This name first appears in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 1, verse 3; however, it seems only fitting to speak about HIM from 1 Samuel, chapter 17. The Philistines had gathered an army and occupied a territory of Judah called Shochoh. Now the word Philistine means immigrant and described the descendants of Mizraim who had migrated from Caphtor (Crete). They had pitched their tents in a place called Ephes Dammim, which means edge of blood (v.1).
Saul and the men of Israel readied themselves to fight and pitched their tents in a place called the valley of Elah, which means oak tree. Notice the King James Version (KJV) says the Philistines were ‘IN’ the edge of blood while Israel stood ‘BY’ the oak tree valley (v.2). Was this prophetic of what was about to happen? Each army was on a mountain and the valley was between them (v.3).
The Philistines had a champion called Goliath who was from Gath. The scripture says Goliath was six cubits and a span which calculates to about 10 feet or 3 meters (v.4). He was taller than the tallest living man today, who, according to the Guinness book of world records (February 2011), is Sultan Kosen from Turkey with a height of 8 feet 3 inches (251.4 cm).
Goliath was hurling insults at the entire Israelite army (v.8-10). Everyone was standing around in fear (v.11) while Goliath paraded himself for 40 days (v.16). Now let’s skip to David. David was talking to his brothers when Goliath approached and started cursing Israel again (v.23). David told King Saul that he wanted to kill Goliath. He said he had killed a lion and a bear and compared Goliath to them. He further said that God had delivered him from the lion and the bear and by God he would slay Goliath like he did the lion and the bear (v.34-37).
Saul gave him permission and David went out against Goliath with a staff, a sling and five smooth stones from the river (v.40). When Goliath saw David he became outraged and cursed him because he was young and had come to fight him with sticks (v.41-43). Goliath told David that he was going to feed him to the flesh eating birds and beasts (v.44). David answered and said:
“…Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.” (v.45-47)
David fearlessly ran towards the advancing Philistine army, wound up his sling, let the stone fly and hit Goliath in the center of his forehead. The stone sunk in and Goliath fell. David did not have a sword so he ran to Goliath, drew Goliath’s sword and cut off his head with it.
The entire Philistine army began to run away because their champion had been killed (v.48-51). The Israelites chased the fleeing Philistine army to a place called Ekron, which means torn up by the roots. The Philistines were literally uprooted from Judah’s land.
The LORD of hosts is translated from the Hebrew Yĕhovah Tsaba pronounced tsä vä'. Some call the name Yehovah Saboath but I use the exact Hebrew term. TSABA literally refers to Yehovah, the leader or patron of the entire army of Heaven, actively going out to war. Notice in verse 47 David said: “…the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s…” God fights for us without conventional weapons and wins.
Yĕhovah Tsaba is our leader or patron in every battle so trust Him to fight and win for us everytime.
God Bless You!!!
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