. She didn’t really want to see the fight, so she asked ‘Would Mummy like to see what David is going to do? I can easily run home and ask her.’
Daddy looked at little Rhoda and gave a gentle, understanding smile. ‘What a good idea, Rhoda. Yes, you go and tell Mummy what is happening.’
Rhoda gave a sigh of relief, then glanced to where Rupert had been to see what he would say, but Rupert had gone! He was with David, marching towards the nearest stream.
Rhoda ran off home as Rachel exclaimed ‘Look where Rupert is, Daddy!’
‘I can see, but don’t worry, I’m sure he will be all right’ and Daddy watched as his son helped David pick out five smooth stones from the stream.
Everyone from both Camps watched as Goliath strode out to meet the boy, David. He looked at David with his shepherd’s bag and crook, and roared with laughter.
‘Am I a dog’ he sneered. ‘So that you bring a stick to me?’ and he cursed David in the name of his gods.
Rupert was not feeling quite as brave as he had been before, and he looked up at David to see if he was scared too, but David was calm and happy. He knew God was with him.
‘You come against me with all your armour, your sword and your spear’ David shouted to Goliath. ‘I don’t need those things for I come in the Name of the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel - the One whom you don’t believe.’
Goliath just sneered, but Rupert cheered. His fear had gone - what could a man, even a giant, do when God was on David’s side?
‘Today, our Living God will win the battle, and you will die, then everyone will know that there is a God in Israel, the only true God.’
Goliath could hardly believe his ears as he looked down at the young boy.
‘How dare he talk to me like that’ he thought.
‘I’ll give your carcass to the beasts of the field’ he roared in anger.
‘No!’ David shouted back. ‘That is what will happen to you, then Israel will know that the Lord doesn’t need weapons such as yours to win the battle, for He is the Great Almighty God.’
And as Goliath moved to attack, David put one of his stones into his sling, swung it high, and flung it towards Goliath.
WHACK! the stone hit Goliath on his forehead, and down he went - Dead!
Rupert was AMAZED, and he sat back with a thump on to his little white tail.
Goliath! The great frightening Giant was dead! Killed by a young boy, and one small stone! It was unbelievable.
‘Thank you, dear Heavenly Father’ he heard David whisper.
Yes! Yes, of course! David had fought Goliath in the Power of God. THAT was the miracle!
Rupert dashed back to Daddy and Rachel.
‘Did you see? Did you see?’ he shouted. David has killed Goliath - because God was with him.’
‘I told you didn’t I?’ said Daddy. ‘God had His Plan, and in His Power all it took was one young boy with faith in Him to carry it out.’
Yes! Yet again, Daddy was right.

Elizabeth Aynsley 1945 ©

1st Samuel Ch. 17 vs. 1 - 51.